Archive through September 29, 2003
TV ClubHouse: archives: The TVCH Menopause Rant Thread:
Archive through September 29, 2003
Lostintheglades | Wednesday, September 10, 2003 - 04:37 am     LMAO Essence..Great tag!! |
Texannie | Wednesday, September 10, 2003 - 05:07 am     Who..I was a dancer, and hated having to where those belts when dancing!!!! |
Ladytex | Wednesday, September 10, 2003 - 05:37 am     ROFL, I think my dh would probably think that tag was mine sometimes! |
Squaredsc | Wednesday, September 10, 2003 - 06:06 am     rofl essence. |
Gidget | Monday, September 15, 2003 - 05:51 pm     Friday is the day, unless I get lucky and the hurricane blows thru. Cowardly, no? |
Luvtrash | Monday, September 15, 2003 - 10:14 pm     I just discovered this thread and haven't read it all, so forgive me if I am repeating someone. If you get a chance to see Menopause the Musical, you must go! It is hilarious. They have rewritten lyrics for songs from the 50s and 60s. One of the best numbers is from Staying Alive except they changed it to Staying Awake and they do it with all the John Travolta moves. THere is a website menopausethemusical.com that tells all about it and about their program Woman For Women. Sounds like everyone here would enjoy it. (And yes, Whoami, I remember those belts--that's what I think of every time I see someone's thong sticking out of the back of her pants!) Menopause is real woman's lib! |
Ginger1218 | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 04:53 am     Good luck Gidget,let me know, I have to go the 30th. |
Texannie | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 05:31 am     Gidget, it will be ok!!! Treat yourself to a massage or pedicure. |
Lostintheglades | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 05:34 am     LMAO Luvtrash...maybe that's why I can't stand the thought of wearing a thong. Thanks for clearing that up for me, I wondered why the idea bothered me so much and now I know. |
Gidget | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 05:58 am     Sounds good Texannie. I was thinking about taking a small vacation and stressing about spending the money. You just gave me permission not to stress!!! If my plans solidify I will be going 10/1, so I also have something else to occupy my mind for a while. |
Texannie | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 06:29 am     Do it, Gidget!!!!!! |
Atjoybell | Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 07:24 am     Where have you all been??? I need someone who understands!!!!! My daughter was telling me about her cramps then she mentioned that my grand daughter wants to know when she will start her period. My daughter said she told her not to hurry!!!!! Because it will be here soon enough and will never go away. I told her the cramps and periods WILL go away then life would go on as usual - (of course, as I said this, I begin to turn on the AC full blast, take off my clothes, cry, get out and slap the driver next to me)! Menopause! Where would we be without it. |
Mak1 | Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 11:14 am     LOL, Atjoybell! |
Lostintheglades | Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 11:56 am     hehe...Atjoybell...My hubby used to keep the AC so cold I would just freeze at night. We have done a complete switch-a roo here. Although he's still the one that slaps the driver next to us, I'm too busy slapping him. |
Gidget | Friday, September 19, 2003 - 12:06 pm     Ginger1218, I survived. I will write more later. I will post it here in case it is relevant for others besides just us. I'm a little tired at the moment from the Xanax. I'm going to hang around awhile and then maybe take a nap. I will definitely write tonight while it is fresh in my mind. I will try to be as descriptive as possible. |
Juju2bigdog | Friday, September 19, 2003 - 05:26 pm     Oh goodie. |
Gidget | Friday, September 19, 2003 - 06:34 pm     Hi again Ginger. As I said earlier, I survived the endometrial biopsy this morning. And it was not as bad as I was expecting. I want to be as complete as I can here. First off, I was worried about the test because I HAD had it a number of years ago. At that time, I was having an extensive fertility work up. The DOCTOR herself told me it was a very unpleasant experience and she waited to perform it as part of another surgical procedure so I would not be subjected to what she considered a barbaric thing to do to a woman without anesthesia. I had tremendous respect for this doctor. AND she was a female. Thus, I figured she surely would know of what she spoke. Okay, fast-forward 12 years. My current doctor said based on my ultrasound, it was his recommendation that I have the biopsy done. He does not suspect cancer and in fact, after he extracted the tissue today, he is even more confident that I am okay. Of course, the pathologist will have the final word. My doctor was willing to treat me without the test, but for me, the symptoms leading to this point were very atypical of me and I thought it would be stupid to die of cancer because I refused a test. No matter how scared I was or the amount of pain involved. As you know, I coerced the doctor into giving me medication. He gave me 800 mg of Motrin (ibuprofen) and 25 mg of Xanax. I know from past experience that Motrin does not do anything for me for pain. I also know from past experience that I have a very low tolerance to Xanax, so at the very least I knew I was going to be high. The last couple of weeks I had time to come to terms with this and I think that was the most important process leading up to today not being a total nightmare. That and the skill of my doctor. I convinced myself that no matter how bad it was I was going to get through it and get it over with. By this morning, my head was in such a good place about it I considered not taking the Xanax. But after consideration, as resolute as I was, I could see no reason not to use every crutch available to me and I took it. I arrived at the hospital early. I didn’t know what to expect with the hurricane so I was up early. I wanted to get there early so I could have time to get my head into it and not be frazzled from the commute. The doctor actual talked to me a few times before I even went in, to see if I was okay emotionally. I should emphasize that he is a