Help me get the most from gp appt on Friday (gynae related)

[OhThisIsJustGrape]

Quick bak story - diagnosed with polycystic ovaries 10yrs ago, not syndrome as don't have other symptoms, just the cysts. Had 2 laparoscopies done around that time, didn't find any endometriosis although had lots if the symptoms.

Went on to have 2 children (already had 2 older ones) and subsequently spent 5yts solid either pregnant or breast feeding so no proper return to cycle until about a year ago.

Since then, periods getting worse each month. Now at point where I have at least 5 days of pain before period even starts then 3 or 4 days if agony during period. Periods last 6 days and I have a 23 day cycle so ovulate only a few days after period ends. Pain has started for a few days around ovulation too so, for example, this month I have only had 4 pain free days.

Dr sent me for a scan just before Christmas which confirmed I still have polycystic ovaries but nothing else wrong. Gp said he was certain nothing else would be causing the immense pain I'm in and referred me to family planning to have a mirena coil put in.

10 days ago I was in so much pain that I thought I had a UTI so saw different gp who checked sample, all clear. I was mid cycle so I'm assuming it was related to ovulation. He was quite snippy and accused me of knowing too much about my issues so much so that he insisted I must have a healthcare background (I don't, I've just lived in pain for too long). Anyway, he refused to refer me to gynae consultant and said they wouldn't do anything, if I didn't have anything else wrong with me 10yrs ago then I wouldn't have now.

He ordered blood tests to be done which I have to go back on Friday this week to discuss results. I am not seeing him, I'm seeing my own gp who wasn't available last time and I prefer him anyway.

So, what can I expect? Should I insist on a referral? The pain is far worse now than it was when I was under consultant all those years ago, it's different too. Or should I just have mirena fitted and hope for best - incidentally I still haven't received an appt for it and been waiting over a month!

So sick of being in pain all the time, the painkillers I was prescribed don't even touch it. Been in pain now since thurs an period still not arrived

Arggghhh! So angry on your behalf! That doctor had no right to tell you that you know too much about your issues! What a quack! When you see your regular gp, tell him you appreciate all he has done to help you, but as the problem is getting worse, you'd like to see a specialist.

Thank you. Have to admit I left that appt in tears, he just wouldn't listen. I'm sure he thought that I'd read up on symptoms on the internet and was then claiming I had them. Totally not the case.

Does anyone have an idea of what the blood tests might show? Apart from anything sinister (which I don't think there is), what else could be ruled out?

the tests will be checking your hormone levels. with pco(s) the ratio between the FSH and the LH are the important factors. it may also be checking thyroid, whether you're menopausal etc. push for a referral. it took me 5 years to get a diagnosis. i printed out a list of my total gynae history and symptoms and just handed it to my consultant as you just know you'll forget to say something important. good luck with getting some help

Oh, what an arse of a Dr! You have my sympathies; if you act like you know nothing you get patronised, yet if you take an interest in your own health they get snippy! Grrr.....

There are blood tests (I think they're CRP and ESR?) which can monitor the level of inflammation in the body - when my endo symptoms came back I had several done over the course of a few months to see whether the levels drop; if they had dropped it could have inidicated "just" inflammation (on ovulation etc) but as mine remained relatively constant they backed up my theory the endo had returned. If you google it will refer to cancer, simply as that is one of the things it can suggest but only if other tests back it up.

I think you have 2 options, I think one is to try and have a Mirena fitted at your GP and see how you get on, the other is to push for a gynae referral.

I had a Mirena fitted (by a gynae), however due to my endo my biology was odd and it came out during a smear, so I had another fitted by the GP. The benefits of having it done at a GPs office is that a) they can remove it if it doesn't agree with you there and then (I would have had to be referred back to my gynae for removal had it been the one he'd "installed") and b) you can see them much more quickly. I would also suggest that the gynae may well offer you one for your symptoms anyway.

The benefits of a gynae referral is that they can obviously go down the route of exploratory surgery etc and can see about tackling the causes of your pain & discomfort but they do have a Wait and See attitude so it may be worth trying the Mirena initially then pushing for a referral if it's not helping - that way you've bypassed this to some extent.

You really do have my sympathies, though. Hope all goes well on Friday.

Sorry, I meant to say don't worry if you google & it mentions cancer - it also mentions things like crohns disease and Colitis etc so if you have had these tests it's not suggesting this is what you have.

What a crap GP! My bet is he felt threatened by your knowledge and what he was really saying was "You know more than me about your condition!"

I have nothing to offer you advice wise just felt very on your behalf! Good luck, I hope you get it all sorted

Been up half the night in pain, period finally started a couple of hours ago.

Have brought appt forward to this afternoon as I need something to help with the pain - I currently have naproxen or mefanamic acid, neither make any difference.

Gp surgery won't fit mirena, not sure why as I had a copper coil fitted there 13yrs ago Hence waiting for appt at family planning clinic (nearest of which is 25 miles away, convenient eh )

I had to smile at suggestion that I might know more than the gp I saw - MIL reliably informs me that he is actually a gp registrar. Obv I know he is a qualified dr but if he's still in gp training then there's a good chance he may not have much experience in this area.

Will update later, thanks for replies. Not sure if bloods will be back yet but fingers crossed they will be.