If you haven’t read my previous blog posts about fibroids and UFE this post will make more sense after reading these posts
Since I don’t have any pictures to go along with this post enjoy the scenery pictures that are from Vancouver and Ottawa.
I went into menopause in my forties after having uterine fibroid embolization for fibroids. I was loving menopause not worrying about bleeding was so great. All the symptoms I had except for a few were easier than dealing with fibroid periods. I went to Jamaica with my friend in April and she got hers on the trip and I was like I don’t miss those days. She was lucky her's only lasted a few days but mine always lasted longer than my trip.
Almost exactly three years after UFE I went to the bathroom in the morning and there was blood in the toilet. I thought okay I’m not sure what this is maybe it’s just a one time thing. I hadn’t realized it at the time but I had been feeling off for the previous week like when I used to get periods. I still get odd symptoms never know if it’s from my thyroid issues, menopause, low iron or probably other things I don’t know about that’s why I don’t pay attention to feeling off since it’s so difficult to see a doctor here.
I was supposed to be in the office that day I took a sick day. Thank god I still had a couple pads around. I put one in and went back to bed hoping it was just a weird one time bleed or maybe I had eaten something with red colour which I knew it wasn't but I was hoping. I got up a few times because I had to go to the bathroom a lot this was to familiar of my past periods. Then I got depressed not because this could be serious although that was a worry because both my parents passed away from cancer my brother has cancer. I’m the youngest in my family and everyone was older than me when they were diagnosed. I was depressed because I had to buy pads again. The thought of bleeding once a month or more again was so upsetting to me but I’m not a person that worries about things I can’t control at least I try not to. The other issue is my mom passed away a year and a half ago and this first time dealing with a health issue without my mom around. I stayed at my mom’s house while I recovered from UFE. I have great friends but it’s not the same as a mom. I wasn’t ready to talk to anyone else about this. I was really hoping it would just be a weird one time thing and I had a weird one time nose bleed a few months prior these weird things are menopause symptoms. In back of my mind is why is my body suddenly bleeding when it shouldn’t be but I didn’t want to deal with it and hoped it would go away. I slept until 5pm then it was time to go buy pads and I took a long walk and I did call a friend to just vent and make sure I was taking care of myself mentally. I am grateful to all of you that read these posts because I feel like I can talk to you the way I used to talk to my mom.
I was thankful that this happened on a Thursday. I didn’t need to be in the office again until Tuesday. My work was having issues my manager had suddenly gone on long term leave, the person above is on long term training, I was new to the job but was the only one with knowledge of my section so it gave me something else to focus on. There were other major stressors in my life but work stress was something I could deal with where other things I had no control over and I tried not to worry.
When I had UFE I lived in Vancouver. Now I live in Ottawa. It is so difficult to get a doctor here or even get walk in appointments. I got very lucky that I got a retired doctor that only works half a day once a week. I called to schedule an appointment after the bleeding didn’t stop for a couple days. My doctor was away for six weeks. Luckily the office had another doctor that I was able to get an appointment with. I saw the doctor on Tuesday I had a flight to Vancouver the next day at 6pm. The doctor didn’t know what to do but he knew postmenopausal bleeding needs to be checked quickly this is because it is a common symptom of people with uterine cancer. The dr gave me an ultrasound requisition. I explained why I can’t do a vaginal ultrasound if you read my previous blogposts you will know of my catheter experience. The requisition was for a pelvic ultrasound and blood work he told me to do the ultrasound asap and bloodwork could be anytime.
There was one ultrasound appointment available before I left for my trip and it was an hour drive outside of Ottawa but I knew I had to book it. I had the appointment in the morning the long Uber ride there was stressful just because I didn’t have anyone to go with me. I was definitely missing my mom but I am also capable of doing things on my own. I love traveling so it was off to a new adventure for me seeing a new city in Ontario even though there was no vegan food in the area to make me happy. My friends were great I was messaging the whole ride there and my Uber driver was also chatting with me. This was my third pelvic ultrasound I have learned that I don’t actually need to be dying to pee like the first time. I just have to drink enough water at the last minute to get the bladder full enough. They tried to do a vaginal ultrasound again they said it was automatically offered to everyone. I explained why it wasn’t requested so they did some extra pelvic imaging and then I left.
