Please help me! Doctors are being crap and I'm in agony.

[TacticalWheelbarrow]

Last summer I started to get really bad pelvic pain and I noticed an increase in vaginal discharge (clear and no odor).
Have had 2 DC am in my early 20s.
I have also experienced pain in my kidneys and general abdominal area. I have noticed these pains occur during ovulation and the run up to my periods. I do have PCOS but have never experienced pain like this before.
I had a transvaginal scan- no over enlarged cysts, was told their was nothing wrong with me. Also had a STI test all clear.

Right now I suffer with pelvic pain about two weeks of a month (my week of ovulation and the week leading up to my period). The pain is so intense I cannot walk and become pretty much bed ridden.

I have not had intercourse with my DH since July 2012 because I am left in agony afterwards especially in my pelvic area.

This is really ruining my life, I dont feel like I can cope with this much longer. I am on Antidepressants at the moment because my health has worn me down so much.

I keep visiting my GP nearly every week, on one visit I begged her to give me a vaginal examination but she wouldnt. She has finally referred me to a gynecologist but the appointment is in 3 months time. I know this sounds selfish but I cant wait that long. I dont feel I am being taken seriously, someone of my young age shouldnt be experiencing these symptoms.

Does anyone have any idea what I can do to convince the docs to take me seriously? Or does anyone experience these same symptoms? Any advice would be so gratefully received.

It screams endometriosis to me. And the only to diagnose that for sure is a laparoscopy. I would go back to GP and ask to be referred for one.

your doctor would have given you painkillers for the pain you are experiencing. It sounds as if investigations have been carried out which fortunately have been clear. The gynae referral may or may not throw light on the issue. Your blood test must have come back clear?
Is it possible that the pain is a somatisation. I think thats the correct word. like a tension headache is actually stress and nothing to do with any problems in your skull. I might have the wording wrong. I'm sure your gp would have considered this.

Thankyou!! You dont understand how much what you have just said means to me. It makes me feel that I'm not crazy, I have said this to GP and she said there was no sign of it on the scan, but I researched it and you cant pick endo up on a scan. She keeps telling me to wait for the gyno appointment but I am so desperate. My marriage is being put under strain and I cant work or concentrate on my kids because I'm in agony so much.

mintvelvet I am on naproxen but it upsets my stomach. I am willing to consider that the pain is a somatisation but the fact is I haven't been examined vaginally by any doctor yet so they haven't really looked into it properly iyswim?

ask for a stomach protector eg lannsoprazole to go with the naproxen and always take naproxen on full stomach

Endometriosis may be the root cause of your problems, pain mid cycle and pelvic pain is very suggestive of this. Deep pain during sex is also indicative of endometriosis being present. (Did the GP ask you whether intercourse was painful?). Pain during menses is also a common symptom.

Any symptoms that are cyclical in nature and get worse during menses may be due to endo. It cannot be ruled out here.

Some GPs are pretty much ignorant when it comes to endo so would not be surprised if this has not been mentioned to you as a possible cause for your symptoms.

No transvaginal scan will detect endo if it is there; it is usually diagnosed through a keyhole surgery op called a laparoscopy. You certainly do need to see a gynae asap. I would phone the hospital's gynae dept you have been referred to as often as possible to see if there are any cancellation appts available, you may well get seen quicker that way.

Would suggest in the meantime you keep a daily pain (note pain level from 1-10) and symptom diary as this could give the gynae additional clues as to what the problem actually is. You need a diagnosis first and foremost.

www.endo.org.uk is a good website.

The first thing I thought of when I read your symptoms was endometriosis (particularly with reference to the pelvic pain). Doubt very much whether any of what you are suffering is at all pyschosomatic although when I had similar (pelvic pain) I did feel that no-one took any real notice.

Many GPs are not great when it comes to "womens menstrual problems"; no surprise therefore that endometriosis is very much underdiagnosed.

Blood tests are not good indicators of endometriosis as the disease is not looked for in that manner. As previously mentioned its usually only diagnosed through a keyhole surgery op called a laparoscopy.

Chase the hospital up and be polite but firm. You will need to be persistant in order to get answers.

Ask your GP for some better pain relief, as well as a stomach protector (I take omeprazole with naproxen). There are lots of options that can be taken with or instead of naproxen to control your pain. If it's affecting 2 weeks out of every 4, to the point where you cannot get on with daily life, then it is a serious problem with pain and needs to be managed appropriately.

In the mean time, you can take paracetamol with naproxen to try to get some more relief.

Thankyou Atilla I have just been looking at your link and joined the forum they have :)

Arbitrary I have been taking soluble co-codamol as it does more for the pain. Will persist with Naproxen

Is there any way that you can afford to see a gynecologist privately for an initial consultation? It would probably cost about £120-£150 and would be a way to cut the waiting time. In my experience consultants are willing to refer you back to themselves on the NHS so they would see you and then refer you to the NHS for a laparoscopy.

I agree about seeing a gynaecologist privately, one whose day job is at an NHS hospital (unless you have insurance). It will cost you £100-£150 ime and he can refer to himself as an NHS patient if need be.

If you're in the Beds/Herts area I can recommend a fabulous one.

My mum and stepdad have private health care plan that I think still has me on it. I will ask them and see if I can get referred. Thank you for the suggestion.

If the insurance covers you you'll be well away. You could have an appointment within days. Good luck!

Adenomyosis can also cause similar pain, here not quite the same as endometriosis.
Good luck with getting the referral sorted.

Co-codamol is absolutely fine with naproxen. It's 3 different 'classes' of painkiller. If it's still not enough though, there are stronger painkillers that your GP can prescribe (so long as you can tolerate them). So don't be afraid to tell him/her that you are in agony and cannot get on with everyday life.

If you can afford it then go privately for the first consultation as you can be seen a lot quicker and hopefully you will have a diagnosis faster.

Just want to agree that it sounds horribly like endometriosis, and the others are right that a diagnosis can only be made for sure with a laparoscopy. GPs are particularly weak on 'women's troubles', I find, and I read somewhere -I think one of the endo books - that women suffer for an average of 7 years before getting an endo diagnosis, often because they're told suffering pain is 'normal' and something they just have to put up with.

The endo website linked to above is brilliant - the forum is really useful. You could also become a member.

I've tried all sorts of painkiller over the years, with the cooperation of a pain medication specialist (consultant anaesthetist background with pain control specialism), and right now the most effective thing for me is tramadol (when you take it regularly there are no real side effects, and you can carry on driving after the initial period) combined with occasional naproxen on 'bad days'. Do keep away from regular use of paracetamol etc. Naproxen should also not be used more than about three times a week, I understand. I've also done a huge amount of work with non-chemical options - relaxation techniques, yoga, autogenic training and the good old hot water bottle. Acupuncture can be useful, but is apparently most effective at helping with infertility (claimed at a seminar I once went to) - I found acupuncture could get rid of my pain altogether for 30 mins or so, but never longer than that.