At what point would you go to A&E with bleeding (possible TMI)?

[Lovemusic33]

Ongoing issues which I have posted about several times (sorry).

Have been having prolonged bleeding and break through bleeding for 18 months now, getting nowhere with my gp. Last 6 months it has gotten worse and worse to the point I’m bleeding 3 weeks out of 4, in the last 2 months I have had 5 days not bleeding. I am waiting for a phone appointment with my GP (7th October) but I have now been bleeding for 3 weeks, getting heavier and heavier, tonight it’s got worse and I’m passing large clots, I’m in agony, bloated, pain in my back and legs. I have take tranxemic acid which has had no effect what so ever.

I’ve got to the point where I wake up in the morning in tears because I know it’s going to be another day of bleeding, pain and feeling tired. I’m not sleeping well because I’m scared to move and bleed everywhere. I’m struggling with work and my memory is awful due to feeling tired.

My gp doesn’t seem to listen to me, refuses to refer me to gynaecologist . I keep getting told to try various things and come back if it doesn’t work but then can’t get an appointment for a month and am left in pain and possibly anaemic. I’m not sure I can wait until my appointment on the 7th especially if I continue bleeding like I am now.

Would going to A&E be an option? I’m getting desperate.

Hi op, so sorry your gp has been so dismissive and shockingly incompetent. I have suffered similar symptoms to you and ended up going to my local walk in when I couldn't handle the pain in my back and front anymore. They weren't much help but told me to make an emergency app with my gp who thankfully was amazing. She did a urine test and found loads of blood cells and then booked me for a pelvic scan , blood tests etc. They came back that I had 2 large cysts which were sticking my ovaries together and a raised level of 300 in the CA125 blood tests (endometriosis often pushes this up)This was approx 4 yrs ago finally I had surgery this week to clear out the cysts and endo. Despite not being a typical endo patient as I didn't suffer from extreme pain (but had very heavy periods often every 2 weeks) the surgeon said it was one of the worst cases he has ever seen. I was on the operating table for 3.5 hours instead of the one hour they had alotted me. They also managed to save part of my ovaries and fitted me with a merina at the same time.
So my advice is totally go to your local walk in centre today if only to kickstart your GP.
Otherwise find a private gp who can make a referral to a gyne specialising in endometriosis . You can then ask if they will see you on the NHS .
Please keep us updated and know you are not alone in suffering like this xx

Thinking of you OP - I have suffered from heavy periods since I had my second. However my cycle stayed regular until recently.
You should be offered further investigations to rule out fibroids etc as others have said.
Possibly the mini pill or coil may be an option but go back to GP and insist to be referred- you have the right to do that.
Good luck x

As a minimum you should be offered iron tablets following blood tests. Do not let them take you off these - I ended up with severe anaemia last year.
Also tranexamic acid is another option although this didn’t work for me.
Wishing you all the best

@JustJuice187

As a minimum you should be offered iron tablets following blood tests. Do not let them take you off these - I ended up with severe anaemia last year. Also tranexamic acid is another option although this didn’t work for me. Wishing you all the best

I already have tranexamic acid, sadly not working at all.

I've been in A&E for an hour ish, they have been lovely so far, have had bloods taken so will need to hang around a while for results, waiting to be seen by a doctor but I'm guessing that won't be for another hour when I get blood results. Its not too busy here, only about 5 other people so shouldn't be here all day.

One of the reasons woman’s health is treated as second best is because as shown in this thread woman don’t take it seriously.
We need to advocate for ourselves and our daughters. We need to be assertive and ensure we get the care we need. So many GP’s fob us off.

Go to A & E and tell them how bad it is. I hope you get some help soon.

@doodleygirl agree totally

I always knew men didn’t take women’s problems seriously but it’s surprised me at seeing women on a forum also not taking this seriously

No one should put up with this

I hope you managed to get sorted, you must be exhausted

Oh well done *Lovemusic33" good decision.

Really hope you get sone help.

doodley exactly! This woman has been bleeding heavily six weeks and us now pale end exhausted. A bloke will turn up at a and e with a broken finger. Her situation is just (if not more) serious.

I have been the GP several times and had several phone call appointments since lockdown. I went to the sexual health clinic a couple months ago and was treated for PID, I didn’t have it and all my tests came back clear. I am a waiting list for the coil as my GP refuses to refer me to gynaecologist until I have tried it, I don’t want the coil.

It sounds like in the last 6 months, OP has had at least 7 contacts with her GP about this situation (I'm interpretting the word "several" to mean 3, but it's a vague word that could mean 50). OP has been assessed for many things, had active treatment for at least one thing, and GP thinks that the hormones in a coil could help -- Coil would obviously be less invasive and risky than the options gynae would start to discuss (which tend to involve surgery).

That level of contact in a 6 month period doesn't amount to being "fobbed off."

So shocking, you poor thing. Hope A&E can at least make you feel a bit better today and it helps nudge the process of getting an actual referral.

