4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[The Dogmother]

Fibroids can cause heavy bleeding and pain, in fact the bleeding can be so extreme as to cause anaemia. Fibroids are often treated with endometrial ablation or uterine resection. Both of these treatments will affect the ability to conceive, but there are other alternatives which don't.

[Egluntyne]

My good friend and colleague had a hysterical rectum only this week for fibroids. She has suffered for years....I don't know why as she was adamant that she didn't want any more children.

[The Dogmother]

There really is no need to suffer with it - poor woman.

[Goosey Lucy]

Ok, time for me to add my experience.

 

The symptoms you are describing sound almost identical to mine.

My periods have always been a bit erratic having between 27-35 day cycles. After my second (and final) child they became almost unbearable. I kept a diary of symptoms, physical and emotional for 3 months before seeing my GP. A lovely man. Took OH with me. My cycle was down to 24 days, bleeding would start as a little spotting for 2 days then the flood gates would literally open and for 24 hours I was unable to confidently leave the house. Nights required 2 Super Plus tampons and an extra long towel. This I could just about cope with but the PMS was appaling. I can only say that I was on an emotional roller coaster for a week before I came on until after the main bleed. The only positive thing was that after the main bleed things would slow down and after another couple of days it would be over.

The pain I can only describe as though I had been kicked by a horse, it felt as though my pubic bone was being pulled apart.

I took a PCOS test which proved negative. I was offered everyhting from no intervention at all, through counselling, hormone based tablets through to anti-depressants. The GP didn't push any one just let OH and I come to a decision ourselves.

I now take Evening Primrose oil and St John's Wort for painful boobs and mood swings. I also have the week before my period as cheese week when I increase the amount of cheese and other protein as much as reasonably possible. I also try to take extra care of myself and have 'pamper' sessions built into that week which nothing gets in the way of.

Yes I still have mood swings although I no longer spend the best part of 3 days sobbing for no definable reason. I am also not on the verge of leaving my OH and kids. Some days I could have just walked out of the door and not looked back. I am also not so full of rage as I was.

So, on balance, for me the homeopathic route has worked but anyone feeling like I did should see a GP because no-one is the same and whereas I have been able to get my life back to some level of control by managing my symptoms myself not everyone can and there may be a physical rather than purely hormonal cause.

I hope this makes sense and is of some use to someone out there in chicken land.

Thank you for being there.

[redfrock]

I have had problems pretty much since my periods started. I have had scan after scan, and depending on the gynaecologist depends on what they have said. I think the general consensus was I have cysts that develop and burst and so sometimes they are visible and sometimes they aren't.

 

My periods were at the stage where on occasion I would literally stand up and blood would suddenly pool on the floor. Other times I would be going through pads several times an hour. My PMS was so bad that I would be physically exhausted for 10 days before and 10 days after and the depression was quite frightening. I have absolutely no cycle and could have 2 in a month or nothing for 6 or 9 months. One doctor told me I wasn't actually having a period as such, just that the womb lining built up so much during these times it eventually 'fell away'. Talk about different theories. At 21 I was told by a not very nice man that I would just have to accept that I would never have children and basically get on with it (I was at the appointment on my own and although I didn't want children, the way the matter was addressed still left me in a good deal of shock).

 

Finally things got so bad that my friend, who works at the hospital spoke to the gynaecologist down here and I got given a free initial private consultation and then allowed treatment on the NHS. He said I was a textbook endometriosis case and decided to carry out a laparoscopy and fit the mirena coil for all the reasons the girls have said above. So, on the 23rd December 2 years ago I went in for the surgery and the two procedures were done under a general anaesthetic. On my follow up appointment he said he was going to throw the text book out as there wasn't a single bit of endometriosis to be found. I persevered with the coil for 18 months but alas I was one of the unlucky ones and during that time had less than 30 days in total when I didn't bleed. Eventually they removed it in May of this year. They have now decided they want to do an ablation which I am loathe to have done as the whole thing sounds barbaric and to be honest they seem to be ticking boxes to make sure they have tried everything. I am now 32 (well I will be on Tuesday!) At the moment I am back on good old tranexamic acid and my next appointment is on the 2nd January. I still have no cycle, the depression etc is returning and I am at a loss as to what to do.

