For ladies only

[McCln]

I have had problems since being on coumadin for the past year. I ahve always been a heavy bleeder, but the coumadin made things worse and messier. So I went to the GYN and now am on a birth control shot, to keep from having surgery. I am doing fine so far. Just thought I would share this with you, the shot is called
Depo-Provera, a 150g/ml. I have to pay $55 for each shot. Right now I feel the effects real good. I go back to the GYN doctor the 16 of Oct. for a followup. So far, it is letting up during the cycle. Hopefully, it will make it end. I have only one other minor problem that is not related to coumadin. I have a small fiberoid. So that is all I have to worry about. Just had to share this. I was not ready for more surgery yet. So I hope the shot works. So far, it has.




Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi caroline!
i'm sorry to hear about your fibroid, but it seems they are controlling it and may have possibly found a way to avoid surgery. other than that, i always wonder how coumadin affects women. is it harder to regulate as a result of hormonal chages and fluctuations? does it make that monthly experience just awful?
you sound good and i hope you are feeling well besides these little snags.
keep up the positive outlook and stay well,
sylvia

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Hi Caroline,

I will contact you VIA PM on the site. If you don't receive my message, you can email me at [email protected]. We share a common concern here.

Looking forward to hearing back from you.

 

[McCln]

Sylvia

Sylvia

It may have some affect on the hormones, I am not for certain. But it is nerve wrecking when you never know from one month to the next if it will be messier than ever, or be nice and kind to you. I have always been a heavy bleeder, but the coumadin and ecotrin makes it worse. The shot is working. I have been either been spotting or beeding a little. It is great. I hope it will eventually keep doing this or stopping altogether in the coming months. I was just getting at the end of my rope when I finally went to the doctor to find out of what could be done. I was not ready for more surgery. So he proposed the shot, Bepo-prevera. And it doing fine. I feel weird, it is to be expected, I guess. I will let you know what happens from the visit on the 16 of this month. I go back for a followup. You keep hanging in there. Things only get better.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve

 

[Gnusgal]

When I had my surgery they had a ob/gyn come in to talk to me. I've always been a high risk patient in that area, and adding the valve and coumadin just bumped that risk higher. I had been on a low estrogen dose birth control pill, but they felt even that little ammount could cause problems with blood clots. So they switched me to progestrin only pills. I was unsure if my heavy bleeding since then was caused by being on new pills, or the coumadin. Guess it could even be both. I'm very much hating my uterus right now (I know that sounds strange). I would love to just go ahead and have it removed and not worry about this whole once a month monster anymore. After all, it's doing me no good (I will never be able to have my own children). However, I don't know how ready any surgeon would be to cut into me for something like this. Tried to convince them they could do both the open heart and remove my uterus at the same time, but apparently my surgeon didn't want to share . My husband has graciously offered to have a vasectomy, but that still doesn't solve the issue of the dratted period problem. If anyone comes up with a solution (I don't think I want to do the shots, due to some side effects I saw in my cousin-in-law) I would love to hear them.

Thanks for bringing up this issue.

 

[weekycat]

The nurses were joking about that with me!

The nurses were joking about that with me!

Hey gnusgal!

I had my mitral valve repair in May, and when I was in for the cardiac cath, I was telling the nurses how I needed to have a hysterectomy as soon as I was healed enuf from the open-heart surgery. One of them said, "Too bad they couldn't do that at the same time". And the other one said, "Could you imagine a heart surgeon and a gyno sharing an OR and trying to get both surgeries done at the same time?". I said I didn't think I'd be able to move for awhile if I had them at the same time! Also, if they did a vertical incision for the hyster, they might just as well cut me in half!! LOL!

I actually was scheduled for the hysterectomy in April, until I went to see the cardio to get cleared for it, and he decided we should probably fix that pesky heart valve first.

