Vaginal Bleeding *blush* :(

[Maggiemay]

So, saw GP yesterday... Am tolerating lamotrigine well :D (just typical reactions when it comes to my super sensitive body!! Need to sort my diet out & eliminate certain foods to lower the effects of IBS & acid reflux...) I very reluctantly mentioned issues bleeding down below - we're changing which contraceptive pill I'm on in the hope that'll help (used to control heavy periods...). He's worried it may be a sign of an infection (how??!!) so if it persists, I need to see the nurse to take a swab (ahhh!!! Not a chance!!! You'd need to sedate me!!!! If not = flashback hell & probably end in me shouting/ harming the poor nurse!!!! ) After looking New drug (lamotrigine) up online, it can cause infection, bleeding, irritation which put my mind at ease a little - it's been constant since I was away with my man so I was worried a) he'd done more to me than he let on b) this is my body reacting to whatever happened & subsequent discussions/flashbacks etc... It wouldn't suprise me if it was body memories, although a little extreme... This is me tho! ;) & adds to my suspicions that things back then we're penetrative (despite having no clear memories of this, it wouldn't suprise me as I had amnesia of the abuse full stop for 10ish yrs, so some amnesia of the worst stuff would make sense...) although I have no recollection, some of the body memories I experience & memories of bleeding back then kind of point to it... Anyway, went to my friendly pharmacist, who looks after me well (seen her since I was 1st ill again 2 1/2 yrs ago & she's very good at checking out I'm ok & I know effects of all my new drugs, what to expect & what they'll do...) Apparently new pill reacts with lamotrigine, so that should be interesting... It lowers the effects of both? :s oops!! I guess it's a matter of 'watch this space' ...

Sorry for long, graphic rant...

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

Yes, lamictal can mess with periods and cause irregular bleeding. How much are you taking? Lamictal can take months to really take effect so I think that gets better as time goes on. I used to get back pains from lamictal but that's gone away now.

 

[NovemberStar]

My dr mentioned putting me on this, just yesterday.

From what I've read, the serum dosages of the med are affected if you take oestrogen based contraceptives. Ie the combined pill - the levels of lamotrigine fluctuate, especially in the 'sugar pill week' (serum levels of lamotrigine DOUBLE). Might be worth talking to your dr about either another form of contraception or a progesterone only pill?

 

[Maggiemay]

Thanks Ayesha! ;) Puts my mind at rest a bit - now getting scared it's a sign of something more serious *sigh* I'm pretty good at catastrophysing! ;) Just gone up to 100mg (2 x 50mg) plan is to go up to 300, but it'll take months...

 

[Maggiemay]

Wow November star - sounds scary!! :s Pharmacist said it should be ok as low dose, not using pill (trinovum) as a contraceptive = a whole other issue!! & not taking lamotrigine for epilepsy so not the risk of me fitting... I may do some research tho.. X

 

[NovemberStar]

Def worth talking to your dr about this. I don't use contraceptives for contraception either - I have an intrauterine Mirena in pace to deal with severely painful periods. The advantage of the Mirena is it's progesterone only.

There may be other options.

I guess in my reading up about this med, it concerned me that the female hormonal cycle could vary the serum levels so much - I wonder how effective a mood stabiliser can be if the serum levels can double / halve depending on hormones and where you are in a period cycle????

 

[Maggiemay]

Especially when it's to stabilise mood?? :s very very odd! My periods before going on the pill were so heavy I was frequently becoming anemic (& hate taking yucky iron as sets Off IBS really badly! I ended up taking 1/2 a dose of the least potent one, which took longer to replenish iron levels...) I also had pretty severe period pain, especially for 1st few days & impacted my mood... Since moving to the pill periods still irregular, over a year on, but they're a lot less heavy. & no more anemia :)

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

Lamtical messes with contraception pills too makes them less effective I believe. It's on the bottles I get.

 

[Friday]

Just because a medication can lower you immune response/allow for greater risk of infection... Doesn't mean that you don't need to treat the infection.

If you need a swab to test for infection, my experience is that they'll usually let you do that yourself / will give you a brief tutorial on good practice, and simply turn backs or wait outside the curtain. That way they get their sample, and you can avoid a panic attack. :)

If it's something they have to do themselves, then yes. You can be under sedation. It's the point where you explain severe panic attacks, and that you're likely to lash out and injure the staff if you're not sedated in advance that they become thrilled with "Here is the disinfecting cloth, here is the swab, here is the container. Do this, this, this." As it's a lot more expensive and time consuming to put someone under sedation. Either in advance or because you've lost stability And need to be sedated after the fact.

ETA... The only time I've ever had trouble, I required that they sign a waiver stating that I had warned them I become emotionally disturbed, and highly dangerous during this type of procedure, and that they were assuming all legal responsibility for any injuries to myself or others that resulted at such a juncture... Or write up a note to the effect that they were refusing to so I could seek medical assistance elsewhere.

 

[Maggiemay]

Thanks FridayJones - I can cope with doing it myself, but at great risk of panic, flashbacks & likely to lash out, dissociate or be in a lot of pain (any touch is painful, let alone there!!) it's deffo not worth the cost of sedation for a simple procedure! *sigh* never had a smear test due to fear of all the above :(

 

[Maggiemay]

Yep Ayesha, it sure does, luckily I'm never likely to use it as a contraceptive ;)