" I imagine that a diagnosis would be freeing . However , it ended up feeling paralyzing . "
When I saw the parentage in the toilet stadium , I decided it was clock time to go to the emergency room .
I had been doubled over in pain for the safe part of three hours . It originate out as par for the course : I had grown habitual to semi - unconstipated stomach problem that leave me stuck in a bathroom as my abdomen contort itself out . I assumed it was just how my body behaved . I had view that mayhap I was grapple with peckish bowel syndrome , but I never pursue a diagnosis after several doctors did n’t seem concerned during my annual physicals .
The stock , though . That was fresh .
At the hospital , I was escort to the canvas room the right way off , where I was return fluid and bloodwork . Some time later , a Doctor of the Church came in . He , like all the others before him , was unconcerned . After normal tryout final result , he sent me on my way with a suggestion to see a specialist .
The pain eventually subsided , but the blood did n’t right away . For day , I held my breath whenever I went into the bathroom . My follow - up with a gastroenterologist was n’t for two months ( shout out to the health fear scheme ! ) , but something was nagging at me , telling me I postulate to go sooner . I am so thankful I listen to that instinct .
I found someone who was capable to see me , and while the hemorrhage had mostly subsided by that point , he scheduled a colonoscopy . The prep was miserable ( if I never exhaust stinker jello again , it will be too before long ) , but the anxiety was even worse . The day of my procedure , I remember feeling appreciative for the anesthesia for require me out of my headway a bit . When I woke up , my MD extradite news I did n’t expect : I had multiple ulcers on one part of my colon .
Several biopsy results and an MRI later , he come to a close : My birth mastery pill , which I had been on nonstop since I was 17 , was perhaps the causal agency .
This diagnosing was essentially a sound guesswork . The biopsies , bloodwork and MRI find out conditions like Crohn ’s disease , blood line vessel problems and ulcerative inflammatory bowel disease . The tests did show that the ulcers werebecause of an ischaemic issue , which is why I was in so much pain before I went to the ER .
Typically , this matter happens in older people . An ischemic event take place whenblood supply is reduced to a sure part of the consistence . In my case , it was my sigmoid colon , which is the last part of the gut . It ’s rare to see it in a young , otherwise healthy fair sex .
In some cases where it has happen to other people , the patient role was on the combination birth control pill , i.e. the nativity control pill that contains estrogen . My doctor could n’t undertake this was the reasonableness with 100 % foregone conclusion , since this consideration is understudied . Whatlittle researchexists on the field advise that the estrogen in the pill could be to find fault , but it ’s “ not clearly understood , ” according to expert . My doctor ’s other hypothesis was that I had an infection of some sorting that have the ulcers .
Regardless , he urged me to switch to a different method of birth ascendency as soon as potential , just to rid of that as a potential cause . Without the oral preventative or an acute infection causing the take , my intestine should mend and my blood current should go back to normal . I do n’t have an official pursue - up architectural plan in place yet , but I envisage my gastro doctor will need to check back in the penny-pinching future to check that everything is cure as it ’s supposed to .
My doctor told me I was lucky that my trip to the ER did n’t reveal something more serious . The worst - pillowcase ( and very rare ) scenario was the risk of bowel necrosis , which is when the cells in your colon dice due to boil down blood flow . It can be disastrous .
Until that moment , I thought that a diagnosing would be unloose . However , it cease up feeling paralyzing .
I had gone on the oral contraceptive pill nearly 15 age ago to serve with acne and cramping during my periods . No one gave me any data at the clock time beyond “ take it at the same time every day . ” Overall , I was well-chosen with it . My skin clear . My periods became more fair to middling . I did n’t experience any of the intense side effects that some of my friends had over the years . I continue taking the same prescription through college and then when I go toNew York .
The oral contraceptive almost felt up like a security blanket for me . I never regard any other option after I left my initial naming ; it never even pass to me that there could be underlying wellness effect . Doctors never told me about them ; I did n’t read the packets that come with the medicine , which are as thick as a leger ; and the benefits certainly outweigh the likely risk . Now , here I was over a decade afterward , and it was leave me cold .
You ’d suppose have the option to go off the pill would be a relatively easy one ― after all , my wellness was at stakes ― but it was n’t . I agonize over thinking of hormonal acne taking over my human face again , just in clock time for my wedding in May . I cried over the prospect of dealing with painful and irregular periods . I dreaded the very likely excruciating insertion of an intrauterine gadget , which was my first - choice alternative if I ended up remove the decision to stay on birth control gadget .
After a ton of deliberation and more urging from my gastro , I stopped take the pill and switch over to the hormonal IUD , which does n’t contain estrogen . I still very much indorse giving birth control in any soma , include the pill . If I could still be on it , I would be . I just bid I roll in the hay more about the medicine I had been take up for 15 days . I bid there were more research on it for vitrine like me , so women could get a classic diagnosing instead of a best guess . We ca n’t make informed decisions about our wellness concern if our doctors are feeling around in the darkness as they attempt to help us .
Luckily , my gastro did as much investigate as he could until he found a logical and satisfactory account . I was shocked he made the connection . So was my gynecologist , when I tell her ( and after examining my face , she agreed with his assessment ) . Other people wo n’t be as lucky to have a squad of wellness care professionals who spend the sentence research for a solution — especially if there ’s very little data to back it up . This is strictly guess , but I would guess that if Viagra get rock-bottom rake stream to the colon , there probably would be a lot more research on that .
It ’s unsubdivided to apprise masses to be their own wellness advocates , but doing that requires a sure level of prerogative : You have to have aesculapian professionals who believe you when you say something is wrong . You have to be able to consult with doctors who are willing to think outside of common explanations . You have to have wellness care coverage to see specialists in the first place .
It ’s only been a calendar month since I went off nascency control , and thankfully I have n’t had any haemorrhage or breadbasket problem since my original incident ( nor have I had the other side impression that I was worried about ― please send good vibes to my tegument ) . I do n’t bonk if that ’s a coincidence or if it ’s because we targeted the issue . I ’m hoping my diagnosis is right , and that changing my preventative is the resolution to my problem .
Women ’s health care ― all the fashion down tothe inquiry level― is still nowhere close to what it should be . This is especially on-key when it come to nativity control , but it ’s the case in too many other surface area as well . We have to speak up for our health , and we have to be unforced to ask hard questions ―sometimes over and over again― and push back as often as necessary until we palpate get a line . I was golden it did n’t be me my life . One mean solar day , someone else might not be so lucky .
Lindsay Holmes is the senior wellness and travel editor at HuffPost , where she manage health and travel mental object for HuffPost Life . She was select for a National Press Foundation mental health fellowship in 2016 and has moderate multiple panel on genial wellness . She ’s passionate about how the media can responsibly cross genial illness , and has consulted on professional guideline for report on suicide . She graduated with a arcdegree in journalism from the University of Central Florida in Orlando , and is now based in New York . This clause in the beginning come along onHuffPost .
