Wow Lenore, you've really been thru it!! That must have been just awful, knowing something was wrong but no one believed you. It infuriates me that we walk around in our bodies and know our bodies, and they tell us nothing is wrong! As it turns out, I have multiple problems: Kidney stones in both kidneys (which I'm passing--yes, painful, but at least no surgery for them), a large cervical growth which was causing lots of bleeding, breast lumps in both breasts (isn't it nice how my body does everything symmetrically??), and diverticulitis, which they say is causing the intense pain I'm in. Dr. Harris wanted to schedule surgery right away for the cervical polyp, but he told me I'd just have to learn to live with the pain from the diverticulitis. Live with the pain???? Well, Dr. Harris quit me because I wanted to get more info before jumping into surgery. I actually panicked at the thought of surgery. He told me I would bleed to death if I didn't have surgery and he wasn't wasting anymore time on me, I should promptly find myself another doctor, he quit. I was mortified! I saw an herbalist who prescribed something that stopped the bleeding for 21 days, and greatly decreased my flows. Now I have very minor spotting between periods, but sometimes no spotting at all. So it was over two months after Dr. Harris quit me before I decided to see another doctor. I was so afraid of surgery and so afraid of insensitive doctors, and I just almost didn't see one. I saw an ad for a free mammogram thru the YWCA Encore Plus program and I called them. They scheduled everything, and They are paying for my doc appts and mammogram and any biopsies I need. I saw a nurse practitioner last week. She verified that I several lumps in both breasts that are of concern. I have a mammogram on the 25th. She also said my cervical growth could be cancer. She actually said the "c" word, which freaked me out and I was crying there in her office. But she didn't get upset and quit me. Instead she tried to answer my questions. She wanted to schedule me an appt with a gyne and I told her I wouldn't see anymore male doctors! So she found a female gyne for me. I go see her on the 29th. I worry that it's cancer. Everyone I know who had cancer has died from it. And I know if I have it, it's pretty far advanced. So it scares me. But it's possible I can just have a hysterectomy and be done with it all. I have found no joy in being a woman all these years. Painful heavy periods since I was 11, migraines, etc. are just no picnic. But surgery terrifies me. The last time I was in the hospital was 19 yrs ago, giving birth to my only son. I guess I'll do what I need to do, once I find out what that is. People tell me the not knowing is the worst. But actually, I find that ignorance is bliss. I'm not sure I want to know. Casper

Sounds familiar. I started having periods 2-3 weeks apart a few years ago, and very bad cramps, too. I had always been regular & barely ever had cramps. I finally went in for a check up - I was fine. I'd get a check up just to rule out fibroids (?) or something, though. Three years later, now my periods are 7-8 weeks apart, I feel like I'm on constant PMS and I AM READY TO GET PAST THIS MENOPAUSE STUFF! Ahem. Hopefully you'll get through this quicker than me!

Ironic, chicory--my whole scare has ended up in my changing doctors, and now you are too...it's times like these that separate the worthy from the mediocre, I guess. I'll send hopes that you can find a wonderful practice that you can trust and consider a true partner. The docs-on-retainer group I visted, btw, just gave me the willies...it was like a convocation of the rich congratulating themselves on being able to escape mainstream "health" h*ll...even though technically we could afford it (although less, now that we have the Mold Debacle to deal with), I just couldn't bring myself to join the club. Philosophically I can't do it. And guess what--the extra charges are justified by saying "we don't have you come in as often--we do more by e-mail so we have to make up for the lost office visit payments". Well *that's* a bonus I'll pay for. NOT. The whole setup struck DH and me as a really evil sign of things to come...I'll have to find a doctor who doesn't separate himself/herself from the rest of poor suffering humanity, or my mother will spin in her urn.

HUGS Deb!!! I KNOW your pain!! When I was 19 I had my right lung completely collapse...'spontanious pneumothorax'. I was in the hospital for about 5 days with that one. A year or so later the same lung collapsed 1/2 way...a few months later 1/2 again! I had surgery to repair the lung, 'pleurodesis'. HOPEFULLY yours will 'inflate' on its own. Otherwise, they will probably insert a large needle and draw the air out of the area it shouldn't be in. Sounds worse than it really is. They don't do the same kind of surgery that I had done 27 years ago. THANK GOD!!! It was the worst pain...I wouldn't even wish it on my worst enemy!!! (every time I would breathe, it would be excruciating pain!!) But, I am thankful to say, that it has never collapsed completely again. I have what are called 'blebs' on my lung, and they would pop and cause the collapse, I still have an area that they pop, but it (so far) has reinflated on its own many times. Take it easy!!!