| Title: | ARCHIVE-- Topics of Interest to Women, Volume 1 --ARCHIVE |
| Notice: | V1 is closed. TURRIS::WOMANNOTES-V5 is open. |
| Moderator: | REGENT::BROOMHEAD |
| Created: | Thu Jan 30 1986 |
| Last Modified: | Fri Jun 30 1995 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 873 |
| Total number of notes: | 22329 |
I did not use this title to intrigue people, I did however want to
attract the attention of anyone who is sensitive to any of the three
topics I've mentioned, for good reason, I believe.
Just few facts before I get into the meat of this note.
I am currently 39 years old. Until three years ago I never had a
normal menstrual cycle, in fact, for years I didn't have a period unless
I used the pill. In my early teens ( as early as I can remember ) I began
to experience episodes of deja vu followed by severe headaches which could
and would last for days. At the age of 33, I separated from and eventually
divorced my husband. I suffered from a severe and protracted depression.
During treatment for my depression, it was discovered that I had an
abnormal EEG. My depressive manifestations were compounded by the onset
of panic attacks. After many attempts to reconcile the physical with
the psychological ( seeing every damn specialist in Boston from psychiatrist
to neuro-psychiatrist to fertility specialist to gyn after gyn ) I finally
came in contact with a brilliant and humble saint of a doctor whose goal was
to provide me with some relief for the panic attacks and the every increasing
episodes of deja vu.
I hope I haven't lost you..... the bottom line is that I have
temporal lobe epilepsy, additionally, for the majority of my adolescent
and adult life it's ben presumed that I suffer from polycystic ovarian
syndrome ( otherwise referred to as Stein-Levanthol syndrome ) but in any
event, a condition that generally precludes ovulation, fertility and the
ability to concieve and give birth. I grieved for many years over the
the fact that I " couldn't " have a baby. For the past three years,
however, I have been more concerned with getting my depression under
control and minimizing or even eliminating the dreaded " panic attacks".
Miraculously, this has happened for the most part as a result of
a medication called alprozolam ( commonly known as XANAX ). The great
doctor who prescribed it for me knew that it had properties that
lowered the seizure threshhold. ( NOTE: I am viciously allergic to the
standard epileptic medications ).
The facinating thing three years later and one year later after
having increased my dosage, minimally, is that it's been determined that
I am now OVULATING.
At first I took the news as some kind of a mean joke, it took me
years to adjust to the fact that I would never have a child because I
was told I couldn't and, at that time, I couldn't. I've had some time
to digest the news and put it into some perspectives that I can handle
but I wanted to share this in the event that someone with similar or
similar sounding problems, who is younger and still yearning and otherwise
able to have a child might get a lead to a potential solution to their
situation.
I have volunteered for research and testing with some of the doctor's
I visited over the past 3-6 years. I feel very strongly about this
information not being wasted. If someone else can benefit from it then
I wll accept that as my legacy vs. having a baby.
FACTS: THERE ARE LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM SUBTLE FORMS OF
EPILEPSY WHICH IMPACTS THEIR NEURO-ENDOCRINE ( HORMONAL
LEVEL ) SYSTEM, AND THEY AREN'T AWARE OF IT. I WAS TESTED
FOR EPILEPSY AS A TEEN AND THE EEG WAS NORMAL. SOMETIMES
IT REGISTERS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T.
MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE THOUGHT TO BE INFERTILE, PROVE FERTILE
WITH THE HELP OF SOME STANDARD EPILEPTIC MEDICATIONS, I.E.,
TEGRETOL ETC..
THE THREE OVERT CONDITIONS ARE PHYSIOLOGICAL - THEY ARE
INTERRELATED.
I would be more than willing to discuss this with anyone who is
interested or would like some more information.
I apologize if this sounds too clinical or if I seem to have been
monologuing, however, it's hard to condense 39 years into a note.
I know from my psychiatrist that many women in my age bracket "suffer"
from panic attacks and are multi-phobic. Just that alone is horrible to
deal with and this medication has made a significant difference for me.
I truly thought I was going to die if I didn't get some relief. But I
didn't die, and I did get relief.
The fact that it also arrested by seizure activity, eliminated the
headaches and now, has ( for want of a better description ) stabilized
my hormone balance so that I am ovulating, is incredible.
Please feel free to share this with anyone who you think might
benefit.
I would appreciate some advice as to whether I should also add this
note the the men's file.
Any questions, etc., please Vaxmail me at AKOV02::GRENACHE.
IF ANYONE OUT THERE NEEDS OR WOULD LIKE SOME ADDITIONAL, IMMEDIATE
INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL ME AT DTN 244-6756
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
SUZANNE E. GRENACHE
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 187.1 | An addendum | MARCIE::JLAMOTTE | It is a time to remember | Wed Feb 04 1987 08:14 | 6 |
What is very special about Suzanne is with all her problems she
has functioned in a man's world and has contributed much to Digital.
She is successful, she is a woman and she has had multiple handicaps.
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| 187.2 | From another Suzanne...... | NEXUS::CONLON | Persistent dreamer... | Wed Feb 04 1987 08:27 | 23 |
That is certainly a remarkable story!!
It *is* important to remember that there can be
undiscovered physiological problems that can account
for several "seemingly unrelated health problems."
A friend of mine (who is 35) has been told
by doctors for over two years that she was having
an "early menopause" (starting at 33 years old!!)
because she only had periods once or twice per year
and had a host of other symptoms.
