Been told not to attend A&E by gp receptionist..

[shallwego]

Hello,

Following from another thread of mine, regarding painful ovulation (will summarise below)

• Been TTC for almost 3 years

• Had bloods taken by GP (day 21 bloods) and was advised at the time that this would show endometriosis or PCOS issues

• Had a GP appt yesterday to get the ball rolling with fertility help, mentioned that I get very painful ovulation, and she advised that endo / PCOS wouldn't in fact show in bloods, only a physical examination would determine this.

When I'm in / around ovulation, I get EXTREME crippling cramps in one side of my ovaries / lower abdomen, radiating across my pelvis. They're so awful I often feel like I'm going to split in half. When I sit and then stand again, I can barely stand up straight. It's crippling and lasts a LOT longer than the seconds / sometimes hours that others explain and experience during this time of the month. We're talking days. Sometimes 2/3.. and the pain is MUCH worse than my period pain.

I phoned the GP reception today, as I'm having a really hard time with the pain today. They've advised that nobody can see me there until 2nd week of January; and so I must get on with it until then. Fine, but pain killers are literally not touching the pain and I don't know what to do with myself. I'm at work and can't even stand straight. It's like someone's sawing me in half from hip-hip..

So I asked the receptionist if she would recommend I attend A&E for guidance in the meantime.
She almost screamed 'NO' at me. That they're under pressure (which I'm fully aware of and understand completely) but I honestly don't know what to do with myself 😞

So my question is.. would I be unreasonable to attend A&E after work? I just want help and answers. I'm so scared and in so much pain.

I think if you can work it’s not an emergency. Id try walk in clinic

I have no idea why MNHQ deleted my post! Whoever reported it might like to enlighten me.

It's every month around the time of ovulation SINCE my recent surgery. So it could be a number of things. But in my mind I assumed maybe PCOS / Endo since we've been struggling to conceive for 3 years.

I feel all I've done on this thread is explain myself over and over again.

May I add I've never had to use A&E (thankful for this)

So No, I'm NOT one of the wasters who will go for something such as an ingrown hair or toenail..

Sounds awful for you! What I dont get why this is even a GP thing in the UK. You should have seen a gynae doctor long ago. In my home country this wouldnt even go through a GP at all. I am so sorry you are stuck, hope you manage to sort it out quickly!

Well what a delight you are. I work in women’s healthcare. Thousands of women across the country are on their knees in desperation for somebody to take their pain seriously so they can get even just an inch of relief. And no wonder, with attitudes like yours. Cyclical pain and emergencies are not mutually exclusive. And if you’d actually bothered to read the thread, you’d see that the OP has not just ‘gone about her work day’, she’s barely been able to do anything. What a ridiculous comment. Do you think all emergencies happen when one is at home and putting their feet up? Are you sure you’re a nurse?

Ignore the receptionist. No medical training and you’re under no obligation to listen to them.

I’ve been to a & e before with pain related to my menstrual cycle including ovulation. No they don’t diagnose but they did give me better pain killers.

I get pain at ovulation as well as when on my period. It’s sharp, radiates across my pelvis, hips and down my leg. Sometimes I have an ok month, sometimes it’s dreadful. I got diagnosed with adenomyosis.

AE is meant for people whose lives are in danger if they don’t receive immediate treatment. No one on here can tell you if that is the case for you from your description. But you really wouldn’t be able to go to work if it was that bad.
I do agree that you need to see a doctor soon though. I’d phone every day until they gave you an appointment.

I’m an endometriosis and adenomyosis over 15 years sufferer and survivor. I know this pain is unreal but as soon as you enter a and e and say you are already under investigation they will send you on your way.
I would be insisting on a gp appointment if there is any point. You really need to see a specialist. Sitting in a and e is very long and will make you feel worse. Keep phoning gp, they will help with pain relief until you see a specialist

Thank you.
Since I'm still undiagnosed really; I just wondered if I could ask you / and others on the thread with this condition, a few questions..? I know you're not necessarily a medical professional but there's a few things puzzling me..

• DR today was sure he felt at least one cyst.. I've been reading up on PCOS and not many of the symptoms are relevant to me... E.g the excessive hair, irregular periods etc. I'm always like clockwork.

• Do you get pain all different times of the month, or mostly around ovulation? I get lots of this kind of pain mainly around ovulation, but then again do also get the odd day at other points in my cycles where it's the same.

Sorry to have to ask, I'm just so frustrated as not being helped / knowing what's going on, and am trying to keep positive but finding it so hard.

