Re: I could use a little reassurance

[Guest guest]

44 is definitely not too young to be going through perimenapause. Also your

hormones could be out of whack from the rapid weight loss. I wouldn't start to

worry unless the doctor actually gives you something to worry about. Get those

tests done first. It could just be your body adjusting.

Chrissie

shihtzumom@...

http://users.snip.net/~shihtzumom

My WLS Journey:

http://millennium.fortunecity.com/doddington/691/WLS/this_is_me.htm

----- Original Message ----- From: sstone@...

...snip... I am having major trouble with

my periods. One month it is normal, the next I will have a few days and it

will quit and go for 20 days or more. The doctor has told me that it is

probably from the rapid weight loss from the surgery. I had the surgery 2

years ago and think that it is unlikely to be still affecting my periods. He

wants to do a biopsy and that scare me to death. I am hoping that this has

happened to someone out there that can reassure me that it is probably weight

loss related and not cancer. Can anyone give me any encouragement?

By the way, I am 44 years old so I doubt that it is premenopause stuff. My

mother is deceased so I can't find out when she started menopause.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/3/2002 11:18:21 AM Pacific Standard Time,

sstone@... writes:

> One month it is normal, the next I will have a few days and it

> will quit and go for 20 days or more.

This is why I stay on birth control pills, even though I don't need them for

birth control. They regulate my periods. Without them, you've described my

bizarre cycle, or lack thereof! Except that I also get excruciating cramps,

and some months it alternates with extremely heavy flow. But, mine were

that way before I went on the pill many years ago too. It's just me.

Kate

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/3/2002 11:18:21 AM Pacific Standard Time,

sstone@... writes:

> One month it is normal, the next I will have a few days and it

> will quit and go for 20 days or more.

This is why I stay on birth control pills, even though I don't need them for

birth control. They regulate my periods. Without them, you've described my

bizarre cycle, or lack thereof! Except that I also get excruciating cramps,

and some months it alternates with extremely heavy flow. But, mine were

that way before I went on the pill many years ago too. It's just me.

Kate

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/3/2002 11:18:21 AM Pacific Standard Time,

sstone@... writes:

> One month it is normal, the next I will have a few days and it

> will quit and go for 20 days or more.

This is why I stay on birth control pills, even though I don't need them for

birth control. They regulate my periods. Without them, you've described my

bizarre cycle, or lack thereof! Except that I also get excruciating cramps,

and some months it alternates with extremely heavy flow. But, mine were

that way before I went on the pill many years ago too. It's just me.

Kate

[Guest guest]

I agree with Chrissie. Don't start worrying until your Doctor tells you

to worry. Get the tests done. THEN talk. It takes along time for our

bodies to level out with hormones and stuff. It doesn't happen over

night. Also everyone is different. What might take someone 6 months to

adjust to.....will take someone else years to adjust. At your age I had

already had a hysterectomy due to fibroid tumors and cysts on the old

ovaries. I am a MUCH more PLEASANT person since I got spayed.

Debbie in Gig Harbor

ladybostons@...

www.paws2print.com

[Guest guest]

I agree with Chrissie. Don't start worrying until your Doctor tells you

to worry. Get the tests done. THEN talk. It takes along time for our

bodies to level out with hormones and stuff. It doesn't happen over

night. Also everyone is different. What might take someone 6 months to

adjust to.....will take someone else years to adjust. At your age I had

already had a hysterectomy due to fibroid tumors and cysts on the old

ovaries. I am a MUCH more PLEASANT person since I got spayed.

Debbie in Gig Harbor

ladybostons@...

www.paws2print.com

[Guest guest]

I agree with Chrissie. Don't start worrying until your Doctor tells you

to worry. Get the tests done. THEN talk. It takes along time for our

bodies to level out with hormones and stuff. It doesn't happen over

night. Also everyone is different. What might take someone 6 months to

adjust to.....will take someone else years to adjust. At your age I had

already had a hysterectomy due to fibroid tumors and cysts on the old

ovaries. I am a MUCH more PLEASANT person since I got spayed.

Debbie in Gig Harbor

ladybostons@...

www.paws2print.com

[Guest guest]

(Waving hand frantically) Me, too!! I fought it and fought it and

then finally after 81 straight days of bleeding said, " Nuff! Go

ahead and jerk it all out. " No trouble with the spaying until the

WLS and then just a minor adjustment over hormones. Don't think that

the oral ones are absorbed properly and have had some trouble with

the adhesive on the patches but think we have that one solved now.

