[DaraVose]

I have been experiencing several problems - hormonal and physical problems - after a miscarriage and hemmorhagic cyst last March. At that time I went to the doctor and had $500 in testing (blood tests and a vaginal ultrasound), but was given no treatment and no additional problems were diagnosed. Since then, I have had one other known cyst, and now I'm having problems again. I don't have health insurance, and I can't afford to undergo a lengthy series of testing in order to rule out all possible issues. Now, I'm experiencing bleeding again just a week after the end of my period although I'm on the pill, accompanied by the level of pain that I experienced during my miscarriage in March.

I believe a lot of my problems may stem from hormone-based birth control. I spoke with my doctor about an IUD, but he said although he'd be willing to provide me with one, he didn't recommend it due to the risk of permanent sterility and the fact that I had no children. I put that idea on the back burner at the time because I didn't know if it would help me out, and I'm just not ready yet to say that I'm definitely not ever going to want children in the future. Risking my sterility is something I am not ready to do.

However, condoms aren't as reliable a form of contraception, and I am NOT ready for children right now. I don't see them as a reliable option to help me get off hormone-based birth control to see if that will solve my other problems.

Has anyone had similar issues? How have you dealt with them?

[DaraVose]

Or does anyone know of a good women's health chat. I guess more than anything, I'd just like some support from other women who can understand what these issues are like, and maybe offer some advice on how to feel better about myself when I have such a low self-image from having the bleeding and pain so frequently.

[Little]

As we don't allow the promotion of outside websites on WH, perhaps you could try contacting women who have posted similar threads in the gynecology forum? Sometimes they get posted under birth control or motherhood as well. Poke around, see what you can find. I'm sorry that I'm not able to help you with your problem, but I have no experience with it. I'm certain you can find someone with whom you can sympathize and get support from on this forum