The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

Symptoms + Issues | Taking Care of Myself – A Postpartum Health Series

This “Symptoms + Issues” post is the second post within my Taking Care of Myself – A Postpartum Health Series. To catch up if you are new around here, check out the first post here: Learning About Breast Implant Illness

 

First, I wanted to thank all of my readers that reached out to me after my last post was published. The support I have from all of you is so heartwarming and I have to say, much needed. As a blogger when you put your personal stuff out there to the public, it can be very scary. But having the support from you all helps me know that the reason I share (sometimes overly share) is for a purpose.

And thank you also to those of you that have shared that post and encouraged others to join my #FreeBresBoobies Facebook group to hopefully shed more light on this issue. I have already heard from numerous ladies that have said “oh my so maybe this is what has been wrong with me!” or I have those same symptoms!

Now let me preface…

This next blog post within my Taking Care of Myself – A Postpartum Health Series I want to dive into more of what is actually going on with me relating to my actual symptoms and issues. Some of this might be boring to the general public but for those of you that may have similar health stuff going on, I hope that you can find relief that you aren’t alone with all of this. Additionally, this post might be a bit graphic and awkward to read at times… So that is your warning 🙂

My Actual Symptoms and Issues

Looking back, I can say the common strain that weaved throughout all of my issues and symptoms the past 4+ years has been that doctors are baffled at what is wrong with me.

I’m not sure what is wrong.

It’s just stress.

9 months pregnant | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

We don’t know what is wrong with your hip and can’t walk.

A hemangioma tumor just happens randomly.

PUPPS | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

We don’t know why PUPPS happens to a rare amount of pregnant women.

I understand you have issues with sugar cravings, you just need to limit your sugar intake.

Sugar cravings | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

Your eyes are fine, I don’t know why you have double vision.

Not quite sure why your liver enzymes are high, then normal, then high again for no apparent reason.

Insomnia | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

Not sure why you are having difficulty sleeping, let me give you something for that.

Pills | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

Sounds like you’re getting early signs of carpal tunnel. 

Insomnia | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

The MRI doesn’t show why you could be having headaches.

I’m going to put you on some medication.

The pains in your breasts are from a hormone imbalance.

Agnes + Art Photo | CurlyQCounter | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

Memory loss happens when you become a Mom.

Not sure why your knee gives out at random times.

Tell me again what happened when you felt an electric shock in your head.

Sounds like its just stress…

The ringing in your ears caused you to have a slight loss of hearing, but I’m not sure why its ringing.

Wisdom Teeth Removal | CurlyQCounter | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

Your surgery is taking longer than normal to heal.

There’s nothing abnormal on your neck to make you have difficulty swallowing.

Pee cup | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

Not sure why you are still Vitamin D deficient with two different types of Vitamin D prescription treatments.

…and I’m also not sure why your cholesterol isn’t affected by two different types of prescription treatments.

Wifey + Boy Mama | CurlyQCounter | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series
Image: Meagan Gibson Photography

Your heart is fine. You don’t have heart palpitations, you just need to see a psychiatrist.

Your skin issues aren’t curable.

Blood Clot | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

The ultrasound didn’t reveal a blood clot but that doesn’t rule it out.

We don’t know why you haven’t gotten pregnant yet.

We don’t know why you are having weird allergic reactions to new things randomly.

The tremors are “normal.”

You need Hormone Replacement Therapy.

I don’t see your onset rosacea on your face is an issue, yet.

Severe Edema | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

We don’t know why you are suddenly having severe edema.

#GentryHudson | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

We don’t know what caused your son’s heart defect. Sometimes, it just happens.

#GentryHudson | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

Not sure what is wrong with your son’s palette or why he has an extra frenulum.

Your symptoms appear to be possibly MS.

Not sure why your face gets tingly or numb feeling.

I don’t know why your illnesses keep reoccurring.

Not quite sure why your sinus infections keep coming back.

I don’t know why your ear infections keep coming back.

You may have a tumor on your brain, lets order an MRI…

So, you do have a tumor but its benign and its not thyroid related.

We don’t know.

We aren’t sure why you have Postpartum Preeclampsia but it is rare.

Your ears just have dermatitis, I’ll give you some ear drops for that.

We aren’t sure why your edema isn’t going away postpartum.

Lets run more tests….

I’m not sure what is wrong.

It sounds like its just stress.

 

One Medical Group | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

In a nutshell, the past 4+ years I have been in and out of doctors offices with very little answers. Granted,  I don’t think the doctors purposefully withheld information. I know they were genuinely trying to make me feel better. Its frustrating to go from doctor to doctor when you know something is wrong with you only to talk yourself into believe you’re just a hypochondriac and that what the doctors say is true and factual. I never once thought that I had to become my own doctor, do my own research or fight for my own health.

I just accepted what was given to me.

 

IV | The Sentimental Mama | Postpartum Health Series

My Wedding, Honeymoon and Pregnancy.

 

Now, the beginning of all of this can be dated back to days before my wedding. I got ill, recovered, got married and went on our honeymoon. The honeymoon continued to bring about ailments which follow through til post-honeymoon when the illnesses were reoccurring. The seriousness of it all was toward the end of 2012 when a simple allergy test at a naturopath, turned out to be a full blown “…you need Hormone Replacement Therapy.” “…you will never be able to get pregnant.” “…you will miscarry if you do.” Those words still sting even though my little man is here. Did I know then what was causing my blood levels to be out of wack? No. Did I believe the doctor then? No. So I left that office in tears and determined to get pregnant (and pissed how the “doctor” treated me.)

I became pregnant at the end of February 2013. Shortly thereafter, my pregnancy ailments began (which most of them are listed above.) Did I know then what was the cause of all of my issues? Nope. Did I think they were related to my issues around my wedding? Nope. Could they not have been? Sure, who knows… My pregnancy was not a pleasant time for me. It was difficult – it was hard and it was many many many doctors appointments.

Bed rest. Edema. Unable to walk. Pre-Term contractions. Short term disability.

And then out pops a baby with some special needs. I asked why our baby was born with CHD as well as some other issues with his palette but I was just reassured it was a fluke. Did I believe that then? Yep.

The Postpartum “Funk”

The first year of my sons life was a blur. I don’t remember much of it at all… This “memory loss” wasn’t memory loss at that time. It was “I’m a new Mom and that’s just what happens when you become a Mom. You loose your mind.” Did I accept that then? Yep.

I was having reoccurring issues with infections in my nailbeds both on my hands and on my feet. Not sure why that was happening at the time… But I just proceeded with healing myself and didn’t think anything of it. My fatigue continued. Depression set in. Motivation went out the door. And after all that even more small weird illnesses would come and go.

My immune system was shot. And at the time, I just attributed it to all the new germs of having a baby.

In 2015, I finally was able to remove what I initially thought was a callus on my right palm that I had for a few years and appeared to be growing. It was causing some pain and after the MRI it showed that it was indeed a tumor. Surgery commenced and a hemangioma (.4cm X .2cm) was removed off of my hand. When asked why my body created this tumor, the doctor just reassured me its a fluke thing that some bodies just do. Did I connect the dots then? Nope. I am just a severely flawed Mama.

2016 aka my worst year ever.

January 2016 was the beginning of the worst issues. I went our annual Sticker Chick cruise and got strangely ill on the ship. It wasn’t normal and I didn’t really feel sick. Once I returned home, the illness didn’t go away. I went to Urgent Care where they prescribed some antibiotics but based on my symptoms they had no idea what was wrong with me. It wasn’t adding up. Pulled copious amounts of blood for lab work which didn’t reveal much. The illness finally ran its course and I was done with that.

Or so I thought… it returned… Not once but twice. With no reasoning behind it either which was baffling with the doctors. It finally ended about a month after that. Now I was finally done with that illness and seemed to barely miss having to do a stool sample. (THANK GOD) The beginning part of 2016 was the most stressful time of my life personally, spiritually, emotionally. ALL OF IT. I agree that stress can do a number on a body but I just knew there was something wrong with me more so than just stress. “Could this be me just being a hypochondriac?” or was I on to something?

My New Symptoms in 2016:

  • Blurred vision
  • Floaters in my vision
  • Double vision
  • Headaches on the left side of my head.
  • My left eye felt as if it was swollen or had the feeling that it was popping out.
  • Sharp electric shock in my head while walking feeling faint.
  • Reoccurring sinus infections (I believe I had around 5 this year alone)
  • Reoccurring ear infections
  • My dermatitis on my scalp was the worst its ever been.
  • Fatigue was at its all time high
  • Short term memory loss also was at an all time high.
  • Brain fog was thick and heavy – the only way I can describe that is like I’m always on Benadryl.
  • I was waking up at random times throughout the night for no reason
  • I have random weird acne I never had issues with before
  • My breast pain became so severe I contemplated going to Urgent Care a few times but just thought I was crazy
  • Random shots of pain in my armpit areas
  • Abnormal rashes and acne around my breasts
  • Palpitations continued even mentioning to my doctor “it feels like its a nerve twitch under my implant”
  • Tremors continued at random times.
  • Change is smell. Some days it felt like I was smelling new smells for the first time all over again.
  • Headache on my left side continued.

Side note: a majority of my current issues are on the left side of my body. Tremors, palpitations, headaches, eye issues. It will be interesting to see if the Plastic Surgeon sees any differences while removing the implants.

My Symptoms Related to BII?

Now do I think ALL of these symptoms are related to my Breast Implants? Not sure. I would love to know. I would love to think that implants are safe and there aren’t any chemicals in them. But I can’t say that. What I can say is that I am not alone. There are ladies all over this planet going through identical illnesses that I am and they are racing over to an explant plastic surgeon. At the time of this post in our BII Facebook support group, there are 8,491 girls that are experiencing or know someone that is experiencing this illness. And this is just the beginning in my opinion.

So Here I am.

Baring all of my personal health issues to the world. It is with one hope that I share my story to help someone else. If you find my story relatable and think you too have Breast Implant Illness, research. Dig. Fight for your own health. You can start here:  Healing Breast Implant Illness And don’t forget to check back for my next post within this series. If you would like to follow my daily activity relating to my health, feel free to join me in my closed Facebook Group (for girls only) #FreeBresBoobies.

To get you back to the Postpartum Health Series main page click here.

Disclosure: Please note that I am NOT a doctor nor claim to be one. The above referenced post is purely informational purposes and opinion only. If you feel you are sick and have a health issue, please contact your doctor or other medical personnel. 

Bre. Geiger