GBS & Menopause….sorry fellas

    • Anonymous
      April 9, 2008 at 6:14 pm

      Hi,
      I was diagonosed in 5/05 at the tender age of 43. I recovered quickly (2 months out of work). I’ve since experienced fatigue, nasuea, extremely heavy periods and all the other stuff. I had an EMT test last summer, so I’m supposidly “cured” of GBS. Since early this year, I’ve had a cough that is deep and won’t quit. I visited my GP and she prescribed an antibiotic; and told me to quit smoking. Since I don’t smoke, I took the pills and everything was good. After another visit to my primary care, I found girly-probs, high blood pressure and of course, high cholerserol. My problem now is figuring what problems belong to which diagnosis. My last visit to the GYN had her getting me extra tests which revealed a cyst on my ovary and lots of fibroid cycts in my uterus. I asked for a birth control pill, because the periods are so painful, but she said no because of the blood pressure. I’ve gotten a referrel to a GYN so hopefully she can do the “uterine cauterizing” thingy. I’m hoping that cures everything. My cough came back, so that I had to leave work. I was coughing so hard that I was gonna throw up or pee in my panties. I called the Dr. and she won’t renew the antibiotic until I see her. I called the pharmacy and got the name and dosage and ordered it online.

      Sorry for the rant, but I’d just love to know whats “normal” menopause and what’s GBS residuals.

      Thanks Everybody,
      Tracey

    • Anonymous
      April 9, 2008 at 11:45 pm

      Tracey,
      If you get the book THE WISDOM OF MENOPAUSE by Christiane Northrup, you will find some of the best advice for women. I wish this book had been out when I was going through it. I rejected the advice of 6-8 doctors who wanted me to remove the organs that were causing the menoraghia. I said No because I knew they were healthy. It turns out that eating a diet high in refined carbohydrates exacerbates the problem. Well, that is what the AMA was telling people to eat – “low fat, high carb” . I followed their stupid advice and that is why I was so sick. I knew that if I had the hysterectomy and found out years later that it was something simple, I would be an angry person. So, reading her book, I was so grateful that I had the courage to say No to all of the doctors. Here is the moment that I intuitively knew would vindicate my decision. You are lucky that you have the opportunity to take advantage of this knowledge. Perhaps your library has it.
      I have given up refined sugars and starches and feel so much better the last six months. It is still not an accepted way of thinking by a lot of doctors – it usually takes them quite a few years to catch up with the holistic people. I wish I had known this info years ago.
      She also tallks about ablatioin. She says to try several other methods before you do this. Good luck and let me know if it helps.

    • Anonymous
      April 9, 2008 at 11:45 pm

      I had GBS when I was 29. I did not have a period during the 4 months I was hospitalized and it was about another 2-3 months until they resumed, but they were always heavier after that and irregular. ( I had always been able to set my watch by them) I had the D&C procedure and it seemed to help a bit for about a year but then things got worse than ever. I had a hysterectomy when I was 42. I had numerous fibroids and I never attributed them to GBS as my mother also had them.

      Hope this gives you some info but not sure that it will help you in any way.

    • April 10, 2008 at 12:54 pm

      I too went thru an ovarian cyst after GBS…no clue whether or not it is related. Periods are wacky now, lighter but for one day of heavy and misery. I was a week early last month and another week early this month. Residuals are awful when hormones change too. I have no clue whether meopause will make it worse constantly or I will finally have relief. I do know, since the surgery to remove the ovary and GBS things are definitely different. I am only 37 (going on 38) but do believe I am in perimenopause due to symptoms I cant ignore. I think GBS related issues we deal with now makes the other things we deal with as women harder on us.

    • Anonymous
      April 10, 2008 at 9:07 pm

      I have diffrent story about my period, I was on constant bleeding when I was dx with GBS so when it got over after 5 weeks it turn normal for few months but now Im geting extra period on ca 8 weeks and I have my monthly on time. but I get very week on this unregular period and Im on theim now and Im so tierd and week in hands and feets. And I talk to the doc that takes care of my cellar:D and he told me I was not getting nearly near my menapouse and Im 46. And every thing is ok down under;) . But I put my GBS and those unexspected bleeding together and it is somkind of relaps,

    • Anonymous
      April 11, 2008 at 12:33 am

      A couple of things to think about. Fibroids sometimes predispose to heavier periods. I hope addressing these helps.
      Are you taking a non-steroidal such as motrin (ibuprofen) or aleve (naprosyn sodium) or aspirin for pain from the GBS? These can lead to more bleeding potentially. You could try change to tylenol.
      Finally, are you by chance taking lisinopril for high blood pressure? One of the side effects of lisinopril is a persistent cough.
      WithHope for cure of these diseases.

    • Anonymous
      April 13, 2008 at 2:48 pm

      I was having pre-menopause symptoms and taking birth-control pills just for that, before I came down with GBS in 2004. It was time to see my gyn and get my prescription renewed – and did not make it in. I was put into the hospital just the day before with GBS. A couple of months later I remembered all that and realized that my periods had ceased. I also realized that I was not in the least concerned about that at the moment. Yes, I suppose I was having hot flashes – however being totally paralized it was not my biggest worry so I shoved it out of my head. About a year later – and rehabing at home I thought of it again. No – I just did not feel up to seeing a gyn and having that kind of exam yet. I had learned that my gyn had retired while I was in the hospital and I did not want to break in anybody new, yet. So I waited almost l more year, then began to call to see a Dr. I went to my old GP – told him my saga ( he listened with his jaw dropping) – he examined me and pronounced my plumbing healthy. Since I had gone “cold turkey” with no harmones or any thing else, he recommendeed proceeding in that way, so I take nothing. Did the GPS actually mask the symptoms and make the “change” easier? Who knows. That is not the question brought up here, but another view of what can happen.

      Alma
      GBS-MFv 1993 and 2004

    • Anonymous
      April 16, 2008 at 5:55 pm

      Hello Ladies,

      I do not think GBS has affected my ‘change’. I was 39 when I got it, and now at 50 am having hot flashes, etc. like crazy. I take all the meds I shouldn’t… birth control pills (since I was 16), blood pressure medicine, anti depressant, anti anxiety, amitryptiline, other stuff – and I still smoke. Crazy, I know. Actually completely crazy! I think that is part of menopause too. I have gone to a new therapist and have asked her to study up on menopause for me. She has a lot to deal with.

      I apologize as I have no advice to offer, except sympathy of those dang hot flashes. Men could never understand how we feel sometimes…

    • Anonymous
      April 25, 2008 at 11:06 am

      [FONT=”Comic Sans MS”][SIZE=”2″]Tracey,
      I see by the date of your post that it’s too late to urge you not to take anti-biotics you’ve “prescribed” for yourself, Oh well, hope it took care of your cough.
      As for menopause, there is no ‘normal’. i was what they used to call a change of life baby, born to my Mom at 38.
      Like her, I started with the hot flashes in my mid thirties and was in that state till my periods ceased altogether at 45.
      Tried hormone replacement therapy for a while, but it made me start having painful periods again ick! so i stopped.
      Cramping and heavy periods, hot flashes and wild mood swings can all be atributed to menopause, as are migraines (especially if you take hormones) and the plant based ‘natural’ remedies do the same and may interact with other medications you are taking.
      According to what i read, fibroids shrink when hormone production slows.
      The only way to know if you are really peri-menopausal is to have a folicle test.
      Menopause itself is the pits, but on the bright side, now i can were white undies without worry:D
      Hope this helps,
      Veronica[/SIZE][/FONT]