 

I do however take a multivit and mineral and star-flower oil supplements which I do believe help to a degree. The most important piece of advice I can give you is to start keeping a diary of your cycle, the heaviness of your periods and how you are during them. It is vital. When I had my private appointment with the local gynae I took a diary with me - it detailed the last 12 months. It turned out this was very helpful because apparently they would have asked me to keep a diary anyway for 6 months and then they would assess things. So this way I went straight to treatment options rather than then being sent away to keep a diary.

 

I hope you start to get some answers. Men really get it easy when it comes to things like this! And as others have said, get yourself a gynaecologist. It is vital. Good luck xx

[chocchick]

Poor thing, you have my sympathies, and it's not like you can tell those around you like other things.

Sounds like an appointment is in order, and choosing options that you are comfortable with. I wouldn't worry about all the scary things you may/may not have, just make sure everything is checked out and/or you find some way of relieving symptoms.

[BarbaraJ]

Well after trawling the web and finding mainly horror stories about the mirena i'm glad i have come on here

i'm off to see a doc tonight for some tests and arrange to have the coil fitted. I was thinking of cancelling after reading the stories but sense kicked in and thought well people don't look for help when something works for them!

I have had worsening periods for couple years now (44 soon) and have had enough, double tampons and pads for up to 4 days of my period so went to docs. he tried tablets foregt the name but they didn't work and gave me horrid stomach pains and i stopped taking them.

I hope that as a person who had no probs with the pill previously i may be one of the lucky ones.

Oh and horror stories of how much it hurt inserting it how bad is it really?

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I am on my second one...! They last for 5 years, then need changing.

 

I am a very happy bunny, I had no discomfort to speak of when it was fitted or shortly after (once the string had been trimmed to length ), no more than a smear test at least...

 

I have little or no bleeding, same with period discomfort - although I do still get a bit moody at times (moi moody? !!!)

 

I haven't read the earlier part of this thread, merely followed on from BarbaraJ, so I haven't read any horror stories about it...maybe I should!

 

You've reminded me, I need to go for a checkup, oh the joys of womanhood!!!

 

Hope this helps & good luck, I'll virtually hold your hand if you like

 

Sha x

[chickencam]

I am also 4 years into my second one.

 

After having three children and all the dignity that takes away I found there was no problem with the fitting. The nurse did comment about how chilled I was and said that the key to comfortable smear test and coil procedures is relaxation, so just lie back and think of something soothing

[Yorkshire Pudding]

Cat, I was told in no uncertain terms by forum members to get myself to my GP for similar reasons - I am so glad I did, my problems are being dealt with rather than me just putting up with it every month.

 

I am referred to a gynae, on treatment for my heavy bleeding, and am so much less stressed by it all that my PMT is less of an issue too.

 

 

Please don't put up with it, treatments have moved on very fast in the last couple of years. Make an appointment!

[BarbaraJ]

sorry for the confusion the horror stories weren't on here, elsewhere on web.

 

Aw thanks for offer of handholding i didn't think i would need it till i looked up on it lol never had a problem with smear or anything, maybe i could take my ipod?

[Guest]

Cat, I feel for you as I have to use the strongest tampon and a towel for the first 2 days and have to get up a couple of times in the night. Mine have been like that for a long time though, I just thought it was normal

 

My palpations are always worse around that time too and I'm allergic to excessive oestrogen so I feel sick too, usually about a week to 2 weeks before

 

Those adverts annoy me, where they insinuate you can carry on as normal during a period. Everybody is different but I've never known anyone want to go hand gliding while they're having a period!

 

Anyway, can't offer any medical advice but I expect your GP will be the best person to speak to if you feel so depressed and teary. You could have some sort of hormone issue or it may be endometriosis? Best to get yourself checked by your doc.

 

Hope you feel better soon

 

xxx

[Mrs Webmuppet]

Get yourself off to the doctors, if nothing else to make sure that there's nothing untoward going on.

