Am I the Only One?

As an RN, I would suggest you see an endocrinologist....and NOT an allergy MD that calls themselves an endo. My opinion is it's called "practicing medicine", so the MD's certainly don't have all the answers!

I would totally look into seeing a doctor that also practices alternative medicine. It's amazing what can be fixed with herbs and some change in diet.

I would get a second opinion and also go see a endocrinologist. A great one, plus he is also a ob gyn is Michael Allon. He is located on i-10 and the beltway. I would have him run a full blood work up. But defiantly get a second opinion and get a full blood work up by a endocrinologist. Good Luck!

You might try going to people's pharmacy and talking to the pharmacist there they have alt of natural way's to help when conventional meds do not help. I was having bad neck pain and horrible head aches and started taking glucosamine and chondroitin and they have gone away.
Good luck
J. Shymkiw

Hi C.,
I am going through almost the same thing at the present time so reading the responses was good for me too. I have had periods more frequently than not and with that come my migraines. I went to my gyno and his only option (after seeing my chart of how many times I was having periods) was a hysterectomy. I asked if he could change my bcp for now to see if maybe that would help instead...he agreed and told me to go to my neurologist. I went to my neuro and I told him I really thought it was due to some meds he gave me (Topomax)and he didn't think so, even though I tried to show him some documents I printed from the internet of others who had the same problems these meds were causing perimenopause. He wouldn't even look at it and said the hysterectomy sounded like a good idea.

A friend of mine who works in the medical field told me to go to an endocrine (she told me of one she knows who is really good) and said it sounds hormonal and I should see her and get blood work done. My other symptoms are extreme sensitivity to cold, and a long list that I took a written test on under a natural hormone site and looks like I have thyroid issues too. If you want the dr's name you can email me at ____@____.com.

I hope you get well. I was worried and confused, but reading your post helped relieve some of my concern.

Thanks,
P.

You should check into being tested for PCOS-Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (http://www.pcosupport.org/). It sounds like you have hormone imbalances that you are suffering from and need to be checked into. I'd visit another doctor as well. Research pcos and see if you can't find a good doctor here in town. Good luck but it's not in your head and don't let that doctor tell you it is!

I am 39 now. Right about the time I turned 37 I had short periods, and symptoms that made me feel "pregnant" all the time - sore breasts, nausea, etc. I had the homone panel done by a reproductive endocrinologist in Florida where we lived. Definitely out of whack. The doctor didn't prescribe anything, because I have been trying to get pregnant for over 2 years. So I sought out alternative treatments. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine has worked for me. My periods are very regular now and I don't have as bad symptoms. My OB here is Dr. Christina Sebastyen and she is open to alternative treatments. She ran the blood panel again after 2 months of accupuncture and my hormones had normalized. I'm still trying to conceive, but at least I feel better. My advice: Find a different doc who is a reproductive endocrinologist. Call your insurance co for a list. And maybe consult with a accupuncturist. I go to Dr. Qin on Spicewood Springs Rd. Good luck.

Dear C.,
Not to scare you, but my cousin has experienced similiar symptoms, endured it for years, and in the last couple of years it worstened.....turns out she has a tumor on her pituary gland......this is the second person who I know personally with this diagnosis.....the friend had hers removed and it was a somewhat difficult recovery period....my cousin is taking medication and it is doing an adaquate job, not great but certainly more manageable.....she lives in the midwest and has been blessed with the opportunity to have a Dr. at the mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Hope this helps and good luck...

sounds to me like you need a referral to an Endocrinologist. They study all the hormones etc... effected by the pituitary gland. When I was 21, my breasts started lactating, and my periods eventually stopped, and I had a benign pituitary tumor. It grows very slowly, but if it becomes large enough, it can press on your optic nerve and blind you. (if not controlled or removed surgically). Mine was removed, at MD Anderson. The tumors are always benign. Now they have medicines that inhibit the growth, I'm told, so that removal isn't necessary. They can effect your growth hormone, causing big hands, feet, noses, your milk hormone, your pancreas, who knows until they do the cat scans and hormone testing. So your doctor wasn't crazy about sending you to a neuro, and you should just grow up about how he "said" it to you. Doctors have the knowledge, but not always, the personality you might deem as appropriate.