I, too, had some light months and some really, really horrible ones

and that was all years before WLS. Not cancer- fibroids. So have

the tests done and then worry.

Alice

The Loon

RNY 12/28/00

> I agree with Chrissie. Don't start worrying until your Doctor tells

you

> to worry. Get the tests done. THEN talk. It takes along time for our

> bodies to level out with hormones and stuff. It doesn't happen over

> night. Also everyone is different. What might take someone 6 months

to

> adjust to.....will take someone else years to adjust. At your age I

had

> already had a hysterectomy due to fibroid tumors and cysts on the

old

> ovaries. I am a MUCH more PLEASANT person since I got spayed.

>

> Debbie in Gig Harbor

> ladybostons@p...

> www.paws2print.com

[Guest guest]

(Waving hand frantically) Me, too!! I fought it and fought it and

then finally after 81 straight days of bleeding said, " Nuff! Go

ahead and jerk it all out. " No trouble with the spaying until the

WLS and then just a minor adjustment over hormones. Don't think that

the oral ones are absorbed properly and have had some trouble with

the adhesive on the patches but think we have that one solved now.

I, too, had some light months and some really, really horrible ones

and that was all years before WLS. Not cancer- fibroids. So have

the tests done and then worry.

Alice

The Loon

RNY 12/28/00

> I agree with Chrissie. Don't start worrying until your Doctor tells

you

> to worry. Get the tests done. THEN talk. It takes along time for our

> bodies to level out with hormones and stuff. It doesn't happen over

> night. Also everyone is different. What might take someone 6 months

to

> adjust to.....will take someone else years to adjust. At your age I

had

> already had a hysterectomy due to fibroid tumors and cysts on the

old

> ovaries. I am a MUCH more PLEASANT person since I got spayed.

>

> Debbie in Gig Harbor

> ladybostons@p...

> www.paws2print.com

[Guest guest]

(Waving hand frantically) Me, too!! I fought it and fought it and

then finally after 81 straight days of bleeding said, " Nuff! Go

ahead and jerk it all out. " No trouble with the spaying until the

WLS and then just a minor adjustment over hormones. Don't think that

the oral ones are absorbed properly and have had some trouble with

the adhesive on the patches but think we have that one solved now.

I, too, had some light months and some really, really horrible ones

and that was all years before WLS. Not cancer- fibroids. So have

the tests done and then worry.

Alice

The Loon

RNY 12/28/00

> I agree with Chrissie. Don't start worrying until your Doctor tells

you

> to worry. Get the tests done. THEN talk. It takes along time for our

> bodies to level out with hormones and stuff. It doesn't happen over

> night. Also everyone is different. What might take someone 6 months

to

> adjust to.....will take someone else years to adjust. At your age I

had

> already had a hysterectomy due to fibroid tumors and cysts on the

old

> ovaries. I am a MUCH more PLEASANT person since I got spayed.

>

> Debbie in Gig Harbor

> ladybostons@p...

> www.paws2print.com

[Guest guest]

Hi Suze:

It could be premenopause that's causing your periods to do what they

are doing. I am 42 years old and am starting into it already, although

my mother didn't start until she was 47. I also started my periods at

age 10, so that's why I am starting early.

Your erratic periods could be caused by the weight loss, but I

wouldn't expect it to happen this far out. I know since my surgery, my

periods are now as regular as clockwork - something I have never had. I

have PCOS and it has caused me to skip my periods for months and even

years. Since my surgery and my 160 lb. weight loss, though, mine are

better now (unfortunately! LOL). My PCP is glad even if I am not!

I don't think that it is cancer or anything like that, so don't worry

too much about that. Have you seen a gynecologist? You might want to

consider doing this as they have more experience in this area than a

regular doctor. He may find that you have a hormone inbalance that is

causing this or that it is perfectly natural for you. Again, every body

is different and we all react differently to weight loss. It's

something to have further checked out, though, if only to ease your

mind.

Hugs,

Jerri in MI

[Guest guest]

Hi Suze:

It could be premenopause that's causing your periods to do what they

are doing. I am 42 years old and am starting into it already, although

my mother didn't start until she was 47. I also started my periods at

age 10, so that's why I am starting early.

