My GYN Doctor destroyed me today :(

[Kay2020]

I came home from the (GYN) doctors a few hours ago. I am still in tears. To give a little history, I have been tapering 10 percent every 3 – 4 weeks a for a year. And in this year I have added ALOT of exercise, both aerobic and strength training (exercise and weights). I like the aerobic because it really helps almost erase my withdrawal symptoms.

My routine is 30 mins on a spinning bike in the morning, with 50 sit ups and 100 side crunches, leg exercises and dumbbells (8 pounds) and with the weights that is 7 different exercises with the weights. Then at night 30 mins on a spinning bike. I do the weights every other day and I take Sunday off.
I have really poured my heart into exercise and cooking and eating healthy, I even budget to make sure all the food is from whole foods and man that is a lot of money if you are not a doctor or a lawyer.

I can feel that I am getting stronger and I feel my body tightening but I am not losing weight I am gaining weight. I have gained muscle and am trying to, learning that adding more muscle helps burn more calories and helps protect bones and is the smartest thing we can do especially my age (in the 40's)

I have problems with losing the fat and my monthly cycle. So I have been pondering if I should get a hysterectomy and had an appointment today with my doctor to try and talk about it.

What started was the nurse mentioned I gained weight and I said I am aware that I gained muscle and I am in withdrawal from lexapro an antidepressant. She looked at me like I was crazy. I let her know my routines and she said “Well maybe if you laid off the weights and looked to aerobics. I told her I do both and she looked like she did not believe me, I was very upset. So she sat me down to take my blood pressure and said “well your weight has affected your blood pressure” 160/ 100soemthing I don’t know I was upset and insulted. She told me to disrobe and left. I waited for the doctor he came back with her and told asked me about he weight. I told him that I am in withdrawal and what I do to exercise and eat and he looked at me as if I was lying right to his face.

I asked him about a hysterectomy and he got animated and said “For What” (Now I have been complaining to him for years about the pain and the heaviness} He said he would order an ultrasound and I said I already did that! (both types of ultrasounds!) He looked up my record and said “ Ah yes, you do not have any problems and you will not have an hysterectomy”. I said well I wanted to wait until I am off of Lexapro I have about 9 weeks left to see if my symptoms will improve.

And he was like what” Lexapro” I told him the side effects possibly with menstruation. I told him my GP had to take a few blood tests because my red cell count is so low and he thought I was bleeding internally. The GYN then told me that I could have a stroke or heart attack at any moment and that I have to call my GP and have that blood test again and have that doctor send him the results. He didn’t believe me or believe anything about withdrawal.

I did not cry, I fought back the tears and made it to the parking lot and cried and cried and cried.

I have to call my GP tomorrow and umm I am very distraught. I don’t want to take any other medications and am not sure if he will insist on blood pressure medications. Or if he will even believe me. I have to get it checked out because of family history.

I have poured my soul and everything I have in my heart to succeeding in getting off of lexapro, into exercise , healthy food and withdrawing, every time I don’t feel like doing it I do It and then add some more, I have made it my job to follow my exercise and nutrition like my life depends on it. Now I feel destroyed.

My question is if I have to take high blood pressure medication is there a chance I will have a paradoxical reaction.

Also, right now I don’t know how to approach him, I felt like I was not believed and felt defensive.

[Backtopaxil]

Usually it takes a few visits ( 3 ) to determine if you have blood pressure issues. And BP can vary during the day. you are lucky it was just 160 cause I would have had 220 after talking to that stupid nurse.

Now, why do you push for a radical operation like histerectomy. You may have to take hormones?? If your doctor tells you it is OK, leave it alone or seek a second opinion. But this is not a wisdom tooth.

Anyway, monitor your BP and try to eat healthy and limit your salts etc. Medication should be the last resort after you have made lifestyle and eating habit changes. Some AD affect BP and that needs to be considered. See if they go away once you withdraw completley which should happen very soon.

[Kay2020]

Thanks George, last year my BP was perfect and my cholesterol was perfect. I was very angry and upset before she even put the cuff on. I also have been under a ton of stress. My mom has been in and out of the hospital with Deep vein thrombosis.

My BP kit is with her so I will buy another one tomorrow.

I wonder with the healthcare changing in the US if our care will get worse?

BTW when I came home I did my 30 mins on the spin bike, did my 50 situps and 100 side crunches. Tomorrow the same but with weights. I have no out of breath feeling, well a little when the resistance is harder. When I tried to ask if the withdrawal was contributing to the BP I thought he was going to laugh or something.

yes that nurse seemed as if she had a personal problem with me and I was clueless.

The reason for the hysterectomy was not a full one, I wanted the ovaries to be left. 10 days a week I can't go anywhere or do anything and then I get so worn out. I always seem to miss out on everything. I am in so much pain. Regular pain relievers do nothing and I do not want to take anything prescription. Plus I get anemic and faint. If I take my huge iron pills I don't faint but I feel horrible and woosey still. My Doctor did not believe me until today when I told him about the GP and the blood tests last year.

I saw that commercial about that treatment and I asked my Doctor about that last year and he said it only lasts about a year. So he won't do it.