Hi C.,
Actually your doctor's suggestion of consulting a neurologist was not unusual. (Though, I wish he had had better "bedside" manners and been more sensative.) Nevertheless, these sysmptoms may be indicative of problems with the pituitary gland. First, though, I would seriously consider a full gyn work up, to include a pap smear, abdominal sono (to check your ovaries), thyroid levels, Follicle Stimulating Horomone level, and even a mammogram. Although, I suspect it is the b/c pills that are causing the gynecomastia(breast swelling/enlarging). I know it is hard to find a doctor (even more so a gynecologist) that you feel comfortable with but, this is your health and he should take this as seriously as you do. Please, seriously consider a second opinion. I hope this helps

Go to another doctor.....
I worked in the medical center for years and I can tell you first hand, everybody loves their doctor, thinks their doctor is the best, etc. etc. Guess what? They aren't always the best just because you like them. I think he wants to pawn you off on a neuro because he can't fix the problem or he doesn't know what the problem is.

Some doc's finish top of their class and some finish at the bottom. Both get their MD's but who do YOU get? You'll never know. Not saying your doc isn't brilliant, but who knows.

Call this number...their are 4 top docs in this office. All Baylor and the one I use is a professor (they might all be but I only use one) which means she trains all the residents in Ob-gyn at Baylor. She does clinical research, has won academic awards and has the best bedside manner. She's like seeing a friend. She's busy but she is worth the wait.
###-###-#### Dr. Amy Young.
You will thank me later :) Good Luck!
If you can't get in with her, see someone els there, I have seen most all over the course of years. Excellent group.

I think it might be good to find a naturalpath doctor...he/she could possibly treat your harmone conditions with food suppliments/herbs instead of chemicles and cynthetic harmones. I have had a great deal of relief from similar conditions by going to a naturalpath...I'll warn you though, it takes a very long time to see results. You can take the same thing for weeks or months and not notice a big change...but gradually it starts to really turn things aroung.

I am sorry you are having such troubles. I feel your pain.

You are not the only one. The chin hair, abnormal periods,... are all signs of getting older. You hormones are changing, chemicals are resetting. I don't know about the breast milk, but everything else sounds like all the other women in their 30's I know. My doctor put me on metformin. It is a medication typically used for diabetics, but it turns out that your insulin which is a hormone can screw everything else up. Since I've been taking the metformin the facial hair is less, my periods are closer to normal and my weight is getting easier to loose. Google PCOS and see if the rules apply to you. Good Luck!

I think you should INSIST that you get your pituitary checked. I think there is something called a prolactin stimulation test (don't quote me on that) but that might explain the milk. There may be several types of pituitary tests. I don't know much about it, but they did one of these tests on me awhile ago. If I recall, IF it is a pituitary problem it is not life threatening. Don't be scared by any of this, you just want to rule it out. And I'm pretty sure it's a common problem. But DOOOOO get a different doc or opinion or see a specialist. Good luck to you!!

I would definitely see a neuro. You could have pituitary or other issues. Has your primary doc done any blood work to see if your hormones or thyroid is off? Has an MRI been done? I would say you need some more tests done to try to get to the cause of the problem, instead of just trying to treat the symptoms.

If by "neuro" you mean a psychiatrist then fire the doctor's butt RIGHT NOW!! You are having every symptom in the book of a hormone imbalance.

Go to another doctor...heck any doctor and explain your symptoms again...I go to Northeast OB/GYN (hope this isn't your practice too!) and I have had great results with four out of the doctors in their practice. Two of them are women Dr's King and Murdock.

Call right now and get an appointment with another doctor...even your family practice doctor would work.

{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}

Hi C.. I would take the advice of your hubby and your friend. Find yourself a new doctor. I have heard of all different ages going through menopause. There is no set age. I would ask a doctor to test my hormone levels. He or she may also want to check your thryoid. You would be amazed what results you might come up. Just because they are OBGYN's doesn't mean they are God. Simple blood test that could give you a wealth of information. Please let us know how you made out and good luck.

L.

C.,

I have two things to add to everyone's advice to switch doctors and get some blood work done: 1) document in detail what you've experienced along a timeline to show the doctor - type it up so you can hand it to him/her and they can put it in your file. 2) bring in specific written down questions you want answered and don't let them leave the office until you've had them answered. And I mean specific too - don't let them waive you off with a generic answer...follow up with "what should I look for". Ask what else you should track to help troubleshoot the issue. Sounds like something is going on to me.

