Health Questions for the Ladies...

[cshollingsworth]

Well, I figured if Marco felt comfortable enought to post about a pending colonoscopy, I could jot down a few weird symptoms I've been having for about a week now. Maybe someone out there has experienced some of the same...

First, I never have any breaking out on my face. Haven't had that in years. In the last week, I've had 3 pimples! One was serious enough I had a hard time trying to conceal it with make-up and finally just gave up on trying and decided to not wear any until it got better.

The other symptoms include: feeling sick after I eat. I feel nauseated but I never actually throw up. Just kind of this impending feeling that I might. Also had a minor bladder infection. I hadn't had one of those since college, so this was annoying, especially when I went back to work. I drank a ton of water and cranberry juice and all is well with that now.

Of course, I've been tired, but that's just because of all that I've done the last going on 4 wks. since my father died. We've worked nonstop moving stuff from his house he rented, not to mention the emotional draining that can put on you.

I've had a couple other little odd-ball things, but I'm not going to jot them all down, just the "general" stuff. I'm just confused as to what might be causing this.

My mom jokingly said maybe I have a "bun in the oven." Hmmph...I doubt it seeing as how I'm medically not supposed to able to have kids due to Endometriosis. Sooo, wow..."if" (and that's a majorly BIG if) I am...this could be a new little FoF baby! Yikes! :shocked:

[noflyingfan]

Wow, Courtney. It actually sounds like you might be the big P.

But as for the acne, I have that problem too. I never had acne as a teenager, but when I hit 24 or 25, I started getting it. At one point I even had to see a dermatologist; it was really super bad. The only thing I can suggest is to use really really gentle products. I use Cetaphil cleanser and moisturizer. And use oil free makeup. I can usually keep my face reasonably clear that way.

[WillFlyToDisney]

Girl - go pee on a stick and report back!

Some tests are more sensitive than others. For more info there is actually a website devoted to JUST that topic. www.peeonastick.com (http://www.peeonastick.com)

Kel

[WillFlyToDisney]

At age 44 my Mom thought she was going thru the change because of the symptoms. At the time her youngest child was 10 and her oldest was 25 and had just given birth to my Mom's oldest grandson. My Mom went to the doctor and told him she was going thru the change. His reply... "guess again!" I was born in August of that year... :angel:

[cshollingsworth]

Courtney, how old are you? Some of your symptoms could also be peri menopausal.
If you really do think you might be pregnant the pregnancy tests are very early detection these days.
Erika is right about the acne. Certain types can develop later in life (and stress doesn't help). There are anti bacterial prescriptions your DR can give you for that if the OTC doesn't work.

I'm 32, will be 33 on December 27th. I've actually wondered about peri menopause myself. I wouldn't actually fuss if it were that because of the endometriosis problem. Waving bye-bye to that monthly agony would not be a bad thing at all. :tongue:

[cshollingsworth]

Kelley, Mon, Deb, Erika...

I just got home a few minutes ago. Don and I have been at my mother's house helping her clean up a fine mess where her hot water heater blew tonight and spewed water all over the place. Thank goodness she has ceramic tile in every room or else her floors would have been toast. Anyway...

I have not picked up the lovely little stick test kit as of yet. Tomorrow when I make my WalMart run, I'll grab one and give you guys a report. OK, if I did actually happen to be the "Big P" as Erika said, that would not be a bad thing since I have no kids and never thought that I could have any. I've often felt bad about the fact that I would not know what it was like to raise a child and watch it grow up, etc. Don is nuts about kids, loves them all. We see kids in restaurants and he smiles and watches them and says things like "ah, look at that little kid, he/she is so cute!" For a man, he really likes kids.

But, I'm not going to get my hopes up on this as of just yet. It may be me starting an early menopause. I've read it can happen in your early 30's. So, that might be the case too.

I have a friend who just turned 40 and she is pregnant for the 3rd time. She didn't think she could have more kids so this was really a shocker for her and her husband. They have a son that is 22, a little one that is 3 and now she is pregnant again. She said wait till I'm 40 and pop them out like biscuits. :rolleyes:

I'll report back as soon as I take the test. And hey, if I am...I can already see the thread "Name Courtney's Baby!" :lol:

[WillFlyToDisney]

Keep us posted!

By the way, I had severe endometriosis and was told at age 19 that I would never be able to have children.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

Here are my 2 girls... My oldest was born when I was 24 and the other when I was 29.

I wouldn't trade them for anything most days but I sure was surprised when they showed up!

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g230/KBarrett21/CIMG5381.jpg

I probably have a dozen friends that were told the same thing and all have healthy kids these days without ever having gone thru any type of fertility treatments.

Just FYI...

