maybe tmi but im deathly scared!!

hstnljean · November 2013

I found my self in a spot a while ago and was scared to death not about the fact that I had cancer but the fact that I would be off work for 4 - 6 weeks. I had the only income in our home we couldn't get any help other them food stamps. Then to top it off my hubby was in the hospital 1 week after my surgery. Hospitals and some Doctors offices have help for people that are not insured and can't pay. You have to ask because most likely they will not tell you. when this started I was going to a walk-in clinic and they told me that I needed to get established with a primary doc. and once I did she help me with information on getting help. Keep asking for help and see someone ASP please. My mom has congestive heart frailer and her Doc sad that if she puts on more then (I think it was) 3 lb in a couple of days she needed to see him. :flowerforyou:

TallGlassOfQuirky · November 2013

I was once morbidly obese, uninsured, retaining scary amounts of fluids, and bled heavily (yes, including the disgusting clots) for an entire year.

Here's the thing... It's great that you are eating well and trying to lose weight. Don't stop doing those things as many health factors will start to improve, but...

Don't ignore this. Don't expect us to be able to diagnose you. Hell, they never did figure out what was wrong with me. They just took it all out.
I hope it doesn't come to that for you but my point is that we can't diagnose you. We can only tell you what you could find on Google as easily as we can: This level of bleeding is not normal. You need to see a doctor. Go to the ER. They will at least rule out the scariest issues (tumors, blood clots, etc) and then you can find a doctor who will take you as a self-pay to follow up. I guarantee that unless you live in a tiny town, you can at least find one willing to work with you.

Good luck. Being broke from hospital bills is infinitely preferable to being dead.

jennifer_417 · November 2013

I had a similar problem, but my bleeding was not quite as severe; turns out I had a huge tumor in my uterus. I felt pretty stupid for going to the ER, too, but was eventually very glad I did. You obviously know something is very wrong, please, go back to the ER. Maybe the Dr on duty won't be a douche this time.

G__Force · November 2013

ER, before you drop dead! ps start taking iron pills to build iron level!!

chatogal · November 2013

After all the hysteria, one thing I noticed. The OP mentions using 280 pads (I assume over the 5 month period) which works out to 2 pads per day. Not exactly excessive. Annoying, but not excessive.

Seems she had been to the ER, was seen and advised to attend a gynaecologist, sensible advice.

I found the inference that she may have a pulmonary embolism/congestive cardiac failure fascinating as nowhere does the OP mention that she is breathless which is surely a sign of both these conditions besides which a PE would (generally) cause considerable pain. I assume that the swollen ankles was a clue to this particular poster as being significant of a DVT. Again, a DVT would generally be associated with quite considerable calf pain and would unlikely be bi-lateral. Of course, not impossible.

I Hope the OP keeps this thread informed about the outcome of her second ER visit.

From what I read initially, the OP was not asking for advice, just asking for information from anyone else who had suffered similar symptoms. It is not unusual to suffer abnormal periods when you are vastly over-weight. That is because fat cells produce extra oestrogens. However, one cannot assume that this is the case and I find it hard to believe that it is so difficult to be able to attend a gynaecologist in the USA if you have the money. Heck, who wont do a job they are trained for if they are paid for it??

Good luck OP, hope you get it sorted :-)

Nimnyn · November 2013

A lot of people reading this thread seem fixated on the bleeding, which while serious is not the only issue, and very possibly not the most important concern.

The amount of retention, the swelling, the weakness, etc, are possible signs of some very serious life or death medical issues wherein a few minutes can literally be the difference between living or dieing. In some cases when the symptoms get bad enough that you realize you need to call 911 it can already be too late and you may die on the way to hospital.

The RN and the paramedic urging the OP to go to the hospital now are likely all too familiar with such cases.

THIS! ^

I'm currently a 911 Dispatcher and a former active EMT. The sudden large weight gain and pedal edema (foot and ankle swelling) alone is cause enough for immediate care. The body is filling up with fluid. Please listen to Your health workers, it's our 24-7 job to look out for the welfare of others! Well wishes for the OP. Please update us if You can!

This is totally what frightened me too. Flashbacks for me to preeclampsia and risk of stroke during pregnancy. which she most certainly *isn't*, but I'd assume that something causing similar symptoms to that would likely have similar risks

YesIAm17 · November 2013

After all the hysteria, one thing I noticed. The OP mentions using 280 pads (I assume over the 5 month period) which works out to 2 pads per day. Not exactly excessive. Annoying, but not excessive.

Seems she had been to the ER, was seen and advised to attend a gynaecologist, sensible advice.

I found the inference that she may have a pulmonary embolism/congestive cardiac failure fascinating as nowhere does the OP mention that she is breathless which is surely a sign of both these conditions besides which a PE would (generally) cause considerable pain. I assume that the swollen ankles was a clue to this particular poster as being significant of a DVT. Again, a DVT would generally be associated with quite considerable calf pain and would unlikely be bi-lateral. Of course, not impossible.

I Hope the OP keeps this thread informed about the outcome of her second ER visit.

From what I read initially, the OP was not asking for advice, just asking for information from anyone else who had suffered similar symptoms. It is not unusual to suffer abnormal periods when you are vastly over-weight. That is because fat cells produce extra oestrogens. However, one cannot assume that this is the case and I find it hard to believe that it is so difficult to be able to attend a gynaecologist in the USA if you have the money. Heck, who wont do a job they are trained for if they are paid for it??