As a side note, an aunt of mine had a tumor on her putitory (sp?) gland as well and it led to numerous hormone related problems and took years, literally, to diagonos. And MRI/CATscan isn't necessarily out of the question here.

Good luck,

Hi C. -

Western medical establishment strikes again!!! They have their use but more and more people are tired of them not getting to the heart of the problem.

Here's what I would do - call People's Pharmacy - I have found the most helpful one to be on Westbank Dr. - ###-###-####; tell one of the female pharmacists your details and see what they say. They also have many connections to doctors and alternative health care professionals. Your problem could be very simple in that you are lacking something in your diet. Bottom line is you need to get people that will actually listen to you and help you. What a concept for health care!

Good luck,
Alli

GYNs can be really good doctors and the first defense in finding what ails us, but they have their limitations. I liken most of them (not all but most) to more of a PCP than a specialist, although they are more specialized than a family practice doctor. What you need is a good endocrinologist. Unfortunately, even endocrinologists are sort of hit or miss with endocrine issues. Hormones are such a balancing act and not every endocrinologist is skilled at finding exactly what is wrong (some specialize in infertility, some specialize in diabetes, some specialize in thyroid) and they can be short sighted. That being said, I still say ask around and see if you can get a friend to refer you to one they trust. You need a full workup with at least prolactin levels (for the breastmilk), estrogen, progesterone, thyroid panel, cortisol/ACTH, testosterone, and insulin levels checked.

Don't let ANY DOCTOR try to brush off your concerns and tell you it's all in your head. If they do, they aren't practicing good medicine.

I would suggest you go see a doctor and/or pharmacy working with BHRT. I personally know Westchase specialty Pharmacy on richmond avenue ###-###-#### to listen and offer suggesgtions to help your concerns.
It is frustration when medical professionals won't listen to us when we know something is definitely not working right.
Hope this helps,

Hi C.,
No, you're not the only one. Many women have different hormonal issues and they do what they were told and swallow what they were prescribed by physicians who didn't really listen or told them that was as good as it gets. That is not good enough. There are plenty of good drs out there, sometimes you have to try different routes before you find one that works FOR you. The one you currently have is not fulfilling that requirement.

The most direct answer I can suggest is a homeopathic dr (an ND,Dr. of Naturopathy) They can test all the body systems in one place and discern if one or more glands are over/underactive. I use both holistic medicine and western physicians for different issues. The post who said the results from a holistic dr. are slow may be true for her. Holistic medicine treats the cause of the problem, not mask the symptoms. Sometimes it takes a while for the gland or system to work at its peak efficiency, but symptoms should improve fairly soon and continue to improve. People who only trust prescription medicines sometimes have side effects that are worse than what they are being treated for.

Ignoring a simple dripping faucet can lead to rusting pipes which lead to further damage then flooding, then ruined carpet. It is foolish to continue replacing carpet when the dripping faucet is the origin of the problem. Hence a holistic health physician who will treat the Whole person.

The problem is not in your head nor the solution in your Gyno dr's head. ;) Be well, C.

With all your symptoms it's definitely time to see a hormone doctor. (endocrinologist) They will run tests on all your hormone levels and get to the root of the problem. I am surprised that neither doctor didn't refer you to a hormone specialist to begin with. I have a friend that went through menopause at age 27. I am not saying that's what is happening to you,just that it's never "too young" encounter m.p.
Did you gyno test your prolactin levels? (the hormone that causes the breasts to swell/ produce milk) If your prolactin levels are slightly elevated then the next step is usually to have a brain MRI done. So that may be why your doctor refered you to a neurologist.

Go to another doctor immediately and do not look back. Preferably a female doctor. Your symptoms as well as you should be taken seriously.

I'm with your husband. You need to immediately find another doctor - one that will actually help you and try to figure out what the problem is and not try to throw it in someone else's lap. There is definitely a problem and you need to get help to figure it out ASAP. Don't ignore the warning signs - whatever they may be. Your body is trying to tell you something and there IS a doctor out there that cares enough to help you figure it out. Good luck!

Sounds like menapause....but the breast swelling is odd...go see another dr.

Definitely get a second opinion. I had odd cycle issues: irregular bleeding, HEAVY bleeding and pain all the time. My "old" GYNO said (after blood tests & and an endometrial biopsy) that I just had bad PMS. I didn't accept that answer because I KNEW it was more than that.