Your erratic periods could be caused by the weight loss, but I

wouldn't expect it to happen this far out. I know since my surgery, my

periods are now as regular as clockwork - something I have never had. I

have PCOS and it has caused me to skip my periods for months and even

years. Since my surgery and my 160 lb. weight loss, though, mine are

better now (unfortunately! LOL). My PCP is glad even if I am not!

I don't think that it is cancer or anything like that, so don't worry

too much about that. Have you seen a gynecologist? You might want to

consider doing this as they have more experience in this area than a

regular doctor. He may find that you have a hormone inbalance that is

causing this or that it is perfectly natural for you. Again, every body

is different and we all react differently to weight loss. It's

something to have further checked out, though, if only to ease your

mind.

Hugs,

Jerri in MI

[Guest guest]

Hi Suze:

It could be premenopause that's causing your periods to do what they

are doing. I am 42 years old and am starting into it already, although

my mother didn't start until she was 47. I also started my periods at

age 10, so that's why I am starting early.

Your erratic periods could be caused by the weight loss, but I

wouldn't expect it to happen this far out. I know since my surgery, my

periods are now as regular as clockwork - something I have never had. I

have PCOS and it has caused me to skip my periods for months and even

years. Since my surgery and my 160 lb. weight loss, though, mine are

better now (unfortunately! LOL). My PCP is glad even if I am not!

I don't think that it is cancer or anything like that, so don't worry

too much about that. Have you seen a gynecologist? You might want to

consider doing this as they have more experience in this area than a

regular doctor. He may find that you have a hormone inbalance that is

causing this or that it is perfectly natural for you. Again, every body

is different and we all react differently to weight loss. It's

something to have further checked out, though, if only to ease your

mind.

Hugs,

Jerri in MI

[Guest guest]

Suze, there are other things besides menopause and

cancer that can cause these problems. But your doc is

right to start testing right away.

I had uterine cancer and thank goodness it was taken

care of early. It was still contained in the uterus

and with the uterus removed and some radiation

treatments it was all over and done with. Five years

later and I am still healthy and happy. Just wanted

to let you know that no matter what the problem, early

detection just makes it better in the long run. Feel

free to direct questions to me privately.

=====

judy in austin

5'9 " of wild Texas redhead

SRVG 5/99 380 lbs

Ext. Abdominoplasty 5/00 180 lbs

Current 165-170 lbs

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Suze, you're talking to the queen of irregular periods, and mine got

*way* worse following my RNY last year. I just turned 45, and my doctor

tells me that I am definitely in the " perimenopause " , and probably have

been for a few years. You are certainly in the right age bracket, too.

As your body's hormones start shifting and changing in preparation for

menopause, you can have months or even years of irregularities. For

instance, I went the entire summer without a period. Nada, from late

May till now. Then, on Wednesday (my birthday, coincidentally, but I

don't *really* believe the universe is trying to send me a message...or

do I? ), it started up. With a vengeance.

My doc says that " anovulatory " cycles (ones in which you don't actually

ovulate, which stops the proliferative phase of lining build-up in the

uterus) are often very heavy and prolonged (as this one is), and not to

worry about it.

The other thing that can happen if your body fat percentage (not your

weight, but the percent of your body that's fat as opposed to muscle

and bone and stuff) drops below a certain threshold (17% is the

generally accepted number, but it can be 15% for some and 19% for

others), your body gets the message that having a period right now

could be dicey, since you're obviously starving to death (not for real,

this is just how the body " thinks " ), so it says, " Hold the periods! "

This can last for quite a while.

While the cause is likely to be hormonal, it never hurts to do a biopsy

of the endometrial tissue -- better safe than sorry. And even if (God

forbid) you should happen to have endometrial cancer, you should know

that it's one of the slowest-growing, most easily treatable forms.

Definitely not worth panicking about. My mother-in-law had it a few

years ago, and even though it had likely been there for years, given

her habit of not telling her doctor about problems until they become

totally overwhelming, she had a clean bill of health in that area

within six months of her surgery.

I hope this helps, at least a little bit. Nothing more worrisome than

having stuff going on in our bodies that we can't figure out. And

non-stop periods are no one's idea of a good time.