[babs]

Sorry your visit was so crappy! I am not the least bit surprised, though, that both the doc and the nurse didn't believe you about withdrawal. I just stopped mentioning it after a while because nobody believes it and it's so demoralizing. I was diagnosed with hypertension at some point during my Paxil use, so many years ago I don't really remember, and I've been on a few different meds over the years. I didn't have any reactions from taking them along with Paxil. I was hoping after I got off Paxil and lost the weight that my blood pressure would go down, but it hasn't and I am still on meds. Hopefully yours was just temporarily high and you won't be put on meds.

[Kay2020]

I never had a High BP before and I am 46. But who knows? Some of my sisters and brothers take BP medication. it is nice to know you had no reactions as far as withdrawal and Ads.

I have never been treated like that before, you are right when I mentioned the withdrawal and lexapro it made things a lot worse.

[chiropteran]

Oh Kay, that's just horrible. I'm not at all surprised your BP was up after all of that - they should have at least given you 15 mins sitting quietly and taken another reading (although given how they treated you that probably wouldn't have helped). If they are determined to go the meds route, I've been on a very small dose of ACE inhibitor for a couple of years now (always had LOW BP, until I went up to 80mgs of Paxil and lo and behold suddenly it's high... ) and have had no bad effects from it. Although yes, medicating should be last resort, you are doing AMAZINGLY well with your diet and exercise as well as tapering. Everyone here believes in you, screw the stupid docs and nurse.

*hugs*

[julieannboo]

want me to go and smack the doc upside the head for ya?

hope you feel better soon. xx

some docs i have seen in the past are like that too. rubbish.

[scotty]

So, the nurse berates you, the doctor berates you, you're upset and THEN they take your blood pressure? Ditch that doctor, buy a blood pressure monitor for home, take it twice a day for a week and call your GP for an appointment and take the results.

Unbelievable.

[audrealjade]

Originally Posted by scotty

So, the nurse berates you, the doctor berates you, you're upset and THEN they take your blood pressure? Ditch that doctor, buy a blood pressure monitor for home, take it twice a day for a week and call your GP for an appointment and take the results.

Unbelievable.

Absolutely! You should be incredibly proud of yourself for doing all the right things. You need to find a doctor who cares about you and doesn't make you feel that way. That may sound like a big change but I would speak to friends and family about doctors in the area that have a more holistic and functional form of medicine. You don't deserve to be treated that way.

[kathleen2]

Question: are you on birth control pills? (b/c they can raise blood pressure. I had this happen recently; they also skyrocketed my anxiety, and made me dizzy 24/7. I gave it 2 months then ditched them. THe BP readings were consistently alarming).

Also, there's a procedure where they can cauterize the uterus--sounds radical, but it ends heavy painful periods & the anemia that can come with them.

Definitely get a new dr--preferably female to discuss the gyn issues. You're doing everything right: slow tapering, exercise, nutrition. (It's possible that the nurse or someone she knows is on lexapro & didn't want to acknowledge possible problems. Whatever the situation, it seems like you're getting sub-par medical care, so switch!)


(And if your blood pressure stays high, no the BP meds won't hurt you, SSRI-w/drawal-wise.

[NewbGuy]

I don't know how swole you are from lifting, but the size of yoru arm can also affect BP readings. When I lifted I went to the doctor and the nurse who took my blood pressure came back with a high reading, however, when the doctor came in he thought it was strange and so used a larger cuff and found my BP to be normal. Combine that potential problem with the fact that you were probably already upset when it was taken and you can see how this might be an anomalous reading.

I'd get a good at home BP tester and test yourself thoughout the day and throughout the next week and see if you show consistently high readings, then go from there. Taking BP at this doctor will potentially give bad results every time if you are stressed/pissed everytime that you go in.

Edit* sorry didn't read the thread before hand, and I now see that my advice has laready been given.

[Backtopaxil]

One final word of advise, please mention to your GP that you are on lexapro so that he can match you with the right BP medication if needed. There are some drugs that should not be administered together, specially when options exists. ( BP work in many different ways, like ACE or Beta Blockers etc...)

[Lovesthebeach]

Kay-I think you should be commended for your workout routine-good for you for sticking to it!

As for the Dr-I can relate-I went to this one about a year ago that had me in tears. When I first started to wean off Paxil, she said that it can be difficult but not impossible and she would work with me. I went into to see her a few weeks after I started weaning to see if there was something I could do for one of the WD symptoms. She did a total 180 and told me that if I was having problems, it was because I needed to stay on the Paxil and there is no such thing as WD. Needless to say, I no longer see her.

[Brassmonkey]

I wish I could handle a workout like the one you do, maybe then I wouldn't hurtnso bad after a long days work. I've been on BP meds for years and it hasn't affected the paxil w/d. I did have to sdjust them 'cause of loosing 35 pounds, and probably will again when I have lost the next 25. I have one of theos cheep wrist monitors and keep it by my chair and take mine when ever the mood hits.

Don't let the B's get ya down.
(((((((((((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))))))

[Bird2173]

I wish I had half your motivation!! I agree find a new doctor. I take a BP pill with no problems while on/off or doing w/d. That visit would send anyones BP up.

