Scared and confused - saw my GYN today...

[Joyful]

Hi guys. Not feeling very joyful - had appt. w/ my gyn today. Found an endometrial polyp.

Not even sure what that means - biopsy was done.....waiting......was told it's a routine thing - no need to worry - very common.....

Maybe so, but it isn't so routine or common for me. What is all of this anyway ? It isn't enough I'm having these seizures, and am on ALOT of medicine - now THIS????

Sorry, guys, but I'm scared! Just need some reasurance, I guess...

 

[AlohaBird]

Hey, hey, hey. Take a breath, OK?

An endometrial polyp is just a little growth on the inside of your uterus. Most of them are totally benign and can be easily taken out. There is a SMALL chance that a polyp could be cancerous or pre-cancerous. That's why they did the biopsy.

Polyps can often be caused by excess estrogen or an imbalance in your estrogen/progesterone levels. How old are you again? Is there any chance that you could be in the first stages of menopause? I know this is super personal but, while waiting to get off your E meds before conceiving , are you on any hormonal form of birth control?
Also does your diet include any form of soy?

Mostly though I just want to say, breathe. I know waiting for test results bites but it can't be helped.:hugs:

 

[Cint]

Polyps can often be caused by excess estrogen or an imbalance in your estrogen/progesterone levels. How old are you again? Is there any chance that you could be in the first stages of menopause? I know this is super personal but, while waiting to get off your E meds before conceiving , are you on any hormonal form of birth control?
Also does your diet include any form of soy?

Plus the AED's and women with epilepsy can have a hormonal imbalance, which can cause excess estrogen, especially Valproic Acid.

Certain epilepsy medications seem to interfere with hormone regulation too.

 

[AlohaBird]

Plus the AED's and women with epilepsy can have a hormonal imbalance, which can cause excess estrogen, especially Valproic Acid.

Very true, unfortunately.

 

[Joyful]

Thanks alot, guys. Actually, I'm not really worried that it could be cancer or anything - I just got really surprised today.

Now, I am using a progesterone cream which helps control the seizures. Could that possibly have something to do with it ?
No birth control of any kind (I'm Catholic)

I figured that - about the AED

Oh, and I am 44, but menapause? Noooo! Not yet! I guess that's the real reason I was upset - for so long I've wanted to concieve......now I need to face facts that that probably isn't going to happen.

Thanks for the kind words and support.

 

[AlohaBird]

Are you using the progesterone cream because you were diagnosed with an excess of estrogen in the e/p balance? (Not sure if you can even get that stuff OTC or if you need a Rx.) Did the doc you just saw run another e/p level test? That would be helpful.

Even if you don't have the "symptoms" of menopause yet, that doesn't mean that your body couldn't be getting ready to head that direction. 44 is about the median age for it.

There is a simple blood test a doc can do to determine where you are on the pre-peri-post menopause spectrum. After breast cancer there was a five year Rx I had to take, an estrogen blocker, to prevent recurrences. It is a different med if you are pre vs. post. I honestly had no idea since I had a hysterectomy at 30 (long story) so I still had ovaries but I didn't have any of the clues like irregular cycles and such. I also never had hot flashes or any of that stuff so I assumed I was still pre. The blood test came back with me way off to the post side of the spectrum.

(I put "symptoms" in quotes because some people treat menopause like a medical pathology when really it is a perfectly normal transition.)

 

[Joyful]

The progesterone cream was reccommended for me years ago by my neurologist at the time. (My seizures usually occur around my period) The prescription was written by my gyn. So, the reason for the progesterone cream was for seizure control. However, I do have hypothyroidism as well.

The dr. I just saw has ordered a blood test to check my levels - will be having that done on the 31st.

Yep, I know I'm getting up in age.....44.....still feel like a kid sometimes!

Maybe since I was such a "late bloomer" as my mom puts it, I thought I'd reach menapause late as well. (I was 14 when I hit puberty)

Well, guess I'd better look ahead to the future - I hear grandchildren are great!

 

[AlohaBird]

You could also adopt another child. The world needs more saintly people like you who are willing to open their homes and their hearts to a child in need.

 

[valeriedl]

I've had epilepsy for about 12 years. I think it was around 10 years ago my gyn found some polyps. They weren't cancerous and he just removed them. In a more recent visit, maybe 2 years ago, he found some again. These ones weren't cancerous either and they didn't need to be removed.

 

[Joyful]

Adopting a child isn't as easy as all that. We've been trying to adopt more for years. The agencies can be so ridiculous sometimes - that's a whole 'nother stoy.

You wouldn't believe some of the things we've come up against. Plus, my having epilepsy doesn't help.

 

[Cint]

Oh, and I am 44, but menapause? Noooo! Not yet!

Women with E can and do go thru early menopause as seizures and AEDs mess with hormones. When I first started having seizures, they were always around "that time of month". Finally the docs realized that and came up with the term 'catamenial' seizure. After I had the lobectomy for E, not only did my seizures go crazy, so did my hormones. I was 33 at the time and I started getting those terrible hot flashes, my periods would last for 10 days some times, and then it would skip for 3-6 months. My ob/gyn told me at the time that I was too young to be going thru menopause, but it was happening.

But the epilepsy pros were finding out things that the other docs need to know.

http://www.epilepsy.com/information...ons/women/discussion-guide#epilepsy_menstrual

Early Menopause with Epilepsy

The low estrogen levels that are a part of menopause affect many different organ systems in the body. These changes generally occur slowly and differ for each woman. While estrogen levels decrease, progesterone levels also decrease in menopause. Other hormonal, endocrine, and metabolic changes that occur during menopause can also influence the risk of seizures. This makes it difficult to predict what to expect for any individual woman. While there is some variation, menopause generally occurs between the ages of 48 and 55 years. More recent data suggest that women who have had epilepsy throughout their adult lives tend to cease menstruation about 3 years earlier than women in the general population. Most reports have not differentiated between effects of epilepsy and of seizure and the effect of AEDs on the decline in hormonal activity.
One investigation of women with epilepsy age 45 years and older was designed to try to study these as discrete components of ovarian failure. This study found a rate of premature ovarian failure higher than that of the general population. Lifetime total number of seizures and perhaps seizure frequency and duration of epilepsy appear to be correlated with age at menopause.

 

[Joyful]

Well, whatever it is, I'm cool w/ it now and am ready to accept whatever changes may be occurring in my life. That's what life is all about, right ? Accepting the changes that come your way, and making the best of it.

Thanks, guys! You were here when I needed someone to talk to.

 

[valeriedl]

One of my friends was unable to have children so her and her husband adopted a child from a foreign country. They really didn't have much trouble doing it.

 

[Joyful]

Yes, I am aware of the adoption process - remember, I do have one adopted child.