The past couple of weeks have reminded me of how important it is for women to seek out the help of a reproductive endocrinologist if ‘female’ issues hit…even years after infertility cycles have ended.
Lisa continues to see our RE after the cyst scare she had a few weeks ago.
It has been amazing to see the difference between how fast she has recovered under the care of an RE (who also has all the credentials of an OB Gyn) and how much she suffered under the care of a traditional OB Gyn without any infertility training who was pretty much on the hysterectomy bandwagon.
It haunts me that one doctor can be so quick to want to remove a woman’s uterus, while another does everything to preserve her reproductive system with an advanced knowledge of how to manage fluctuating hormones.
I wonder how many unnecessary hysterectomies have been done simply because it’s ‘easier’ on the surface to just remove all the equipment, than service it as a woman’s body goes through changes throughout her life.
And I’m not talking about ‘the change’ or anything related to perimenopause.
I’m talking about weight loss, exercise and lifestyle changes.
Looking at all the diets out there, and the corresponding exercise regimens, etc, I wonder how many times an OB messes with things that are beyond the scope of their knowledge–not realizing how much that weight loss and weight gain may be affecting estrogen and progesterone in a woman’s body.
Emergencies may seem to indicate that drastic measures like a hysterectomy are warranted–when 3 Advil, Provera and a few day’s rest may be all that is needed.
If you are watching your wife suffer emotionally, physically, or hormonally at the hands of her OBgyn, it may be time to get back on the phone with the infertility doc.
It could be the fastest path to restoring her health.
I believe our RE is providing Lisa with a better standard of living by simply tweaking her changing hormone levels as her body changes, rather than taking out a part of her body altogether.