Other health problems were "unrelated" (they
said!!) Well, just last week she found out that all
her problems were *ONE* problem that is treatable
with medication!! (She is so elated to know that
there is RELIEF for the things that have made her
suffer so much these past two years!!)
I'm happy for you, Suzanne, that you are
able to see the same sort of relief yourself!
Best wishes to you!!
Suzanne....
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| 187.3 | From the filp-side | BRUTWO::MTHOMSON | Thu Feb 05 1987 11:51 | 26 | |
It is my personal belief that for the most part women are over
medicated by Western doctors. I too have suffered severe bouts of depression
and anxiety "attacks". For many years I was medicated, and believed
that my problems were getting better. I wasn't having panic attacks
but I wasn't feeling. I was and am a recovering medically/legally/AMA
addicted person. I'm sure that the doctor's that treated me over
the years felt that the course of treatment I was on (medication)
Imiprine was a life time treatment. They all felt that they were
doing the best they could for me. I encountered severe resistance
to going off the medication, and re-claiming my feelings. Doctors
are trained to be proactive/and reactive. Many times women become
the unwilling victims, of "good intentions". I think that women
should be aware of the flip side of medication. I am not saying
that medication should not be used. In some cases it saves our lives
and our sanity. I believe that medication that is psychoactive like
Valium, Imiprine,Miltown ect...should be ued with caution. If your
doctor used this medication with you for a short time 30,60,90 days
in conjunction with therapy, the chance of productive/non-addictive
change can help. If your doctor is not willing to use these TRICYCLIC
ANTIDEPRESSANTS as a temportary, closely monitored support system,
then ask questions. I was addicted for several years, and had bought
into the "cure". Please use caution, and ask questions.
I have a general caution, each person is unique.
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| 187.4 | BODY CHEMISTRY/UNTAPPED MYSTERY | RUBY::LALIBERTE | Thu Feb 05 1987 13:47 | 4 | |
WOULD YOU REVEAL THE NAME OF THE BRILLIANT, HUMBLE, SAINT OF A
DOCTOR ? WHAT IS HIS FIELD OF SPECIALITY ?
THANKS.
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| 187.5 | ah..if only we liked the choices at hand | AKOV02::GRENACHE | Fri Feb 06 1987 10:56 | 94 | |
re: 01 - thanks, joyce. one thing for certain, it always
helps to have support from friends and co-workers.
i appreciate your kind words.
re: 02 - thanks, suzanne. makes me wonder how many people
really get mis-informed and stay that way.
re: 03 - i couldn't agree with you more. we certainly are
all unique. in fact, when i considered entering this
note, i thought that i was so far out in left field
that no one would relate. to my amazement, two people
have contacted me with very similar problems in all
three areas. let me re-iterate or clarify something.
my primary objective in writing that note was to
address " percieved infertiflity ". i am not an advocate
of "feeling ill, take a pill ". on the contrary, when i
first became depressed ( hyperventilating, constantly )
i was given the perfunctory pat the on the head and a
an rx for valium by two drs. i said " no thanks ".
as my condition continued to deteriorate ( totally
agoraphobic ) i had to make a choice regarding trying
a medication. interestingly, i was put on imipramine
for 3 months. i hated the side effects, however, this
was the medication that lowered my seizure threshhold
and set the stage for my abnormal eeg. then a neuorlogist
was brought in and on top of the imipramine, he wanted
me to start taking phenobarb & dilantin as well as
benadryl because i was having allergic reactions to
the imipramine. my reacton was NFW.
i went off the imipramine after 3 months and would never
want to take it again. however, it was the basis for
identifying the epileptic condition.
as a very control conscious person, i would really love
to be able to manage my life without the intrusion of
pills and medication. however, if a diabetic, i'd take
insulin. and that's a real possibility for me, also.
sometimes the choices we are forced to make aren't what
we'd, ideally, like to do.....
i'm really glad for you, that you've been able to manage
your periods of depression and anxiety without medication.
i hope that, possibly, the next evolution of my body
chemistry will make it possible for me to wean off, also.
thanks for your note.
ALSO, I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING AND COMMUNICATING ABOUT EACH
OF THESE ISSUES, INDIVIDUALLY. ALTHOUGH SOME OF MY DEPRESSED PERIODS
MAY HAVE BEEN INSTIGATED OR AGGRAVATED BY THE EPILEPSY, I BELIEVE
THE "FEELINGS" OF DEPRESSION AND DESPONDENCY ARE/WERE THE SAME.
WHATEVER I'VE HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT WAS PAINFUL, UNCOMFORTABLE, ETC.,
" IT ALWAYS HELPED TO TALK ABOUT IT ".
re: 04 - not publically, however if you have a genuine interest, please
give me a call. i'm not trying to screen you out, it's just
that all the answers to the three areas in my note won't come
from him. this is just the beginning of a phase of research
and others will be involved. taking the medication isn't the
total answer. in fact, if an individual were to become
pregnant, they would have to stop taking the medication.
the ultimate solution is something else. the point here was
the connection and a lead about some common conditions that
have something in common, i.e., a particular medication that
impacts all three conditions.
the dr. who took the time to really analyze my problems and try
to offer some relief is a prominent psychiatrist, used to
be the director of clinical psychiatry at the beth israel
hospital, has a secondary specialty in pharmocology and is
a highly-regarded consultant in that area. he's also a real
nice, humble guy who cares about the entire patient not
just " handing out a pill " to make a sympton go away.
seriously, if you have an interest, please give me a call
or drop a note. i have a call into him as i want his
permission before givng out his name, or possibly someone
elses.
hope you understand.
thanks,
suzanne
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