Re: Pamela - dysmenorrhea, tumours etc (long)

[Guest guest]

Hi Pamela,

I took the liberty of running your daughter's history by my friend,

(maintaining your anonymity, of course). I wondered if she could tell

whether the doctor was doing a good job in evaluating whether the

lesions were truly endo or not. She said it was impossible to tell

from the data. Sometimes there is scar tissue that is not endo. On the

other hand, sometimes doctors who are not as experienced as they think

they are look only for cysts and certain types of tissue--I think she

said usually larger and darker--but endo scar tissue can also come in

small spots and in lighter colors. It can even be clear. (I hope I've

quoted her correctly.) In any case, the doctor could have been really

good or not, according to her. She thought the fact that the

histopathologist confirmed the doctors opinion might be a good sign

that 2 people viewed it similarly.

Then, she actually recommended acupuncture and chinese herbs. (Not

medical doctors who practice acupuncture; in the states, they just get

a few weekends of training compared with real acupuncturists who train

for years). She said that younger women are more responsive to

acupuncture for gynecological issues. And, the way Chinese medicine

diagnoses things, they don't need the precise Western diagnosis in

order to help. I don't know what your feeling about acupuncture and

alternative medicine is, but that's her personal opinion. She is both

a nurse-practitioner and a fully trained acupuncturist.

(Personally, I've had some very good and some non-productive

experiences with acupuncture. It helped some symptoms and not others.)

Good luck!

Shayna

> >

> > >,

> > >Thanks for checking up on the name of it. I haven't had any

> > >ultrasounds recently but I suspect I'll be getting one in

February

> > >after my gyn appt. Last time I had an ultrasound was 2000. It

> showed

> > >nothing. But, believing that I had endo, they did diagnostic

> surgery.

> > > No endo was found, but I had two benign pelvic tumors stuck in a

> > >tight place. Perhaps they were infected, too, because I had had

> a low

> > >grade fever for months that went away as soon as the tumors were

> removed.

> > >

> > >The tumors and dysmenorrhea were separate, but exacerbating,

issues I

> > >believe. I've had dysmenorrhea since my first period (by

then I had

> > >neuromuscular symptoms for 4 years). I didn't have tumors

then. But

> > >the dysmenorrhea became much more extreme in the late '90's due

> to the

> > >tumors that developed then.

> > >

> > >Since then, I've been on continual dose BC (so I only get my

period 4

> > >times/year). This greatly reduced the cramps so that they were

> > >bearable. However, in the last year, the cramps have radically

> > >increased--which I've heard is not supposed to happen on

continuous

> > >dose. Also, I get a lot more intermittent spotting. So I see

> the gyn

> > >again in early February. It's possible I have another tumor; but

> then

> > >again, there are many other possibilities, too, which is why I'm

> > >curious what your muscle thing was.

> > >

> > >Another factor is that I recently saw a list of meds that

people with

> > >mito shouldn't take--and the hormones (BC) I'm on was on that

list.

> > >When I see my neuro in a couple of weeks I'll ask about that.

If I

> > >have to go off the BC, I don't know what we'll do about the

> dysmenorrhea.

> > >

> > >Thank you for asking about the biopsy. I will get the results on

> > >January 26. I'm nervous about it!!

> > >

> > >Take care,

> > >Shayna

>

>

>

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