I was hoping to get some rest time before the flight but I lost my keys and frantically looked all over for them until I had to leave. My building manager was great with locking my apartment for me. I found the key when I came back they had fallen into the one box I didn’t look in. It was so stressful all that and I was off to Vancouver for my cousins wedding still bleeding and having no idea why but I am very thankful for all the people that helped me. Fortunately it was nothing like the fibroid periods I use to get it was manageable bleeding but I knew it was a period all those PMS symptoms I didn't miss were back. I didn’t know what was going to happen next. The doctor that saw me said he would consult with his colleagues and let me know. Interesting at this time I started a seeing a lot of posts of other people that had started suddenly bleeding after three years I was starting to wonder if this was related to a virus or something. It’s not uncommon for people to also just get a random period after a few years of menopause just a weird thing that happens I was hoping this was the case.
While I was in Vancouver I got a call from the Ottawa Women’s health clinic I had been referred. I got an appointment for the following week and I was so grateful that I was now in the system. The bleeding also stopped while I was in Vancouver it lasted a total of ten days. When I returned to Ottawa I had the appointment with the gynaecologist. It was awkward in the waiting room because it was all pregnant women but I also thought it was great that there is a woman’s health clinic here. I spoke with the doctor and by this time the bleeding had stopped and they had my pelvic ultrasound. From what they could see it looked okay it was a bit of a blur but there was something about how thick your uterus lining should be in menopause and mine was just within the range. This meant the doctor wasn’t worried it was anything serious but because the fibroids were still in the way they wanted to do a vaginal ultrasound. I explained to her about why I didn’t believe that it was going to be possible without me being sedated and explained everything that happened with the catheter at my UFE. They also found a cyst but it is small and nothing to worry about right now. The other good news for me was my fibroids had shrank even more before the UFE my biggest was 12.5 cm, a year and half ago my biggest was 4.5cm, and now the biggest was 1.5cm.
I was given three choices I could attempt to do the ultrasound at their clinic with people experienced with these issues, I could attempt to do the ultrasound with medication Attivan didn’t do anything for me at the UFE it was something else, or I could do something at the hospital that was more invasive and under sedation. I knew option one wouldn’t work considering how many experienced people tried to put the catheter in before. I didn’t want to do anything at the hospital if I didn’t have to so I chose the second option.
My ultrasound appointment was scheduled for a month later and I was given the prescription for something to get at the pharmacy but they would dispose of it at the ultrasound because it was something potent. My pharmacist was very confused at what this prescription was and it was not covered by insurance and cost me $75. At the ultrasound appointment there was a doctor that tried to do something. I explained the situation and the medication I was given but I don’t like taking medication and they could try to do it without it first the doctor also didn’t know what the medication was and could have given me something else if it was earlier. I have no idea what the doctor tried to do it hurt and she wasn’t able to complete it then they tried to do the ultrasound as suspected they weren’t able to. That was a little frustrating because after all that it was the outcome I expected the Dr sent the report to the gyno.
I got an appointment with the gyno about a week later. I was hopeful that because the bleeding had stopped with no other issues they would say we don’t need to do anything else but no luck there although it probably was just a one time thing that happens they wanted to a biopsy at the hospital under sedation as a precaution. The gyno told me it might be at a hospital that is outside of Ottawa. I asked if I would need a ride home or I could take Uber she said she would find out and see how long the wait is at the Ottawa hospital. I wasn’t happy about this situation because the outcome would either be we found nothing which was the hope or we find something. Either way it wasn’t something I was looking forward to doing and of course the waiting not knowing was the most stressful part. I tried to forget about it until I heard otherwise and I know that it was going to be awhile before I was contacted again this is just the state of the medical system in Canada now.
I got the blood work results back from my doctor there was nothing new there. Things were feeling a little different just a different feeling with my body and muscles hurt in random ways they never hurt before also my digestion had gotten worse. I knew I should probably start taking a supplement for menopause. I asked my retired male doctor if I can take a natural hormonal supplement he said it can cause the bleeding but he wasn’t up to date and I should wait until this issue is resolved and ask the gyno. I won’t get another gyno appointment until after the hospital appointment. I have started using magnesium spray at night and it has helped lot.
It was after six weeks then I got a call from the clinic at the Ottawa hospital. They scheduled a zoom consultation call. I have been working on this post since May it is now September I just had this call last week. Good news no biopsy needed everything looks okay and they are going to do a rectal ultrasound instead as a precaution. The Dr said they have had success with many patients that can't do a vaginal untrasound doing rectal instead. This is a much better outcome for me no sedation necessary and hopefully nothing else is found and nothing else happens. The ultrasound won’t be scheduled for another 1-3 months but I have gone back to living my happy no bleeding life. It is a week after my zoom appointment and my ultrasound is scheduled for December and the Dr said she will give me the results at the appointment no need for a follow up. Hopefully this is the end of this story.
Update: It is now December a few days before the appointment. I’m just writing this to get my nerves out. I am missing my mom to talk to you but so grateful to all of you that read my posts you are all my mom now. I’m not that worried about the ultrasound this time I’m not looking forward to it but I think they will be able to do it. I have an appointment with the doctor right after for the results. I’m worried about what the results will be. I’m also worried about getting an infection after I know my mom would tell me to drink pure cranberry juice to prevent one which I have been doing. Please send me your positive vibes I will update after my appointment.
I just finished the ultrasound and I am waiting to see the doctor now. I’m super happy because they were able to do the ultrasound. I found the poster about fibroids in the bathroom. I didn’t find much about rectal ultrasounds in women when I was researching most of the info was for men. They started with a normal pelvic ultrasound but my bladder didn’t need to be full. I talked to the tech she said I was young to be in menopause her about UFE she said she didn’t think they do them in Ottawa which was interesting. Also in Vancouver the standard seemed to be MRI but they do ultrasounds more here..Interesting how things can be so different in the same country. After they told me to empty my bladder then take my underwear and pants off they gave me a sheet to cover and some privacy to get undressed. Then it was put legs in the stirrups just like a vaginal ultrasound they got the probe in that part hurt but they gave me a couple minutes to wait for the burning to stop. The tech kept apologizing when she had to move the probe but once it was in it wasn’t that bad kind like a massage for my insides. Then it was get dressed and wait for the Dr appointment. I met with someone that took my history and she told me she’s heard good things about the rectal ultrasounds. After that I met with an intern and they didn’t have the ultrasound results yet, The intern explained that they were looking for the size of my uterine lining to rule out cancer. Since the bleeding has stopped that’s a good sign. The causes of bleeding could have been a cyst or it could be the uterus lining changing that happens anyways probably low risk. They sent me away for an hour so they could get the ultrasound results if there is nothing then I probably won’t even see the doctor. It’s now been 1.5 hours I’m still waiting to see the result but so far pretty happy and think this will be the end of this story. Unfortunately it wasn’t the end of the story.
I saw the doctor and although they got the images for the ultrasound because of the fibroids and the way my uterus sits it was all shadows. The next step is an MRI they requested it to be done within a month but with the holidays it will likely be more than a month. At least I’m experienced with MRI’s and maybe Ottawa will be first class plane. If you don’t understand my reference you will understand after reading this blog post Fibroids, ultrasound,UFE during a pandemic
All these pictures were in the wall of the clinic. At least I got to see another place in Ottawa Riverside hospital doesn’t have any vegan food in the cafe and the only option there is Tim Hortons. The MRI will go through a central system and it may be at a different hospital and maybe I will find some vegan food there. They gave me the option of getting the MRI results by phone or in person I choose phone. I will update again once I get the MRI results.
I am very grateful if you read this post.
Thank you for reading. For more vegan food follow me on Instagram @LivingOttawaLocal and @VeganCanadianfinds
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