Saturday, September 3, 2016

Update

This is an update to my last post.

I went to the gynecologist on Thursday.  I had low expectations.  I mean really low.  I took a page out of Sarah's book and wore a sexy bra and underwear set, wore full makeup and my favorite lipstick, and wore as cute of an outfit that I could get away with considering that I was headed to work afterwards (I can't find the exact post, but I'm 99% positive it was her).  I figured that if I was going to an appointment with the potential to be really shitty, that I may as well look good. 

When I walked into the office, my already low expectations were lowered.  I checked in with the receptionist who generally lacked in personality and got my new patient packet and made my way to the waiting room.  In the waiting room there was a rack full of Jesus books.  I fought the urge to leave.  I worked my way through the mountain of new patient paperwork and got to the last page, a consent to charge my credit card whenever I had a balance with the practice.  I obviously declined and added a statement to the effect that they do not have permission to charge my card in any circumstances.  I paid in cash for good measure.  Two strikes against them.

They called me back fairly quickly, which was good, because I was really teetering on the edge of walking out.

I got back to the exam room, where I did some more intake stuff with a nurse, who also lacked in general personality.  She asked how many pregnancies I'd had.  I told her zero.  She didn't win any points with me when she reminded me that "I'm young" and that "there's a lot of time left."  I started to shut down at this point.  I think that my demeanor encouraged her to make quick work of the remainder of her intake questions with minimal commentary.  Three strikes.

You're probably starting to feel sorry for me right about now.  Don't.  It got much better.

The doctor walked in.  There was something about her that started to put me at ease.  She asked about me.  Like she was interested in me as a person.  I started to feel comfortable.  She got more of my history and asked a bunch of questions.  Not the questions that made me feel like she was reading off of a list, but questions that actually followed up on the answers that I gave her.

We got to the part about infertility.  I told her everything, about all of the test results, about not pursuing treatment.  She reached over, touched my hand, and said "I'm really sorry that you had to go through that.  It must have been hard."  I was honestly taken aback.  I'm not used to this sort of empathy and compassion from normal people, let alone a medical professional.

She didn't discount any of the perimenopause symptoms and assured me that there are options for treatment.  She agreed that my symptoms were likely due to low estrogen.  She'll likely start me on a birth control with estrogen in it to see if that helps as opposed to jumping straight to HRT.  She did briefly mention taking a low dose of Prozac to help with the mood swings and, oddly enough, the hot flashes.  I absolutely hate the idea of taking an anti-depressant, but we'll see.

She ordered a bunch of blood tests (all hormone related) and a pelvic ultrasound to check things out.  I go back on September 20th.  On that day I think she'll do an endometrial biopsy and prescribe the birth control.  She's willing to do the laparoscopy to formally diagnose endometriosis and clean it up, so I'm sure we'll talk more about that at my next appointment too.

So long story short, I can deal with the Jesus books, the receptionist without personality,  and the nurse that was a jerk, because I really, really liked the doctor.  I still can't believe that I was so lucky to find her.  I was prepared to go in there and fight for myself, but I didn't need to at all.  I'm exhausted from it all, still.  But mainly I'm thankful that I was finally heard.

28 comments:

  1. I am very happy for you, that you found a doctor that you like!

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    1. Thanks, K! I was shocked. I've had so many bad experiences that I didn't think this one would work out.

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  2. Dear BnB, reading this actually brought tears to my eyes. I am so glad that your new gynecologist is such nice person! Have a good Sunday!

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    1. Thanks, Elaine! I teared up while writing it too! Hope you have a great Monday!

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  3. I got more worried as you described the waiting room. So not good. But then I was reminded that some of the best medical practitioners work in places where they are actually helping their patients. I get the sneaking suspicion this doctor is there because she knows she's having an impact on a population that would otherwise be lacking. Regardless, I'm so happy this appointment went well. And I truly hope that working with her leads you to solutions.

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    1. I'm almost positive that it's the practice owner who is very religious, not my doc, who is just a partner. She might be religious, but that didn't come across in the appointment (which is how it should be, in my opinion). It feels so nice to be working with someone as opposed to feeling the need to fight for myself.

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  4. Wow, that nurse. I HATED that comment "You're still young!" Considering it took me six years to get pregnant, I hope all those people are eating their words. But, seriously. What an amazing doctor you got. They are few and far between. I am hoping all these new tests work out in your favor!

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    1. Exactly. Infertility diagnosis not withstanding, statistically speaking, the chances of us getting pregnant were quite low just based on the length of time we tried.

      I'm definitely glad that I found an amazing doctor!

