gynaecological health

[cheeseandchive]

Hi

Just posting as need a bit of encouragement to keep chasing this up, or someone to tell me it isn't a problem and I don't need to! Am feeling frustrated with how long things have been going on without any clear answers and would appreciate a bit of support and/or advice.

Long story short(ish!), am in my late 20s and been having periods for 15years. They have always been very irregular, occasionally missing months at a time for no reason at all/starting at random times. At one point I went 6 months without one for no clear reason. However they have always been very very heavy and painful, almost debilitatingly so and have often taken time off work with period pain/diarrhoea/flu-like symptoms during my period. Drs did a scan and found a few small ovarian cysts but "nothing to worry about". One Dr mis-diagnosed PCOS which another Dr then rubbished as I have none of the other symptoms. They suggested possible endometriosis but said they would only examine if I first went on the pill - I didn't want to take hormones and wasn't using it for contraception, but they refused to examine me further if I wouldn't first take the pill. I didn't want to so they refused to investigate.

Fast-forward to last year, I went on the pill and it didn't regulate my periods. When I ran two packs together I would still get a proper period (with pains and everything) and wouldn't always bleed when I was on my break. I would also sometimes have a period mid-way through a pack.

I have been having alot of pain around where I think my ovary is on one side both during sex and also fairly consistently during the day. At one point I couldn't stand up straight or sit down properly because of the pain. DH and I were both virgins when we got married (earlier this year) and not sexually active previous to that so can definitely rule out STI/pregnancy being the cause of all the trouble. Smear has come back normal.

So, is this all relatively normal and should I shut up and put up, or shall I keep going back until I get an answer?!?!

Keep going back. You shouldn't have to put up with painful sex, and now you've found the pill doesn't help that may help them direct their investigations

None of what you describe is normal at all. Would suggest you go back to the GP asap and ask to be referred to a consultant gynaecologist. DO not put up with this!!. Too many GPs to my mind are ignorant when it comes to endo and you have been given the runaround out of ignorance.

If GP practice remains unhelpful I would change GP practice.

My periods have actually been very similar to yours in terms of both irregularity of same and pain. Oh the pain!. I now have two diagnoses; the pain was in my case down to endometriosis. I know they stated you don't have PCOS but in my case the irregularity was down to PCOS; the two can co-exist.

Painful periods like you describe can sometimes be attributed to endometriosis; one of its main features is pain leading up to and including menses. Any pain that is cyclical in nature should be checked out properly to see if endometriosis is indeed present.

As for ther the person who suggested endo but would only examine you if you went on the pill, well words fail me. You were fobbed off there and badly so.
Also this person has failed to note that endo is usually only diagnosed through a keyhole surgery op called a laparoscopy; other tests like internal ultrasounds, swabs, blood tests will not pick it up.

Deep pain during sex is also highly suggestive of endometriosis as well. Infact all your symptoms are suggesting endometriosis to me, infact it screams endo.

Would suggest that you also keep a daily pain and symptom diary in the meantime (note level of pain from 1-10) as this will also give the gynae clues.

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

Thanks for the encouragement and advice, really appreciate it. Am a bit emotional with the frustration of it and not feeling like I'm being taken seriously.

Spoke to the Dr this afternoon who is referring me for a scan to check for cysts. Think I will push for a laparoscopy if that comes back clear

So can I just ask to be referred to be a consultant gynae, Attila? I am not very good at being firm with Drs/telling them I'm not happy - will have to practice! Do I mention a laparoscopy before this, or wait till after the cyst scan and then ask to be referred?

Thanks so much, this really helps and the encouragement to keep going back makes a real difference.

If the scan did come back clear I would not be at all surprised. I have endometriosis and have had more internal ultrasounds than I care to mention, none of these scans saw the endometriosis because these deposits are so very small. My endo was all over my uterine cavity.

Also if I recall correctly they have done such a scan already.

You can insist that you are referred to a gynae and a cons one at that; it is hard granted to ask them for a referral but you will need to be persistant in order to get answers. You cannot afford to be messed around with in ignorance. If GP practice is obstructive or unhelpful, then I would change GP practice.

When you do see the gynae I would tell him all your current symptoms, go through your pain and symptoms diary and then ask about the possibility of laparoscopy surgery.

Hope you find the website previously mentioned to be of help.

Keep us posted.