u/bookwurm1125

Two oncologists and a clinician from the Mayo Clinic came to this consensus around this time last year and I'm still reeling from it. After seemingly endless ER trips, blood work, CT scans, MRIs, a few transvaginal ultrasounds, and finally an abdominal ultrasound that led to a biopsy, the pain that had been plaguing me every day since April of last year finally had a name: hepatocellular adenoma.

To my disappointment (but certainly NOT to my surprise), these rare growths are most often found in women and are grossly underdiagnosed. Similar to mine, they're typically discovered incidentally on otherwise routine scans. Mine was discovered because my gastro ordered the ultrasound that identified it, not an OB/GYN. Suffice to say, this is a direct result of taking the pill as directed by my OB/GYN for well over a decade, as every doctor I've spoken to about this would echo. I don't think I have a malpractice suit on my hands or anything; birth control always comes with a pamphlet of warnings that I'm sure cover everyone's behind but my own.

Not only do I have even more medical trauma than before all of this, but this thing is *still* in my body. One oncologist wanted to experiment on me with a new machine... The odds weren't positive enough for me to proceed and I'm at peace with that decision. My second/current oncologist gave me 4 different options for treatment, 3 of which are non-invasive. I'm being monitored and taken care of by his team which I'm incredibly grateful for.

My OB/GYN, however? Severely lacking in empathy. I called for months to speak with any one of the two doctors in the office. In June, they said their soonest appointment was in October. Sure, I'll wait months while my body figures out how to manage a period again (I was directed by this doc a few years back to skip the placebo week in order to avoid having a period at all rather than help me with pain management.)

All in all, after being on the pill for over 10 years and not having a period for nearly 3 of those years, I'm really struggling in finding the purpose in seeing an OB/GYN at all. My menstrual cycle is the same as it always was when I DID have a period: excruciatingly painful with heavy, abnormal bleeding for upwards of 10 days at a time. I pleaded with my old OB/GYN to explore other options for so long. I just began to plead with the new doctor I was recommended to. Neither are interested in any option other than non-hormonal birth control. Guess what? My oncologist doesn't want me to take any form of BC indefinitely.

So, I suppose I have to sit around with this tumor for a while. Also have to just "push through" ungodly menstrual cycles as if it's normal/expected of me as a woman.

Thanks for listening. <3