I went to a doc who my Mom, best friend and best friend's Mom used to see. Thank God I did....I had Endometriosis and a lot of scarring in and around my uterus. I just had a hysterectomy in July and I have never felt better!

I'm not saying surgery is YOUR ultimate outcome, but you need to get a second opinion soon. You're not crazy...you know your body and yes, it is possible to be starting pre-menopausal symptoms at "our" age.

Good luck!! Don't wait another painful day!! ;)

hi C. -- you may want to see an accupuncturist -- i have used jennifer crain at The Goji Seed in south austin at ###-###-#### -- her specialty is with moms with various mommy/woman issues -- go to www.thegojiseed.com -- she's a wonderful, understanding and caring person -- good luck -- E.

Hi C., it sounds like your hormones going crazy. Which leads me to believe menopause is an option. There is a such thing as "early menopause" and if your doctor didn't even want to test you for it, then you were right in not going back to him. You should find a new Gyno. who is maybe younger and fresher. Older Dr.s tend to not have the latest information. I used to work for 7 Pediatricians and it seems like the patients who were with the older Dr.s were switching to the younger ones for this reason. It is certainly not heard of to slip into early menopause. You need to be tested for it. Good luck to you! I hope this helps.

I would definitely go to a different doc to begin with.

Also, last week the Today show did a segment about a pre-menopause (I can't remember exactly what they called it) that docs are seeing in ladies in their 30s. It can have some of the symptoms of menopause but also some of the symptoms of pregnancy. You might want to check into information on it.

If you were going to see any other doc beside the gyno, I suggest you go to an endochronologist. They thyroid produces the hormones that control your entire pitutitary system. If your thyroid is out of whack, it can wreck havok on your body/sanity. I can't believe the gyno didn't suggest that in the first place. A neurologist, please what did he/she think, it was all in your head?

Hello C., I wish you the best of luck with your situation because you are going to need it. First of all any time your dr laughs at you it is time to change drs. Every person is a different idividual. Some obgyn's are great for bringing a new baby into the world and that is there speciality. But when it comes to having a problem with what is needed to bring that baby into the world the rules change and the dr is less interested. I had a hysterectomy at 28 because of a dr like that. He never laughed at me, he just told me I was crazy and didn't know what I was talking about. When I did change drs, within 5 weeks after doing test (which my first dr didn't do) I had to have a complete hysterectomy Was told that had I waited 6 months the outcome would not have been good. Find you another dr.Hope this helps you

Hi, I would suggest trying another pill, there are so many out there, one of them may be right for you. Also, finding a new GYN is an option..one that might be more sympathetic to your needs

T.

Dear C.--I'm quite a bit older than you (59), and in my experience (which is quite a bit medically), I have learned one thing: When the doctor you are seeing is not addressing your needs the way you want, FIRE him and get another. Wouldn't you do the same for a plumber who came to your house to fix something and didn't perform?

In this country, we have put our doctors up on a pedestal, thinking they can do no wrong--or at least SELDOM do no wrong. Believe, they make as many mistakes as we do, and some have lapses in judgment at times. Even though this man is special to you because he delivered your children, I would advise finding someone else to help you now.

By the way, it is NOT totally out of the question that you are going through early menopause. I've heard of many women who have done it. However, what you're describing to me sounds like you may be pregnant again--irregular periods, swelling breasts, leaking colustrum, acne, etc. They ALL are pregnancy symptoms, too. Have you considered that?

Best wishes.
S.

C., definitely get a second opinion, but also have your thyroid and hormone levels checked. Keep pushing if they thyroid comes up negative, because there are multiple tests that need to be run. Some docs don't run them all. I was a mess after my daughter was born and was sure I was in peri-menapause. My thyroid was off the charts. I was lethargic, missing periods and starting to experience night sweats and heart irregularities. It was awful. But getting my thyroid under control has helped. There are natural and not so natural medicines for this, so if it ends up being the problem, check you options before you start taking synthroid. My friend takes one called Armor and has had good results. Just make sure they test for all the T hormones. Don't get discouraged. It's your body and you know something's off.

Hi C., I would go to my family doctor and ask for a blood test. See if anything turns up with that. Maybe a thyroid problem or something? Let us know what you find out.

I'm not a doctor, obviously, but to me it sounds like you may be suffering from polysystic ovaries also known as PCOS. You have some symptoms but I would think your OBGYN would have noticed with the delivery of 2 children. But the breakouts and hair growth are definitely symptoms. I agree with your husband and best friend, you need a second opinion. If it is PCOS, it is treatable. But I do not believe what you are experiencing is normal. Hope everything works out for you. Let me know how it goes.

