Doctor won't allow an ultrasound

[BuddingBaker]

Not really AIBU but posting for traffic as I don't know what to do and hope anyone who has been in a similar situation can give me some advice.

I've got an 11 month old DD, still breastfeeding 2-3 times a day, sometimes more at night when she's teething and finished maternity leave October last year. DP and I want a second child close in age so were TTC over October, November and the very beginning of December. We stopped when I started feeling ill because urine tests were coming back negative and we don't want to start a pregnancy until I was better. Since the birth, I have had one period in August and cramps but no actual period in September.

So, for the last 12 weeks I have had what I would describe as morning sickness - nausea 24/7, very regular d&v (often waking at 4am to rush to the bathroom) and finding myself suddenly repulsed by a meal in the middle of eating it. In addition to this, I've also had periods of insomnia where I've slept about 2 hours a night for a 3 to 5 days or not even slept at all and I've been having very frequent mood swings, getting very frustrated at the tiniest things which is really not like me - I'm normally a very laid back person and have only ever been like this during my last pregnancy. In the last month or so I've also been finding that I'm am knackered pretty much all the time and it's not because of the baby, thankfully my DP only works 2 nights a week will always insist on taking her to let me get some sleep so I get plenty of rest but even after sleeping 10+ hours I find myself needing a couple naps during the day which again is not like me at all - both before and after DD I used to get about 5 or 6 hours a night and that would be more than enough.

More recently over the last two weeks my boobs have been getting quite tender and I've been feeling flutters or spasms in my belly. My allergies are more sensitive and I cant seem to get comfortable in bed, often waking with backache - both of which I had pretty much throughout my last pregnancy.

The nausea and d&v have been so bad that I've been off work since this started, and I first went to the GP 2 later because it hadn't eased off. First thing they asked was am I pregnant, have I done a test. I told them I'd done a few and all negative so had bloods taken to check hCG levels. Came back as

The NHS is clearly not going to fund an Ultrasound Scan for you when you're obviously not pregnant, no matter how much you've tried to convince yourself you are.

Your only option to stop this is save up and get a private scan. Your 'symptoms' could be being caused by many different things that are far more plausible.

You need to make another appointment with your gp and tell him your concerns and request bloods for a hormone imbalance and potentially cancer. If these are normal then request a scan. You may or may not receive one based the criteria of the scanning department which is why your gp hasn’t yet requested one. They get into trouble for referring patients who do not make the criteria but persistent symptoms which have not resolved should warrant further investigations whatever these maybe. Your gp is the only one who can organise this and I wouldn’t pay to go private as the scan you pay for may not be the scan you need.
It is unfair of other people to comment on your financial situation. I hope you get the answers you are looking for even though this may take time.

OP, if you ring your doctors do they give blood results over the phone? If so, ask them if you’ve already had the CA125 test. That might save another visit/conversation with the GP and rule out another avenue.

In terms of the pregnancy thing - clearly it’s exceptionally unlikely but you’ve got it in your head now. It’s also clear that you’re not going to get a scan on the NHS so you either need to find a way to get some money now to pay for a private scan, or wait til you get paid.

Either way, I think seeing a different GP, listing all your symptoms clearly and dispassionately without any reference to possible pregnancy and stating that this cannot continue and you need them to not fob you off with suggestions of google and walking would be sensible. Be assertive and take someone in with you who can advocate for you if necessary.

Ignoring ant potential pregnancy, I would be seriously concerned at the disregard your GP has shown for the snow by of times and the time period in which you are vomiting. Whatever the outcome, I hope this is sorted for you soon! X

Haven’t read the whole thread (too much work to do) but it sounds to me like your mind is convincing you that you’re pregnant because you don’t want to return to work. Some kind of anxiety about returning to work. You know that a pregnancy means you won’t be going into that environment so your mind is “joining the dots” and convincing you that you are pregnant.

Strange friends you are/have that you run into them out of the blue and immediately go into huge depth about symptoms. They can’t be that good friends or you would have known about their story at the time and been there to support them through that cryptic pregnancy, if the story is true (which I doubt - it’s too convenient).

