Doctor not taking me seriously

[soapysoapsoap1]

I posted 2 weeks ago about being concerned about some problems I was having- mainly uncontrollable body odour, but I accidentally ended up drip feeding that I was having absent and irregular periods. To explain what I mean, I would be surprised if I have more than 2/3 days bleeding between now and Christmas 2023) aswell as awful headaches, especially around the time of when my period would be due if it were regular.

for context- I’m slim but not skinny or particularly underweight, I’m in young (ish!) adulthood. I’ve been having periods for 12 years now so I’d have expected it to regulate, but it’s always been like this. I’ve tried to get medical help before but everyone keeps telling me it’s normal, but I know it’s not and everyone on the previous thread reiterated to me that it’s definitely not normal.

my doctor told me it was because I was skinny, but I’m not underweight or overly skinny, just slim to normal! He also told me it’s not a concern because I’ve had these problems since starting puberty so it’s not a sudden change, and they put it down to good luck that I don’t have to endure periods and cramps like other girls. I tried to get help as a teenager, but I was told I had to wait until after puberty for it to be a problem, but now puberty is definitely long finished with and apparently it’s still not a problem because of the length of time it’s been happening for (12/13 years now.)

after my last thread about smelling and drip feeding about my periods and headaches I know I need to get help but I don’t know what to do. I can’t get an appointment at my GP and even when I did, he told me it’s just luck for me and that there’s no reason for it because my hormone result was healthy. They refused a referral to get it investigated because I said I was concerned that I wasn’t having periods and want an answer as to why.

should I just accept it’s normal, and grateful I’ve just got good luck and missed the period part of puberty? If not, how do I get them to take my concerns seriously?

I don’t think it’s anything serious or terrible causing this. I’m confident it’s something small. But it must be something. Periods don’t just decide not to come on their own, so they? Also if it’s related to my bad BO then I want to know exactly what is causing it so I can fix it asap.

Can you ask to see a gynecologist about your concerns? It's so annoying when doctors are dismissive.

I'm at the opposite end of my reproductive life and approaching menopause. If it helps, most of my life I've never been particularly regular. I have periods every month, but it's generally been and approximate time within a few days. At one stage I alternated 6 week and 4 week cycles. I never had any issues with fertility or other problem with the relevant organs. It can be normal for some women.

Oh - and I also get headaches each month.

Look at PCOS.

I remember your previous thread.

If I were you I would go private.

This is the guidance for docs, do you think you have had all the recommended investigations for secondary amenorrhea?

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/amenorrhoea/

See a different GP. I always ask to see a female GP for anything gynaecological these days (didn’t realise you were allowed to do that when I was younger!).

Having very infrequent periods does need investigating, as depending on the underlying issue it could cause problems later in life.

Excessive sweating and/or bad body odor also needs looking into as it’s obviously causing you distress. Be sure to mention that others can notice it too.

The female gp I spoke to about these symptoms said “well you already have 2 children so why do you even care?”

I get about one period a year and was told when I was younger (by a GP) not to leave it too late to look into, but that that wasn't the time. When I was finally ready to have kids we tried for 2 years before being referred for fertility treatment. It turns out I don't ovulate naturally and needed ovulation induction. This hormonal imbalance could've caused and been caused by most the other things I've seen the GP about over the years. But the moral of this story is it won't be looked into unless you have a reason for needing it, such as failure conceiving. Sadly, even in 2022 women's healthcare is not seen as a priority.

If you can afford to go private, I'd recommend it.

Please ask to see a OBGYN. My dd had similar symptoms and after 6 years of doing the rounds of doctors (we are in the USA, so referrals to specialists were more forthcoming) she was finally diagnosed with Hemophilia A.

I’ll keep trying to get an appointment. It’s so frustrating not to be taken seriously. I don’t really have a cycle at all to be honest and I never have, it’s just always been a few days of blood every 5 months or so.

i assume the fact it’s been this way since it began means it’s not likely to be something bad? As in, it’s not a sudden change or sudden problem with my periods, they have always been so erratic and absent. I never used to have headaches and then my period started and was absent and erratic and ever since then I’ve had awful headaches. Presumably it’s a good sign that it’s not a sudden change and it’s more of a long-standing thing?

@BabyClubYEEAAH I agree a female GP definitely doesn’t guarantee better treatment - worst GP I ever had was a woman! I’m not saying female GPs are better than male.
But personally I do feel a bit more comfortable talking to/being examined by a woman for intimate stuff and I wanted to remind OP that it’s ok to ask for that (also means she’ll see a different GP at the practice without having go into why she wants to see someone different).
I wouldn’t have felt confident to ask when I was in my 20s, but hopefully the OP is more confident than I was!
@soapysoapsoap1 I doubt it’s anything serious but good to get it checked out - could be something like PCOS.

thank you very much for the tip, I would definitely feel more comfortable speaking to a female GP about it. Not to say there's anything wrong with male GPs but i think I would feel more comfortable explaining it to a fellow woman who understands what I mean x

I actually have spoken to a female doctor about it in the past as well but they weren't concerned by it either and said some people just don't get periods properly x

Sorry, misread your post and thought you were saying you only had 2 to 3 days between periods....you definitely do NOT have Hemophilia if you are only bleeding for 2 to 3 days.
Were hormone tests done?

Is it body odor, or vaginal odor? If it's the former, is it possible you are just a smelly person who needs to shower daily and always wear deodorant (I am this, so don't mean this as an insult). If it's the latter, then you have a vaginal infection which must (!!!) be treated. Doctors often misdiagnosis vaginal bacterial infections as thrush and mistreat them.

yeah I was a bit confused about how it could be haemophilia but I just presumed it was something I didn’t understand! 😂 That definitely makes more sense.

i know exactly what you mean re being a naturally smelly person, I definitely am that too but I’ve noticed I smell not long after showering and with brand new clothes. It’s so frustrating.

With my periods, i just have a horrible sinking feeling that there’s something not right with the feminine part of my body and I can’t shake it off. I’m probably just being dramatic about it and it could be completely fine but I’m definitely worried. I know it’s better that it’s a long-standing thing rather than a sudden change, and I’m sure it’s nothing, but I honestly don’t even have a cycle. Just a couple of days of bleeding, then nothing for months and months. I’ve definitely got 2 ovaries (I saw them on an ultrasound for something else) but they just don’t seem to make periods.

I’ve been trying to get a doctors appointment all week but couldn’t even get through so I’ll just have to keep trying.

No definitely not, all I’ve had is a blood test for my hormones a long time ago x