Cas + The Contraceptive Pill Aftermath . . (part III)

If you've been following my blog for quite sometime you will probably know the whole fiasco with me and the contraceptive pill (if you have no idea, then read here and here to catch up). Although incredibly personal, I mentioned in my last blog post that I would blog throughout the whole year about the whole thing. However when I thought about it, there wasn't really a great deal to mention, so I decided to do a yearly update, which so happens to be today.

So I left the blog post last year telling you all that I would have to take medication for a whole year; this saddened me a bit as I honestly thought the short 6month supply I took last year was enough. It got 'everything' working again, I felt human at long last and that was that. But I was instructed by the consultant I had to remain on this medication a further 6months, to keep things 'regular', and then review this year. Just short of my yearly review I started experiencing severe headaches, to the point where I couldn't see, felt nauseous and I couldn't function properly at work. Starting to panic it was the pituitary problem giving me hassle, I went to see my GP, who immediately referred me to my consultant. Got an appointment straight away, and off I went. Unbeknown to me the consultant I saw last year, decided to 'up sticks' and leave the UK, and move to Oz (how lovely), so I was given a new consultant, who was nice and pleasant enough. It was a little frustrating however having to go back through my whole story of when things started to happen and etc 3years ago (faff)!. Explaining to the consultant about the headaches, nausea and etc, she was convinced my pituitary gland wasn't causing the problem due to monthly blood tests which indicate the pituitary levels decreasing (YAY).  However to rule out anything sinister she wanted me to have an MRI scan and another blood test to see what my pituitary gland was looking like. But it was here she then dropped a 'clanger'; ''If the MRI scan and blood test show no improvement, you'll have to continue taking the medication for a further 2 years. But if there is drastic improvement whereby I am satisfied with the results, then we'll take you off the medication''. OMG the latter part was sweet music to my ears as I so desperately hoped that everything had returned to normal and I was rid of this problem. The former didn't even cross my mind, as I was certain I'd be coming off the medication.

Weeks passed and I heard nothing from my consultant; she said she would write to let me know the outcome. I was beginning to think ''Perhaps she'd forgotten about me'', but having worked in a Drs surgery, I know things take time. Just as I was starting to get a little concerned and was about to call the consultant's secretary, a letter landed on my doorstep. I immediately knew what it was, and opened the letter as if I was a child at christmas. And then B A M.......to my disappointment although the blood test results are good (pituitary levels decreasing nicely), the pituitary gland itself hasn't shrunk enough to a satisfactory size, and therefore I am on this medication for a further 2 years. Gutted doesn't even cut it! Sort of felt heartbroken as I honestly thought ''Yes, I am coming off the meds this year'', but obviously not. Although I am gutted, I do realise there are patients out there in the world who are on medication for the rest of their lives, and I am in fact incredibly lucky. I just long to be able to feel ''normal'' again, without having to take medication to get things to work in the manner it should be.

I honestly don't know why I have blogged about this whole experience, but it's something I very seldom talk about (not even to my own mum), and at times I just feel like 'off loading'. So . . I guess in 2 years time I shall be back with an update, and hopefully it'll be good news.