HORMONES SUCK....

I am gonna come right out and say it... FUCK HORMONES!!!

For the last 7 months...I have been fighting with my body. It all started when I started to feel my eyes get really heavy after lunch every day. The first thing I did was change up my lunches. I figured that whatever I was eating was making me hit that 3pm afternoon lull. It was when I couldn't keep my eyes open on the drive home from work that I knew something was wrong.

I started to realize that I was extra emotional. I mean crying over EVERYTHING!! I was also really angry. I mean RAGE kind of angry. Everything would rub me the wrong way. I would feel my blood pressure rise from a person looking at me the wrong way or someone saying something in a tone. I was miserable.

On top of all that...I gained almost 20lbs and my pain flared up. It hurt so bad every morning that I woke up. I could barely stand up straight and the joint pain...UNBEARABLE!!!! Pain meds didn't work. A bunch of my gal pals were dealing with some crazy symptoms as well. I started to really listen to their story and what was going on. I had similar symptoms yet I didn't.

 It was time for my annual lady bit visit. (I have to say...as a sexual assault survivor...this exam gives me really bad anxiety. I always flash back to having a similar exam as a kid.) I called thinking I would get an appointment within the next 3 weeks. Boy was I wrong. Ummmm....try 3 months. I set the appointment in my calendar, left a message for the triage nurse to give me a courtesy extension on my birth control, and went on my way. 

This is where is starts to go down hill. I get a message back from the nurse (I could tell she was annoyed that she had to reach out) stating that I needed to make an appointment. We messaged back and forth in a very "direct" manor. (Keep in mind I'm dealing with hormonal anger issues.) The person in charge of making appointments never set my appointment. Now I have an appointment for 3 weeks later. 

WTF?!?!?! I don't understand why it was so difficult to get in with my doctor. If I was pregnant I would have gotten in so quickly, but because my uterus is empty...I didn't fucking matter. I am a 4 days out from my appointment and an emergency comes up with a coworker so I call to reschedule. I am told I have to wait another 3 months!! 

Y'all...this doctor isn't the top doctor in the state or anything. There is literally no reason for me to have to wait almost 6 months to be checked out. I am beyond angry! YOUR DOCTOR SHOULD NEVER TREAT YOU LIKE THIS!!! Sooooooo....I called the office back and I fired them. I requested my records and told them to make my account inactive. I would never be returning. Again...I am not a priority to this office because I am not pregnant.

I call a new office that my coworker recommended. I got in as a new patient within 2 weeks. YESSSSSSS!!! I am one step closer to finding out what is going on with me and why my body hates me. I go in for my appointment..all my paperwork is taken care of...I have taken the day off of work since my normal appointments would last about 2 hours at the last office. (60 minutes of that would be me sitting in a room with a gown on waiting for my doc and her team of people to come in. Yes...I said team of people.)

I check in and the receptionist tells me that billing needs to speak to me first. They sit me down and tell me that I cannot be seen that day because my insurance has me listed as a male. YES...you read that correctly..insurance had me listed as a MALE!!!!!! I felt like I couldn't win. I call insurance to fix the issue and insurance tells me my boss has to call. WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Let's talk about that awkward conversation. "Oh Hey boss! I went to my annual gyno exam and they couldn't poke and prod me because our insurance thinks I am a dude." He laughed at me. I still had to call insurance. I still had to fill out the paperwork and send it in. BCBS wouldn't let me send in the appropriate paperwork without hearing my male boss tell them to change my gender. FML!!!!!

I cried a lot during this process. I'm dealing with extreme fatigue, chronic pain, and hormonal issues that make me angry and cry a lot. (I was a total blast to be around.) Everything got fixed. I finally got to see my new doctor. Let me tell you...this woman is a magical being. I waited maybe 5 minutes for her to come into the room. She apologized for the wait. (Don't forget...I would wait 60+minutes for my last doctor to come in.) It was only her. (No team of people.) There was an incredible calm that came over the room when she came in. She did my exam quickly and honestly...it was the most gentle experience I have ever had. I had no idea that you weren't supposed to leave this exam without a bruised cervix. (Too much?)

She referred me to a new PCP...gave me new birth control with little to no estrogen...and really put me at ease. It took 6 weeks to get in with the new PCP. I won't see male doctors when in comes to how my lady bitts work. My mindset is that they don't have those parts, so they will never understand what it is like to have jacked up hormones. Plus, I still get a little anxiety when men are around me and my lady bits! (We will talk about relationships later.)

I met my new PCP. She was wonderful. She listened. I felt like I was talking to a peer and not someone that was going to tune out and tell me what type of soap to use to wash my hands. (My last PCP was obsessed with soap.) <~~~~Fired that doctor too! 

I just got my results back. Everything came back negative and clear. I feel good with a side of crazy that I am perfectly healthy. The only thing that I have to address is a vitamin D deficiency. Dr. B set me up with prescription strength supplements, so I am on my way to fixing that.

My plan for now is to add my new supplements, keep tracking symptoms (thank god for Apple and the Health app on the phone), stay strict with my nutrition, and really try hard to work on my sleep schedule. I am also adding in some weight training with my workouts. Here is hoping that the added weight training will level out more of my symptoms. 

 Don't be afraid to fire your doctors and build your own custom healthcare dream team!!! Be your best advocate!!!

Until next time...

XOXO,

Dev