" ..I've changed my routine.. "
Had an appointment with gynaecologist to complain yet again about the Mirena implant.
Yeah, sure it's reduced my periods to once every six weeks or so, instead of every four. And sure any cramps I get are piddling compared to the agony I used to be in. And sure my periods are more like a pause than a full stop. But the intercycle bleeding and spotting means I'm losing iron for about five weeks at a time. It was supposed to take about three to five months to settle down, but it's been about nine so far, with little end in sight.
I considered replacing the Mirena implant with a standard copper coil IUD, but with my history of agonising cramps, I don't really have the option of going off the hormone therapy, unless I want to lose a week out of every four. So I'm stuck.
And the thought of spending under a hundred dollars for a solution that would last for five years, instead of twenty dollars a month, struck me as a great idea. Except for the bit where I contribute to global deforestation by propping up the ^*(%(%(^ tampon industry.
I presented all this to the doc and she said that the effect of the Mirena was to make the uterine endometrium very thin. Unfortunately, a common result of this was that the layer was very fragile, and often shed between periods even without vigorous sex and/or exercise. So she has prescribed a low-dose oestrogen pill to help top up the progesterone-only implant, in the hopes of stabilising the endometrium against shedding. She said it might even result in a complete lack of periods. Unfortunately this sorta invalidates my efforts to avoid systemic hormones in my bloodstream - the Mirena acts locally in the uterus - but hopefully the low dose of two thirds the usual hormone level will help with that. Might even help with my skin. I'm to try it without breaks, skipping the sugar pills, for three months before reporting back.
She also said that when I turned 35, with my history of cyclic 'difficulty', there wouldn't be any real problem in finding a surgeon that would give me a hysterectomy. They'd take out the uterine fundus but leave the ovaries in - I unsuccessfully argued that I needed to keep my cervix too - so I wouldn't need HRT. Seeing as I haven't had any children, the op would most likely be laparoscopic as opposed to vaginal. Meaning a recovery time of only about two weeks or so. And that as long as I had hospital cover from my insurance the costs would be rather minimal.
So here's hoping.
I also found out from the secretary that they've been charging me half the usual going rate at the gynaecologist all along. How 'bout that.
Yeah, sure it's reduced my periods to once every six weeks or so, instead of every four. And sure any cramps I get are piddling compared to the agony I used to be in. And sure my periods are more like a pause than a full stop. But the intercycle bleeding and spotting means I'm losing iron for about five weeks at a time. It was supposed to take about three to five months to settle down, but it's been about nine so far, with little end in sight.
I considered replacing the Mirena implant with a standard copper coil IUD, but with my history of agonising cramps, I don't really have the option of going off the hormone therapy, unless I want to lose a week out of every four. So I'm stuck.
And the thought of spending under a hundred dollars for a solution that would last for five years, instead of twenty dollars a month, struck me as a great idea. Except for the bit where I contribute to global deforestation by propping up the ^*(%(%(^ tampon industry.
I presented all this to the doc and she said that the effect of the Mirena was to make the uterine endometrium very thin. Unfortunately, a common result of this was that the layer was very fragile, and often shed between periods even without vigorous sex and/or exercise. So she has prescribed a low-dose oestrogen pill to help top up the progesterone-only implant, in the hopes of stabilising the endometrium against shedding. She said it might even result in a complete lack of periods. Unfortunately this sorta invalidates my efforts to avoid systemic hormones in my bloodstream - the Mirena acts locally in the uterus - but hopefully the low dose of two thirds the usual hormone level will help with that. Might even help with my skin. I'm to try it without breaks, skipping the sugar pills, for three months before reporting back.
She also said that when I turned 35, with my history of cyclic 'difficulty', there wouldn't be any real problem in finding a surgeon that would give me a hysterectomy. They'd take out the uterine fundus but leave the ovaries in - I unsuccessfully argued that I needed to keep my cervix too - so I wouldn't need HRT. Seeing as I haven't had any children, the op would most likely be laparoscopic as opposed to vaginal. Meaning a recovery time of only about two weeks or so. And that as long as I had hospital cover from my insurance the costs would be rather minimal.
So here's hoping.
I also found out from the secretary that they've been charging me half the usual going rate at the gynaecologist all along. How 'bout that.