I’m a consultant gynaecologist - AMA

[quince2figs]

I have worked in a variety of settings - hospital obstetrics and gynaecology incl labour ward, PMS and menopause, currently community contraception and unplanned pregnancy services, NHS and non. Ask away!

Thank you so much for your reply!! I totally missed it the other day, just saw it now. You are very generous to give your time like this.

Penetrative sex not painful, only the orgasm itself (also this is a masturbation issue since I'm single and have only had sex once since giving birth ). My periods are not painful at all now, they used to be flooringly so, but now completely painless and very very heavy.

Have functional pelvic floor problem identified and am starting physio in August- a recent ultrasound of my uterus showed nothing anatomically wrong.

Guess it's just something I have to live with 🤷🏼‍♀️

Very late to this (fantastic) thread. Thank you so much for giving your time like this, OP!

I'm not sure if you've covered this already (apologies if so) but wondering if you could shed any light on the issues I'm having?

I saw my GP yesterday and he has referred me for an ultrasound to investigate possible fibroids (going to take weeks to get that hospital appointment, though ). He was reluctant to refer to a gynaecologist at this stage, and I cant afford to go private, but I really feel like there is something wrong.

Periods have been getting increasingly heavy over the past year, and it has got to the point where I am soaking through a tampon and towel every hour. I 'flood' really badly, which is difficult to manage (especially at work). My lower abdomen is very swollen and bloated and has been like this for about 6 months. I'm also 'spotting' throughout the months and have been for several months. No pain at al though (thankfully) and my period are still regular (I'm 41). Last smear test was 12 months ago and was fine.

The pretty much constant bleeding and then the very heavy periods are really affecting my life and I feel like my GP just thinks I'm being a dramatic wuss . is there anything I should be doing or pushing for with my doctor? Or is it just a case of waiting for the ultrasound?

Thank you

@MsJacksonIfUrNasty Unfortunatly @teainbed has ruined this thread and the OP is no longer answering questions x

teainbed what an epic twat you are.

Thank you so much for your time and replies op.

For those asking about scans for bone mineral density, there is an online tool called frax developed by the university of Sheffield (comes up if you Google) that you can use to see if it would be worth having a scan. I'm a health care professional and use it for a different patient group but think it is self explanatory enough to do yourself...

@MrsJacksonlfUrNasty I would wait for the ultrasound - mine was done in a matter of weeks with results to my GP a few days later. It was the gynaecologist appt. after that took months, but if you saw one now you’d still need an ultrasound first.

Having the Mirena coil fitted can help with periods - stopped mine totally, and if you do have fibroids you can get stuff to shrink them (the Mirena is supposed to help with fibroids too but didn’t for me)

@teainbed What a moron. Hope you don't work front line with anyone vulnerable. Probably someone great at dotting the I's and crossing the t's but always missing the point of it all. Caring and thoughtful, not.

Thankyou op. We are forever grateful not just for sharing your knowledge but also showing us there are still consultants out there worth trying to find. All the best

@quince2figs if you’re still reading, thanks for taking the time to do this thread. As a peri menopausal woman with (for now) bearable symptoms, it has caused me take time to look into my options in more depth. Just because I’m coping, doesn’t mean I have to accept the status quo, so I’m seriously considering HRT and avidly reading up about it.

Thank you for empowering me to take some positive action.

Nice one @teainbed
What did you do that for? Happy now? Fucking atrocious, I despair.

Really sorry to hear the OP has been driven away. What a helpful thread and how wonderful of her to take the time out to talk to other women about such crucial but rarely discussed issues .

Thanks Over50. I guess it is just wait for the ultrasound and see! I have been paranoid about ovarian cancer deep down...but GP didn’t even mention it as a possibility...

@Vickyyyy I have the same problem. I’m actually seeing physio for it. Don’t do surgery anymore, not at first anyway. Also if you are younger they are less inclined to try surgery as it can be sorted without. I’ve been given exercises to do (with I haven’t fully kept to but I really should try more) and then she will examine me and go from there. She also advised against straining as it makes it more difficult and doesn’t help. I see her again in a few days.

If I had my ovaries removed after persistent painful cysts (that have been checked), would this mean going straight into menopause? I'm 48. Thank you for the thread; it's extremely interesting.

@babypossum I'm facing the same - look at quince2figs' answers to me as they may help

Plus I am taliking about it here & here

hth

Thanks Katy, I'll take a look.

This thread has been amazing and I'm v grateful to OP for answering my question. Is there anyway this thread can be saved for ever so we have access to the information?

What are your thoughts on pelvic congestion syndrome? I have extremely painful ovulation that lasts around a week in the middle of my cycle (am assuming it’s related to ovulation!) it always goes away again and returns mid cycle every month, no problems with periods not particularly heavy or painful. The mid cycle pain though is sometimes debilitating, it’s like a constant heavy ache, hurts to sit down or if I move too quickly. The consultant said most likely pelvic congestion which I had never heard of, he put me on the mini pill for three months which did help quite a lot but made me bleed every day for those three months, he did not have another solution as he said the coil would probably have the same effect and pelvic congestion wasn’t dangerous so we just left it but it’s making me miserable!

Hi,

I know OP is no longer here but I was wondering if anyone could advise please. I seem to have classic symptoms of endometriosis and the consultant has booked me in for a laparoscopy. I had a vaginal ultrasound which came back clear. I said to the consultant that I wanted a MRI before laparoscopy because I have a young child and don't have any support for a recovery. He said I couldn't have both. I could have a MRI but if showed clear, I wouldn't be offered a laparoscopy (this was at a private hospital paid by the NHS). Should I push for a MRI? Also those of you have had a laparoscopy, how was the recovery? I am a bit scared tbh.

Hi quince I just wanted to let you know that your AMA has been an absolute godsend. I went to see my GP and was prescribed Femoston. Without this thread I would have ambled on feeling crap and suffering uncomfortable vaginal symptoms. Furthermore I would be continuing to feel anxious and depressed.
I can't tell you how wonderful you really are. If I knew you IRL I would want to take you out for a drink (probably not allowed for patient to professional contact!!) and I would be writing a letter to senior management telling them what a fantastic professional and life saver you are.
Thank you with all my heart

I just want to follow up on my post of 11July 2018 regarding my hysteroscopy and the gynocologist saying my uterus was filled with an enormous fibroid and no need for a follow up appointmentplus plus the dismissive attitude of my GP over years.
It turned out that the biopsy showed a very aggressive cancer so I had a complete hysterectomy and removal of some lymph nodes the following month, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy (just completed 9 months later) Unfortunately I've had a recurrence in my lungs so I've now been reclassified as incurable.

My message is don't ignore any pmb
especially if you've had a number of investigations for it over the years. I didn't ignore it but was made to feel I was making a fuss.

I'm really sorry to hear that nanini

@quince2figs
Hi OP. I don't know if you're still around but I have a question if you are!

I have a Mirena Coil for various reasons. It has been life changing for me.
Anyway,my question is... It has completely stopped my periods thank God but will I have a normal menopause and will I know when it's happening and have all the other symptoms as obviously I won't be able to tell from lack of periods?

Hi
I had a smear which found abnormal cells in 2008 (CIN1)
They were sorted via LLETZ.
All smears since have not found any evidence of abnormal cells (the letter is very carefully worded - it doesn't say that there aren't any abnormal cells, just that they haven't found any )
Anyway, this time round, they've change the test so they only check the actual cells if they find HPV. And they didn't find HPV.

So, does that mean that I had HPV in 2008 and that's what caused the abnormal cells and the HPV is now gone?
Or that I had abnormal cells even though I didn't have HPV?
Which would presumably mean that the new process won't ever get to the stage where they find the abnormal cells if I don't have HPV?
(if you see what I mean)

btw - thanks, this has been the most useful AMA ever !!

I'm off to gynae in a few weeks actually for something separate to this but is it worth me pushing for possible solutions to other, ongoing issues?

Since I started my periods they've been messed up - long gaps in between, ridiculously short gaps in between, very heavy, very cranky etc. I have a son by IVF because of PCOS (I'm very lucky!!)

I guess after 24 years, I'm just fed up with it all - never knowing when to expect a period, never knowing what it'll be like when it does come. Not being able to plan things around my period or being able to plan for it. GP tried the mini pill at the start of the year but that caused more periods not less and had me feeling poorly during them too which isn't usual for me.

Anyway, after spending years being told there's nothing can be done, is it even worth me trying to discuss with gynae when I go or should I just get the thing if been referred to sorted and accept there's nothing can be done??

Hi thanks for doing this thread!

Fed up of PMT or PMS! 12/10 days before I'm due on I worry about anything and can feel very anxious. I can literally make a mountain out of a mole hill. My GP has put me on 20mg of Fluoxetine and I think this is a normal dose. Will I have this literally until I stop having periods?! I'm 36 and my mum had periods into her 50's!!! Hoping I don't follow suit. She also had PMT/S!
Is there anything you recommend or how I can help myself?!
Thanks