I have learned that when a nurse or doctor acts like a big *** to me, I let them know it. Over the years and with various health issues I got tired of paying HIGH dollar for poor attitudes from the medical field. Not all are like this but I have met enough that judged me too quickly w/out listening.... the medical field lacks good customer service sometimes.

Hang in there...

[Kay2020]

I saw my GP today, he took my BP about 7 times with at least 125 mins in between. The lowest it was was 160/98 and he prescribed a water pill and a potassium pill combo? Triamterene 37.5mg / HCTZ 25mg 1x a day

He said if it is withdrawals or when I do drop some more weight and my bp lowers he will take me off, but because of my family history he thinks it might be genetic.

I really am grateful for your comments because this is new to me and I am scared. I admit I am afraid of this pill.

His nurse said I should never go back to that GYN, then the other nurses gathered and gave me a name of a GYN that they claim is very understanding, supportive and nice. They said they all go to him.

I am trying to avoid health anxiety right now.

I see the doctor in 2 weeks. And I can tell you I am not going to waver in my resolution to keep up the same level of exercise, nutrition and never ever give up.

[babs]

That's one of the two meds I take, and I also take prescription potassium. The other bp med is Cozaar, which relaxes arteries (too bad it doesn't relax ME). Sounds like you had a good visit and got some validation, which is nice!

[Kay2020]

Thanks Babs, so this drug is going well for you? I used to take a beta blocker for racing heart, I had a lot of test back then and they said I had a mitrovlave prolapse valve thingy.

[Kay2020]

Originally Posted by Backtopaxil

One final word of advise, please mention to your GP that you are on lexapro so that he can match you with the right BP medication if needed. There are some drugs that should not be administered together, specially when options exists. ( BP work in many different ways, like ACE or Beta Blockers etc...)

Glade you mentioned this George. He knows about lexapro and klonopin and he asked if my goal was to be off all psychotropic medications or was I going to switch to another ssri which he sees a lot. I told him I want off all the psychotropic medications.

I also told him of the 10 percent tapering and bad reaction to following a doctors taper instructions. I watched his face and he didn't seem to doubt me, but he could have a poker face, this is a new doctor for me I have had him for only a year.

[Kay2020]

Originally Posted by Lovesthebeach

Kay-I think you should be commended for your workout routine-good for you for sticking to it!

As for the Dr-I can relate-I went to this one about a year ago that had me in tears. When I first started to wean off Paxil, she said that it can be difficult but not impossible and she would work with me. I went into to see her a few weeks after I started weaning to see if there was something I could do for one of the WD symptoms. She did a total 180 and told me that if I was having problems, it was because I needed to stay on the Paxil and there is no such thing as WD. Needless to say, I no longer see her.

Wow that would really piss me off! My friend is in the same boat right now! But she told me today that she wants off the pills no matter what her doctor says.

My Pdoc used to say I have to stay on for life, but now he is giving CBT advise and tapering me (even though I already started!) I think he might be starting to understand possibly.

[Kay2020]

Originally Posted by NewbGuy

I don't know how swole you are from lifting, but the size of yoru arm can also affect BP readings. When I lifted I went to the doctor and the nurse who took my blood pressure came back with a high reading, however, when the doctor came in he thought it was strange and so used a larger cuff and found my BP to be normal. Combine that potential problem with the fact that you were probably already upset when it was taken and you can see how this might be an anomalous reading.

I'd get a good at home BP tester and test yourself thoughout the day and throughout the next week and see if you show consistently high readings, then go from there. Taking BP at this doctor will potentially give bad results every time if you are stressed/pissed everytime that you go in.

Edit* sorry didn't read the thread before hand, and I now see that my advice has already been given.

I didn't even think about that! I am working on my arms with 8 pound dumbbell, I work the upper back, shoulder and the arms. I am going to be starting some bench presses very soon. My goal this year is to use 10 pound dumbbells. Also I just read the book "You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises by Mark Lauren" and want to get involved with that .. no gym equipment required

[tjwessksu]

Look into the german body comp program by charles poliquin...fat loss with weights, no need for cardio anymore

[Kay2020]

I took that pill today and my BP all day was 135/84 I will just hope that after withdrawal and things settle down that it will be fine, if not I have to accept the genetic cause, I do have siblings on BP medication.

My Gyn is defiantly fired. My GP and his nurses already supplied a name of a new Doctor they rave about.

Thanks everyone for the helpful comments, it kept me calm and really consoled and helped me.

[Gracings]

I came over here to search for something else, and your thread came up. I am so sorry for the horrid visit to your gyno, last month. All I know is that I am not sure what I will tell the nurse,this year, when she asks about meds. She smirked last year, when I reported my taper level dose.

Well WE believe you about the weight thing. We know how this stuff wonks with the body. And with the stress that you have been under, it is very easy to see how your bp was affected. Besides, genetic tendencies for high bo exist.


It is over a month, now....I hope tha things are better is these regards. Hugs you!!

[Gracings]

SO glad you ditched that doc!!!! He lives in the stone ages, and it is going to catch up with him!