Sherry: About your soon-to-be EX-doctor....

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In a message dated 6/17/2004 2:03:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

Judamish@... writes:

I'm in the

process of changing doctors because the one I have now is sadly lacking in

" bedside manner " and is too anxious to do the hysterectomy. She describes my

fibroids as small to medium, but she calls my uterus " diseased " .

Thanks for all the info that I've already learned from all of you.

Sherry

Welcome, Sherry!

I think your doctor's characterization of your uterus as being " diseased " is

very TELLING.

It's " telling " ME that she probably has a very black-or-white way of viewing

things, at least clinically. AND to me it ALSO suggests that she is inclined

to think the only " remedy " for your " diseased " organ is REMOVAL, or-- in the

very least, that it demands some sort of *immediate* intervention!

Is the fibroidal uterus a " DISEASED ORGAN " ?

Oh, pshaw! I happen to think that's just plain balderdash!!

I'd prefer uterine fibroids to be thought of as a " condition " --a condition so

common in women that one could make a case that it's almost NORMAL to have

them!!!

As her patient, I'd strongly object to her inflammatory " spin. " Because the

word " diseased " evokes a certain dread.

I don't care what the actual dictionary definition of " diseased " is. But, I

think most of us would agree that the word itself connotes that your uterus is

somehow malfunctioning, ailing, sickly, unsalvageable.

NONSENSE!!! PURE " Gyn-illogical " CRAP!!!

Many women with fibroids aren't even aware of their existence, because they

are fairly or even COMPLETELY asymptomatic--sometimes even with very large

fibroids!.

These same fibroidal women have regular pregnancies, enjoy pleasurable

uterine orgasms during sex, have normal periods. Pretty damn good stuff for a

so-called " diseased organ " , wouldn't you say?

Even with certain symptoms, women can have all of the above uterine functions

working beautifully.

I'd like to see a diseased intestine, a diseased kidney, or a diseased

pancreas fare as well....... as your so-called " diseased " uterus!!!!!

By the way, fibroids tumors are NEVER cancer, and fibroids never BECOME

cancer. They don't act or look like cancer, they don't metastasize.

The fact is that many women live long and happy healthful lives and DIE at a

ripe old age with their fibroids in tact. WITHOUT TREATMENT.

There are/have been/and will be women on this very list who are watching and

waiting, without any intervention-- AND will NEVER need to do a damn thing

about their fibroids.

REMEMBER:

Words are powerful, and the words that a physician chooses when talking to

his patient can mean a world of difference to the patient, AND to the patient's

outcome.

Any really good doctor knows that any medical treatment involves a certain

amount of " talk therapy. "

Do you know that segment of the Hippocratic Oath, " primum non nocere " (Above

all, do no harm.)? A wise doctor knows that this " NO HARM " phrase is not

limited to the medicine he prescribes. This must also extend to his manner, tone

and his CHOISE OF WORDS.

Take it from me, a patient with a whole " rap sheet " of illnesses and

conditions, (acute and some.... well, not so cute!!! :-) The words a doctor

chooses

can either EASE or AGGRAVATE your condition..... BIG TIME!!!!!

I'm not talking about a doctor trying to sugar-coat the truth. I'm just

talking about communicating medical information with words of reassurance, and

hope, and avoiding unnecessarily frightening, reckless or provocative words.

Sadly, most of the women on this list have at least one encounter with a

gynecologist such as yours. Some of us have had nearly a dozen such

insensitive,

misinformed gynos, who perceive a fibroidal uterus as a uterus that is just

crying out for a hysterectomy!

A while ago, on this list, I coined the term " G.O.D. " (Gyno of Doom) to

describe such physicians.

If you're a patient of a G.O.D........(if you'll excuse the expression) you

and your uterus.... won't have a prayer!!! :-)

With fibroids of the uterus, there might not be a cure or prevention (YET),

but there are many options (even whether to intervene or not to intervene) to

manage symptoms associated with this condition.

Most importantly, Sherry, with uterine fibroids there is MUCH hope-- for all

of us!

So, stick around this list to absorb all the enlightenment, empathy, and

POSITIVE experiences of these wonderful women!

-Roma