BTW, I was on Depo a few years ago, and had no problems with it, the only thing was a little weight gain which I really didn't need, but other than that, I didn't get my period for the whole year or so that I was on it. That was great!! And now after just getting over my very last visit from Aunt Flo, I get to tell her goodbye and good riddance forever!! My surgery is next Thursday. Mine can't be put off any longer, it's for cervical pre-cancer, so I need to take care of it.

If any of you ladies are considering hysterectomy, there is another wonderful site, (very similar forum), that you should check out. It's called Hystersisters.com.

Everyone tells me this will be a "piece of cake" after my last surgery. I sure hope so!

 

[Creed3]

HI EVERYONE!

HI EVERYONE!

I just had my surgery two weeks ago and I am now waiting to see what my first period will be like being on the coumadin. I am a little concerned about what it will be like. The docs don't seem to be too concerned. My family doc says that it shouldn't change it too too much, maybe just a little heavier. My cardio in Cleveland said that we just have to wait and see and if there is a problem, I should see my GYN. I think he was afraid of mentioning surgery again after just having my valve replaced. Does being on Coumadin cause major problems with your period or do you usually have to have surgery? My husband said that he will have a vasectomy. Well good luck to all!

Creed3

 

[McCln]

Update

Update

I was wrong by one day for my appointment for my followup. It was today, the 17. Came out fine. I am spotting a little, but otherwise am doing fine. We will still have me on the depo-provera for a few months and wait it out. It is great not having a mess all over everything. I was always a heavy bleeder, but with the coumadin and ectrin, make matter worse. I am so happy with things as they are now. I hope things keep going good. I am not ready for more surgery yet. You all take care.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi caroline!
so glad all is going well. hope it stays this way.
please keep us posted as to how you are doing with this, ok?
stay well, sylvia

 

[McCln]

update

update

I am due for my next shot in a few days. I was having a real laugh about a month ago, when they news stated that they women on depo-privera needed to go get pregnacy tests, I was beside myself, laughing and felt sorry for those poor women. I am doing just fine so far. Am on a cylce and be glad for the next shot to stop it, I hope. You all take care and I will update and thing progress.

Caroline
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve

 

[queenie61]

I am 5 and a half weeks post op and just got over a 14 day period! I had to call my obgyn because of the heavy bleeding on days 10 and 11. I am not a heavy bleeder but boy has that changed. I also do not have clots---until now. I thought I was having a miscarriage if you know what I mean. I am very concerned about this since the Dr. felt it was the coumadin. I will try this one more time but boy am I scared. The way my moods are going at this rate in my recovery I'm afraid to do anything different hormonally that could put me over the edge. Hope all the rest of you ladies are doing well. Queenie

 

[Christine]

I too went from having first two days being heavy then tapering off to first 2-3 days of 'man, i should have stock in "always" feminine products' i too also started to 'clot' more than before (i guess that's what it is, i described it to someone who always has been a heavy bleeder and confirmed that for me.) .. i can't (or don't want to) go on the pill because i also have moderatley high BP and am on BP meds ontop of my other heart meds.. at being 35, while i know i probably won't have kids, i'm not ready to have my tubes tied either.. wednesday i'll be 6 months post op and for me, it's the coumadin.. i dread those first few days.. while i don't wish this on anyone, i'm glad i'm not alone in this.. it's bad enough, i'm losing my mind.. didn't want to think i'm completely falling apart now physically too..

chris

 

[McCln]

Another Update

Another Update

I am doing fine. Had to wait all day for a delivery of the Depo-provera that was supposed to have been sent the GYN office instead. I had an e-mail from the insurance that dayby had to stay off line for the delivery. It was delivered by airbourne and the person was an airhead, did not call my apartment, or didn't leave a note. So it had be tried again and was left at the manger's office. So after all that waiting, got the shot done and felt better. I was bleeding a little for three weeks and was glad to get something to help that and get my energy back. I am feeling better now. You all take care and I will keep my adventure updated here.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve