Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Hmmmmm

So at my RE's office, I chatted with him about the estrogen study. He said he's read it, but seemed to be confusing it with some past older studies that weren't randomized control trials, which this one was, & my preference if you can find them. But in the meantime, he did suggest taking DHEA. He's running a study on it, and has found really good results for women with high FSH and those edging towards 38+. I have to take it for 3 months before he will agree to test me and see how my body is reacting. So I'm back in September, I guess.

Before you all assume he is some sort of new age non-science guy...he is the exact opposite. Dr. Eyebrows is the living epitome of the absent-minded professor who loves to bury himself in a pile of journal articles and a lab. He likes people, but more so under a microscope, y'know? Very very sweet...unfortunately not all the staff at his clinic are, but I work on ignoring the ones I don't like and paying attention to the ones I do like.

I'm digressing, anyway, this is the first time he has ever told me to take anything non-prescription. Beyond the general "be healthy" order, he thinks the vast majority of the all natural stuff is unproven, etc...so he doesn't like to guilt his patients if they don't become holistically pure. This is a real change for him to tell me to take this supplement. A 180. So what the heck?

At this point I'm throwing the spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks.

As for my friend...ehhhh, I'm already feeling some icky danger signals. She's backed off quickly, but when we discussed my HRT regime and my osteoporosis, and my thyroid stuff, in quick succession, she implied in words and tone that HRT is not good, osteopenia/osteoporosis doesn't exist, (it's a scam by drug companies according to her-she saw it on Oprah, must be true, just ignore the bone scan results...), ADD drugs are bad and addictive, and my thyroid issues might be solved by taking antidepressants. *eyeroll*

Except that she hasn't see me in a year and both my actual real shrinks agree I'm not depressed. I'm pissed off that I can't get a proper diagnosis or some respect from the Docs....and I'm grumpy about my husband quite often, but those are legitimate feelings. Depression is an inappropriate response to an event, not an appropriate one. But oops I forgot, women aren't allowed to be sad in our society, much less be sad over a *nothing* like a miscarriage right? I'll never forget one shrink years ago telling me that if anyone was still grieving over the death of a loved one, a husband, a child, whatever, after 2 weeks, it was wrong and I wasn't adjusting appropriately and therefore depressed.

So yeah, I have a feeling that this one will end up kind of arm's length....I care about her, but I want a friend, not a junior wanna be therapist who insists that everything I do is wrong and everything she does is right. I've been wrong lots, and I apologize all the time. She rarely admits to faults, and I'm beginning to remember this now. Catherine (and several others of you) might be right-I'm going to have to sit down and figure out what I get out of this relationship and what I don't, and whether it's worth maintaining.

Hmmmmm

12 comments:

  1. I hope that DHEA works - your RE sounds like a trip.

    Have you tried throwing spaghetti at the cat? Sorry, digression :)

    Sorry about your friend.

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  2. Huh. An eyebrow raising day all around, re: the doctor's advice, his own eyebrows, and your friend.

    Osteoporosis isn't real? A scam by drug companies? Not that those don't exist, but c'mon. My great aunt once broke hip by getting up from a chair. As for the thyroid advice, huh? That seems backwards. Thinking two weeks is enough to grieve the death of a loved one makes me think that shrink himself had some issues to work through in his own life. I'm sorry she doesn't seem able to be much of a friend. Arm's length seems good.

    You've been wrong lots, and have had to apologize while she's right almost all the time? Sounds familiar to me....

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  3. Dr. Wiki says that DHEA is a precursor to sex hormones. Wonder whether that has anything to do with the results your doctor is seeing in the study. It doesn't seem to hurt, in any case.

    About your friend? I wonder whether she has the "stuck in four walls by my own choice, but I kinda resent it now" syndrome. As in, if she made the right choice, but is unhappy, than she needs validation of being right, often. This could be a toxic thing for you to get stuck with, so yeah-- proceed with caution.

    And the two-week doctor? Wonder whether he would get over loosing his license in two weeks? What do you think?

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  4. Your friend certainly seems to have lots of strong opinions and not much interest in whether they're supported by facts. Or whether it's either necessary or appropriate to insist on them. If she's always been this way I can see why you were hesitant about reconnecting with her.

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  5. I'm gonna stop commenting on the friend situation, because there's obviously stuff I don't know... and I'm worried that I'll just sound like a total idiot once more info comes out.

    I love Dr. Eyebrows... but I have to say, I love all of the staff there with the exception of the weekend blood tech and the weekend curly-haired woman doctor. You know?

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  6. Can we get DHEA without a prescription here?

    As for your friend, I don't know what to say. Maybe keep her at arm's length for a while and if things go ok, put more of yourself out there.

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  7. The friend does sound a little unhelpful. I agree that limiting exposure might be the solution or maybe seeing her only in a group situation could help?

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  8. Delurking to say I'm glad your RE is willing to consider the DHEA. Maybe you'll start to get some of those answers you've been looking for.

    As for your friend, as you said you need to figure out what you want from this relationship. I think I would probably ease back into things and keep much of what you're going through/have gone through close to the chest until you can see if she's going to be supportive or judgemental.

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  9. Oops, I read your other post first!

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  10. I can't get over your friend's comments... "thyroid issues might be solved by taking antidepressants?" Well, that's news to me! A lot of my anxiety issues actually alleviated after starting Levoxyl. What a dumb-ass she is (hope you don't mind my open opinion on her...she just sounds so, well, uneducated).

    Hope this new spaghetti throwing will prove fruitful for you. It took well over a year to figure out all that was going on with me - and I had to put two-and-two together to get the proper diagnosis for most of it...

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  11. you have the right to dwell on anything you want. or I suppose it's possible that one can accept the things that they can not change.
    ...she may not know how to just listen.

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  12. Oh, and good luck with the DHEA, and your friend. Best to tread slowly, by the sounds.

    Bea

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