The Hard Way

I wanted a non-birth control way of helping my heavy, miserable periods. I did not like the only options from my gynecologist, which was either an IUD or the birth control pill. I had asked about herbal remedies and was written off as a non-compliant patient – bye Felicia! So, I found a Nutritionist (she’s also a registered nurse practitioner) who specialized in helping people with various ailments using more natural remedies; things not generally used by Western medical doctors. She tested a lot of things, including my hormones, cortisol levels, thyroid, and iron. The only thing that was clinically an issue was my progesterone level. Everything else, including my sugars, was either at the low end or the high end of normal, but within a normal, non-clinical range. And here is where the Western medical doctors and the Nutritionist part ways. She saw room for improvement in those not really too low and not really too high numbers. She gave me medicine for my thyroid, iron, cortisol (stress) levels, Progesterone, and Vitamin D. When I went to see the weight management doctor he insisted I didn’t have a thyroid issue, based on the tests done by the Nutritionist. My levels were ok for him. Yet, when he was feeling my neck he claimed to feel a “fullness” and ordered an ultrasound. The Nutritionist is sure the ultrasound will reveal nodules on my thyroid. She gave me a stronger thyroid medicine. We’ll see what the ultrasound reveals. This whole experience has been eye-opening to how non-personal our health care is – one would think, given so many flirting with the edge levels, a doctor would grow concerned, but none ever have. Not even the infertility doctor. He diagnosed me with PCOS and wanted me to jump to IVF, not seek to help me fix the mess my body was in. It actually makes me angry, but there’s no point because it’s in the past. Still, it seems so messed up! I’m glad to finally find someone who wants to help me get my hormones and other regulating systems in order, rather than slap on a Band-Aid to alleviate the symptoms.

 

When I explained to the Nutritionist about the medication the weight management doctor wanted me to take and how I would need to be on the pill to take it, she understood my hesitation. I don’t want to go screwing with my hormones now that I’m actually on a path to get them in order. Yet, she knew the doctor wouldn’t prescribe me the medication, couldn’t probably, unless I was using some form of medicinal birth control. Her suggestion? Get my tubes tied. The look on my face must have said it all, because she back-tracked. Is it insane to not want to do anything to permanently alter my body in that way? I don’t expect to ever be pregnant, but I just couldn’t pull that trigger to make it an absolute no. I suppose it’s some form of madness, but, to me, it would be like losing a leg to a disease and then cutting the other one off because it too might get sick, although it’s highly unlikely. My mind is probably warped, not like a regular, normal human being. I had my infertility taken from me, I just can’t turn around and drop that final straw to break the camel’s back. So, it seems highly unlikely I will take the medication offered to me. It seems, like so much else in my life, I’m destined to do it the hard way….