Getting her life back– how one woman took control of her period.

“I was canceling plans and not making plans… I just assumed everybody’s periods were like this,”  – Kimberly

After several exhausting years of dealing with a period that was affecting her personal, professional, and social life, Kimberly needed answers. She needed options. She needed her life back.

In this episode, Kimberly shares the moment she hit her breaking point. She describes how a 30-minute doctor visit with a 2-minute procedure reduced her once debilitating and calendar-dictating menstrual cycle to a light period.

Kimberly suffered from Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB) and put it on the back burner for years. While many think of AUB in singular terms of heavy or excessive bleeding, Kimberly also experienced bloating, irregular periods, missing meetings, and sadness–all of which manifested a limiting lifestyle and emotional stress.

A busy working mom with three children, Kimberly didn’t get the answers she needed early on. She assumed that what she was experiencing was just a heavy period.

However, with the right treatment, she went from carrying an oversized bag stuffed with super-plus tampons and pads to a fun little clutch purse.

Listen in as our Uterine Health Clinical Educators, Katie Carranza, RN, BSN and Shelly Spicer, RN, BSN, ask challenging questions that women with AUB want answers to. They empower Kimberly to share openly about her experience in hopes that her story will inspire others to get the answers they need sooner than she did.

Get tips on where to start, the questions to ask, and how to find a healthcare provider that will present all options, including minimally invasive treatments.

This is not just another period podcast–we know women are busy, so we get right to it.

It’s time to talk, period.

In this podcast:

  • Understanding Symptoms- Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB)
  • Empowering women to openly discuss and be their own advocate
  • Questions women can ask their healthcare provider
  • Diagnosing AUB
  • Finding a gynecologist who will present ALL treatment options
  • Minimally invasive treatments (endometrial ablation)
  • Kimberly’s choice of treatment and what her procedure involved
  • Advice to women experiencing symptoms of AUB

4 Steps to  Peace of Mind:

Our Time to Talk Period co-hosts, Shelly and Katie, remind you that you are unique but not alone! ALL women get periods, all women have to get pelvic exams, and one in three women will experience Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB1).

Not everyone has a problematic condition, but knowing more about your body will bring you peace of mind! These four simple steps can take you from being stressed to set-free!

  1. Take the Period Quiz. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB) is a condition with a variety of causes, and those with AUB bleed about three times more than those who don’t. This 6-question quiz uncovers information about your period, and identifies whether you may have symptoms of AUB.
  2. Make that Appointment! It doesn’t matter if you’ve delayed seeing a physician for a year, two, or more! You’ve come this far and owe it to yourself to make that appointment. Take the quiz results with you to start the conversation. As Shonna Bates, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, explained in our previous episode, the women’s health office is a no-judgement zone! We are all in this together!
  3. Ask Questions. Ask questions, listen, then ask more questions. It’s important that you feel comfortable asking hard questions that help you and your provider get to the root of the symptoms you are experiencing.
  4. Empower other Women! You are the best advocate for the women in your life. Encourage the women you know who experience problematic periods to get talking, get into their GYN for a checkup, and get answers! Share the information you’ve learned and share this podcast.

Minerva Surgical is thankful to host a podcast where women of all backgrounds can come together and talk openly and honestly. We’ll bring new perspectives each month and hope you will be with us on our journey to empower women!

1. Spencer CP, Whitehead MI. Endometrial Assessment Re-visited. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1999 Jul;106(7):623-32. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1999.tb08358.x. PMID: 10428515.

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