Thursday, September 1, 2011

I've just had a MEGA lightbulb moment

It seems that I have been so engrossed into my studies for Midwifery that I have totally ignored my own health needs.  It's like I've had the solution in my mind all along, but I just forgot!

I have been struggling with very heavy periods for a long time now.  I had a 3 month episode of them last year with no answers.  My bleeding was so heavy that I missed social functions and was house bound.  I've been experiencing heavy bleeding again for the last 8 weeks or so.  It's been a struggle at uni because I am too tired to study at night and I've had to learn how to deal with it out in public.  Basically, I've been wearing a super tampon and using maternity pads as back up.  I'm only getting about 1-2 hours of protection from the tampon so the pad is there so save me until the end of lectures.

A few weeks ago I went to my Dr.  Im severly anemic and basically feel like crap.  He prescribed Clyklokapron (Tranexamic Acid) and my bleeding did slow down, so much so that I didn't get around to having the ultrasound or making the OB/GYN appointment straight away.  This last week the bleeding has returned so with some nagging from my fellow Student Midwives at uni I had my Ultrasound on Tuesday.  The Ultrasound had me bleeding like a tap so I found my self in the Emergency department yesterday with an IV waiting for blood test results to see if I need a blood transfusion.  My results came back and I am on the cusp of having below normal levels of hemoglobin.   While I was sitting in the waiting room I noticed Today Tonight was on.  They were talking about some wonder drug that was preventing diabetes and helping people lose weight.  I thought to myself that it was probably Metformin and how this was not news to me, since I was on Metformin in 2007 while trying to conceive child 3.  I was irritated because the other people in the waiting room were talking too loudly so I couldn't actually hear the Today Tonight report clearly and made a mental note to look into it 'one day'.

I was in a tute at uni today and we were looking at a health resource website.  In a way the website reminded me of www.fertilityfriend.com which was my main on-line hang out while trying to conceive.  My bleeding has been really crazy again today so I came home from Uni and tried to make an appointment with the OB/GYN.  I couldn't get in for another 4 weeks so I headed back to my GP in frustration.  

The GP phoned the OB/GYN's office and managed to get me in for Friday weeks but in the mean time he also wrote a letter to another hospitals Emergency Department and suggested that I go there and see if they can treat me (saying I will probably need a D&C).

It was at that moment that a light turned on in my mind!  I suddenly remembered information that I had used in the past!  My Ultrasound results were fairly normal except for a cervical cyst, which isn't the cause of my bleeding so essentially I have a hormone in-balance.  NOTING NEW HERE!  I've always had a hormone in-balance, only in the past I didn't bleed at all.  I suddenly remembered that back in 2007 when we were trying to conceive I was taking Metformin to regulate my cycle!  BINGO!  I told the GP and then began a very strange conversation with him.  In fact for the 1st time in my life I actually stood up to a Dr. and made it very clear what I wanted.  He objected because a) I don't have diabetes (metformin is traditionally a diabetes drug) and b) I don't have cysts on my ovaries!

He obviously knew that there was some connection to Metformin and reproductive health but was one of those Drs that didn't know the difference between polycystic ovarian syndrome and polycystic ovaries.  I proceeded to briefly educated him and in the end he gave me the script for Metformin.

I had a chat to our Chemist guru... he is smarter than our Dr and often Man and I go to him for advice before we make a Drs appointment.  Anyway Chemist Guru was able to look up my history and see that I was on 850mg twice a day.  The GP only prescribed 850mg one times a day (and that was after I told him that 500mgs was not enough!).  Chemist Guru was probably being illegal when he suggested I should take the dose I was on in 2007 and it was also at that moment that the assistant Chemist Guru asked me if if saw Today Tonight last night...Ah HA!

Suddenly I recalled on more thing from my trying to conceive days.  Vitex Agnus-Castus - a herbal supplement that is used to regulate cycles and assist with heavy periods!  I many not be trying to conceive any more but at the end of the day I still need my cycles to be more organised!

Isn't it strange how the mind works in such subtlety.  My memory of Metformin was jogged last night, but it's full impact didn't hit me until about 1 hour ago.  It is yet another reminder of why I want to be a Midwife and why I know I am going to be a great one!  I actually have a better understanding of the reproductive system than my GP and of course I use natural remedies to supplement medicine.

Fingers crossed my 'plan' works!  I guess I have until the 9th of September to decide if I still need to see the OB/GYN or not!



No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...