HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Rheumy or Gyn - who should I talk to first??

Support Forums
>
Lupus
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 7/2/2007 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
I seem to be having a lot of hormonal issues - i.e. severe mood swings, hot flashes, etc. - almost like a severe form of PMS.  It lasts almost up to 20-25 days a month. 

I know that Lupus paitients can go into early menopause, but I don't know if this is what this is or something else.  I have been tracking my cycles religiously - noting everything down that seems to be happenging so that I have some type of record.

I am what would seem quite young for this to be happening (I am 32 yo).  It also seemed to become worse AFTER I went off the Immuran.

I am not sure who to start with, the Rheumy or the Gyno.  any thoughts ladies??

Posted 7/2/2007 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
I have had similar symptoms, I have seen the rheum and gyn and awaiting appointment with the endocrinologist. I went in to earlier menopause in my twenties, I was finally able to conceive through inferility with triplets in 2002. After having the triplets, I had regular cycles for the first year or so. Then when the babies where around 1, my menstrual cycles stopped, I have had hot flashes intermittantly.
The gyn said it was PCOS or metabolic syndrome and I'm awaiting my next appt. The rheumologist said I didn't fit the diagnosis of lupus but I have had symptoms of shortness of breath, rash intermittantly, fatigue, leg cramps, difficulty staying asleep.
MAYBE this might help you.
CYNDI
Posted 7/2/2007 2:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hm....I get monthly (well every 25-34 days) cycles, I ovulate each cycle, there is no regular ovulation day, it could be anywhere from day 10-15, then instantly severe what I would call PMS (possibly) hits - the day after I ovulate.

Really bad mood swings (some get extreme), depression (varies in how bad/good it is), hot flashes, sleeplessness (even with Lunesta I can't sleep - that bad), severe breast tenderness/swelling.  It seems to be getting worse each cycle.  Occasionally I have a better cycle, then wham the next one is twice as bad.

I am done having children, I actually had my tubes tied about 3 years ago.  I just am at a loss of who to start with.  I want to be taken seriously since I am younger.

Posted 7/2/2007 2:58 PM (GMT 0)
I'm an RN, I young as well, 34 years old. MD's seem to take younger women not as serious as older women. MY gyn couldn't believe that I was in earlier menopause at 25 years old. I think I would see a female gyn, first. I would write down all your symptoms in an journal and bring it with you. I think you might have the disorder PPMD, look it up on the internet. IS your bleeding about the same each month?

As far as not sleeping, do you watch TV in your bedroom before bedtime.How old are your children? I had a sleep study done in Oct. The results showed that I wasn't entering REM sleep and suggested sleep hygiene classes.
Posted 7/2/2007 3:11 PM (GMT 0)

I thought about PMDD - it is a possiblility - but then it also seems to co-incide with when I went off Immuran - or at least become worse after that.  I will discuss with my Gyn who is male, but a great MD.  I sleep great from the time that I get my cycle and up to ovulation with NO problems, it used to be I only had sleeping problems the week before I got my cycle - which I know is pretty normal with PMS.  Now it is from when I ovulate to when I start the next cycle.

I have been tracking my clycles, moods, other symptoms for the past 4 cycles - so I do have something to see that is trackable.

As for the bleeding - no, it is NOT the same each month, every other cycle seems to be worse, with the ones that are bad coinciding with the really bad PMS.  I also do have endometriosis in some areas.

No, I do not watch TV in the room, we keep nothing electronic in the room except the dim lights by the bed and the clock radio which is across the room.  I have tried to rule out the whole sleeping issues by making sure that nothing is disturbing me int he room, but with the sleeping issues only in the "after ovulation" stage it would seem that it has something to do with my hormones/menstrual cycles.

I may talk to my Rheumy first - I have my quartely appt. coming up in another 2 weeks, so I will talk to her and then go from there.

Posted 7/2/2007 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
If your rheumy manages your care as most do, I would bring it up to the rheumy. You may also want to check into seeing an endocrinologist or maybe a neurologist. Its really difficult to determine what is causing what symptom since they kind of all run in together at times. I hope you are able to get some answers soon. Please let us know how your progress goes.

Take Care
Posted 7/2/2007 5:13 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks Des.  I moved up my Rheumy appt. to this Friday.  So I am going to start with her as I feel this is rooted in the Lupus and go from there.  I also have other issues and am due for my quarterly appt. with her anyway, so I will start there and see what she says first.

Posted 7/3/2007 2:28 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck with your appointment on Friday. Let us know, how it goes.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply