Expert: ruth kraft - 7/15/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hello, i have some questions and i am not sure wether to make this an issue or not. I had my son back in March and I breastfeed exclusively. I have been bleeding sicne he has been born. i did let my doc. know this on my exam and she said because i breastfeed this was impossible. she put me on some birth control pills that are goos with nursing, but i am still bleeding. i am now exprianceing pain as well in my stomach. upper area. My bleeding can be anywhere from light to heavy at any given time, i just got over a 5 day heavy bleeding time and i amnow back to a bleed? i also now am having trouble pumping, my milk is now decreased. i don't know what this could be and should i be worried? thanks

ANSWER: This is not normal. To bleed continuously this long with pain in your belly now can mean several tings. You should seek a second opinion from another doctor in another practice.

Good luck!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello, i went to the doctor today... he basically said that i was over reacting and it was called disfunctional bleeding and that the only way to stop it is birth control. I explained to him that i spoke with a lacation nurse and she explained that it was not normal and his response was she doen't know anythnig. after my husband argued with him and he finally after 1 hour said he would order an ultrasound. he checked me and said that my uterus felt normal. he said it was not normalthat i was still bleeding, but "i will survive". those were his words. today i have stopped bleedng for now so i was wondering should i still persue this? Thanks for all of your help!

Answer
If the bleeding stopped then maybe things went back to normal. But it sounds to me as though you have a doctor that does not respect you by the way he answered your questions as well as dismissed your concerns. Birth control pills can do long term damage to your own hormones and do not FIX a problem. They put a bandaid on a problem by manipulation of your natural hormones. When you go off of them you may find you have more hormonal issues than you do now because your body is being manipulated by medication.

My suggestion would be to find a new doctor that respects you as a patient. Jut because he is a doctor does not mean he knows everything. there are alternative methods than what he has been previously taught. Anyone who tells you " you will survive" is not coming from a respectful place. Life is not about surviving, it is about trying to live it as healthily as you can.

Best of luck!