If I were you I would go on and get a second opinion it never hurts to do so. You do not have to leave your doctor unless you see fit after your second opinion. Also why not heed the advice of your Dr. and go see a neuro . It is not like he is trying to say your a head case or anything. Good luck in your decision

PLEASE get a 2nd opinion. You just might be going into menapause. I had a friend started it at 28.

I'd say to see an Endocrinologist. They understand how your body works and they are amazing doctors. I wish I knew a good one to recommend. Also, your doctor might not be interested in what you are going through b/c he may specialize in other areas. I went to one who was great with seeing moms through their pregnancies and the birth. When I could not get pregnant, he just kind of lost interest. I then found an amazing doctor who took it seriously and helped me. He is a hired worker for you, you can fire him and find another one. Its ok. You might want to limit your caffeine intake and try Tylenol. That is what they'd always recommend for the breast swelling. Hope you get some good answers soon!

I interpret your post as asking 2 questions:
1.) Does anyone have similar symptoms? (sorry, I don't have any insight)
2.) Should I get a new doctor?

In regard to whether you ind a new doctor, the most poignant comment you made was: "I have not gone back to my GYNO because I am still upset about what was said and how it was said to me." So right there, you have your answer... You no longer feel comfortable with him as your doctor; your trust in his judgement and bedside manner has been impacted. Let's say next week, you notice some unrelated issue which you feel warrants a GYN's attention... Would you go see him? If you answer no to that question, then you need to find a new doctor, period.

Now, that being said, doctors have bad days too. On the day he said those comments, he may have been sleep deprived from an late night emergency; he may have been dealing with emotions from a stillborn birth or some other complicated delivery. Only you can decide whether you want to give him a 2nd chance to discuss this issue further. And if you do and he still doesn't respond in an appropriate way, then again, you need to move on to a different doctor. And if deep down, you don't want to go back because he embarrassed you during the first conversation, then find someone else.

I'm surprised that at a minimum, he didn't order you a blood work up to test your hormonal levels, both when you are "normal" and again when you're all swelled up.

He may have been curt with you because he perceives that you refused to follow his prescription (the birth control pills) which he gave in order to regulate your hormonal levels... However, I'm surprised that he didn't have you try a different type of BCP when you complained of the side effects. For example, I can't use progesterone based pills but am ok with estrogen based ones. So, if you were on, say the progesterone kind, why didn't he have to try a low dose estrogen one?

Hmmm, it just appears that your current doctor is not going the distance on this issue with you.... Healthcare is expensive enough; you don't need this on top of it!

Ask your GP or your Gynocologist if it would be beneficial for you to visit with an Endocrinologist. The Endocrinologist studies how all of your hormone systems work together. Wikipedia/Endocrinology gives basic info.

I would look into PCOS (Polycystic ovarion syndrome) it sounds like a lot of the same symptoms. But if your doctor didn't give that to you as an option I would check out another doctor. It is easily treated.

I think you should definetly go to a diffrent gyno and it sounds to me like you have a hormone imbalance. While I have not had as bad of symptoms you do I have noticed a change in my periods and I will be 32 soon. I have been pregnant 6 times in a nine year period and only have 3 living children. I have a friend that did have symptoms as bad as you... with hair on face and bad periods, etc. She does have to be on birth control for hers. She has some kind of polycystic thing with her overies that causes hers. My sister in law got to the point where she was just having a continuous period and never stopping and she had to have a hysterectomy. There are all kinds of reasons you could be having these problems and you should definetly not stop at listening to one doc. Maybe he was a good doc for the phase of your life when you were having children but now you are done with that then find a new one to handle this phase of your life. Even gyno's excel at diffrent times in a woman's life. A woman can go through menopause early also so don't let your doc tell you that you are to young because that is a load of crud. However you may be prescribed birthcontrol again if you go to a new doc and you should know that there are all kinds of birthcontrols out there and just because one didn't work for you doesn't mean that another is not going to work for you. I am very sensitive to medicines. It took me 3 times to get one that worked for me. You also have to be on them for 2 or 3 months before the bad stuff tapers off long enough to know if it will work for you or not. Sorry if I rambled too much and Good Luck to you!