Your right I have spoken to the gp quote a few times, only 3 times in 6 months, maybe 8 times in the past 18 months. At no point have I been offered a check for fibrioids or endometriosis, no scans, no biopsy and for this I feel im not being taken seriously. I don't want the coil and should be allowed that choice though gp refused to refer me until I try it so I ended up on the waiting list, I was told I could get one quicker by going to serial health clinic, I went there and was treated for PID and told of it didn't work its highly likely I have endometriosis and to ask my gp for a referral. They told me st the clinic that the coil probably won't help because the hormones are the same as the pill I tried which caused me spotting and heavy bleeding during sex. I have been on the waiting list since April for a coil and the though of having to wait that long to have ot taken out of it makes things worse is not something I want to experience. I don't feel I should be given the coil without knowing what's actually causing the issue in the first place. All I want is to checked for endometriosis and fibroid, I know this may mean surgery.

Still waiting in A&E for blood results, hopefully then they will give me iron tablets of needed and maybe something to halt the bleeding, even 2 days would be nice 😢.

I'm shocked at your GP practice. My DD has had similar and hers has been fantastic. She's had surgery and is now fine.

@Lovemusic33 has your GP physically examined you in the last 18 months?

If the GP is following the Nice guidelines (section 1.2) the fact you have both pain and heavy bleeding means he/ she should have examined you to see if he could detect can enlarged uterus.

If the GP is recommending an IUS as treatment then, even if you don't have pain the guideline says he should examine you.

Covid may have made them more reluctant in the spring to see patients face to face but you should have been given an exam at some pont.

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng88/chapter/Recommendations

@lljkk. If course it is being fobbed off. 6 months of the symptoms the OP describes should not be allowed without a referral. So many GP’s have no real understanding of many issues solely related to woman’s health.

Outrageous the way women are being treated.

Being bullied into having the coil when the underlying cause may contraindicate is not acceptable

I HOPE you get somewhere at a&e but I am very reluctant to give you false hope.

Can you afford private route? It really shouldn't be necessary but I fear it may be

I'm not sure how it currently works re registering with a gp "out of area" I know at one point there was discussion about this

Ah - here we go

www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/gps/patient-choice-of-gp-practices/

So you could register with a gp out of area.

But definitely get a recommendation from someone who's been through similar.

Really really wishing you luck in getting a diagnosis and appropriate treatment

No, my gp hasn't physically examined me in the last 18 months, other than a few prods to my tummy. I had a examination at the sexual health clinic (internal) where I was told I likely had PID or endometriosis which of course they can't diagnose, I was treated for PID but all my swabs came back clear and my symptoms are still there after treatment. The serial health clinic felt my gp was not doing enough and I should be seen by gynaecology if the treatment for PID didn't work and thats where im up to know, waiting for a phone appointment with gp despite telling the gp om bleeding continuesly and in pain.

I can't really afford to go private, I have some savings which was for a new car but I'm at the point where I would do anything to get this sorted.

@MeganChips suggestion also possibly an option

Well then nuclear options? Practice manager, formal complaint, get mp involved?

Bear in mind going this route can and does result in patients being removed from register. Not supposed to happen but it does.

But I think you need to do something.

Sounds awful OP, hope you're sorted really soon

OP I’m so pleased you went to A&E

It’s sad that we have to but never stop pushing! 10 years ago my GP refused to refer me for a year, which went over my wedding. Massive pain, constant bleeding and clots. My work paid for insurance and within a week of being referred I was having a tumour removed. Luckily benign but that GP’s inaction had a massive impact on what was supposed to be one of the best years of my life.

@AgnesNaismith

OP I’m so pleased you went to A&E

It’s sad that we have to but never stop pushing! 10 years ago my GP refused to refer me for a year, which went over my wedding. Massive pain, constant bleeding and clots. My work paid for insurance and within a week of being referred I was having a tumour removed. Luckily benign but that GP’s inaction had a massive impact on what was supposed to be one of the best years of my life.

Makes me so angry to read others have gone through the same. I have a friend that waited 7 hears for diagnosis followed by surgery, it shouldn't be like this, it should be taken seriously. It does have a significant impact on everything, I am single but am put off of getting into a relationship, who will want someone who's constantly bleeding and unable to have sex? I'm gaining weights as I'm constantly craving carbs and sugar, im tired, im forgetful and im spending a fortune on sanitary products and pain killers.

I'm so sorry you are Going through this OP and hope today gives you some answers/relief. Your GP is useless. I have a similar problem, but minimal pain thank God. But have been suffering from heavy bleeding for over 2 years. I haven't been able to leave the bathroom at times, let alone the house. I had an incident at work which was incredibly embarrassing.

I think I have made the mistake, when I see the GP , of saying "Oh yes it has improved " because it has! I rarely leak through my huge washable pads any more. Although I have to change multiple times an hour at times. I also get huge, fist sized clots at times. I know how debilitating it is. I receny bled for 6 weeks straight, 4.5 of them were heavy. I phoned the GP again and told them I just couldn't do it any more, it's having a huge impact on my life. She has referred me for a scan. It's in a couple of weeks..

're the coil. I also not want to try it. The idea fills me with horror tbh. Like you, I've tried all manner of other hormonal contraceptive to no effect. My GP did say though a coil can be more successful as it's literally releasing hormones directly to where they need to be .

I'm also severely anaemic, and exhausted. I really feel for you.