Faith's Progress 2.0

[sarah1972]

Oh no, sorry to hear Faith -

Body hair is strange, I had so much growth in my face in the last few weeks, it felt like I had never done any electrolysis, even my electrolysis person was a bit surprised. It can be any number of things triggering this. I was hoping to be done by now but it seems another year or so until everything is gone. I really hate it, but there is little I can do about besides going and get it zapped away.

I know many women with quite some hair on arms and legs.

Stay strong and hopefully enjoy the warm weather!!!

back, hmm, sort of considering that I never really left. I just buried my head.

I wish that I could say that what's bothering me has subsided and the sun is shining. Well, it's hasn't. The sun is shining, literally, and they are calling for possible record high's. Mid-90's for sure .. ick ...

Still, if you can't face something, can't fix it, distract yourself from it. That's what I've been trying to do. If I sit down to just relax, my brain takes off and it's all over. Clouds roll in.

I did have another PP appointment last Tuesday. I did not fib on the verbal questionnaire, I answered quite honestly. Lori was in the room so she knows exactly how I've been feeling. I also feel like any changes have stalled. It's not like I had anything dramatic in the first place. I was hoping for more significant changes by now. Even emotionally I feel like I've gone backwards a bit AND my arm and leg hair have taken off like someone put miracle-grow on them. It is very disheartening.

It's the first blood test after switching to injections. I asked for a dosage review.

[Faith]

it rains, it pours, such is my life. It keeps up and I'll wash away.

I had my PP appointment. I got my chart, and a phone call that went to voicemail .. which I cannot return the call since it's a holiday. Plus, anytime I try to call I don't get anyone. I get to leave a message, then they call back and it goes to my voicemail. Is it so hard to have callerid actually say Planned Parenthood? I do not answer private/blocked numbers.

Anyways. They've suddenly decided that my kidney function is off. Seriously? It's been off since I started, I told them I had stage 3 when I first got there. They are taking me off of spiro and putting me on finasteride. Well, being off spiro doesn't bother me yet I have no idea how effective finasteride will be. I guess it depends partly on the dosage. half pill a day finasteride. I can't even speculate since they didn't state the pill dosage.

If they are taking me off spiro due to potassium .. well, I have normally low potassium and spiro helps that. Also, why didn't they switch to an alternative blocker?

I hate being in the dark on things. They should post my labs for me to see once they make a determination, why should I have to request them?

I shouldn't be surprised. It's not like anything else has been going right lately.

[davina61]

Chin up dear, things always work out in the end. Trust me it works for me , anyways have a virtual BIG HUG.

[Rachel]

Hi Faith,

Sorry you are feeling down.

I had been going to the same provider for 6 years for HRT. They do not check for E. I switched providers and my E was 740 ng/dl on the 13th of 14 days subQ. I guess My E went to 1400 ng/dl post injection. So having E and T checked is important. If you are not happy with the HRT then there are others that can provide the care.

With proper suppression of T and a transitioning dose of E (200 to 500 ng/dl) in time your body hair will thin and many will stop growing. It took me 1.5 years of tight HRT control for this to happen.

HRT needs to be in the proper ranges and then it takes time.

I hope you feel better.
Rachel

[CynthiaAnn]

I know everyone is different, but Spiro was really hard on my kidneys, don't miss it.

Good luck with the new med Faith

C -

[JudiBlueEyes]

... Is it so hard to have callerid actually say Planned Parenthood? I do not answer private/blocked numbers.

Places like Planned Parenthood and others have null caller ID's for safety reasons.  There are a number of organizations that can legally request them. 

I don't answer calls unless the number is someone I know and is in my contacts list.  That way it shows the name I've associated to the number on my screen. 

I hope it all works out for you.
Judi

[Faith]

tl;dr
I don't have a problem with PP as an HRT provider, only with the difficulty of communication outside of appointments

last measurement of my levels were well within female range. I have no complaints overall with the actual medical treatment provided by PP or by the personal treatment. Very nice folks.

I get tested every 3 months. The endo is well aware of many aspects of HRT including the multiple testing levels of E and not just the totals. I know this because I asked questions.

My big issue is the limitation in communication. I can request things online and wait. Many pertinent questions are answered with "Make an appointment, ask the clinician"  If I call, they don't answer. You get a 10 minute greeting of options and then voicemail for callback. I don't think that it's too much to ask that when I return a call at their request that I am actually able to speak to someone.

My labs are not released unless I ask them to .. every time. They have not shared them with my GP except for the first time that did it in person and made them do it. They use Quest for labs, the results do not show up in my Quest profile. The tests from my GP do show up there.

No, I still don't have my current results thanks to a holiday weekend and no one answering phones or messages.

life ... maybe it's time to quit trying and just "work, home, sleep, repeat". What's the point of struggling if it doesn't get you anywhere? My current level of HRT is all I'll ever receive. All my dysphorias are as strong as ever with no way to reduce them ... I'm tired.

[Linde]

tl;dr
I don't have a problem with PP as an HRT provider, only with the difficulty of communication outside of appointments

Which PP do you use?  The one up where you live or the one here in FM?  I might want to change to them, because I have to pay my current endo out of pocket.  He charges $400 per hour!!!!!!!!  And is a basic a****le!  PP can't be nearly as expensive, and might provide better, patient oriented service?

[Faith]

Which PP do you use?  The one up where you live or the one here in FM?  I might want to change to them, because I have to pay my current endo out of pocket.  He charges $400 per hour!!!!!!!!  And is a basic a****le!  PP can't be nearly as expensive, and might provide better, patient oriented service?

Ft Myers, College Pkwy:
we discussed it before. You said that they didn't take your insurance so would end up costing you more.


got some results finally
My potassium is just above normal, probably what caused concern for the endo. Couple that with my eGFR at 40, which is lower than it has been. The minimum is supposed to be 60 for my bracket. For comparison, below 15 is dialysis

They had a thyroid concern, those levels appear OK

Red Blood Cell count; Hemoglobin; Hematocrit all just outside the normal range on the high side. No idea what that means. I do know that it's been that way for a while.

Total T is 10 ng/dL
Total E is 166 pg/mL

I have no idea what it means overall, except that it's time to revisit my kidney diet and make adjustments.


Anyways, since I've made some comments regarding my tests I figured that I would share them.

[Linde]

Ft Myers, College Pkwy:
we discussed it before. You said that they didn't take your insurance so would end up costing you more.


got some results finally
My potassium is just above normal, probably what caused concern for the endo. Couple that with my eGFR at 40, which is lower than it has been. The minimum is supposed to be 60 for my bracket. For comparison, below 15 is dialysis

They had a thyroid concern, those levels appear OK

Red Blood Cell count; Hemoglobin; Hematocrit all just outside the normal range on the high side. No idea what that means. I do know that it's been that way for a while.

Total T is 10 ng/dL
Total E is 166 pg/mL

I have no idea what it means overall, except that it's time to revisit my kidney diet and make adjustments.


Anyways, since I've made some comments regarding my tests I figured that I would share them.

Thanks Faith
At the time we talked about it, I had no idea what idiot I had to deal with, and that he charged for every movement of his hands!  I had to pay $50 for every signed copy of my letter for name and gender changes!  The letter was a canned one, they just put my name in!

My values were

Total T <5 ng/dL
Total E 139.7 pg/mL

[Faith]

Thanks Faith
At the time we talked about it, I had no idea what idiot I had to deal with, and that he charged for every movement of his hands!  I had to pay $50 for every signed copy of my letter for name and gender changes!  The letter was a canned one, they just put my name in!

My values were

Total T <5 ng/dL
Total E 139.7 pg/mL

I didn't pay anything for my letters. I just sent a message and a week or so later my letters showed up (in duplicate)
When I went to do my Birth Cert, NYS wanted notarized. I sent off another message and, same as before, they showed up in duplicate - both properly notarized.

[Jessica]

I didn't pay anything for my letters. I just sent a message and a week or so later my letters showed up (in duplicate)
When I went to do my Birth Cert, NYS wanted notarized. I sent off another message and, same as before, they showed up in duplicate - both properly notarized.

At least some things are easy .......

[Linde]

I didn't pay anything for my letters. I just sent a message and a week or so later my letters showed up (in duplicate)
When I went to do my Birth Cert, NYS wanted notarized. I sent off another message and, same as before, they showed up in duplicate - both properly notarized.