The state of healthcare in the UK is absolutely disgraceful 😞 I’m so sorry. Imagine being told you need to wait 6 weeks to see a doctor for crippling pain and then being screamed at for asking about going to a hospital to see a professional about the pain. 6 weeks of pain and no answers being one single appointment that probably will lead to another weeks-long wait before you can see anyone else. How did it get to this?

As if people are victim blaming and saying that the NHS is on its knees BECAUSE people need to use it? Imagine, people needing to use healthcare. The audacity of them! Ugh. I am so homesick but the state of the NHS terrifies me and puts me off coming home. I work abroad in several countries and in literally everyone one of them OP would have an appointment and be forwarded for the relevant tests that day, the next day if too late in the day. Probably have seen all specialists by the end of the week. And yes we have to pay but it’s extraordinarily cheap (the equivalent of around 20p for the GP appointment). OP, go to A+E. You should not have to suffer like this and it’s NOT irresponsible to seek healthcare when you need it. I can’t believe some of the posts I’ve read, I’m so sorry.

Why would you ask the receptionists opinion, they are not medically trained they just act like they think they are. Call 111 for advice they will give you the best option.

Have you ever been to the point that you're literally at your whitts end, boarder line unsure of even what to do with yourself, through pain?

That's how I was. I'm sorry I obviously should have asked a receptionist what she would recommend, but she'd just told me I wouldn't be seen for 6 weeks or so. I panicked.

Should not have **

Hi, I can try to answer some of these.

1. PCOS doesn’t tend to cause pain or even what we call ‘cysts’, PCOS is a bit of a misnomer. If your doctor can feel a cyst it’s unlikely to be related to PCOS. If you have a cyst causing pain it may be a ‘simple’ cyst (very common), or it could be something like an endometrioma (a cyst filled with endometriosis tissue) or dermoid cyst, haemorrhagic cyst etc. An ultrasound will be able to give a better idea of what kind of cyst(s) it is but even then it’s not always possible.
2. Endometriosis and adenomyosis (endometriosis within the lining of the womb) can, and frequently do, cause pain at any time of the month. It tends to be most painful during ovulation and/or menstruation, but this isn’t true for everyone.

I’m going to bed soon OP but if you have any other questions please feel free to PM me, I’m more than happy to help.

Thanks so much @FuckFuckGo 😊
I only have the app - I keep getting emails to say I've been PM'd but don't think I've got access to an inbox on here. I forgot my log-in info a long time ago!!

It's all so confusing. I thought Endo is where the womb-lining type tissue grows in other areas. Would a growth of this matter be classed as a cyst?? Come to think of it, I do also often get radiating lower back pain. Not sure if linked, if it's even this at all.

I don't really know why my mind went straight to PCOS after the Dr advising he's sure he felt something.

Yes that’s right, womb-like tissue grows elsewhere. Sometimes it can grow in the form of cysts on your ovaries. Back pain with endometriosis is very common. And it is indeed all very confusing! If you have any other questions and can’t work out PMing, just @ tag me in this thread and I’ll come back and answer them 😊

Can you afford to pay for a private video call GP appointment? That’s what I’d do.

Private GPs won’t help make a referral go any faster unless the OP is able to self-fund an appointment with a private gynaecologist.

I've just been going through my emails from work and can see I signed up for private healthcare. Not sure if I could do anything via this?

Oh yes quite likely! If it turns out you can use it and you think it sounds like endometriosis, ask to be referred to an endometriosis specialist. Not all gynaecologists are very clued up on it unfortunately so best to see someone with an interest in that area.

I think a lot of the responses on here are very harsh.
No one can possibly know how bad another person is experiencing pain.

I had an issue with ovarian cyst (diagnosed a few years prior with endometriosis) Finished my shift in work one night after being in severe pain during the shift and it was a job where I was on my feet, but I managed to somehow see it through. Went straight to a&e and had emergency surgery for an ovarian torsion and a fairly significant internal bleed. The doctors initially weren't even convinced because of how well I was dealing with the pain so it is impossible to tell how bad another person's pain is based on them being able to sit at a desk at work and type on mumsnet!

Some people just have a higher threshold. I delivered my first baby literally minutes after arrival at the hospital because I didn't consider the pain to be bad enough to be in labour never mind ready to deliver! I was convinced by my mother to go in and get checked!

Glad you got to see the GP today OP. I really hope you can get seen quickly and get the help you need.

Sounds like you may be get some answers sooner rather than later OP. Fittingly I now have cramps myself so I’m off to take a naproxen and get into bed with a heat pad 😀