No idea what is going on with my body - help?

[EvanStar]

Hi, I'm a long time reader but first time poster, hoping that anyone might have any advice for me before I go completely out of my mind..

I'm 31, DH is 33 and we've been TTC for 18 months. We went to the doctor six months ago and after a few bureaucratic hiccups we've finally had all the tests and are supposed to be going to the GP on Tuesday to discuss treatment options. However...

As part of all the tests I discovered I have PCOS, which was no surprise to me. My cycle is irregular, anything between 32-40 days, and comes with all the symptoms under the sun - horrible cramps, vomiting, backache, moodswings, acne, the lot. I can see my period coming from 10 days off (as can DH, who knows better than to say so...)

Then, wouldn't you know it, this month, day 28, out of nowhere, is my period... i think. The problem is, there are no symptoms at all other than some very, very mild cramping on the day (nothing like period pain). It's also really light, which i never am, it lasted three days rather than the usual 6-7,was intermittent and it was brown. Of course, I'd rather hoped it was implantation bleeding, but I tested 10days after the bleeding started and again 3 days after that - BFN, so I guess it wasn't.

The problem is, a week after said bleeding - about when I was expecting my period - I got all premenstrual. I've been nauseous for days and I've actually vomited a few times, my back and legs ache, and I've been snappy. If I hadn't just had what I assume must;ve been a period I would've bet my life savings on AF making an appearance. But nothing. Now, a week later, I still feel like crap and even my mother agrees I look like I'm due on, and have done for about a fortnight.

My concern is, I now have no way to tell where I am in my cycle. If I've got to discuss it with the doctor on Tuesday, I don't know what to tell her. My menstral cycle and calendar say I'm at a completely different point to what my body's telling me. If the bleeding was my LMP i should be ovulating next week, but honestly my body isn't giving me that vibe.

I even went to a walk in centre this morning, but the doctor couldn't have made it more obvious that he wasn't interested - all he did was give me a ClearBlue test which, suffice to say, was no more positive when I took it in his office than it was when I did it the day before at home. He seemed to think all I wanted to know was whether or not I was pregnant, but that's not my question.

My question is, if I'm NOT pregnant, then what the hell is going on, and should I expect it to affect my next cycle too?

Any advice at all is gratefully received and sorry for the long post

I can see why the doctor would not be interested . Don't want to sound harsh but it's a matter for your own gp not A&E . Sometimes we have an odd cycle . Just wait till your next due on and see what happens . Sometimes I can get an irregular period every now and again and it's not something to worry about unless happening regular . Please speak to your gp . I'm sorry it's taking a while to get pregnant but going to A&E is not the answer

Oh, i didn't go to A&E! It's a walk in centre at my GPs surgery. I don't have a regular doctor there, but they do walk in's on a Friday. It was a GP I spoke to, and TBH, I was rather hoping he'd at least tell me that this was normal or not, or maybe give me something to stop me being sick?

I work in a care home, so I have to have 48 hours off every time I vomit - I don't think I can afford to take any more time off :( and as it's being going on for two weeks with no sign of ending, I thought maybe my GP would take more of an interest than just giving me a pregnancy test.

If it doesn't stop and my GP isn't interested, should I take it further?

I wouldn't take it further. As frustrating as it is, almost everything is normal.

It might be that you didn't ovulate last cycle and so had an anovulatory bleed. Maybe you ovulated early this cycle? Literally there are infinite possibilities and with you having PCOS, that is literally the explanation.

I know that's frustrating, but that's how some of these things are!

Well, that's something at least.

I find, as soon as you say you have PCOS people assume you're an expert in it - I only found out a couple of months ago, and googling it has been confusing to say the least! I have no idea whats normal and what's a sign of something more sinister - people keep saying go with whats normal for you, but this sure as hell isn't.

I also worry that sometimes I focus too much on the TTC thing, and I forget that there are other things that could be wrong with me. I suppose I was looking for someone to reasssure me that this could me normal and wasn't a sign of appendicitis or something.

The only issue I have now is that I've been off work for two weeks and I have no idea if I'll ever stop being sick, so I can't tell them when to expect me back. On the plus side, I've lost 10lbs. So every cloud, eh?

In your initial post you said you were sick a few times and now you're non-stop vomiting and off work????

That is NOT normal, but unfortunately I have not found any of my GPs to EVER be helpful. They've always been incredibly dismissive of any of my concerns (TTC related or not), unless I presented them with an action plan of what I wanted to happen.

Get seen if it's that bad.

For example, it takes on average 7 years for an endo diagnosis. That is disgraceful.

ps - I'm still learning about PCOS as an ultrasound showed an insane number of cysts on both ovaries. No other results yet. So I don't know if I have it or not, but trying to learn...

I should clarify - it's not been non-stop vomiting, I've been physically sick once a day, maybe every other day, but as I work in a care home I have to have 48 hours off work every time I throw up :-( I have, however, been in constant pain for the whole time with what feel very much like period pains, and haven't been able to eat much. And I do feel sick all the time, even when i manage to keep it down.

The thing is, all of this would be normal if I came on tommorrow. I'm always sick the day AF arrives and I'm always doubled over. But my way of dealing with it is just to wait for my period, which then passes. Since no period has come, there seems to be no end in sight :( I've passed out twice in that time, but again, thats not unheard of for me the day before AF.

Thing is, I don't really know how to get it seen to - other than going to my GP with my symptoms again, who I assume will just give me another test to take. I really wish I had a regular GP - I'm registered with the surgery, and there are about 20 doctors working there. I've never seen the same one twice, so I always have to start from the top. And, of course, I have no idea what I'm demanding they do.

Thing is, I accept I'm not pregnant, and if this is 'normal' then fine. I just wish I knew for sure that it wasn't a) a sign of some non-gynicological thing that i'm ignoring b) how to make it stop!

You shouldn't have to live like this. It sounds like more than PCOS to me (maybe endo?). I would start insisting they get to the bottom of it. If you're so unwell you can't work.... things aren't normal (despite the 48 hour rule).

You poor thing, definitely go back. Make it clear you're not looking for a pregnancy test and you are essentially unwell. You can't go on like that, big hugs x

I agree head back to the doctors - have you researched endometriosis at all? Doctors rarely think of it and it takes a long time to diagnose so it may be worth reading up on it and seeing if the symptoms fit for you?

Also I'd suggest seeing a female doctor - lots of male doctors don't have a clue about gynae stuff (I'm not being sexist I work at a surgery and the male gp's barely ever see gynae stuff so just aren't as up to date)

Good luck!

I'd say go back. Could it possibly be an ectopic or something? Should be investigated.