Can’t afford a private scan but wanting to bring another child into the world? I have no words...

I agree with @MatildaTheCat

Assuming your GPhas ruled out all physical causes you really need to consider psychosomatic causes for your pregnancy symptoms. Honestly, if you read a bit around this it’s astonishing what the mind can trick you into believing. This is NOT the same as making something up.

You sound very ambivalent about your workplace and your wish to be there at all and completely convinced that you are pregnant- at this point I’m not even sure a scan would reassure you. You’d be back on here asking if scans were completely reliable.

Start to open your mind to NOT being pregnant, or indeed ill and possibly take your doctors advice and go for a walk and focus on being well.

Finally, I once was sure I was pregnant after having a Mirena coil inserted and having no periods. I did several tests and was CERTAIN I could feel fetal movements. I couldn’t because I wasn’t pregnant. The brain is very, very powerful

Private scan??!

Ovarian cyst? Certain types of cyst produce pregnancy symptoms and would need a trans vaginal ultrasound to diagnose.

Would your stool samples have been checked for a Giardia infection?

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/giardia-infection/symptoms-causes/syc-20372786

I have polycystic ovarian syndrome and get all of those symptoms and then some. My first I only took two weeks to concieve. We started trying 1 Yr after ds was born.. I had all the symptoms but turns out my overies were playing silly beggers. 5yrs later out pops child no 2, then 7yrs after that child 3 and finally 4 yrs later last one. Went to be scanned for sterilisation and I'd gone into hyper fertility with 10 eggs on one side and 7 on the other... Good job I didn't let the muppet touch me after that.

Can’t you use your savings to pay for a scan? If you were previously paying £500 a month into your savings you must have a significant amount?

Why would you believe a friend that you need a scan over a qualified medical professional who has examined you and done tests?

Have you made any dietary changes? I started eating quorn products and got very similar symptoms until I managed to work out why. I’d do a food diary and look for any changes.

Ruling that out I’d be considering hysterical or phantom pregnancy.

I’m sorry you are feeling poorly and suggest making some plans (plans you couldn’t do if you were pregnant or had a newborn) to look forward to while you are not ttc to take your mind off things.

Also I’m a little confused. Are you off work due to the sickness or because you’re scared of injury if pregnant?

I’m sorry I just re read and saw your off work because of your sickness.

I’d try heading back to work if I were you, if it is hysterical or phantom pregnancy it would be good to take your mind off things.

Could you trial going back for a day and if you become very sick just come home? Your not contagious so no risk to others

I've arranged to go back to work next week for three days and my manager is very aware that I'm still getting d&v a couple times a week and may have to have time off because of it - policy is cant work until no d&v for 48 hours and as I dont have a diagnosis they have to stick to this even though it isnt contagious. Been trying to get an appointment with a different doctor but I've been pretty busy today and havent got through so I'll try again first thing Monday.

Just to be clear, DPs friend is a qualified nurse he used to work with at the hospital until he left about 2 years ago, after which the friend found out they were expecting. DP doesnt use facebook or text much and isnt great at staying in contact with people hence why he didnt know about this at the time. DP and I are both very frank about symptoms and healthcare etc with people we work with/have worked with so it's not at all unusual for DP to tell his friend about my sickness when asked how we are.

As for my finances, I'm guessing some people arent reading the whole thread but I have explained them enough times. Please just read back through what I've said before telling me I shouldn't have a baby because I cant afford a private scan this month.

I think phantom pregnancy is definitely worth looking into. I have had all my results over the phone and definitely havent been tested for CA125 test so will absolutely ask for one, as well as some of the other tests that have been suggested. Thank you for your advice and support!

I just want to add that I dont think I have convinced myself of a pregnancy, just at the time of writing this post I thought it was the only likely option as, from what the doctor had said, all likely possibilities had been explored and tested for, coming back negative. I'm not that knowledgeable about ovarian cysts, cancer and the like so it hadnt crossed my mind but I've been given a lot of things to consider here and do agree that it needs looking into further and there are a few possible explanations. Either way, pregnancy or no I'm just getting a bit fed up with the ongoing sickness and just want to find out what's wrong.

As suggested, I'm going to write out a list of the symptoms I've been having, when they started and how frequent they are to give to a different doctor. I'll get a list of the tests I've had done from the surgery too so I can keep track as I've had so many I'm struggling to remember all of them.

I know, @Schuyler - utterly baffling.

And going back to the surgery with lists of symptom and asking for ovarian cancer etc scans is likely to get the same response

Any update OP?

Any update?

Did you get an update OP?

In 2012 I went to my GP and told him I felt pregnant and as I had been pregnant 5 times I definately knew how I felt pregnant. Showed him that my lower abdomen had started to protrude a lot and I looked 5/6 months pregnant.

I was asked if there was any possibility I could be pregnant. I had to explain absolutely no way after he hand me a pot to pee in!
I hadn’t had any of that kind of fun for nearly 11 months as I was single and one of my children had recently been diagnosed with a brain tumour. So absolutely no time to have any ‘fun’

He just looked at me and asked me to go to the bathroom to pee in the pot! I was 33 why would I lie about not getting any action! I dutifully came back with warm sample 😂
He tested it and said ‘no you aren’t pregnant’
No shit Sherlock - unless It was the immaculate conception of course there was no way I could be.

He then told me that as women get older and have had multiple children there stomachs start to stick out more and was part of life. That I could try exercise and gave me the practice exercise leaflet.
He then asked to feel my stomach and then said ‘oooh may be due to my Crohns it was excessive wind and constipation.

He gave me laxatives, painkillers, anti sickness tablets and exercise sheet.
Which I actually found funny as I was in the midst of a massive uncontrolled Crohn's flare and weighed little over 7st and only 5Ft! So this protruding stomach looked like an egg under my dress.

Told me to come back in 8 weeks if nothing changed.

A week later I made an emergency appt and got a locum GP. Who after listening to my tales of I feel pregnant, I look pregnant and feel pregnant, terrible sickness, large veiny leaking boobs etc and all the other lovely aspects of pregnancy.
She believed I wasnt lying about the immaculate conception and told me she would take bloods and that rather than book for practice nurses to do it on another day, she would do it there and then. She told me it was CA125 and as I was very young she was only doing it for completeness alongside the rest of my blood tests. Told me not to worry about it and to ring the surgery at the end of the week for results. Then booked me in for an appointment on the results day to discuss next step.
Didn’t even know what the test was for etc.. had other stuff going on.
Was at work teaching the following day and received a call during my lunch break.
Was the GP telling me a scan had been booked for me that teatime and an appointment on oncology for the day after that. As my CA125 had come back showing a high reading and indicated ovarian cancer.
I had surgery to remove the 10 days from her taking my blood sample.
I do believe I owe her my life as the other gp wasn’t taking me seriously at all.

But to the OP... if I had been Having bedroom gymnastics, I would probably have felt and believed I was pregnant. As I looked it and felt. That was because of the rumour on and in my ovary messing with my hormones.
All pregnancy symptoms ended within a couple of days of surgery

So I would definitely ask for the CA125, it’s an antibody year to ovarian cancer cells

Hope you have found out what’s going on as I was really invested in your thread

Hello what did it end up being ? My mom has ibs and I doubt preg with no hcg is very rare and all blood etc but hope ur ok

Last 2 days I’ve had bad tummy cramps along with diarrhoea. I suffer from ibs and haven’t had a flare up since being pregnant and I’m now 29 weeks! I’m now not able to go to the toilet and (disgustingly) there is only mucus. I read on Google that this isn’t normal and I’m now worried but I was sure it was an ibs flare up! Has anyone who’s pregnant or been pregnant gone through this??

@SaladandGravy This thread is 2 years old.

@Clo2022 Maybe start your own thread as everyone will be answering the original OP and not see your question.

Hi all,

We are closing this thread as it is over 2 years old. Please feel free to start a new thread.

Best,
MNHQ