I would for sure go to a new GYNO and two or three more if I needed to, to find out what the deal is.

If you are not getting an answer that is making you feel comfortable, then it never hurts to get a second opinion.
Best of luck!
J.

Your husband and friend are absolutely right! You need to see a Dr. that you feel comfortable discussing your concerns with. Many women start going through early menopause in their mid to late 30's (some even sooner). No matter how long you have been seeing this Dr. or how many of your children he's delivered, he should not downplay your concerns for your health and your body, especially when it's as dramatic as the symptoms you mentioned.

I would seek a second opinion. Its your health!!! I dont know about your symptoms, but as far as the "your too young" thing he said....well, I had a friend years ago that went through menopause at 25. NO LIE!!! That is very rare, however, if I were you, I would seek a second opinion to ease my mind. (and to end your suffering, of course)

Good luck in your search,
Margaret :)

You need to go to a new doctor. If you're uncomfortable going to another obgyn right now, then go to a family doctor. They can run the same tests and are trained in so many areas. He can probably narrow it down for you and then send you to the right doctor to make sure. My family doctor nailed my diagnosis on the head. But, he wanted to make sure. Went to all kinds of specialists who had no idea. In the end, my family doctor was right. They can see the whole picture most of the time and make good judgement calls. It's the specialist who takes care of the details only when the gen doc can't.

Hi C.! I am 33 and I have been having problems with my cycle and other stuff. Like hot flashes, blood pressure went up this year. And other things. But I have not gone to a doctor about it. I have 2 Kids,15 and 3. I also feel like I could be going through pre-mature menopause. If you ever decide to make it to a doctor and get your second opinion and it so happens that it may be pre-mature. I would like to know if that is possible.

Hi, It is definately a hormone change. I had a friend who could express milk from her brest and her oldest child was 4. Sometimes it even had a greenish tint to it. SHe was given some hormones and it cleared right up. Her mood swings helped too. She was in her mid 30's. GET A SECOND OPINION!!!We all need to realize that a Dr. is NOT the end all be all. One should educate themselves but NEVER be afraid to ask questions and if you are still not sure what was said, ask to have it explained again until you do. THer is nothing wrong with asking another Dr for an opinion. There are so many changes and advances that no one person can be savy to them all.Good luck in your search.

L.

First, your husband is right, so is your best friend. You definitely need to find a doctor that will take your complaints seriously. Second, when you find that doctor,you need to get a complete blood work-up. Hormones, thyroid, blood sugars, the works. You are NOT too young to be perimenopausal and that means that your hormones could start to be out of whack. I am only 37 but started having similar symptoms last year and found out my hormones were seriously out of whack, including my thyroid. I have to take thyroid medication now, and I have lost 33 lbs so far just having my hormones corrected.
Good luck. If you are in the Tomball area, I can recommend an excellent doctor.

I had very irregular periods, and my breasts would swell just the same as yours, before I became pregnant. Maybe it would still be the same now, but I BF my DD and only had two periods, and now am pregnant again, so I can't really say. I know that it's REALLY annoying to have constantly changing breast sizes, but I don't think there's any harm in it.

I'm so sorry that you are going through this but I agree with your husband to get a second opinion. Something is definitely not right. You shouldn't have to live like that. Another doctor may have had experience with another woman. Good luck!

There are several things that can cause this your hormone level can be low for some reason have your Dr. check this. It is not uncommon for some women to still have this milk even after 3 - 10 or more years it would make your eyes open wide because of this. Just keep track of it and keep up with the regular check ups. Good luck been there myself.

Hi,
It is possible you are going through perimenopause. I have recently had testing done to check my hormone levels, because I too felt I could be going through perimenopause. It was actually my mother who told me it was possibe. She started on hormones when she was 33. I would definetly change doctors, especially since he laughed at you, and doesn't seem to know that (perimenopause)it does happen early for some women.

Ditch the Doc! I understand the bond that is formed when someone delivers your baby, but you really need someone who is going to listen to you and take you and your concerns seriously. My husband and I were just talking about the number of Doctors out ther who are so arrogant and who "think" they know what is going on with you, or pass judgement without ever even listening to what it is you are saying. You know your body best and it sounds like there are some real concerns there and some substantial hormone changes going on with your body. How is your weight? If you have gained or lost a lot of weight recently without trying, it could be thyroid problems. If you don't want to fire your OB right away, this is something you can discuss with your primary care doctor...just have them do a blood panel to check out everything. This will allow them to rule certain things out. I am 38 and was having really painful, really bad periods, hormone fluctuations and constant fatigue myself. For me it ended up straightening itself out as I lost weight. I didn't realize I had gotten so big till one day I saw myself in a picture. I used Weight Watchers to get back to a healthy weight and my hormones straightened out, now I am pretty level. Whatever you decide, take care of yourself first! Good luck!

