Is it my job?

Is it my job to educate every dang doctor I go to.  Seriously?  And honestly why do doctors (stupid ones) assume that people know nothing about their bodies and how they work?  Blah!  I decided after the twins were born it was time to get a family practice doctor set up for Jeff and I.  I have only been to doctors related to my various conditions (thyroid, a branchial cleft cyst and POF/POI) for the last 6 or so years. I don't know the last time Jeff went to the doctor.

Anyway I set up an appointment with a random doctor (sometimes I base it on if I feel I can pronounce their name haha) and after the girls 4 month appointment I head to my own.  Well they changed the random doctor I chose to the one I'm pretty sure I purposefully avoided.  The doctor that we saw after-hours for my tension headache that happened the last month of my pregnancy.  The one that didn't know what to do with me and recommended a sleeping pill and tylenol.  Jeff didn't like him and I only did because I was in pain and had some option for relief, even if minimal.

So I go to this doctor and I talk to him about the reason for my visit (to get a primary care provided for Jeff and I and to get my thyroid checked).  He asks why I think my thyroid levels should be checked and if I'd had symptoms or weight loss.  Hello...my thyroid was irradiated years ago and they boosted my hormones during pregnancy (did he not listen to the first run through?).  I explain again and say I also lost a lot of weight post pregnancy to which he acts like a jerk and says "yah of course".  I'm not talking pregnancy weight...I'm talking 30 lbs lighter then I was when I got pregnant and dropping (it took 2 months to actually start putting some weight back on).  Anyway I finally convince him I need that checked.

Then I brave the waters and mention my POF/POI and the fact I started taking the pill after my pregnancy only to start a period with a week or two of pills under my belt.  He tells me that I can have periods without ovulating.  Oh my heck...what a dumb ass.  I have researched more on POF then probably any doctor (save the expert I saw at NIH).  I knew more about it then my specialist/RE so I really doubt some numb nut like this guy can tell me anything new.  I go on anyway and ask if it's possible to have my FSH and estradiol drawn for with my TSH/thyroid test.  He of course side steps this and says "well I'd just wait and see if you have any more cycles".  Uh yah thanks moron...I plan to start back on the pill instead of waiting around for that which a genius like yourself should know will prevent any "seeing what happens".

Seriously I'm just so sick of doctors who don't give me the time of day to actually participate in my own health care.  Why is it so hard to find a doctor who actually gives me a chance to prove I know enough about my body and issues to be asking informed and intelligent questions and requests.  So needless to say once my thyroid prescription gets renewed (the levels came back normal...yeah!) I will be looking for another doctor.  Even being educated enough to be your own self-advocate isn't enough sometimes...not when you have to deal with the morons who inhabit the medical field.

Long Term Outlook

POF has many facets for how it affects your life. Your ovaries basically shut down or stop working. This means that eggs aren't formed and it is the formation process (monthly cylce) and an active ovary that produces most of estrogen in a womans body and also produces some testosterone and other hormones. Without estrogen you run into problems with absorption of calcium and maintaining bone density and also cardiovascular risk. Basically you become prone to the same issues that a menopausal woman becomes susceptible to...but with POF you are at risk 20-30 years sooner. Most women with POF take Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) in order to counter the risks but even then you are still at risk of osteoperosis and heart disease. It's scary stuff.

I remember when I got over the initial infertility issue enough to worry about my health that I was terrified I'd have osteoperosis and I worried about POF upping my risks of hereditary heart problems. I asked my doctor about getting a DEXA scan (bone scan) for osteoperosis and he said it was unnecessary and I should be fine. That was another reason that Jeff and I went to the NIH in Washington D.C. because they performed standard tests for POF free of charge for their study. They realized that osteoperosis is a risk even in a 27 year old (at the time) woman when it comes to POF. Luckily I tested normal for bone density at the time but I should be retested every few years and take proactive measures like weight bearing exercise.

Anyway enough rambling. Basically this post was just to say that I am doing a research paper for my college course Biomed Core (biology and physiology) and I chose to do this on the long term health risks of Premature Ovarian Failure. I think it will be good for me to get more information and I've researched it before so I already know a lot of the material. I am interested to find out more detail about the risks though.