Hi,
just posting as something happened yesterday and I’ve been feeling very down and upset.
so i have been diagnosed with PCOS & it’s quite severe, ive had this since I was 16. Ive also been told by endocrinologist and other professionals i have strong suspected endometriosis & this could definitely be why im having awful pelvic and lower back pain, bleeding heavily from the back passage on my monthlies etc.
i saw a woman gynaecologist from a referral of my GP a couple months ago. She was nice enough and agreed saying that she could confirm it with a laparoscopy if I got my BMI down but she was helpful enough & said we would follow up in 6 months. She did other things like prescribe hormonal contraception & say there would be follow up however she was a bit funny and said a bizarre phrase “lots of young women do like to use endometriosis as a fashion statement”. I turned round and said “what? I don’t choose to be in this much pain everyday”
anyways, that was that.
now, this is the main thing….
I called the gynae place and got an appointment before the 6 months as my pelvic pain has got so severe- I feel sick from pain and it’s just ruining my life. The receptionist offered me an appointment very soon and I asked if this was with the same lady gynaecologist. I was told yes.
I attend my appointment & im led to a room by a nice enough nurse. Straight away it’s an older male gynaecologist and not the woman but I look past that. I say hello as I walk towards the patient chair. He ignored me. Hes sat up giving me the dirtiest look. He leans towards me and goes “Whats the problem today how can I help?”
he doesn’t have my notes up or anything and as im explaining the pain, the situation etc Hes nodding and looking very bored. Then when I’ve finished explaining he says “the pain couldn’t have got worse. PCOS is just immature follicles it doesn’t cause any pain. What I think is happening here is this is referred pain - your problem is back pain because you’re overweight. What is your BMI?”
he didn’t even have my notes or BMI up and he was staring in disgust as I walked in.
Yes i am overweight but I’ve lost weight and my BMI has gone down a bit and I wasn’t helping my case appearance wise by wearing a big baggy hoodie but I don’t think it’s acceptable to talk to patients like that? This man was judging me straight off appearance it seems and wasn’t willing to help. I stayed calm and explained that the pain is all over my pelvic area and bikini line and he just dismissed me and said “it’s referred from your back you need to lose weight i dont know why you’ve come or what you want me to do”. He also said “ I can give you the mirena coil to stop the periods” but I explained I wanted to get to the bottom of the pain and I had only just got my periods back with medication.
he then proceeded to keep fat shaming and dismissing me so I calmly said “Thank you so much I’ll find someone who can help me”
then as I was walking towards the door out of the office he was laughing snarkily and in a nasty manner. The nurse looked quite taken aback and upset. I feel so humiliated and down- I had to go straight to bed for hours as I felt so depressed and defeated. It’s put me off going to the doctors ever again. I know im overweight but I’ve lost weight with metformin even if it was just a bit and ive never been treated like this really by doctors.
im in so much pain and painkillers have now stopped working. Mefenamic acid was amazing and really helped then as my pain got worse over the past 3 days or so it’s stopped working. I also explained this to male gynaecologist I saw and he said “maybe it worked before but it’s stopped working now this is probably to do with your weight”
this medicine worked like a treat less than a month ago….
:( :( just feel so down and in pain now
does anyone have any experience like this? Just feel we don’t get taken seriously at all especially with women’s health
:( dont know what to do next