I have a long history with the gynaecology department at my local hospital.
I have suffered with period problems since they first started at the age of 12 and in my 20's things got worse (very heavy periods and very painful ovulation). I had a D&C at the age of 26 (which didn't help at all) and was told my issues were just one of those things. It then took over 6 years to get pregnant and after having my two dc in my 30's my periods became simply awful. I was experiencing 8 -10 day periods, flooding, passing huge clots and would suffer from very painful ovulation for a full week (would hurt just to sit down). Alongside this I have always had an awfully functioning digestive system which dominates my life.
Since 2013 I saw my gynaecologist every year for some procedure or consultation. I have endured 5 painful hysteroscopies to remove recurring and multiple uterine polyps and one procedure in day surgery for the stubborn polyps he could not get to during a hysteroscopy. Always told the procedures would help but they didn't at all. By 2022 I was so anaemic that I needed iron infusions and so I then opted for a uterine ablation. I asked my gynaecologist lots of questions before the procedure and was happy that it was a good option for me as I trusted him.
The ablation went well and worked in the sense that it stopped my bleeding but I have simply exchanged heavy periods for such very painful ones. At the end of 2023 I went back to see my gynae and asked for a MRI as I was concerned about the amount of pain I was expereincing during each period. I was told to take pain killers and there was probably nothing to worry about.
Results came back with deep endometriosis and diffuse adenomyosis (I was 50 at the time). I was not at all surprise as my sister was diagnosed with endo in her mid 40's. I had explained this to my gynae in the past but he did not think my issues were endo related and I trusted his opinion. But now I learn that I had endo all along and apparently the adenomyosis has been caused by the uterine ablation forcing the endo into the walls of my uterus. I am still very upset that it had taken decades to find this out.
However, my gynae is not an endo specialist, so at the end of 2023 he referred me over to the endo team at the same hospital (it's an endometriosis specialist hospital, apparently!).
I saw the endo consultant in May last year. I will be honest, I did not warm to this man at all, he has a reputation for being very brusque/off hand and this is exactly how I found him to be. He talked over me the whole time, I tried to ask if my decades long digestive issues could be related to my gynae problems and he shut me down instantly, waving his hand in my face and telling me we were not here to discuss such things he's a gynae not a gastro. He was also not interested when I mentioned that I have awful pain during each period due to the failed uterine ablation, basically giving me the impression that as he did not perform the op he was not interested and I should take it up with the hospital I went to, when I explained it was the same gynae department he just shrugged. He then placed me on a waiting list for a laparoscopy which I am still on (it is approx. 18 months wait).
However, the pain I am experiencing during each period because of the ablation is awful. I recently telephoned the hospital and asked for a scan to check what is going on but I had to see the consultant first so was given an appointment last week. I saw him on Friday but found him to be even more off hand. I held my own in the consulting room but tbh bawled my eyes out when I got back to my car from the sheer frustrations from talking to a doctor who has zero bedside manner (and being in perimenopause doesn't help with my emotions). This man will be performing my laparoscopy some time this year and tbh I don't want him to do it however experienced and skilled he may be. I mentioned on my local endo FB group about my frustrations (not mentioning his name) and several women commented with their story and mentioned the same consultant so they have obviously had issues with this him too (the post was taken down unfortunately as his name had been mentioned which I understand but I was unable to find out what the other women did in this situation).
Sorry that it is a long thread but I am not one for complaining but I really don't want to be under the care of this man, I am very apprehensive about going in for more surgery since the ablation was such a disaster and I would like a consultant who understands my concerns and one who does not talk over me, doesn't allow me to answer back and someone who will go through all of my queries without making me feel small. It's not too much to ask, is it? I will have to go through PALS won't I? I hate complaining but what else can I do?