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  5. That story ended so much better than it started! I'm glad it seems to be working out.

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    1. Thanks, Melios! Good luck finding a new and good doctor for yourself!

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  6. I was so worried through the first half, because that sounds just awful (I wanted to smack the nurse), but what a wonderful gift in the doctor and her capacity for empathy. She sounds amazing! I hope her treatment options work and give you relief. Hooray for a good end to the story.

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    1. Yeah, I wanted to smack her too. At least I know now and can be prepared for it in the future, since it seems like I'll be frequenting the office over the next few months.

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  7. Yay!! Glad you finally found a good one! (Nurse and reading material notwithstanding...!)

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  8. That doctor sounds lovely! So nice to have someone who listens and has empathy. Pity the other staff there seem so insensitive!

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    1. Agreed! But I suppose that the doctor is most important since she has the power to get stuff done.

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  9. What is it with the receptionists in these places? It seems to be a universal thing. Having Jesus books is a bit weird but yes, maybe someone just donated them and they felt obliged to put them out. I'm really happy that this woman showed some finer feelings. It's interesting: I wonder does the Prozac really reduce the hot flashes then? I'd be intrigued to know. I just read a shitty article in the Irish Times today by an Irish doctor (I'm in Ireland..) saying that PMT is 'nonsense', does not exist, and that the menopause is something to ride out without medication because women should be able to put up with it like they always had to in the past. She also says that there is no need for all the 1000s of operations that women (collectively, not just one woman!) have each year on their reproductive systems, because 'if men don't need them, why should women?' So i'm rather cranky to say the least about that, and I can't believe I'm in a country where people like her get published in the largest daily newspaper. So glad you ended up with the opposite of this cretin!

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    1. The Jesus books were brand new and for sale. I snapped a picture if you're interested. :)

      There are clinical studies showing that SSRIs have a positive impact on hot flashes in some women, so the suggestion wasn't completely off base. Though I'm wondering now if she suggested them more for the mood swings.

      I think that the doctor in the Irish Times needs throat punched. Women have put up with it for years. We're just to the point where we are finally speaking out about it and because medicine has evolved to the point where a hysterectomy isn't the only option. People don't just have surgery for the hell of it.

      I've been living in pain for over 20 years. And in that time only two medical providers have really listened, and one of them wanted to shove birth control down my throat (or up into my uterus, as the case may be).

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    2. Argh, that makes me want to scream. Why do women need 1000s of operations? Because, as one of my specialists put it, women's reproductive systems are complicated mechanisms, where anything can go wrong, a bit like a Ferrari. Whereas men's reproductive systems are very simple, more like a lawnmower! That so-called Dr just displayed tremendous ignorance. And I bet she's never suffered serious PMT or menopausal symptoms.

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  10. Further to my other comment - I'm so glad you've found a doctor who makes you comfortable, and who hears you. One day, maybe you can tell her how you almost walked out because of all those other factors.

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    1. Maybe someday! I know good help is hard to find, but geez.....

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  11. So glad you were finally heard! Music to my ears...xo

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    1. Indeed! I'm so happy to have finally found a good doc!

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  12. I love your ‘in your face’ attitude with your choice of underclothing.
    My stomach fell as I read your second paragraph, never mind the tirade of expletives that hit the airwaves on your behalf, as I read on…. and then the three strikes experience……surely it couldn’t get any worse (well it could but I did hold out some hope that you’d finally find a good one)!

    Wow, this is great- what a turnaround. Really though, it shouldn’t be this hard to get satisfactory health care.
    Great news that you finally located a good Doctor. Let’s hope the quality of care/treatment continues at your next appointments.

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    1. Fingers crossed! The office staff pretty much sucks, but I did love the doc!

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  13. It's so nice your doctor turned out to be a good one! Finding a good doctor is a challenge but even good doctors have bad staff, and I think it's universal. Receptionists, nurses etc in regular private medical offices are paid very little and have crappy benefits. Sometimes I feel a doc who needs a receptionist just goes around a corner and grabs whoever is walking by at that moment. I'm glad you didn't walk out of the office because receptionists come and go and the doctor is helping you to get on the right track! About Zoloft, I feel physicians are so quick to prescribe antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds. They help, yes, absolutely, but what the doctors don't always mention is that a person may loose her ability to cope with mood swings, stress etc without the meds simply because they are so helpful.

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    1. I agree about good staff being hard to find (and keep)! What you described is exactly what I worry about when thinking about anti-depressants. There's definitely a place for them, but I'm just not sure I'm there.

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