 

I had the Mirena coil fitted a couple of years ago. My appointment card from the Gynae clinic came with a leaflet of useful tips to prepare yourself for the experience I don't have it to hand but it was along the lines of-

 

1, arrive in plenty of time

2, take the OH or a friend who is willing to go in with you. I made the OH come with me , I didn't see why he shouldn't see what us girls go thro' (they put a screen up so he couldn't see what was going on)

3, take some painkillers in advance

4, don't drive afterwards

5, have a take away for tea or get someone else to cook it

6, take some sanitary pads with you

 

It was a little bit uncomfy having it done but the staff were lovely, it was no worse than a very thorough internal exam. I had a bit of cramping, like mild period pain afterwards but that went after a few hours.

 

I had spotting/ mild bleeding for the first three months. I still have periods which are erratic but they are very light and I don't have any PMT

[BarbaraJ]

Thanks thats reassuring

[The Dogmother]

Since i posted on this way back in 2007, I have had a hysterectomy and it's the best thing that ever happened. It became increasingly clear that the specialists really had no idea what was causing the problems this time, so after months of returning for the same exams and tests, I told them to do something about it (well, not in quite those words )!

 

After previous gynae problems, I knew that I couldn't have any more children (a bit late anyhow), so that wasn't an issue and the operation went really smoothly with minimum post-op pain and back to normal after 3 or 4 weeks. Really and truly, it is the best decision I ever made.

[Yorkshire Pudding]

A hysterectomy is also a long-term option for me and if it comes to that, I will go for it, greatly reassured by Claret's experience. I don't want any more children, indeed I have been very lucky to manage to have my two, and my lady bits are likely, long-term, to become more trouble than I should have to live with.

 

Get your lady bits sorted, girls!

 

 

There's no other forum where I could post that

[The Dogmother]

Helen, if you decide to have one and need any advice; feel free to get in touch. I had heard lots of horror stories (as you do ), but decided that a lot of it depended on mental attitude and I was determined to be in control and not to see it as a loss at all. I took plenty of Arnica before and after the op, and was pretty fit any way - it went very well and 6 months later, I now thank my lucky stars.. no more smear tests either

[Tessa the Duchess]

I had undiagnosed Endometriosis for 7 years, it was awful it spread everywhere, my nose, my throat I had nose bleeds and coughed up blood every month. In fact it was an ENT doc who finally diagnosed it rather than a Gynae. After much pain and a lot of grief I finally opted for a hysterectomy, I could never have my own children anyway. Definitely the best thing I have ever done. Lots of arnica for me too, back to work in 4 weeks. If it all gets just too much to cope with it is an option you should consider.

 

Tessa

[Tiggy]

CC everyone is right, you need to speak to you GP, mirena is good but if you want to try for another baby soon the mini pill may help, also evening primrose oil suppliments help some ladies with PMT

[freddie]

I have mirena for endometre. Its worked wonders; it's the least invasive, and although it took a few months to settle in, gone are the 13 week periods. A wonder of modern science, and I'm a herbal girl by the main.

Seek lots of help, and consider what will suit you the best.

Good luck with it

[Willow]

I'm another one here who has had a hysterectomy and am so happy I did. If anyone is thinking about this option and wants to talk pm me. I heard too many of the 'poor me I had to have a hysterectomy stories' and they put me off. My only regret is that I didn't have it done years earlier !!

[jess]

Definitely go to the doctor there are so many things availiable to help you it would be daft not to xx

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'm not as badly affected as loads of you seem to be and don't suffer from PMS but this is a very timely thread about lady stuff .

 

I've been using a mooncup for a few months (thanks to another forum thread!) and am pretty happy with it apart from a bit of downward slippage at times (how do you phrase these things without being too graphic ) and, for 2 days, having to get up a couple of times in the night to empty it.

 

The slippage is caused by some *ahem* shall we say, lack of muscle tone (should've done those pelvic floors ) and can be fixed by what sounds like a solution for coastal erosion (the word mesh was used ). She's referring me for that.

 

She also suggested a non-hormonal tablet to help with the heavy flow so I've just picked that up. Am hoping it works as being anywhere far from a loo during those two days is a real cause for concern .

[Yorkshire Pudding]

That sounds familiar ANH! It was the Mooncup thread (and a timely bit of from Mostin) that sent me off the the GP a couple of months ago!

 

Hope it all works for you.

[Willow]

Only possible downside of the hysterectomy is it put me into a nuturing mode. Our gorgeous ginger kitten arrived before I even got back to work, extra chickens shortly after, quail the following summer and I have been trying to persuade my OH to get a puppy for the last year