I saw the surgeon today about the gallbladder surgery: and she doesn't want to do it. She says I just don't have the symptoms, and that the nausea and vomiting could be from anything from medication to part of the endocrine disorder.
She called in an associate of hers, and he has an interest in endocrinology. He looked at me, and says he sees a lot of physical symptoms of Cushing's Syndrome (which she says is different from Cushings Disease???). I dunno. I've been tested for that repeatedly with all the tests being negative. He did note, which most doctors do not... the doctors I keep notice this... that the weight gain is situated abnormally and that my legs and arms are normal.
I don't know what to think at this point. She is going to try and get me an appointment with a regular endocrinologist that is part of the hospital she is with. My endocrinologist is really a reproductive endocriologist and specialist GYN. So, since this is now causing elevated cortisol levels and may be the cause of the nausea and vomiting...
Oh, I don't know! I'm really sick of the whole thing to be honest!
:mouse:

Crap, I thought it already got approved! At this point, why NOT do it. You won't be the first person to have unneccessary surgery. I had symptoms off and on for years before my gb bit the dust. What kind of tests are they going to run, did they give you an idea?

My gastroenterologist wants me to have the gallbladder removed; none of the surgeons want to do it because the only test that indicated a problem with the gallbladder was the hidascan. The endoscopy and the ultrasound were both normal. The hidascan indicated only 12% ejection factor, whatever the heck THAT means. I haven't been able to figure it out. But everybody I've seen admits that the hidascan isn't the most accurate test in the world and lots and lots of people could have ejection issues.
The other issue, of course, with the surgery is my weight. Both surgeons I saw have said the surgery would be high risk because of my weight and the endocrine disorder. Apparently, people with elevated cortisol levels heal poorly.
As for tests for Cushings, they've done a 24-hour fluid collection to test cortisol, blood tests, and there was some other test... ACTH, or something like that. Its been elevated, but only slightly, and I've also had a abdominal CT and MRIs as well as ultrasounds and pelvic ultrasounds.
The only symptoms of gallbladder disorder that I have are the nausea and vomiting. :?:

:mouse:

I'm so sorry mouse :mouse: . How stressful and horrible for you! I hope it gets sorted. :crossed:

My doctor has put me on bc pill dianette. She said it may help me lose weight. It will just be nice not to bleed all the time.
Have a good week everyone x

well, in that aspect, I'm lucky. I never bleed. Not unless they give me massive amounts of progesterone.
Makes it easy to pursue swimming as a hobby without worrying about toxic shock syndrome or other tampon-related issues. ;)
Okay... most people probably won't find that a positive. I DID mention I was weird, didn't I????

:mouse:

I'm with you two on it being a positive!!!!!!!!!
Noodles - hope your throat is better really soon. When my parents visit I think its bad enough that they are always an hour early! Have a good rest!

Its been a while since I posted last, but 3 jobs will keep you offline quite a bit. :( Hopefully I'll make enough to get my gas bill paid off so they'll turn the heat back on SOON,

On other fronts, the gyn has decided he wants to take things in steps, and as a result I'll be having ovarian diathermy (aka ovarian drilling) December 16th. Have any of you had this? What can I expect postoperatively in terms of recovery (he says 3-4 days but I'm thinking it'll be longer as my tubal ligation took a good week- week and half)and in terms of effect on my PCOS? I've heard it can work well, but the effects will often only last a year or so. If this doesn't work he'll do a wedge resection, and barring that the full hysterectomy.

Welcome back, Willendorf!!! :D

NO HEAT?? I would go crazy!!! I hate to be cold. Course I hate to be hot now too. I can't win!! :no: :lol:

I have had ovarian drilling. I had it done during my hysterectomy in June, 2003, so I really couldn't tell you how long the recovery is. It would all depend on if they go in and do it laprascopic or if they have to make an incision. Incisional surgeries always take longer to heal. It works well, but, alas, it is true that it only lasts a year or so. My ovaries did really good right afterwards, but then they slowly fell apart again and so I am going in this December 10th to get them taken out. Had I known it wouldn't of lasted, I would of just had him take my ovaries out when he did the hysterectomy. Now I am stuck with facing another surgery. :dz: Oh well... At least it will be all over and done with after this one. Female parts wise, that is.