Thanks, as i said I landed with a greedy idiot, and I have to change this!

[TonyaW]

Check and see if they have a website you can sign up for where they post test results. The Quest thing may just need to add them as a provider for you or possibly need a second account.  My regular doctor and the doctor at UW both use the mychart  site but since they're not in the same group I need a separate mychart account for each.

Not sure what you can do for  a land line with caller ID for PP. Of you add them to your contacts on cell phone it would show them. Might need to add multiple numbers for it always to show


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[Faith]

I have two quest accounts now .. kind of ridiculous when they know that both of them are me (based on the verification questions asked.

I've added several PP numbers to a contact, doesn't work when it comes in as a private number. I'll have to remind them, again, to email or text first. They've done it before.

ah well, at least idiocy is keeping me distracted from me a little bit.

[TonyaW]

Yeah if they dial out private it won't come up no matter what you have stored.

You'd think you could at least link different accounts that use the same platform.  Was a little frustrating to have to enter all my info in my UW account when everything they need and more was already in my existing account.

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[Linde]

All those lab organizations seem to be different in their customer service approach.  I use LabCorp, because that is close to me.  They do not make the test results available any earlier than 8 days that they gave them to the prescribing doctor.
I like to know my values when I go to the doc, and I tried to fight that, but to no good.  I now just go two weeks prior to my doc appointment to get my blood work done, and thus have the info in hand when I go to discuss it with my doc.

[Faith]

whether it's standard policy or law, I don't know, they all want the records released at least a week to the Dr first before the patient sees them. It gives the Dr time to review and be informed before the patient barges in demanding explanation.

Hi Ya'll  .. to whomever didn't get bored and wander to more interesting topics. I'm certainly not the most exciting person on here. Do we get awards for 'Most Boring' or 'Most Uninteresting' ? I think I'm a contender.

Another day goes by. At least the rolling dark storm clouds in my head have calmed down a bit. Still very dark and gray. I was curled up last night on the couch hugging a pillow. Lori asked me if I was feeling depressed. I just held my hand out without replying I didn't feel like talking. I think I side-stepped the question, she is too darn perceptive though. I'll get chastised if she reads this. I'm not worried, much, she can't hardly open the main page on here without my help.

I took a full body selfie this morning ..... I deleted it. It's a new phone and I didn't want to break it already. I'm slowly getting to where I can look at my face for a few seconds, full body .. nope, no way ... !!!!!! WRONG !!!!!!!!

Ugly may be a harsh term yet sometimes it's the most appropriate.

Oh, I know, I'm probably attractive to someone. Some gay guy that doesn't mind a man with boobs .. um .. boobettes. too girlie for non-lesbian gals; too manly for the rest. At least my dog still likes me. And the cat. What's with cats?? Get off my lap already!!!!

[TonyaW]

whether it's standard policy or law, I don't know, they all want the records released at least a week to the Dr first before the patient sees them. It gives the Dr time to review and be informed before the patient barges in demanding explanation.

Hi Ya'll  .. to whomever didn't get bored and wander to more interesting topics. I'm certainly not the most exciting person on here. Do we get awards for 'Most Boring' or 'Most Uninteresting' ? I think I'm a contender.

Its either Florida or the places you go. Probably its that the lab is in my doctor's office. Results get posted over night. I'm know the doctor gets them first though. My last appointment some of them were available during the appointment for labs drawn just before.  Though a few times they didn't call me about them until a day or two later.

I think my thread wins most boring/least interesting. I don't think the crickets even showed after my last couple posts.

And feed the cat.


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[sarah1972]

I always found this rule of Quest Labs a bit strange. Initially it was even worse, the doctor had to release the values. Now they are at least down to publishing a week after the test.
Most of my doctors share the same patient portal which is nice and anything they enter shows up immediately, including blood tests and other health information. I have specifically looked for doctors participating in this portal so I have everything in one place. It is helpful, my mammogram results took 5 weeks to come from the place but they were in the portal after a few days.

Sorry to hear about the clouds in your head, they will go away too and the sun will be back. I am just glad to read that you feel somewhat better.

I don't thing there is any boring thread here, and you see that there are people responding.

Stay strong!

Hugs,

Sarah