posted
I have an appointment with my GYN in February. The real reason is to try to convince her to give me a referral to an endocrinologist, since my PCP won't. But I also want to talk to her about my extremely heavy periods, and ask for some birth control.
My periods only last 4-5 days, but for three of those days it is so heavy that I can't leave the house. It is mostly large clots (silver dollar size), and sharp cramps when I am about to pass a clot.
Ideally I would like to find a form of birth control that will lighten or stop my periods altogether. (If I had known how sick I was going to get after having our last child two years ago, I would have asked for a hysterectomy.)
I can't afford to treat my Lyme right now, and don't know when, if ever, I will be able to. Is there anything I should know about taking birth control while having Lyme? And do you have any recommendations? I have taken the pill before but didn't like the lack of libido, and really liked the patch also. But I really want to lighten up my periods.
-------------------- Untreated Lyme for 25+ years. Two kids, too much pain & fatigue, no hope of ever being able to treat. Posts: 310 | From Northeast | Registered: Mar 2010
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I should add that I want the birth control to prevent any more pregnancies. But if it can also help ease my periods, that would be wonderful also.
-------------------- Untreated Lyme for 25+ years. Two kids, too much pain & fatigue, no hope of ever being able to treat. Posts: 310 | From Northeast | Registered: Mar 2010
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
I just went through a couple months of period hell.
Basically it wouldn't stop. Bled continuously and heavily for 3 months straight. It got worse during the 7-10 days of my "real" periods. I would also pass large clots during this time. The clots were golfball to softball size. That's what scared me most.
I was so sick that I didn't really want to deal with the period issue. But then my hemoglobin dropped to 9 and I couldn't ignore it any longer. I was very weak and started to get short of breath with any kind of physical activity.
Don't let your periods get that bad. My doctor started me on the NuvaRing right away. She chose it for me because she said that it has the lowest dose of hormones available and because it can act more locally. She really didn't want to prescribe an oral pill.
If the NuvaRing doesn't work she was talking about much more serious combinations of things like NuvaRing + IUD. If that doesn't work then there was even talk of surgeries... I think neither of us wanted to think about that but she had to tell me how serious this is.
Of course I also had testing done to make sure that I didn't have fibroids or something terrible causing these sudden changes. I'm sure that your doctor will do the same.
I don't want to scare you. I just want you (and all the ladies who happen to read this) to talk with your doctor about your concerns. Don't wait until things get really bad serious before you finally go to your doctor for help. Your gyn will know what type of birth control pill, ring, shot, iud... what ever might help you the best. That is their specialty.
Take care MamaBear. Talk with your doctor and I hope that you will feel better soon Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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Rumigirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15091
posted
Both you guys, it sounds like you need natural progesterone!!! As in either Prometrium, which is available from any pharmacy (an rx) or a compounded natural progesterone. First, you should have your hormones levels checked, of course (which, hopefully, your gyn already did).
Progesterone is often low, even when you are young. It's used up by stress, too, and everyone has stress---and much more so with this illness.
There are other hormones that you may need, too, as determined by testing, ie, pregnenelone, DHEA (both available at health food stores---but get tested first. Estrogen, if you dr determines that you need that, but it's usually the other hormones that are needed the most.
Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
Sammy and Rumigirl, THANK YOU! I will print this out and bring it to my GYN appointment.
Since I can't afford to treat the Lyme right now, I have been trying to find ways to treat the symptoms. And I know that hormones, etc, can often be out of whack which is why I want to see an endo. But my PCP will not send me to one because my TSH is normal (low but normal according to the lab). It is so good to know that my GYN might be able to help.
Oh, and Sammy, my hemoglobin was also a 9 when I had bloodwork done two months ago. I've been on an iron supplement and go back to my PCP for a follow-up this week.
-------------------- Untreated Lyme for 25+ years. Two kids, too much pain & fatigue, no hope of ever being able to treat. Posts: 310 | From Northeast | Registered: Mar 2010
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surprise
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 34987
posted
I agree your OBGYN will have the best options for you, hope you find relief soon.
If you can't treat Lyme due to financial restraints, have you looked into the Buhner herb protocol?
It seems to have been effective for many (some?) provide relief and progress...
The herbs you can get from iherb.com, really inexpensive. And there is a free yahoo support group for it....
Take care.
-------------------- Lyme positive PCR blood, and positive Bartonella henselae Igenex, 2011. low positive Fry biofilm test, 2012. Update 7/16- After extensive treatments, doing okay! Posts: 2518 | From USA | Registered: Nov 2011
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