SandyInNJ63

Panic attacks and chronic anxiety disorder - which has been under control since I started taking Paxil in 1999.  My history of this, however, goes way back to 1986, a few months after my daughter was born.  Coincidence? 

Clinical depression - currently under control, Paxil helped with this also.

Chronic headaches (migraines in my younger years) - but not so severe in recent years

Lots of pain - lower back, knees, feet/ankles (I'm sure losing weight would correct most of this though).

Shirl, like you, I had wondered if my wacky cycle had anything to do with my thyroid, or some type of hormonal inbalance.  So that's something I'm going to discuss with my doctor and see if we can rule out anything else like that. 

A hyst kinda freaks me out though, I'm hoping it really never comes to that.  It's more a mental thing for me, sort of like they already removed one of my female parts (left breast) and to have to remove anything else I think may have an dramatic pychological impact on me.

Again, thanks for sharing your experiences, it was really helpful.

Pam, thanks so much for that link!  It's exactly what I was looking for...the experiences of other women, rather than the clinical description of what to expect. 

I am going to ask my doc several questions, one being something you brought up actually, which is: would this procedure be recommended for someone without heavy periods (only had that one heavy one to speak of).  I'd really like to have some blood work done, I haven't had my hormones checked for nearly 2 years I think...and of course, I'd like them to rule out cancer. 

Thanks again for the info though..good stuff!

I'm looking for personal experiences from anyone who has had an endometrial eblation and/or had your tubes tied.

I'm 45 and have been having irregular periods for the past 18 months or so.  My doctor had recommended this to me when it started, but the ablation sounded a little extreme for the problem I'm having...so I put it off and decided to see if the irregular bleeding continued, which it has.

When I saw him a month ago for my annual, I told him I'm still bleeding at odd times of the month, sometimes there brown spotting, sometimes there's particals (not clots), and for one cycle recently there was an unusual amount of bleeding (for me) and for an unusual length of time (for me).  I can get my period anywhere from 10 days from the last one up to 45 days...my last one being 13 days past the last one. 

Not only is this getting old, I'm concerned about pregnancy too being I can't take the pill and we're really not using anything else except withdrawl.

I've had a pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound a few weeks ago, which only showed a small fibroid.  So his plan is to do a D&C, biospy to rule out any malignant pathology, perform the ablation, and then tie my tubes, because he said it would be dangerous to get pregnant after this procedure so they do that at the same time.

He told me the ablation should slow or even stop my cycle, which is great.  But the big benefit for me doing this would be getting my tubes tied and not having to worry about pregnancy any longer, which I'm hoping will make me want sex more than I do now.

So, if anyone has had either of these procedures done, I'd love to hear how it went for you, did it correct your problem, what was your experience recouperating, and were there any complications...because i'm still on the fence about this and i'm meeting with him again on Friday.

Hugs,

Sandy

Has anyone who's had a mastectomy with reconstruction ever had a chest xray since?

I had one last week for a cough I've had for 6 months, my primary doctor prescribed this.  I always pick up copies of my reports, so I picked it up today and it said:

"There is a nodule projecting over the left base, consistent with a nipple shadow not seen on the lateral view"  Impression: no active disease.

What "nipple" are they talking about??? I don't have a real nipple on the left side, it's reconstructed from a skin graph. I'm not sure what's visable on a chest xray when it comes to reconstruction, but I know it did see the surgical clips from the surgery, just wouldn't  think that a nipple made from only skin would be seen as a "nodule" on an xray. 

Has anyone had similar findings on a chest xray? 

If not, and you read what I did, would you question it, or assume they know what they're doing and let it go?

Believe it or not, that IUD thingy kinda freaks me out.  First, it's so hard to imagine just a little piece of plastic prevents pregnancy.  Also, the idea of them placing inside my uterus sounds unpleasant.  I had the doctor once trying to get a sample of my uterus to biopsy and I was ready to give him a kick to the head..it hurt so bad.  "A little cramping" my a$$! lol

For the past couple years, every time I visit the gyn I talk to him about getting a tubal and he gives me the literature and then I think about it.  Still can't seem to just make the damn appointment, which I guess, makes me no different than my husband.

I'm not sure what's going on with me, but my period for the past year and a half has been very irregular.  I sometimes get it after only 15 days, and right now, it's been 44 days since my last period.  I even took a pregnancy test yesterday because it's never been so late.

I have a hard time believing that this is early menopause because I'm not experiencing any other symptoms.  And I know what the symptoms feel like because I was on Tamoxifen and Lupron for 2 years...but that was over 3 years ago since I stopped any hormonal treatments.  After i stopped them, my period resumed to a normal cycle, and stayed that way until a year or so ago.  Also, when it does come, it lasts anywhere from 24 to 48 hours and its over.

Could there be any other explanation why this is happening, or could I really be simply starting the change?

Ohhh...thanks.  I must have missed the one about Central Park.

I was diagnosed with extensive Pagets, as well as invasive ductal carcinoma and DCIS (negative sentinal node).  5 years later I'm still doing great, no sign of cancer.  Hang in there, it's alot to deal but you will get through it.  This is a great resource for all your questions and concerns as well as amazing support.  Best wishes to you.

Ok, I already am annoyed with one of the people.  I forget her name, but she's the blonde girl who was whining about doing the welcome ceramony.  Then she later said that she was in her own hell and was talking crap about her tribemates, because she's from New York and is so different from them, blah, blah, blah.  Idiot.  She's so closed-minded and thinks she's better than everyone. 

Anyone hear about a "kidnapping twist"?  I heard or read that mentioned somewhere, but don't know anything about it.