Gyne-HELP!VERY Concerned.. NEED ADVICE!

[Jellibum]

hi all, i need your help.

i'm a nursing student and have little experience in gyne nursing but my mother has a problem that i'm worried sick over!

my mother, aged 45+, has had vag bleeding for about 10 weeks now. the flow is ridiculas!! she's going through about 15+ maternity pads a day - several times she has gone and changed her pad and has had to do it again in 30mins because it's full and has started to leak down her leg!

the blood is bright red (oxygenated) and often contains clots (odd for her cycle) that range in size from 1/2" to 6"!

{thank goodness she has a lot of paid leave available to her!}

this is not a normal response to menopause (from what i've read - am i wrong?). i told her to go to a major metro hospital, which she did - 3 weeks ago, and they gave her medication and told to go home :angryfire .

she's tired, lathargic and not coping well with the lack of support or knowledge. i'm trying my best to assist her but i have no idea what else i can do?? (besides rest, suppluments (iron etc) and lots of love)

does any know how to help? where i can look for more info??

thanks

~ jelli

[Jellibum]

oh...the medication she was given was - cyklokapron (tranexamic acid) a haemostatic agent but the bleeding hasn't stopped. the tab's started to effect her kidney's (back pain etc) so she has stopped taking them.

~ jelli.

[SmilingBluEyes]

she needs to be seen ASAP by a DIFFERENT doctor about this bleeding...I bet her counts are in the basement.....this sounds very serious to me. Have her go to another doctor (her family dr? ) or different emergency room as soon as she can. This could be a serious to grave condition!

[nursemary9, BSN, RN]

Hi

The only advice I can give you---SEE A DOCTOR NOW!!! Either Primary care or GYNE!! BUT DO IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!

Mary Ann

[RuthieRN]

Hi! I agree with the other posters that your Mum needs to consult another doctor right away and have her counts checked if she is feeling so lousy. Does she have fibroids??? My mother had a similar problem about 6 years ago and had a terrible time getting it diagnosed. She eventually had a hysterectomy and has been totally pleased with the results... Hope your Mum feels better, I am sure you will take good care of her.... Ruthie:)

[BETSRN]

It would be best if your mother could go to a gynecologist (as opposed to her family doctor. her bleeding is abnormal but would be beter diagnosed and managed by a specialist. Good luck.

[Jellibum]

Thanks guys for all the help. She has been to her family Dr. but i'm not impressed with his results b/c this is STILL going on after ALL this time. She's been to a women's hospital here in Victoria, Oz but they have given her a gyne appointment in 1mth's time (too long i say!) and i have no idea what else i can tell her to do!?

I think she may have fibroids??? But i have no idea where i can go to look for reliable information.

I've also asked her whether she'd consider getting the plumbing removed (hysterectomy) and she'd highly considering it!

[MandyInMS]

Bleeding that heavily for 10 weeks? my GOD !!! agree with others go to the gyno asap..if they can't see her right away go somewhere! hope she gets better soon .

[nursemary9, BSN, RN]

Hi

How about getting her to the ER quick!! Again, with this much bleeding for so long, her counts have to be way down!!

Mary Ann

[shel_wny]

My mom is 49 years old and going through premenopause stuff. About a month ago on her trip up to see me she c/o heavy bleeding for the last month or so. She was going through a huge pack of super+ pads in a week. We would get home from an outing and she would sprint to the bathroom. Poor thing! She also felt a lethargic and icky. At the bookstore we picked up a book for her called "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause" by John Lee et al. She read it and seemed to feel much more comfortable with what her body was going through and why she was bleeding so heavily. Seems like her condition is less than your mom's, Jellibum, but in addition to an urgent doctor's visit it might help to also pick up this book. I wish your mom all the best in the way of healing and peace of mind.

Shel

[cabbage patch rn]

Recently we had a teenager come through our hospital's ER dept with similar symtoms. Her mother came back to the L & D dept and talked to me several times because the ER staff and doc did not seem to take it seriously and she was furious wanting to know what should be done. When I contacted her family doctor, he told me that her condition wasn't "emergent" so that is why the ER responded in the manner that they did. Still, have a little compasson folks, you know? Anyway, I agree with everyone else, your mom needs to be seen by her gyn ASAP in the office, and fibroids could be a possible cause. I hope she is feeling better soon.

[Jellibum]

poor thing! she also felt a lethargic and icky. at the bookstore we picked up a book for her called "what your doctor may not tell you about premenopause" by john lee et al.

thanx shel, and others, who have given me renewed hope and determination to continue to find my mum a solution.

since the first post, we've been to x4 er's and they've all stated that since the bleeding has been 'ongoing', they have sent her home to her family gp and told her make a gyne appointemnt.

the earliest i can get her in anywhere is in 1 mth's time (and that's with pulling strings and calling in favours!)

shell, was there anything that your mom did that helped ease the uncomfortableness of the whole ordeal? since i can't seem to do anything more for her at this stage - (other than doctor shopping to find one that will treat her with some more urgency!) - i just trying to keep her as comfortable as possible.

well, i'll keep trying but i tell you emergency room waiting periods certainly do help in cutting down a good book! (or study)

~ jelli