To be really frustrated with the NHS.

[ToffeePennie]

Backstory;
I started my periods aged 8.
They have always been extremely long, very painful and highly regular. 3 weeks on 1 week off is not unusual for me.
I was taken to the Dr aged 10 and given the pill to make things “more comfortable” and whilst it did help a tiny bit, it also made me feel awful emotionally and I was still in a lot of pain, but they came down to 9 days a month.
I have coped with this until I stopped the pill when I was trying to get pregnant, and never went back on it, due to my feeling so much better emotionally when I wasn’t taking them.
Since I had my little one (over 7 years ago) it has been getting worse and worse, until June last year when I started bleeding and have not stopped.
I have been to the doctors repeatedly throughout the years because of the pain and amount of bleeding and just been dismissed or given various tablets that haven’t done anything. I have been categorically told I do not have endometriosis.
I went to the GP and begged for something to relieve it. I was given the coil and told to wait 6 months. When I went back 6 months later they agreed to do an ultrasound to check where the coil was. This showed that it was “way too low” and it was being obstructed by at least 6 large fibroids.
Went in a few weeks ago to have them removed and again, try and help me. They took a scraping of my cervix and when I asked about a complete ablation of the uterus, I was once again, dismissed and told “once these results come back you contact your doctor again”.
Results came back negative on Friday. I’m still bleeding. I’m sick of being pushed from pillar to post when I have been very clear about how much I want a hysterectomy or an ablation.
I am so fed up of bleeding all the time, being in constant pain and never feeling “normal”.
I can’t do anything so I’m just putting weight on sitting around the house because any type of movement causes a flood. I’m in constant pain and even working I have to schedule my clients around being able to use the toilet!
I use up to 20 sanitary towels a day and 5 super jumbo thick ones at night.
(please no advice as to tampons, as they don’t hold enough, neither do moon cups etc and reusable san pro isn’t absorbent enough)
Am I right in saying this should be a complaint to the NHS trust at this point?
Why the hell won’t they help me?
My husband asked for a vasectomy and got one the next week! What is so wrong with me, that they won’t help??
Where do I go next??

Have your iron levels been tested? I’m guessing you must be anemic due to heavy blood loss.
Ask for a full blood count test and if your levels are below normal ( which I’m guessing they must be) you have then got a stronger case for an ablation although just on what your describing alone it’s disgusting they haven’t helped you already but the NHS are shockingly bad when it comes to women’s health.

You poor thing. I’m presuming you’re under gynae for the fibroids? Do you have a follow up? If not, I’d go back to your GP and demand a referral to a gynae consultant. You shouldn’t have to put up with this. Also contact PALS and make a complaint about your lack of treatment so far. Also ask GP to check your iron levels.

Yes, I have been taking iron supplements as prescribed since July last year. Not that it’s made a jot of difference. I also have had my thyroid levels checked and am taking something for that too.

Complain to everyone you can and don’t take no for an answer

that lovely newsreader released a book I think about women’s health and included a chapter on talking to your GP - but can remember her name

No gynae, it was an outpatients procedure with a really brusque doctor who I think thought she was chopping ham in a spam factory. It was dreadful and they left me sat alone, bleeding in the dark, utterly terrified because the department had closed around me.
She literally said “that’s you all done, your discharge letter is in the post. Wait until the results of the scrapings come through”

At this point I would go private.

I had horrendous PPMD and was really suffering, my mental health health was awful. NHS was useless.

I had one appointment with a private doctor who specialised in women's healthcare, she then advised how to navigate the NHS after, the private doctors also work in NHS so can be helpful in that regard.

I’ve been told it’s really expensive and I just don’t have any spare money right now…

I am so sorry you are suffering like this. Just to clarify you say you went in to have the fibroids removed. What reason did they give for not completing this? Your care sounds rubbish.
NHS gynae seems to prioritise those on the two week wait , which of course is very important, but to the detriment of anything else gynae related. I wonder whether your GP can liaise with gynae? I got referred on the two week wait then got lost in the system after initial investigations. I went back to my gp and explained and got a call from a gynae consultant that week.

They removed the fibroids. And that was it. It feels like they’ve decided the fibroids were the issue and now they’re gone that’s it, problem solved, but it’s very much not.

Sorry - I misunderstood. How frustrating for you. Definitely get your GP to advocate for you.

I had similar issues for years and eventually after much begging got an ablation and its changed my life.
Please keep pushing.

I dont know if you can afford this but ive gone for 1 private appointment before and then the dr has moved me onto their NHS list. So ive only had to pay for the initial appointment. I had my gallbladder removed. The NHS waiting list was something like 6 years, i paid to have a private appointment with the surgeon and i got mine out within 6 months.

Something like Benenden health might work too. Its an insurance scheme where after a year of payments (i believe £15 pm) you can then see consultants and access operations if needed.

Im so sorry you have been left to deal with this. Uts inhumane