Some doctor dissonance...

So I've been kind of euphamizing my 'female problems' on this blog - but in order to get people to understand what's really happening, I think I have to lay it out there - TMI or not. The bottom line is that I have 'menorraghia' - which means heavy menstrual bleeding.

It's what I was trying to get dealt with last year before I found the breast lump and it all got sidetracked. And, of course, when chemo put me into chemical menopause, it wasn't an issue. But since chemo is finished, and all has returned as before, it became clear that it needed to be addressed.

So that is why I went to see a gynecologist - and because this is an issue I had been dealing with long before I found cancer, I was very surprised & shocked that his first thought for my problem was uterine cancer. I realize it shouldn't have been that surprising - look for the obvious thing first since I have the history. And hopefully, rule it out (still waiting on biopsy results).

So last summer, I had an ultrasound and the radiologist (?) told me there were fibroids in there. That is a fairly common thing, and no one was too worried about it since the cancer was taking priority. This summer, I had another ultrasound and I was told it was pretty much the same as last year. So naturally, I assumed fibroids were in there causing my heavy bleeding, and looking to have that dealt with by having something called an 'ablation' - which is basically a way to cauterize the uterine lining.

Because the gyno jumped immediately to biopsy and cancer, it was distressing - and he didn't mention ablation, but he did say that if there was no cancer, he thinks a Mirena IUD might do the trick for me. I had done some research on those in the recent past for a friend and so did know a little something about them - this IUD has hormones which get delivered directly to the uterus from that device. Since I'm not meant to having hormones - can't take the pill, can't have Hormone Replacement Therapy when I go through menopause - and hell, I've even stopped eating pomegranates and edamame beans in great quantities because I read they have hormones.... the idea of putting in a device with hormones into my reproductive system seemed extremely WRONG to me. Although, this was only discussion anyway - it's not like the guy had it out of the package and ready to install....

So, I went home and did MORE research, and sure enough, the Mirena IUD does have documentation showing that it will help with menorraghia. However, it ALSO has listed in its 'contraindications' section that no woman who has had, currently has, or is suspected of having breast cancer should be using this product. Cam was with me at the appointment when the gyno told me that this IUD would have NO effect whatsoever on my breast cancer.

I was skeptical even from that second since I had never had a discussion with that doctor about my specific cancer - in that mine was Estrogen Positive and Progesterone Positive - meaning that my tumour had markers that showed that it 'fed' off those hormones. So that doc explained that there is no estrogen in the product, but there IS progestin (a synthetic version of progesterone). So WHY then would I possibly put a product in my body that would feed my kind of cancer? Also, WHY would this doctor think it was okay when the actual paperwork for the product advises against use for anyone with breast cancer?

I know a bunch of you will be reading this and be outraged and advise me to find a new doctor - but I'm not going to do that as yet.... and here's why.... at the same time as the biopsy, I had bloodwork done and that bloodwork is what showed up my hypothyroidism. When the results came back, my GP called me in to advise I needed Thyroid medication - and when I told him what the gyno said about the Mirena IUD, he said "I wouldn't - just tell him no". So obviously, I planned to decline the IUD if that was the actual offer - but it still concerned me that it was even mentioned to a breast cancer patient with the comment that it would be no problem for me.

OK, I'm rambling now.... the point is, when everyone saw that I had hypothyroidism, they had a kind of 'aha' moment, because one of the symptoms of hypothyroidism is menorraghia. So I didn't have to be outraged at the suggestion of the IUD anymore because that option was 'off the table' since now they think my problem will be solved with the thyroid meds.

And another thing is that the gyno looked at my ultrasound reports and said that I had practically no fibroids.... so all this time I thought I DID have some - and he said I don't..... and I guess he would know since not only did he look at the ultrasound results, he also had a first-hand look with a camera in my uterus!!

When I go back for my biopsy results, I believe I WILL put that gyno on the spot and ask him why he would have recommended a Mirena for me when the literature for the product doesn't recommend it for me - and my GP said "if you were my wife, I would not let you have one - in fact, as my patient, I don't recommend you get one".

So, to make a long story even longer, both of these docs were on the same page as far as the hypothyroidism goes. And more dissonance comes into play because my GP told me that this Hashimoto's Disease is unrelated to my breast cancer. Of course, there are lots of people who have it who have not had any issue with cancer whatsoever - however, the literature for Hashimoto's says that if you have symptoms of hypothyroidism and have had radioactive dye or radiation to the head, neck or upper chest, you should get checked out for Hashimoto's.

So while there IS a possibility that I was dealing with Hashimoto's before all this, I find it a little too coincidental that after having BOTH radiactive dye (every 3 months for my heart scan) AND radiation, that now I'm dealing with Hashimotos. Also, I do get Herceptin every 3 weeks - which is an antibody to help boost my immune system for fighting cancer. And Hashimoto's means my immune system is getting too enthusiastic and killing off my thyroid because it thinks it's a foreign body. So, to my medically untrained brain, this also could be something related.....

Anyway, the point is that I am extremely skeptical that the hypothyroidism is unrelated to my breast cancer.... however, there is no way to prove it and it doesn't really matter in the long run since the result is the same anyway - although I guess it could be something they could forewarn you about. Hell - maybe they did, but they forewarn you about a million different side effects from all the treatments and you can't keep track of them all.

I am REALLY hoping that this thyroid medication will help with my menorraghia - although, I have to say that the ablation didn't sound terrible since it basically stops all bleeding. No more periods!!! Although I do know someone who had one already and know that it is not a 'comfortable' process to say the least. But after what I've already been through, I figure I could take it.

I'm not really sure why I posted this - but I think I just wanted to get it out there that you really can't just take what an 'expert' tells you without doing some of your own research and getting other opinions. If I blindly trusted that gyno without checking, I could be having a product put in my body that could potentially feed cancer! Yike!