A New Hope

This is a journal entry about my medical frustrations for the last 3 years--no cute pictures, no funny anecdotes, and maybe even pretty boring. But, it's my journal and I want to remember what I've been through when it's all said and done.

Within a year of having Bridget (my second daughter), I was the thinnest I'd ever been as a mom. I'd gone clothes shopping with Judy and felt like a whole new woman. I felt good about myself. I got compliments. I felt on top of the world physically and mentally.

Then, I went and ruined it. I had an annual exam and just happened to see an add in the waiting room for a drug called Seasonale--a new birth control pill that lets you skip your periods for three months so you only have 4 periods a year. How cool is that? Is it for me? I asked the nurse practitioner about it and she exclaimed "oh, it's the bomb!" (and she was in her 50s... this was the same delivery nurse who was a little too happy for my taste during labor). She promptly gave me a three-month sample in a cute mini tote bag (oh, now how could I resist that???) and a script and sent me on my way.

I bragged for two years about how great it was to only worry about that annoying female thing once a quarter. I recommended it to everyone who would listen.
Then, my periods got so light they were almost non-existent... and then they disappeared altogether.

Rewind a bit... all the while, I am having unrelated symptoms of all sorts... headaches, even migraines sometimes... fatigue... I was hungry all the time... dizziness sometimes... insomnia... night sweats... anxiety and anger... and then there was the weight gain. My bra size went from a D to an F. No exaggeration. Aaron didn't complain. But, I began to get big everywhere. My feet are fatter. My fingers are swollen. My face is round. My belly falls over my belt. My thighs are enormous.

What was the most frightening to me was that I can not lose the weight. Ask Ursela--we played DDR (Dance, Dance Revolution) for hours upon hours that last summer she was here and drank so much water, we went through four trays of ice every day! I did not lose a single pound. I changed what I ate: all wheat and whole grains. I drank only water. Didn't lose a pound. Got the flu--finally lost 5 pounds, only to gain it back with my first bowl of soup. I KNOW something isn't right.

My GYN said there's no way it could be the Seasonle. Told me it would have left my body within two weeks of stopping the pill. I stopped it in June. Here is was November, still no period. I didn't have a period at all until July of this year. And that's normal?

My family doctor had been treating all the symptoms. Put me on an anti-depressant. Tested me for thyroid disorders every six months. Prescribed Lunesta to sleep. Chalked up the headaches and fatigue to motherhood. When I complained of night sweats, he tested me for medically-induced menopause. After exhausting his resources, he gave up and told me that it was simple: I needed to stop eating more calories than what I burned. Thanks doc.

So, I finally resolve to find a new doctor. Maybe a girl doctor would believe me?

Today I had my first appointment with Dr. Victoria Heinen.

First of all, she believes me that I'm not just sitting around eating myself 75 pounds heavier than I was three years ago.

She is not, however, convinced it was the Seasonale drug I took, but only because she wants to rule out other problems. Fair enough.

I will undergo a series of tests--I have no idea how much this will cost me (our insurance stinks), but I am excited to hear of new possible explanations and I'm anxious to get the results.

Her first thought was that an adult should not all of a sudden start having headaches and migraines when there was no history of them before--she said this indicates something wrong in the brain area and I should have had a scan done. She has ordered an MRI for me. She said it is possible there is a growth on my pituitary gland. She said not to be alarmed, though. Sounds like it is treatable, then.

Another possibility is Hasimoto's disease, which is what my sister has (hypothyroidism). I told her my other doctor had also been convinced of that and had my blood-work done every six months to no avail. Everything always came back normal. She said that in the earlier years of thyroid conditions, it will not be picked up by blood-work, so she has ordered an ultrasound.

A third possibility is Insulin Resistance. I don't like that. It is related to Diabetes type 2. I looked up online the symptoms, and like the two things above, the symptoms do fit. However, it says the cause is unknown but assumed to be too much carbs and no exercise. I told the doctor how diet change and exercise do NOT help one bit.
I did find, with further reading, that SOME links have been found to causes being associated with PROGESTERONE.

Well, guess what--Seasonle has an artificial progesterone in it.

To test for IR, I will have to take the fasting test like you do when you are pregnant and drink the yucky orange soda drink. Only, my doctor wants the test extended for me, so I will fast for 12 hours and do FOUR hours of blood testing and waiting in the office.

A fourth possibility is estrogen deficiency or even pre-menopause. She said that she has had a patient as young as 35 finish menopause, starting at age 30. That is when I started having symptoms--I remember telling Dr. DeWitte that I felt like a switch had turned on (or off??) once I turned 30 and I'd lost control of my body. Anyway, she can't really test for either of these. The range of "normal" hormone levels is so wide that it would be difficult to see if my levels are normal for me or not. So, she is going to rule out the above possibilities, and then start me on estrogen supplements to see if that helps.

I will keep you updated when I know more. Hopefully within a month I will have some answers.