Good luck OP, hope you get it sorted :-)

You've misunderstood. The suggestion was not that she had a PE but rather that she could end up with one if retention continued nuntreated, and IF she waited till she had one to call 911 she literally might not survive the trip to the hospital. At that point minutes mean life or death. Additionally other symptoms reported by OP could have been signs of CHF which itself can be caused by the retention.

When the OP last went to the ER she had no retention, but experienced 14 lbs gain in a week plus very significant swelling after that visit, most likely due to water retention. That amount is more than enough to make PE and CHF very real concerns in the immediate future and most definitely calls for immediate medical attention before thst happens, once you've got PE and or CHF it very well may be too late. That's not hysteria.

janatarnhem · November 2013

OP...read this post late...I hope you did book into the ER and you are on the way back to feeling better.
Experiencing oedema like this is so serious...your cardiovascular system under strain. As an R N, you presenting with such symptoms needs urgent medical attention.
All the best.
(Thank g*d for the NHS)

grandpoobah12 · November 2013

Go to emergency room, they have to take you.

^^^This.

Sounds like you are retaining a lot of water. Results of this can become VERY serious if not treated quickly. Calmly go to the ER now.

Yes, please go. I hope you are feeling better now.

ironanimal · November 2013

This thread demonstrates absolutely everything wrong with the American health care system. So broken it makes me angry and I don't have to use it.

Get out of my head.

Ithina1 · November 2013

Swelling to the point you can't wear shoes is concerning. You may want to goto the ER for that one. I hope you've gone and got that sorted out.

Planned parenthood was created for situations like this. You obviously need something for your period and they will most likely be able to help you without breaking your bank.

cafeaulait7 · November 2013

I hope they are taking care of you now, sweetie!

The other doc was an *kitten*. It happens with lots of docs. Don't let them make you feel bad or doubt yourself if you know there is something wrong. The swelling is a new symptom, so he wasn't aware of what was really going on, apparently, but that doesn't mean it's not serious

I hate how that happens. They should tell what signs to be on the lookout for, if possible. ER docs can be very bad at that, imho. Anyway, I'm so glad you went! They'll figure it out now. Take care, sweetie!

JKS76 · November 2013

How are you OP? Hope you got some more help from the second ER visit. I am from the UK and my mum had some similar symptoms to you. She went to her GP and told him about bloating, heavy bleeding and he sent her away saying that it was "just her age" with a leaflet he printed off the internet about managing the change! It was only because me and my dad nagged her to go back that she found a more professional doctor who properly took her time and found that it was a tumour. She had an op and is fine now by the way. I hope that there is nothing that serious going on with you and I don't intend to scare you. I am telling you this story to illustrate that my mum felt "silly" "pestering" the doctors again when she had already been told a medical professional's opinion, but if you feel unwell and you need reassurance that is what you HAVE to go ahead and do. It may just save your life.

PS. Edited to add that my mum's second doctor said that the first doctor was wrong to send her away without further tests and that heavy bleeding with clots is not normal.

VeganLexi · November 2013

I hope you are OK OP! Let us know how you are getting on x

mrsgollihue · November 2013

I've been where you are. I am 24, but about a year ago, I was on my period for 14 months straight for the same reason, I didn't have insurance. I weighed 390 at the time, and I am only about an inch taller than you. I too had the large clots and a horribly heavy flow. I didn't hardly leave the house for months because I was changing my clothes 5-6 times a day, was miserable, and had no energy to do anything! I even had to double up on maximum absorbency pads and tampons, and was actually going through quite a bit more than you are now. However, I did finally break down and go to the doctor. By then I was severely anemic and had to be placed on iron pills, which made me severely ill. Birth control was the solution at the time, and though I am no longer on it now, I have lost right at 66 pounds and my periods have straightened out on their own. They are still heavy, but no more huge clots, and even though I bleed heavy for 2 or 3 days, it is no longer what it was like before. For years I would go from one extreme to the other, no period for a year or 6 months...then be on my period for 6 months straight. This one was a very scary thing and at the time, I refused to weigh. Looking back on pictures of my sister's wedding, it looks like everything I had was swollen. I ultimately ended up opting to eat foods with a lot of iron, and taking a daily Flintstones vitamin supplement with iron because they were easier on my stomach. Ultimately, you definitely still need to go to the doctor, or maybe a health clinic if there is one nearby. Usually, they are pretty low in cost and depending on your situation, may not charge you anything. Also, hospitals can't turn away a patient, so if it gets to that point, go to the ER. Even though you don't have insurance now, by letting this go on you're going to run into more problems that are ultimately going to cost you more money. Just some friendly advice because I've already been where you are. Hope you start feeling better soon, hun!

MyJourney1960 · November 2013

I'm adding in my voice here - get yourself to the ER now. and do'n't leave until someone sees you, takes note of EVERYTHIGN you mentioned here, and takes care of you. write out all your symptoms on a card and take it with you - sometimes in the ER we get flustered and forget things.

Sjwedeking20 · November 2013

hey guys. i went to er. same dr as before and he said its just water retention from my period combined with my weight. and im anemic but to just take iron pills. i got so furious and demanded another dr. and finally got one and it was a female!!and as soon as that dr saw my feet and heard about the weight gain she admitted me. theyve been running tests and giving me.a couple units. ill update when i get more info.