I'm not an expert, scholar nor am I a doctor or medical advisor when it comes to Women's Health. Just an old Grandma that has experienced some health issues that need some explaining. LONG STORY SHORT: It's a great idea to be well informed before getting a Hysterectomy. LOOK outside the box for causes causing vaginal bleeding and hormone imbalances. It is a really good idea to get checked for cancers when there's abnormal vaginal bleeding going on.
I'll be visiting with a new Gynecologist soon with questions a plenty. I have more reading to do about
POST TUBAL LIGATION SYNDROME
PCOS
DYSFUNCTIONAL UTERINE BLEEDING VS ABNORMAL
HOW HORMONE IMBALANCES AFFECT MENOPAUSAL WOMAN
DEALING WITH FIBROIDS THAT BLEED.
SHRINKING THEM
PROCEDURES TO SURGICALLY REMOVE FIBROIDS WITHOUT A HYSTERECTOMY
ETC.
Yesterday, I admitted that I was having some issues in understanding what others were saying especially my husband.
Is this mind fog? Easily distracted.
FORGETFULNESS is at the top of the chart.
Fatigue and weepy.
Emotional and experiencing abnormal vaginal bleeding.
Irritated.
I can be driving the car and have to be reminded where I am driving to. I was driving to Topeka and started going the wrong direction. My husband asked me about it. I corrected the mistake and went the right direction. I've noticed that I have to ask where are we going? Or wonder where was I going? I said, " I think I'm developing dementia." He always reminds me that I have a lot on my mind, but this time I said, "Something is really wrong. I can't comprehend what you're saying." It makes sense to me today as I found out that my TSH is way too high. Being seriously hypothyroid can cause BRAIN FOG and confusion. So can being anemic.
I found out that my TSH number that should be a 2 is a 13.7. Makes since that I have noticed that I am not feeling well. I am Hypothyroid. Also, I am anemic which contributes to brittle fingernails, fatigue and brain fog or difficulty with cognitive thinking.
KNOW YOUR NUMBERS! KNOW IF YOUR TSH NUMBERS ARE TOO HIGH AND IF YOU'RE HYPOTHYROID before agreeing to get a hysterectomy because of fibroids and have abnormal vaginal bleeding. ALSO KNOW IF YOU HAVE A VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY before agreeing to getting a hysterectomy because you have fibroids. There are things you can do to naturally SHRINK FIBROIDS. Praise GOD!!! The uterus and fibroids can shrink. This is good news for someone who thinks that the only thing that can be done for fibroids and abnormal vaginal bleeding is to get a hysterectomy. I agree you should get checked for CANCERS before ruling out hysterectomies.
HEAVY ABNORMAL BLEEDING. Now, I already knew about a multitude of fibroids which are huge, but the last transvaginal sonogram I had in December showed some fibroids had shrunk and my uterus had shrunk. My uterus is now as near a good size as any. I'm very thankful for that. PAP turned out good. Biopsy from a colposcopy turned out good.
Before I agreed to have a D&C and a Hysteroscopy, I wanted to know how the PAP and BIOPSY had turned out. Notification of the results for the PAP and biopsy took some time to receive from the lab. I received them.
THE HEAVY abnormal bleeding with huge clots started after the gynecological exam, pap and biopsy. From mid December to mid January, I was only slightly spotting then the big mama happened. My body did a number on me that is horribly uncomfortable. HEAVY flooding of blood with huge clots. I returned to taking IBUPROFEN which I was instructed to take when this bleeding happens. 4 tabs every 4 hours when bleeding. I learned this after I had an episode where I was hemorrhaging ending up in the ER back in 2009 I think it was. No other medicines were administered to me to stop heavy bleeding then. Just the advice from a ER Doctor to take IBUPROFEN every 4 hours and get checked out by a Gynecologist. Hospital took labs and I went to my GYN. The IBUPROFEN slows the bleeding. It has worked like a charm for a multitude of years.
