Overzealous Doctor?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-28-2008
Overzealous Doctor?
2
Sat, 06-28-2008 - 4:39pm

First,  I am a 37 yr old female, normal height/weight, two term pregnancies, both c-sections, with no health problems, blood works good, I do take Synthyroid and have a very stressful job, never had an abnormal pap.


My periods are like clockwork, every 28 days, the second and third days are my heaviest, changing tampons every two-three hours during the day on those days and maybe once in the middle of the night.  Days 4-6 are light with tapering blood flow.  Days 7-12, I have dark discharge, doesn't require a tampon, but is there when I wipe.  It stops the day I ovulate and I have no sign of blood until I start. 


I've was told by one Doctor that this can be fixed by going on the pill (she said it was hormonal) or I could live with it if I didn't want to take the pill.  This week, I went to a new OB and she wants to do a Endometrial Biopsy.  She admitted that I have no risk factors for thickening of the uterine lining, other than long periods, (risk factors include; obesity, not having a period for months and then having one that last for a month, bleeding between peirods), but she wants to do the procedure anyway. 


My Question: Do you think she's being over-aggressive in wanting to do the Endometrial Biopsy?  I wanted to try the pill first, but she said if I were her relative, she would suggest I go ahead with the biopsy.  She's already mentioned I might want to think about Ablation.....it seems like she's putting the cart before the horse to me.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-26-2006
Sat, 06-28-2008 - 7:13pm

Hi there, welcome to the board.

I would get a second opinion. Yes, your periods are quite long, and this could be hormonal, or there could be a small fibroid or polyp. I think that hormone testing and an ultrasound should be the first steps before an endometrial biopsy, but that is my opinion! An ultrasound would pick up any thickness in the lining, fibroids and polyps, which is far less invasive than an endometrial biopsy....

If you want to try the pill first, and the doctor thinks it would be OK for you, then there is no reason why you couldn't. That said, at 37 years old, I do recommend that you try a very low dose pill first. Older women are more at risk of blood clots on the pill.

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2007
Sun, 06-29-2008 - 1:09am
I would get the biopsy.
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