Take care,

--

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

RNY September 19, 2001

Dr. Freeman, Ottawa General Hospital

BMI then: 43.5

BMI now: 24.1

-139 lbs

http://www.infolink.ca/pluto-rising

[Guest guest]

Suze, you're talking to the queen of irregular periods, and mine got

*way* worse following my RNY last year. I just turned 45, and my doctor

tells me that I am definitely in the " perimenopause " , and probably have

been for a few years. You are certainly in the right age bracket, too.

As your body's hormones start shifting and changing in preparation for

menopause, you can have months or even years of irregularities. For

instance, I went the entire summer without a period. Nada, from late

May till now. Then, on Wednesday (my birthday, coincidentally, but I

don't *really* believe the universe is trying to send me a message...or

do I? ), it started up. With a vengeance.

My doc says that " anovulatory " cycles (ones in which you don't actually

ovulate, which stops the proliferative phase of lining build-up in the

uterus) are often very heavy and prolonged (as this one is), and not to

worry about it.

The other thing that can happen if your body fat percentage (not your

weight, but the percent of your body that's fat as opposed to muscle

and bone and stuff) drops below a certain threshold (17% is the

generally accepted number, but it can be 15% for some and 19% for

others), your body gets the message that having a period right now

could be dicey, since you're obviously starving to death (not for real,

this is just how the body " thinks " ), so it says, " Hold the periods! "

This can last for quite a while.

While the cause is likely to be hormonal, it never hurts to do a biopsy

of the endometrial tissue -- better safe than sorry. And even if (God

forbid) you should happen to have endometrial cancer, you should know

that it's one of the slowest-growing, most easily treatable forms.

Definitely not worth panicking about. My mother-in-law had it a few

years ago, and even though it had likely been there for years, given

her habit of not telling her doctor about problems until they become

totally overwhelming, she had a clean bill of health in that area

within six months of her surgery.

I hope this helps, at least a little bit. Nothing more worrisome than

having stuff going on in our bodies that we can't figure out. And

non-stop periods are no one's idea of a good time.

Take care,

--

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

RNY September 19, 2001

Dr. Freeman, Ottawa General Hospital

BMI then: 43.5

BMI now: 24.1

-139 lbs

http://www.infolink.ca/pluto-rising

[Guest guest]

Suze, you're talking to the queen of irregular periods, and mine got

*way* worse following my RNY last year. I just turned 45, and my doctor

tells me that I am definitely in the " perimenopause " , and probably have

been for a few years. You are certainly in the right age bracket, too.

As your body's hormones start shifting and changing in preparation for

menopause, you can have months or even years of irregularities. For

instance, I went the entire summer without a period. Nada, from late

May till now. Then, on Wednesday (my birthday, coincidentally, but I

don't *really* believe the universe is trying to send me a message...or

do I? ), it started up. With a vengeance.

My doc says that " anovulatory " cycles (ones in which you don't actually

ovulate, which stops the proliferative phase of lining build-up in the

uterus) are often very heavy and prolonged (as this one is), and not to

worry about it.

The other thing that can happen if your body fat percentage (not your

weight, but the percent of your body that's fat as opposed to muscle

and bone and stuff) drops below a certain threshold (17% is the

generally accepted number, but it can be 15% for some and 19% for

others), your body gets the message that having a period right now

could be dicey, since you're obviously starving to death (not for real,

this is just how the body " thinks " ), so it says, " Hold the periods! "

This can last for quite a while.

While the cause is likely to be hormonal, it never hurts to do a biopsy

of the endometrial tissue -- better safe than sorry. And even if (God

forbid) you should happen to have endometrial cancer, you should know

that it's one of the slowest-growing, most easily treatable forms.

Definitely not worth panicking about. My mother-in-law had it a few

years ago, and even though it had likely been there for years, given

her habit of not telling her doctor about problems until they become

totally overwhelming, she had a clean bill of health in that area

within six months of her surgery.

I hope this helps, at least a little bit. Nothing more worrisome than

having stuff going on in our bodies that we can't figure out. And

non-stop periods are no one's idea of a good time.

Take care,

--

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

RNY September 19, 2001

Dr. Freeman, Ottawa General Hospital

BMI then: 43.5

BMI now: 24.1

-139 lbs

http://www.infolink.ca/pluto-rising