GYN advised me to get a hysterectomy. I wanted to do a WAIT AND WATCH. SO I HAVE. At that time the tests that were taken were a pap and a biopsy which turned out fine. I decided to take a WAIT AND WATCH approach.
FAST FORWARD TO TODAY. After the way my December appointment went with the GYN I have had for close to 20 years, I decided I'd start looking for a different Gynecologist. I want to go to a female GYN that's a D.O. Found one and have a appointment in a few weeks. Still, I am having abnormal bleeding.
My dear husband, put two and two together thinking that when my TSH number is too high, I bleed. It's a known fact that when you are HYPOTHYROID, which I am, you can have heavy menses, which I did and are heavy abnormal bleeding as an old lady. I should be MENOPAUSAL at 67 years of age. Any time after menopause if abnormal vaginal bleeding starts, it should be taken seriously and one should get checked for cancer. Thinning of the uterine wall, infections, fibroids, polyps, hormonal imbalances to name a few can cause problems.
Supposedly I am menopausal since my FSH is in their range of being menopausal. I have uterine fibroids and I believe that when my TSH is too high a number there's something about it that causes my fibroids to bleed. Tadaaaah. MYSTERY SOLVED. I have to keep my TSH suppressed. Since I had THYROID CANCER, my TSH should NEVER be above a 2. My Endocrinologist APRN seems to think having a 3 is a good number and it is if you've never had thyroid cancer. I've had Thyroid cancer and had my thyroid removed in 2010. For 5 to 10 years the TSH is to be suppressed and after this time TSH should never be above a 2. Stay around a 2. Okay. I've been working on that, but a TSH number above a 2 is too high for someone that has had thyroid cancer.
I went back through my old test results through the years and YES, I was having heavy flowing and large clots when my TSH numbers were higher than a 2. Putting two and two together equals some info to take to the doctors.
I was told by my ENDO APRN that my last numbers at 3.810 were a good TSH number, but I was bleeding. SO I contacted him via health portal with saying when my TSH numbers are high that I have abnormal bleeding. HE SAID, interesting. Suggested to have other things checked out which I am. He upped my dose and said to get checked in 6 weeks. I decided I'd go to QUEST DIAGNOSTICS and get my TSH checked to see how much it had changed in two weeks. It went from a 3.810 to 13.7 which is way too high for me and I am bleeding.
It wasn't until I signed up through WALK IN LAB (dot) com for labs that I was instructed through them to stop taking BIOTIN for 72 hours before labs were done and to fast for 12 to 14 hours instead of the 8 to 12 hour fast. SO I did this. All this time when I have had labs, I have never been instructed to STOP taking biotin 72 hours before labs. If I ask my Endocrinologist APRN about avoiding taking BIOTIN before a lab, I suspect he'd say, nah...no need to stop taking biotin or meds and it doesn't matter what time of day you give blood.
I usually have my labs done in the early morning before taking thyroid meds and I have fasted. I read to do this years ago by Dr. David Brownstein. He also mentions taking body temperature first thing before getting out of bed. If body temp is lower than 98.6, you are hypothyroid. I agree with him. My Endocrinologist APRN poo-pooed this off when I mentioned it. I have to agree with Dr. David Brownstein.
SO I've said all of that to say this, GET YOUR TSH CHECKED BEFORE GETTING A HYSTERECTOMY for bleeding and keep TSH at a 2 or lower if you have abnormal vaginal bleeding and are Hypothyroid. YES, have Pap test ran and get biopsies if needed to diagnose for cancers, but be informed that being hypothyroid can cause abnormal bleeding and HEAVY MENSES. If you have fibroids, they can bleed. Have hormones checked.
THEN you will probably hear, you need a hysterectomy so you never have bleeding fibroids again. It's the only way to stop having fibroids.