When he says 'neuro' doctor did he really mean a neurologist dealing with the nervous system. If so I am not sure I understand the offense. Or was he insinuating a psychiatrist. If so then definantly change docs. I have a friend whos ob/gyn delivered both her babies. She trusted him. Then when she was having pains and thought she was pregnant he said she wasn't. Several visits later with her pain worsening he sent her to a shrink. After 2 visits one day she called her husband at work and told him to come home cause she was not capable of taking care of the kids she felt she was going insane because both docs said her pain was in her head. He took her to the ER and she went into emergency surgery for a tubal pregnancy and her tube burst. She almost died. The docs get it wrong sometimes.
God Bless

Did your Mom go through early menopause? There is a new procedure out there that is supposed to help all this, they burn the lining of your uterus with lazer or something like that. I have one friend who got it done and wishes she hadn't, she deals with other aches and discomforts now, but another friend got it and said it made a world of difference. I know another person who just had a hystorectomy and said it was the best thing she did, and she had it done in her late 30's.. She was going through menopause at that age and before that suffered from endomitriosis.. I would definitely get a 2nd opinion... no doubt about it... J.

Your hormones are whacked out. I'd fire the first doc and find another. Every body is different. I'm almost 40 and had regular period all my life. They got heavier the older I got. However, I did have a time in my 20s when I was bleeding more than I wasn't. After about six months of it, I saw the doc and he added an estrogen tablet to my already prescribed birth control (which it all started when I missed one). My periods got back on track and have been like clockwork ever since.

Your doc's tone may have been him saying, "I don't know what's going on." I like the idea someone mentioned earlier about an endocrinologist.

I'd definately get a second opinion, though.

Take your husband's advice and get a second opinion. My mother started going thru the change at age 29 and for me it was around 35, so you aren't too young. I don't care how long you've been going to this particular Dr., go see another one. Nobody's perfect, you know.

Yes I would get a different gyno but I would definately go see an endocrinologist first. They are the ones that deal with hormones and different glands of the body. If you're producing milk, you're hormones are way off wack. I would make an endo. appointment as soon as you could.

Natural hormone cream has worked wonders with my mom and MIL! It's much better then using BC pills which can worsen the symptoms. I use the natural hormone cream in a higher dose (prescription strength, Crinone) to help keep away preterm labor. It's also good for women who tend to miscarry early.

Feel free to PM if interested and I can find out which one my mom uses.

Hi C.....this is going to be short B/C I only have a minute....go see an endocrinologist....he/she will check your hormone levels and thyroid. Your hormones could be out of whack (that what it sounds like to me). I had a problem about 10 years ago and I went on some medication, got my levels evened out, was able to go off meds, and I haven't had a problem since. Good Luck.

We have used the same vet for 15+ years and after our dog shockingly died from complications of a pregancy we switched. He was good at other things but he did not know it all. We are happy about our switch. I know how upsetting it is to switch gyno doctors I had to due to insurance durring my pregancy. It was hard but everything went fine. I was told that if your milk did not dry up on its own there is meds that you can take. Also make sure you arent preggo already. Go get a different doctor. My milk never came in. Just try out a different doctor. Prefably a woman might be better and you would get more compashion then a doctor moking you because you cant figure out whats going on with your body. It sounds like its still out of wack from the pregancy. But i am definatly not a doctor. Good luck.

Yes, go see another doctor! Sometimes doctors get into a certain comfort zone and they are hesitant to look at patients in a different way. You do have some symptoms of menopause-but a simple blood test will show the hormone levels in your body. Don't wait-enough already!

I agree with these posts. Get a new doctor. I have had weird periods for over a year now and am only 42 yrs old. I just started having hot flashes and extreme tiredness and lightheadedness. My GYNO said I was in peri-menopause and prescribed a good menopause supplement. I go back in 4 months to check in with him. He said I was starting menopause early but some people do.

Good luck. Don't know what to tell you about the swelling. I haven't had that problem.

J.