LindsayGentlemen, this is another one of those posts you may want to skip. Although, like my other “female issue” posts, I promise to include some ultra manly photos for the fellas.
A few weeks ago I had my “annual” (although since I have no family history of cervical cancer, I get to go every few years) exam. The doctor was running a little late, so I was informed the wait would be a few minutes. I have a permanent request in my file for a female doctor. Nothing against the men, really….I LOVE the men with their muscles and their hairiness. I just prefer to have a doctor who actually knows, intimately, the difference between a cold and warm speculum.
[Funny side story: my doctor’s office has had to cease use of the speculum warmer because recently the warmer caught fire to a paper gown. Nothing like an ice cold speculum to wake you up in the morning.]
So, with a long standing request for females, you can imagine my surprise when the young, cute male doctor walked in. He asked the typical annual exam questions that you don’t think twice about answering until you’re talking to the overwhelmingly cute doctor, at which point you become mortified. After talking for about 10 minutes, he took a closer look at my chart.
Dr: “I see here that you generally prefer a female doctor. If you’d like, I can get a female to perform the exam.”
Me: “Umm. Is there one available?”
Dr: “Yes. If you would prefer a female, that’s fine. I won’t be offended.”
Me: “Yes, if one is available.”
Dr: “Oh. (long silence) Okay, then.”
Me: “It’s just….well, you’re really cute. And I’m not sure how I feel about you looking at my hoo hoo.”
So, the female came in, took care of business and renewed my birth control prescription.
I mentioned this in a previous post, but birth control is one of those pills I’m not sure how I will survive without. I take monthly pill packs back to back so I only have a few periods per year. A woman’s estrogen levels drop significantly right before her period which, for some people like me, results in an awful migraine. I never had this before I developed postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), and I still don’t understand why there is a connection, but for me there definitely is.
In fact, I’m still getting over one of the worst migraines I’ve ever had. The migraine started a week ago, followed immediately by vomiting. Lots of vomiting. I couldn’t eat anything for a day and a half, and only drank about half a cup of water during that time. And now a week later, the head pain is quite a bit better, but I’m still very weak nauseous. Something is still off.
I know some of you out there deal with ongoing migraines that last more than my mere week-long ones. I have the utmost sympathy and respect for you.
I like that birth control pills allow me to control when I get hormonal migraines, but there’s still never a good time for a migraine. I have a 99% success rate for hormonal migraines – anytime my hormones are fluctuating, you could win a lot of money in Vegas if you bet I’d get a migraine. It’s hard to find a week when you can say “I think I’ll take the sugar pills this week, it’s a good week for a migraine.”
Which, naturally, while the BF and I are engaging in the family planning discussions, has me very worried. I’m fortunate that I can limit the migraines (at least the hormonal ones – the others still come and go as they please) to every couple months. However, once we’re ready to try to conceive, my estrogen levels will be uncontrolled, and unless I get pregnant immediately, they could be like that for a while.
If this past week is what it’s like when I’m off birth control for a week, what will it be like when I’m off permanently?
On the bright side, I dropped about 4 lbs during the migraine, which is good news for the wedding dress situation.
“The bottom line is that the human body is complex and subtle, and oversimplifying – as common sense sometimes impels us to do – can be hazardous to your health.” – Andrew Weil
Smell ya later.
– Linds
I hope you don’t need to be off birth control long before conception. May all things necessary be firing on all cylinders when the time is right!
thanks, me too!
Hi Linds, how are you going in reducing your other meds?
rough. my blood pressure has been all over the place. my HR is reasonable most of the time (rarely over 130), but everything makes me extremely exhausted, so i’ve completely stopped all exercise.
how are you doing, jo? are you still on 6-8 mg atenolol? if so, how’s that working for you?
Hoping that everything works. I am so sorry for the migraines. I have had very few in my life time (lots of trigeminal neuralgia that feels like someone is jabbing an ice-pick in my eye) and had one or two ocular migraines. I sympathize with what you are going through.
I love your tweets. They are freaking hilarious. Maybe not to you, while you are living this, but they are great. I hear you about the women doctors, and my question is, “WHY HAVEN’T I heard of the speculum warmer?!”
On another note, cocount water helps me a lot manage my migraines. Granted, they are MUCH fewer since I had total hysterectomy, but still. It really helps.
OMG, the speculum warmer was fantastic!
i go through coconut water phases. sometimes i drink a ton of it, then abandon it for a few weeks. i don’t love the taste plain, but mixing it with a little juice or crystal light drink mix makes it drinkable.
You did not say that to the Dr! lol. That’s too funny. Reminds me of the time I was on laughing gas at the dentist and went on and on about how cute me, my sister and mom all thought he was- ugh, talk about mortifying!
I’ve had a permanent migraine for almost 4 years now and it gets even worse around my monthly, so I don’t blame you for using those pills. I never had a migraine before these issues started, and now they are completely debilitating. For someone who has had severe chronic pain for 10 years, I can say that a severe migraine is even more debilitating (that’s just my opinion of course).
Good for you for reminding us all to get our exams. I hope your baby dreams come true soon xo
I have had POTS for 5 years and what seems to work are birth control pills (BCP), beta blockers, salt, and diet changes. At first, I had no clue why all these things work, but then I thought about it. Birth control pills regulate your hormones, and when you regulate one thing, sometimes it can regulate another. I have a relatively calm case now. It was really bad at first, but it has lessened over time. And now without the BCPs, I faint once a month. With them, I faint only when I am sick or under extreme stress. I have also noticed my depression is less, and I have fewer mood swings.
Hello, I stumbled across your blog just now, while trying to look up POTS in relation to early pregnancy.
*Side note: my pots was perfect during my first pregnancy then hit me badly post-partum. Second pregnancy (which ended in MC) was also un-eventful except when I just found out I was pregnant. I had an awful tachycardia/low Bp episode which freaked me out.
Fast forward to today, and I am waiting to test to see if I’m pregnant, and whilst walking around my house, my heart just skipped a beat (well an ectopic beat but you know!), then I knew I’d feel that warm surge and then my heart started galloping. I had my toddler watching tv but couldn’t find my mobile, so I decided to walk out to the street in my pyjamas, so if I needed an ambulance, I could find someone to call. Strange thing though, by walking I think I helped revert it. I’ve noticed this in the past. If I sit it lie down, I’m done for. Anyway, it reverted, found my phone and now I’m just a little tender.
The reason I mention this, is that I too get hormonal POTS. In fact it is the only time I get it. Pre-ovulation is my worst time and when I get my period too. BUT, last month, I was placed on Vitex or Chaste Berry and I haven’t had POTS ever since. Only 1 mild migraine for 40 days!!! I always have 3-4 severe ones, dizziness and tachy episodes every month. Maybe you should look into it instead of birth control? It works on your pituitary gland so that you produce the right amount of hormones (it does favour progesterone though which is good!). It also balances your cycles, so I went from a 46day cycle to a normal 28day, in one month of taking vitex.
I think there is a good chance I am pregnant as I never get these attacks at this stage of my cycle. I think my hormones are going through the roof, like they did when I fell pregnant last time.
I hope this info helps you or someone with POTS.