The Purple Patient Protest Pillow (was: Second Opinion)

[Guest guest]

Dear Pam:

Brava, Pam!!!!!!!!! Applause to you!

Thanks for sharing a great story of being a persistent patient who

challenged her narrow-minded, uninformed, unhelpful doctor.

I'm especially glad you were rewarded for your efforts with a successful

outcome.

Your story underscores the value of being proactive for oneself, and never

assuming your (or my) doctor is all-knowing. Or that he or she always has our

best interests in mind, when suggesting fibroid treatment options.

And your story also hit a responsive chord with me: In fact it's one of my

big pet peeves about gynecologists, something which I haven't encountered in my

other medical specialists.

If a gynecologist is not interested in learning to be a " MOM " (Master of

Myomectomy) or is not competent to do any other fibroid treatment procedure

besides hysterectomy, that's fine. So be it.

I don't begrudge any doctor for not wanting to become proficient at doing

myos or UAE, or whatever....( I DO, however expect gynos to be well-read,

current

and conversant on all fibroid treatment options OTHER DOCTORS MAY DO WELL,

--besides hysterectomy--- whether they DO them or not. And to encourage

patients to study ALL the various treatment options that may be available to

them.)

And, to INCOMPETENT gynos everywhere: I wanna yell:

" IF YOU CAN'T-- or WON'T-- DO THE JOB WELL YOURSELF, THEN REFER ME ON TO

SOMEONE WHO CAN ! "

Yes, Doctors! Refer us to someone more qualified, for the love of Pete!!!

Such a simple maxim, so infrequently followed by gynecologists

" Ya know, I think we should needlepoint this little nifty little phrase onto

pillows and

place the pillows in ob/gyn waiting rooms everywhere.

No!!!!!!!! Wait!!!!!!!!!! On second thought: I have an even better idea:

Carla????!!! Are you listening, Carla ?!!!!!

I hereby propose the creation of a NUFF original: the " Purple Patient

Protest Pillow " .

Naturally it will be purple, to honor NUFF, Carla, and the LOL (the Ladies of

the List).

In a Court of Law they can " throw the book " at someone convicted of

misfeasance, malfeasance or nonfeasance.

But in " The Court of LOL " , (with Judge Carla presiding!!!!) we can " throw the

Pillow " at our gynos--- for " holding back evidence that would help our

case " !!!

The Purple Patient Protest Pillow. We can throw it metaphorically, (with our

words and letters) or even, literally. (Can't you see all those Gynos of

Doom worldwide trying to duck the flying purple pilllow!!) Hehehehe.

We can even take a NUFF PPP pillow to our annual appointments and use it to

support our weary heads as we lie there flat in the stirrups, waiting 40

minutes for Dr. Big to appear for our two-minute PAP smear visit. .

NUFF would never advocate violence towards our gynos, but, pillow- throwing

isn't really violence, is it? :-)

Judge Carla???????? What say ye?

-Roma

P.S. Pat, how's your knitting these days? Cheryl Magadieu, got any

spare time to cross-stitch??

In a message dated 4/5/2004 8:32:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

windstar49837@... writes:

Hello all: I posted a message back in Dec. about my gyn wanting to do

hysterotomy and laproscopy-I had scheduled for January.

After getting some replies and reading recommendations I did a lot of

research. Most of what I found was very disturbing.

My gyn wanted to give me general anesthesia for these procedures when

hysteroscopy can be done in an office setting.

The radiology report said " possible hyperplasia " the gyn said could

be precancerous. My research told me this was rare.

I still did not understand why he wanted to do laproscopy-I didn't

find it mentioned for diagnosis.

Post hysterectomy can cause vag. prolapse, I already have relaxation

of the the area.

Here's what happened:

I called the gyn office and spoke to the nurse. I asked her if the gyn

did myomectomy or other treatment for fibroids. Her answer was no, he

doesn't. I asked her if she thought he would recommend hysterectomy

and she emphatically and enthusiastically said " Yes, absolutely! " I

told her I wanted to keep my uterus and I was cancelling my appoint.

for the procedures. I told her hysteroscopy can be done without

general anes. I told her I was going to find a MD who would work to

SAVE my uterus. Her reply? " Good luck with finding someone like that

around here! " (In a most sarcastic tone, I may add)

Fast forward three months: A visit to a most wonderful doctor at

Univerisity of Michigan's Hysterectomy Alternatives Clinic.

Not only did she not see the need for hysteroscopy, she didn't have

the vaguest idea why he wanted to do laproscopy. She said there was

no indication in the least for that. She said she could do endo.

biopsy (which took all of 3 minutes right there in the office) but

although she didn't really see the need for it, she would do it for

my peace of mind. (My biopsy was totally normal,btw)

Regarding the hyperplasia issue, my pelvic ultrasound was done the

day before my period started. The norm for endometrial thickness at

that time is up to 22mm. My endo was 16mm, which was totally normal.

She said my fibroids and uterus are keeping my vagina in place and if

I was to have had hysterectomy I would most likely prolapse!

Folks, Please do your research before you EVER consider ANY invasive

procedures to your body.

If it weren't for my questioning this, I could have had totally

unecessary procedures and removal of a body part that I need not to

mention all the risk of two general anesthetics!

This is such a frightening thing to me. I am so thankful to have

found this board and all the advise I have gotten from you all.

Thanks and best wishes that you all have as fortunate an experience

as I have.

If anyone is in Michigan and wants info on the doctor I saw, Please

email me at Windstar49837@... and I would be happy to tell you

more.

Pam