Keep us posted and don't let them talk you into doing anything you don't feel comfortable with. It's your body, not theirs. :)

Type later!! :grouphug:

Well, no surgery on my front... I did see my reproductive endocrinologist today. She wants me to go see a nutrionist, because its pretty obvious that we're not going to get a plastic surgeon to help remove the pannus. So... she figures if we do the nutrionist route, then we'll have that much more proof that I'm eating appropriately and its really a chemical/endocrinological disorder. That, and I am waiting to hear about the ordinary endocrinologist up here. My RE/GYN is ready to talk to her. She spent nearly an hour with us and had two other patients waiting in her office. I felt guilty, but she's that kind of person. She's going to call the nutrionist: she's down in Northern VA too, but my thoughts are that if my GYN knows her, likes her, and is going to make the first phone call for me, I'm willing to drive there to see her. I can do it over winter break probably. I'm tired of the nasty, stupid looks I get from most med professionals. I will also ask my friends at the gym, because my gym does a nutrionist's service as well, and see what they think of the person there.
And now... I've not eaten anything at all today, so Mom and I stopped at a BBQ place on the way home, and I think I'll go eat.
:mouse:

Hey Mouse,
I've been reading through your trials these last few weeks, and it sounds like your RE is a good gal - I'm so glad you have even one doctor who will listen. It's amazing how closed-minded docs can be, given that they supposedly see a wide range of different humans with different problems in thier practice, hmmm? I'm wishing you the best.

Ladies, with your various surgeries coming up, all my best. I expect I will be lurking often and posting rarely (I'm shy most of the time) :) but I'm rooting for you.

I'm at the very beginning of a weight-loss program that hopefully will address the fertility aspect of PCOS - my RE suggests that I give it a six-month trial to see if I will ovulate and get pregnant naturally before he starts me on Metformin or similar. I'm trying the "Insulin Resistance Diet," which seems like it would be tailor made for PCOS. Only on a week, and I feel a bit less spacey, but no real loss to speak of yet.

Ciao, be well!
Kim

Hello everyone!
Hope everyone is O.K.
Love Annie

Hi Girls!! :wave:

Sorry I haven't posted in a while...things have been pretty boring around here for me. I've been cleaning ceiling fans and blinds and rat cages. And shopping and trying to get things ready for a yard sale. See...Boring! :lol:

I'm also trying to get my household ready for my surgery. If I can get most of my heavy cleaning out of the way now, then it leaves less for hubby to do over the holidays. We're probably not going to put the tree up this year because the cat will want to knock everything down on it and in my condition, I just won't be able to chase after him and clean up decorations all over the house. Thank goodness the in-laws are coming to help me out a bit.

What's everyone doing for turkey day?? We are either going to relatives here, or going to relatives out of state. I want to go out of state!! THis way I get to see my friends too. :)

Type at ya later..I have an orange to eat here. :cool:

Wow. I didn't realize that I haven't posted since monday. I'm still here, but only barely functioning. ;)
Thursday is the first night that I've been home & had dinner before 9:00 p.m. I was on my way out the door and one of my favorite therapists at my school (all the kids have both a mental health therapist and a educational case manager. I'm not overly fond of most social worker types) stopped me to finish a conversation we'd been having the other day. And of course, we branched into other areas, so I didn't get out of the building until after 4:15. And it was getting dark. And my apartment has been so MESSY since I work Saturdays now too... I came home, put the dishes up to wash, did the laundry, cleaned up my kitchen, hung up the clothes scattered, tried on some new jeans (which are too big, I think... but I'm going to wear them tomorrow and ask my TA what she thinks), and a nwe bathing suit. The chlorine kills swimsuits, even with a rinse... so I started buying the polyester suits (Junonia calls them Chloroban), and they allegedly last much longer because chlorine can't break down the polyester. But they have NO STRETCH! I've been wearing a 22/24 swimsuits, and had to go to a 28 with these! They are also longer in the torso and cover more. These suits are definitely made for working out in... they aren't leisure suits.
I'm planning to go to bed early, and tomorrow is an off-campus trip for the whole school: I'm on the group that is staying back, which is fine with me... and so I decided to use up some more of that comp time I have and take off early Friday.
Saturday is the Thanksgiving Parade that I'm taking a crew to. Then I have to rush to the gym for swimming lessons, and I think a friend's housewarming party (for which I haven't gotten a present yet!) is that night!
I also heard from the surgeon I saw last week... they were able to get the other endocrinologist to see me, but she wants to do it in the next 3 weeks! I haven't figured out how the heck I'm going to do that one yet... We have Thanksgiving, I have kids going off-campus still for field trips... :eek:

:mouse: