Please help me because the NHS won’t

[Draculaswetdream]

I have been bleeding heavily and continuously from my vagina for 40 days. I am 32, I have PCOS and my last episode of continuous bleeding was after my son was born in 2021 and I bled for 16 months non stop. That eventually resolved itself and I fell into normal cycles (35ish day cycles for me normally, period last between 4 and 7 days).

My PCOS does not cause continuous bleeding for me, it causes the occasional very long cycle and sometimes cycles where I don’t ovulate.

I contacted my GP 2 weeks ago and got a phone appointment with a phone GP service a week later which I attended, and he sent me for a blood test because I am anaemic. This blood test has confirmed I am severely anaemic (HB is at 8.1) and yet instead of thinking ‘shit we need to find out why and stop this woman bleeding’ the action plan from my GP has been to prescribe me iron tablets and leave it at that (I am already taking iron tablets unprescribed and have been for 4 weeks because I’m not an idiot and knew I was having a bad period and would need topping up. This was before the period didn’t stop). I also have trans something acid which is supposed to stop the bleeding but I have repeatedly expressed that this is not working to the GP’s.

Today, I very suddenly flooded through a pair of heavy duty period pants and a maternity pad (I wear this combination 24/7 at the moment) and ruined an office chair at work. Totally saturated it and left a saturated patch about 20cm in diameter.

I have been to the GP’s 8 times about heavy periods and twice in the last 40 days, and have not been offered any further investigations like a scan despite insisting this is not normal for me. They appear to be convinced this is PCOS related.

Are there any medical people on here who can advise me how to navigate the system here? It feels like they’re content to just leave me like this but I think something is really wrong with me.

If you decide to go to A&E (or not) - and I know I've said this before - but go onto 111 and see what the recommendation is on there for your symptoms. At least then if you should go to A&E then they can book you an appointment there and you can avoid waiting. And if 111 tell you to be seen by a GP today, you can use that as leverage to make sure you are seen today! And if that doesn't work 111 will make sure you're seen anyway by out of hours.

BTW I saw your earlier message about North Staffs being very dismissive at A&E unless you're basically dying. Well all I can say is sometimes you need to be the biggest pain in the arse in the room - you're within your rights to stay until they have eased your symptoms or you have a plan for further urgent care. They need to check how you are now and I really wouldn't be walking out of there again until the bleeding has been stemmed.

Ring 111 and then (if they refer you about suspect) to A&E, get down there.

You might want to avoid it - but not sure what other options you have? Try some different tablets prescribed by a GP who may see you this side of Christmas? (I might be projecting my own dealings with my GP here, but you know what I mean). Or get a referral for some time next summer?

You can’t just passively say I have bleeding, I’m bleeding really badly, but I don’t want to do something that will solve the problem.

I would suggest this does come under the Emergency part of a&e.

My GP came back to me on my online triage form and sent me straight to an and e, which is where I am now sitting on a blue flat pad to avoid ruining any more chairs today.

Glad you're there, hope they can help you!

I stopped at Tesco on the way and stocked up on drinks and snacks and trashy mags to read and I am not moving until they do help me so it might be a long night.

I presented at a and e, they have sent me to the attached out of hours GP service who have done my blood pressure and stuff and taken a urine sample, which was bright red and had a massive clot in it (unavoidable). I gave the sample to the nurse (who’d already taken a full history and had my form from the GP’s earlier today in front of her) who helpfully commented on my bright red urine ‘oh that looks like it’s got blood in it’… I had to laugh otherwise I’d have burst into tears.

I really hope that they can help you and that it's the start of you actually getting the longterm help you need

Oh @Draculaswetdream I know that's not where you want to be but I salute you for stocking up beforehand! What kind of mags have you got?

I hope you don't mind the collective mitherings of MN but I guess when MN and the doctor and 111 all agree... it's the only answer. Really hope they are able to help, and good on you being determined to stay there til you do xx

We're here for you whilst you wait in A&E. Awful. But at the same time probably for the best. I like your attitude right now.

I’m not budging until they help me so figured if I’m going to launch a siege I needed supplies

I wanted to go through my GP first because they know my history and were less likely to give a blanket ‘go to an and e’ message if they truly didn’t think I needed it. It was my doctor who reviewed my form and said I need to be here which gave me almost the validation to come? I hate using NHS resources unless absolutely needed but in this case I think they’re right and I actually do need some intervention.

Oh god OP just so many hugs xx

I'm so confused as to why A&E sent you to the bloody Gp?!

when something like this happened to me I was sent to the EPU/Gynecology upstairs in the hospital.. 😟

Make sure you are very vocal! (I may “whine” constantly repeating that I cannot go home like this I am worried/scared or both over and over like a broken record till the doctor gives in 🤣).

Also, have you been supplementing your iron, folate, B12, vit C and protein consumption as of recent?
Btw, you should be on high dose folic acid anyways if TTC and have PCOS. This is prescribed by the GP and is 5mg (regardless of what your folate values are).

I believe I’ve read somewhere that if you’re low on iron your body may make you bleed even more weirdly.

I hope all goes well xx

I’ve had a wobble and a bit of a cry when I first arrived but that’s done now and my big girl pants are firmly hoiked so I’m ready to properly fight if I need to. I shouldn’t need to, obviously but we are where we are.

If it were me and there's a long wait, I'd let myself bleed all over the chairs just to really make the point. Of course you might not want to go that far, but it's just a thought.

It’s an out of hours GP service attached to the an a and e, they assess you here and send you on to where you need to go. It’s like the first stage of an and e but a bit quicker to get through usually. Some people can get treatment here rather than needing to go anywhere else which I imagine helps waiting times.

Where are you now? I don't under A&E sending you to out of hours GP.

Cross Post that makes a bit more sense.

I’ve only got a limited amount of spare period pants with me so don’t want to burn through them, currently on 2 of 5. I wear a massive maternity pad inside them and change the pad. The pants are my back stop in case of flooding but if I only wore the pants they’d last less than an hour I reckon.

@Draculaswetdream At the very least don't throw any of the used pads away from now on. You can then show them when you're finally seen. Don't leave without a resolution. Don't go home without treatment for the bleeding and it being properly addressed, otherwise (as you can point out) you'll just be coming back.

Yeah I won’t, I also picked up 300 nappy sacks from Tesco when I went so I’ll just bag them and keep them for when I’m seen.

And keep a clean one so they can weigh how much blood you’ve lost since arriving

This is great advice, thank you I hadn’t thought of that. Still waiting to see the doctor.. I’m starting to doubt this ‘it will be quicker than a and e’ lark… running low on pads, 2 of 5 remaining.

Is there a long wait? Reception should be able to tell you.

Just asked for more pads and she’s given me mahoosive maternity ones which is great. I’m 3rd on the list apparently. I have had a new blue sheet pad for the chair too, ruined the last one so I’m glad I asked for one. The chairs are those slippy leather ones but light coloured and I bet it would have stained it. I’m becoming quite the expert on what upholstery stains and what doesn’t sadly.

Hi OP glad to hear that you've been sent to the hospital! Fingers crossed they do some tests. Have you had an ultrasound previously? I had prerty much the same symptoms and they discovered a large fibroid I'm my uterus. I lost that much blood that I passed out, had to go to hospital in an ambulance and then have a blood transfusion (whilst on holiday 🙈) so they can be really pesky little things. Good luck and keep us posted x

No, no ultrasound yet although I’ve been referred for one by my own GP. A fibroid or polyps is my working theory. I’ve decided not to mention PCOS while I’m here. It’s on my notes if they want to know more but I’m not mentioning it if they don’t because I want them to actually investigate rather than writing it off as PCOS related. Happy for that to be the cause once they rule everything else out.