Advice on approaching GP

[sophhhxo]

Helloooo!!

Little bit of background. I suffer from PCOS and have been ttc for almost 3 years!

I am 22 and my partner of almost 6 years is 21. We have good jobs, and a lovely home. We have supportive family, blah blah blah.
(Just thought you need some background)

I went to the doctors around 6 months ago to ask for advice on ttc with my condition etc. The doctors never really told me much about my condition, so had to rely on google!

Anyway. I basically was told 'I think you should go back on the pill for another year or so, and try when you are a bit older. You are still quite young'
I was very upset, but too polite so I smiled said thank you and left!

My best friend also suffers from PCOS, she has less symptoms and she's a week younger than me. Been with her partner less than a year etc. (Not that this matters to me, again, just background info)
She went to the doctors to ask the same thing. And they were full of support for her! And have decided to refer her to the hospital for help!

Am I wrong to be angry and jealous?? Why did my doctor not offer me any kind of support or help??

She is my best friend and we are very close, so I know all of her symptoms and stuff and we both know my PCOS is (I want to say worse but I know that's not the word 🤔)
But you know what I mean!

Any advice on approcaching my GP again? Or just any advice on ttc in general? I'm finding myself becoming jealous over everyone and everything baby related at the minute because of the lack of support from professionals! 😫

Lots of love xo

Could you see a different GP at your surgery? I’m sorry they were so dismissive of you :( your age shouldn’t be any cause for them not helping, particularly as you’d usually expect to be very fertile so young!

It would be worth finding out if your GP surgery has a doctor who specialises in family planning, as they might be more sympathetic xx

With fertility I've found you really need to go in and tell them what you expect to happen. Almost be bolshy.

They should offer you bloods on certain cycle days, tell you to get you bmi under 30, but preferably under 25 if that's an issue. And they should arrange for a scan. After that, referral to a fertility clinic.

I was able to self-refer to the local nhs fertility clinic, but I don't know if that's standard (the three male gps I saw about it were less than useless and were really quite insensitive...).

Your doctor did not offer you any help because they were being judgmental. I would definitely see another GP and think about making a complaint. That is disgusting!

I would approach a different GP TBH. The one you saw is making a judgement on a social issue about when he thinks women should be having babies. That is not acceptable - he is entitled to his/her views but not to use that as a basis for a consultation, which should be objective.

22 is a good age to be trying to conceive - both physically in the here and now as regards a pregnancy, and in regard to your youth and strength for the job of child-rearing.

Thank you all for your responses so far!

I'm relieved to see that you all agree that she was out of order!

I'm going to book an appointment with a different doctor! I'm in the process of kicking ass losing weight!

I just need some help and advice from a professions point of view! She really let me down :(

I think you should go back on the pill for another year or so, and try when you are a bit older. You are still quite young'
Say what? 😮

Really sorry to hear your doctors reaction,
My sister has pcos and was told in her early twenties by consultant she should try having children sooner rather than later.

Definitely see another doctor, go in and tell them what you want to happen ( I did this in another issue and didnt leave until they agreed to refer me) and maybe think about a complaint about doctor.

Don't let it dishearten you. I'm a single mum by choice to an amazing baby boy. When I first went to my doctor to enquirer how I check my fertility/ start this journey she laughed and told me to go and find a nice young man!

Xxx

@OneMoreWish that's awful of them to say! But yeah, I agree! I have booked another appointment!

The earliest they could 'squeeze' me in is the 29th November though 😫

I would definitely look for another opinion. Like a pp, a friend of mine with PCOS was told in her 20s to have her family sooner rather than later and that was over 15years ago.

29th November! - that is a disgrace!

Your Dr has not followed NICE guidance. Familiarise yourself with the NICE guidance for infertility so you know what you should expect i.e. after one year trying blood tests, semen analysis, scan then referral. If GP still doesn't adhere to it on next visit have it printed out and ready to show them.

Check your gp practice website and get an appointment with one who has an interest in fertility. I did this and she was fab. She really got the ball rolling for us. (No joy yet but here's hoping!) x

@amserdeffro oh I haven't heard of that! I'll have a look! Thank you!! Xx

@squirrelnutkins1 just looked and found her! Thank you! I'm going to phone on Monday morning 🤞🏼 hopefully it will be sooner than 29th November though 😫

Keep us posted x

Update: got an earlier appointment!

27th November at 6pm 🙄

I need a new GP 😫

Ah sorry about that 🙄
I don't know what area you're in but get used to waiting.... I had a load of tests and a scan and hubby had SA as well, I also needed MMR. From when I originally went to the GP to having our first fertility appointment was 16 weeks x

Update!!

Saw the GP today (managed to get an earlier appointment!)
He has referred me to the hospital for an ultrasound to double check that no cysts have developed etc!

Then I have to go for blood tests! But the ball is rolling! And I'm so exited!! 😍😍

Wow that's great! Did you mention you weren't happy with your last visit? Hope you don't have to wait too long now x

Temper your expectations. Yes, something is happening but be prepared to not get answers from this. I'm just saying this because many many women don't actually find out what the issue was (ever). But many women do find out what the issue is, which can be all sorts of relief or sadness (or both).

@squirrelnutkins1 no I didn't say anything 🤦🏼‍♀️ I don't do well with confrontation to be honest! 👎🏼

But at least something is happening now! And if I don't get answers. As long as there is a baby at the end of it, that's fine with me! Haha! X