If you get a splinter in your finger, do you cut off your hand because that's the only way to never get a splinter in your finger again??? They fail to mention that there might be complications from getting a hysterectomy. They fail to say that the synthetic hormones may not work nor make you feel better afterwards. They fail to mention that there may be WEIGHT GAIN. ETC. ETC. ETC.
I'm aware that a hysterectomy is available for me if I choose to go this route. My GYN suggested a hysterectomy years ago and also told me that after menopause fibroids can shrink because of a lower estrogen levels. This was before I knew that I was Hypothyroid which can cause HEAVY MENSES and abnormal bleeding.
Fibroids can be estrogen fed. I started avoiding natural estrogens as best I could such as soy products since SOY is a natural estrogen. Over the years I found out about XENOESTROGENS and the harm they can do, what's in the water? What it means to be estrogen dominant.
If you have a VITAMIN D deficiency, fibroids love this and will be encouraged to grow in the right environment when you are deficient in Vitamin D which is actually a HORMONE. There's a link between Vitamin D and shrinking fibroids. Vitamin D helps to shrink fibroids.
If you have HYPOTHROIDISM, your cholesterol will be higher, which mine is. A change of diet comes into the picture. TYPE 2 Diabetes happens, which I am now diabetic. A change of diet comes into the picture. Medicines that we take can contribute to getting high cholesterol and becoming diabetic. I have both. Now, once again I have abnormal vaginal bleeding because I suspect that when my TSH is over a 2, it causes the fibroids to BLEED.
THE PERFECT STORM. Being hypothyroid causes heavy menses and abnormal bleeding. Do your best to balance your HORMONES. Having Vitamin D deficiency causes fibroids. Do your best to correct vitamin deficiencies. Being estrogen dominant causes fibroids. Do your best to balance out your hormones. NEWS FLASH, you can have perfect conditions to get fibroids and abnormal bleeding before menopause and after menopause. Bleeding does not always mean you have cancer nor does it mean you have to continue bleeding or have to have a Hysterectomy.
WHILE I get my TSH back in the range it is suppose to be in, I will keep a closer look on it as I haven't been because I was going through my ENDOCRINOLOGIST office only being seen by their APRN and believed that my TSH level is a good TSH level because he said they were good. My actual Endocrinologist handed me over to the APRN years ago as he said my thyroid case was BORING. Ever had a doctor tell you this? RUN. Find a ENDO that will continue to work with you. I am looking for a different ENDOCRINOLOGIST as well. New ENDO and new GYN. This will be interesting for sure.
When I have gone to the GYNECOLOGIST, he NEVER asked what my TSH numbers were nor this last time did he check any of my SEX HORMONES which I think my GYN should care enough to check the sex hormones when being my doctor. So if they fail, usually a patient moves on and then the doc doesn't have to deal with their case anymore especially if you as the patient choose to WAIT AND WATCH how fibroids are doing.
When having a gynecology exam, have a medical chaperone (nurse) in the room with the doctor.
Before getting a PAP do not have sexual relations two days before procedure, don't douche or take a bath. A shower is alright.
Before having a colposcopy, know the results of your PAP before proceeding to get a biopsy from cervix.
Do not have sexual relations, douche, or bathe after the colposcopy biopsy for at least a week. This allows time for the cervix to heal.
Get paper copies or emails of all test results and communications between you and the doctor/nurse. Better for recall.
KNOW YOUR TSH NUMBERS and IF YOU'RE VITAMIN DEFICIENT. Use Walk - in - lab (dot) com to get an appointment at a QUEST DIAGNOSTICS or LAB CORP. You do not have to have a doctor's prescription to get labs done. Yes, it is out of pocket expense, but they have discounts available to lower the cost more than what it is priced. A GOD SEND.
This post was rather long winded, but it has helped me to gather my thoughts about the course of events. To some, they can handle a multitude of events coming at them. Me, I have had an overload of events and am slow thinking. This hypothyroid saga has been hard. I needed to vent off some of the steam that has built up. Rant a little on here. I am human.
~d