Kelley

[kari]

Pregnant? Possibly. You could also just be a bit run down though, and if I'd been through what you've been through then I would be feeling a bit crap as well. If having a pimple means you're pregnant, then I'm in trouble :lol: There's one way of finding out, though :)

I agree with Kelley, I wouldn't place too much emphasis on the whole "you can never have kids" thing. There's a lot of women in the world who can "never have kids," there's also a lot of kids.

[StPeteMark]

...But as for the acne, I have that problem too. I never had acne as a teenager, but when I hit 24 or 25, I started getting it. At one point I even had to see a dermatologist; it was really super bad. The only thing I can suggest is to use really really gentle products. I use Cetaphil cleanser and moisturizer. And use oil free makeup. I can usually keep my face reasonably clear that way.Sorry to "butt" in here ladies, but since I am a colonoscopy veteran, I thought I could add some helpful info if it applies.

The late in life "acre" could be a condition called Rosacea. I was going nuts about 10 years ago until a dermatologist diagnosed this condition that appears to be acne. She put me on mild anti-biotics for awhile and a steriod cream called Metrogel. That worked fine for up until last year when Metrogel's effectiveness wore off. I did Internet research, reading, and found many websites, this one the most informative and found to be effective:

http://www.rosacea-ltd.com/ or, the same thing now, more modern:

http://www.rosacea-ltd-lifestyles.com/highlights.php4

No anti-biotics and no steriod creams. What Erika said above falls right in with their recommended treatment. I have been using this product for over a year and it has proven to work wonders for me as I also maintain their lifestyle approach (not bad for $85 for the product that lasts a year). I also use it with (the non-anitbacterial) Cetaphil cleansing bar (can get it at Target or any drug stores...just cheaper at Target), tinted Zinco sun screen ( http://www.lindasy.com/ ), and Jojoba oil (most heath stores like GNC) for maintaining skin moisture. Gentle cleaning and applications are key.

Read up about Rosacea on the website. Also, there is a national foundation for Rosacea, The National Rosacea Society:

http://www.rosacea.org/index.php

In addition to this site, you will see they also have a snail-mail newsletter with a small contribution for this non-profit agency. I send them $25 each year.

Well, anyway, I hope this is helpful for now, or later, and all is OK now.

See your MD soon!

SPMark, in Phoenix for a week now after a GREAT flight yesterday.
.

[cshollingsworth]

When I had the lap. done, my GYN told me the endo. was "everywhere." He just said I had so much of it that he recommended I go ahead and have a complete hysterectomy done and just get it over with...well...I didn't just dive right in on that information and head for the O.R. I decided I could deal with the pain just like I had since I was a teenager, so I have been avoiding his reminding me to have the hysterectomy done for 3 yrs.

So far, despite any attempts at having a child the normal way...nothing has happened, not even a close call. I mean, you know sometimes couples get a good scare at least once, but not us...I'm as on-time as a SWA plane! :rotflmao:So, not even a "close call" for us.

I've tried several meds to control the pain, used to do the birth control pill thing, then I had a "Nuva Ring" (very cool). If you haven't ever heard of one of those, look it up. It beat the heck out of taking a pill everyday. Then, for the last 3 yrs, I haven't tried anything other than anti-inflammatory pills that the doctor has had me on. I've even tried Celebrex to control inflammation. That didn't do much of anything for me and now I think that stuff is off the market anyway. Not much works for me to control the pain other than a heat pad and a bucket of Extra Strength Tylenol. I have passed out before from the pain, and then some months, it is barely any pain at all. It varies sometimes, but frequently, it is just torture. :cry:

I really don't think the outbreak of the three renegade pimples was roseacea (I think I spelled that wrong). They were too random and I didn't look red at all. I had a colleage once that had that, and it was very noticeable and hard for him to deal with. This was nothing like that, so I'm leaning toward a hormonal thing. I've been using Clinque products for years to wash my face with and I've worn that brand of make-up since I was in high school. Seems to be the only thing that works, plus it's oil free.

If it's not the big P...I'd say as Kari said, it's probably just emotions, stress...all of that stuff combined. Hmm...I still haven't been to the store today to buy a stick test. Don and I decorated the tree today and just hung out indoors mostly as it's been very cold here and sleeting off and on this evening. Tomorrow when I head home from work though, I'm stopping at the good ole' pharmacy. I'll hold my breath and give it a whirl when I get home. :D

[noflyingfan]

You know, Courtney, maybe is a good time for you to get on a plane! As soon as you're crusing, excuse yourself and go take the test. If you have to do something stressful, might as well do two stressful things at once. :lol:

[WillFlyToDisney]

You know, Courtney, maybe is a good time for you to get on a plane! As soon as you're crusing, excuse yourself and go take the test. If you have to do something stressful, might as well do two stressful things at once. :lol:

Great idea!