I think I need to go to the GP about my periods but I don't know how to get them to take me seriously

[KrebsCycle]

Hi all,

I have had difficulty with my periods ever since I hit puberty - heavy, painful and irregular (between 6 months to 2 weeks between cycles - - although usually towards the more frequent end). I have been to the GP many times and am told to keep taking the pill and only have a break every 3-4 months to keep regularity and minimise the times I suffer.

However in October I passed a large, grey fleshy clot and then many more clots and was in a lot of pain - went to GP who advised me to take a pregnancy test and if it was negative that it was nothing to worry about. But since the I have noticed a definite change my periods have become increasingly painful and will wake me up serveral times in the night, I have had pink discharge, sharp and tight abdo pain and have started bleeding after sex and in between periods (I did bleed in between periods about 5 years ago and GP said not to worry).

Im at the point now where I realise I need to go to the GP but I don't know what to say/do to get the necessary support to manage this as I have been dismissed so many times.

For extra info I am mid twenties and never had children - but would like to in the not so distant future.

Sorry for the length and if you made it through - thank you so Much!

To summarise - what I am asking is how to word this in a ten minute appointment to get taken seriously and have some support as I am getting really down with this now.

Make sure you can tell them all this info. If you can give them exact calendar dates, even better. Tell them about flow - how often you have to change a moon cup, pad, tampon, if you have to double up. Any flooding. Definitely tell them about clots (apparently a large clot is around the size of a 50p piece or so.) Also pain, and the bleeding between periods.

Tell them you are starting to think about children and are worried this will make it problematic. At the very least it's going to mean no contraceptives, so their current fix won't work. And definitely tell them it's starting to affect your mental health.

My GP said, "no woman in this day and age should have her life governed by periods" - there seem to be far too many GPs out there who still think you just have to live with it. Push for a gynaecologist referral. If you don't get one, consider changing GPs. You may need to be more assertive and point out you've tried lots of things and be insistent on the referral.

I find writing it all down can help, so I don't forget things, especially if I feel nervous.

What Ebearhug wrote here. This is not something you should simply just have to put up with (speaking also as an endometriosis sufferer who went undiagnosed for about 17 years). You will need to be persistent in order to get answers.

You should be seeing a gynae as such problems are really outside a GPs remit. Many GPs are simply not up to speed on such matters at all and I would seek a specialist referral.

I would also keep a daily pain and symptom diary of your periods as this will give the gynae clues particularly if you do not already do this. It should be investigated further rather than you simply being given pills that are but a short term solution at best.

I would also look into changing GP practice if you are not getting anywhere with your current practice.

Try and go to a sexual health clinic rather than a GP. I've found they can be far more helpful and specific in their advice and knowledge.

Stress the bleeding after sex because that shouldn't be happening and should trigger some tests