Just before covid kicked off, I had been having excruciating pains in my lower abdomen. I had the instinct that it was gynae related, seeing as I had a double period that month.
I made an appointment to see the first available GP and it was a male who I had seen before in the past.
Straight away I felt he dismissed me and continued to explain I had bowel spasms. I suggested it could be gynae hence the double period but he said no, it was bowel spasms and prescribed me naproxen. He said if things didn't improve next week to go back and see him.
The naproxen made me severely constipated to the point only a suppository helped. I looked pregnant because i was so badly constipated.
I went back the next week and told him this and he said "ok, doesn't appear to be bowel spasms then". He done an examination of my tummy and when I said the pains were lower down he said "that's interesting, it seems it's a inguinal hernia. I then went on about gynae and he asked if I was pregnant. I said no and he then said "well how do you know, have you taken a test?" I said no but had bled twice that month. He then got me to provide a urine sample and confirmed I wasn't pregnant and ruled out ectopic pregnancy there. He told me he believed it was a hernia and to keep at the naproxen. I refused as I had to remind him how constipated I was with it so he said to take 30/500mg cocodamol. He repeated if not better next week come back.
Back again the following week, this time with my husband. I explained the pains are still the same, I'm off my work because of the pain and feeling woozy on the cocodamol. I asked to be referred for a gynae scan and he refused. I asked for an internal examination but he refused as I was still bleeding at this point. He asked me if I have any underlying health conditions (he should know this with my record being on his screen). My husband reminded him that I have anxiety and the GP smiled, crouched down to eye level with me and said "ah, anxiety can cause a lot of symptoms which aren't actually there. It can all start from being in your head". He said to me to continue with the cocodamol but didn't ask me to come back if still in pain.
In tears I left and spoke to the receptionist to ask to have an internal examination from any other gp except from him. I got an apt for the next week with a female (she was new so didn't know she had started). She inserted a speculum and straight away she was concerned. She removed it and it was covered in blood (I wasn't on my period at this point). She referred me for an urgent gynae scan which I got a call less than 2 weeks later asking me to go in the next day. It was then revealed I was suffering from bad PCOS and both my ovaries were covered in enlarged cysts which were causing the pain.
Since then I have been in touch with the female GP and we have a plan in place for pains etc on what I can take for it to manage it when I get a flare up.
My question is, now that I've had time to digest it all over the last few months, should I complain about the male GP? I feel so upset and hurt that he basically said it was al in my head!!!