My Health

I'm skeptical about a "withdrawal bleed." I have an IUD, which completely eliminates my periods. My gyno said there's absolutely no need to induce a period if the body has stopped menstruating.

Yes, you do not need a period when you are on hormonal birth control. When not on hormonal birth control, it's important to have a period at least every 6 months to prevent uterine cancer.

I apologize, I don't recall how long ago you gave birth, but the absent period and hair loss are both common post-partum while breastfeeding.

I would recommend having your thyroid checked, as pregnancy can often cause thyroid fluctuations. Symptoms of a hypothyroid include dry skin, fatigue, decreased menstruation, constipation and abdominal pain, feeling cold and susceptibility to infection.

After I had my son I went through abyearnof hell due to high anxiety and some of the above symptoms. I thought I was going crazy. It turned out my thyroid had gone wild after delivery and my levels were very low.

It's simple blood test.

Sorry about your crappy healthcare. This site has really opened my eyes to how lucky we are here in Canada.

Sorry you are struggling. You mentioned untreated GERD. Just an alert that your non stop respiratory infections are likely a byproduct of the GERD. When I had a band, I had GERD, it was so bad I was waking up choking some nights. I had cold after cold, chest infections, you name it, and exposure to any virus always ended with lung issues, sometimes to the point of needing steroids to reduce the inflammation. Revised to bypass and the GERD was cured and haven't had even a sniffle in the 16 months since.

You definitely want to get the GERD treated it is not good long term.

Good point! When I saw my ENT years ago for never-ending sinus infections, one of the first things he asked about was reflux/GERD. (It wasn't the problem for me, but there is definitely a link!)

interesting! I also had many sinus infections. i never made that connection.

i think you need to give A doctor a shot, and with your myriad of conerns, a PCP makes the most sense. Not every heath issue is tied to your WLS.

You've self diagnosed a bunch of things and what tests you need without giving a medical professional a chance to even evaluate you. You are creating excess worry and what if's by designing a treatment plan in your head that you want to fit into your insurance plan.

Schedule an appointment and take it one step at a time.

Sorry you are not feeling well. You have many symptoms of a whacked out thyroid. It never hurts to check that out since it is such a common disorder in women. May I ask if you had a thyroid disorder previously?

For the GERD, you could get some OTC Prilosec (omezprazole****il you can get into the doc. The thing with GERD, and I'm sure you know this already, it can be very damaging. You could get esophagitis, and experience a ton of other gastric symptoms that would make you feel unwell, not to mention Barrett's esophagus, which can lead to cancer.

Gastroenterologist will not usually act as PCPs as they are very specialized, but you definitely need a good work up ASAP.

Feel better soon!

I've put myself on and off PPIs a ton since surgery. I just don't want to get habituated to them and suffer the consequences of long term use. the GERD isn't very uncomfortable but I'm very worried about the damage it could be causing. I do plan to see a GI doctor soon!

Glad you are going to see someone.

Dry skin, hairloss, rapid weight loss, hyperactive bowels, general feeling of unwell ness, lack of a menstrual cycle, are ALL signs of hyperthyroidism. Just a thought.