colleague of my husband. That combined with the fact that I acted like an exceedingly expressive mental case on my two previous visits seemed to make him more supportive and concerned than I usually experience with doctors. I was told to undress from the waist down and was left a sheet to wrap about myself. While alone in the room I made a point of eyeing up the instruments. Especially the canula I knew was going to be inserted to draw the samples. It looked a little thicker than I hoped. The doctor came in, feet in stirrups, the usual. But then it got amusing. Turns out I have very strong pelvic muscles and a very strong survival reflex. Every time he inserted the speculum and tried to lay his hands on the next tool, I managed (not consciously) to expel the thing. We had to take a several minutes break to go find an old fashioned metal speculum. Interestingly the plastic speculums were somewhat irritating. The metal one was much smoother and more comfortable. Then I got really lucky. My doctor is a surgeon. According to my husband, quite respected for his skill level. And I was the recipient of that skill. Knowing that my main objection was to having my cervix touched, the doctor announced he would attempt to enter the uterus WITHOUT clamping the cervix. AND he was successful. The pain factor. Like you I have had a cystoscope. Many times. Without anesthesia. I have also had it with topical anesthesia. Without anesthesia, I would not wish that pain on my worst enemy. With the topical, I found it highly tolerable. The biopsy did not come close to the pain of the cystoscope. Pain is subjective and it is not easy for me to describe but I will try. First of all from start to finish, the whole thing only took about 15 minutes. The actual sample extraction probably took about 5 minutes. Each time he inserted the canula, I felt it but I would not describe the insertion as painful, merely uncomfortable. I am not trying to be vulgar here. Imagine if you will, a time when you had especially rambunctious intercourse with a man. I’m talking about the kind where passion borders on pain. The canula itself was no more painful than that. The extraction itself for me was no worse than labor. Each time the doctor told me to expect cramping. Well I rarely get uterine cramps from my period and I did not have them today. But I had 4 back labors and the pain I had was like that. It was pretty intense in my lower back and rectum. But not intolerable. And it passed very quickly. I made a concerted effort to relax. And I was chomping on a piece of gum like a cow chewing its cud. I would highly recommend the gum!!! And there was a lot of oom, oom ooms and shit, shit, shits coming out of my mouth. LOL I’m so proud. Oddly, after it was over, the doctor hugged me. Twice. Very long story short. You CAN do this Ginger. If you have ever had discomfort from a period or labor or rough sex, you can definitely DO this. The doctor was somewhat surprised that I did not seem to have any cramping. So if I were you, I would definitely expect the cramping. Apparently it is standard. But it is definitely not intolerable. I don’t know how much more discomfort the cervical clamp will cause, if you have it, but believe me Ginger, the whole thing is over pretty quickly. It is now ten hours later. I feel a little junky inside. Kind of like I feel just before my period. The bleeding is merely spotting. After the procedure, I walked quite a distance back to the car, went to 2 garage sales and picked up a few things at the grocery store. Considering general anesthesia is dangerous and the whole hassle of having to check in for same day surgery, etc., I would definitely choose this in office procedure option. I was thinking about you when I was there today, Ginger. In a way it helped me. My mind was occupied with both happy thoughts and trying to be an objective observer of what was happening to me so I could report back to you. I look forward to your report. Because if I can do it you can too girl. {{{{{{{{{{{{Ginger}}}}}}}}}}. |
Texannie | Friday, September 19, 2003 - 07:44 pm     Great report Gidg!!!! Glad you did it, and super glad the doc thinks all things look good. Ginger, you can do this. I think Gidget summed it up perfectly..it would be stupid to die cause you were scared to take a test! |
Juju2bigdog | Friday, September 19, 2003 - 10:11 pm     Boy, you can just learn something about everything here, can't you? Excellent objective narration, Gidget. Glad yours went well. |
Ginger1218 | Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 02:12 pm     Gidget, you are a wonder, you have made me feel so much better about the whole thing. Just knowing that it is not as bad as a cystoscope already puts my mind at ease. I can deal with discomfort and cramping. Pain and the feeling that came with a cystoscope was too much for me to handle. So knowing this is easier, makes me feel better. I am glad you are okay and done with it. I go September 30th. |
Gidget | Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 03:53 pm     Ginger, I hope it goes as well for you. Don't forget the gum. I will check back with you on the 30th. I think most women have at times had pain in association with their reproductive systems. We become indifferent to it because we have no choice. The urinary tract is a whole other story. At the first sign of a bladder infection most of us can't wait to see the doctor for meds. Pain in that area is a beach. I wonder why in heck we seem to have so many nerves in the darn urethra. You are so going to be ok. |
Ginger1218 | Monday, September 22, 2003 - 06:24 am     Awww, thank you, I appreciate the support. After all the years of problems with my urethra, and finally having to have it reconstructed, thank God, that is in good shape LOL. I am realizing that it is truly important that I do this, because I am staining again, and like she told me, it is almost definitely a beginning of menopause thing, but she wants to make sure. I am glad she is cautious. |
Ginger1218 | Monday, September 29, 2003 - 10:59 am     Oy vey, I go tomorrow. I am nervous. |
Ginger1218 | Monday, September 29, 2003 - 11:00 am     Gidget - did you get any results yet? |
Texannie | Monday, September 29, 2003 - 11:12 am     Good luck Ginger!!! |
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