Bleeding daily GPS say no to every suggestion

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I finally got a referral for gynocology. It's been a year battle with the gp. Ringing every month to tell them I'm not right.

I was diagnosed with really bad anemia last year after they originally said anxiety. I had no reserves. I was put on iron. Tried the combination pill but I was so queasy and down on it I couldn't take it.

February this year a heavy period left me shaking. I was so poorly. Anemia was back. Dr gave me the mini pill and iron. I bled everyday for 5 weeks. So I stopped it.

From march- now I've called every month. I have left side groin pain. Ovary on that side also stabs. I bleed most days now. I have had tailbone pain for months. I have lost weight. My appetite is up and down. I'm often tired. I find I get better the last 5 days of my cycle then it all begins again.

Ovulation comes with a bunch of symptoms now. I get headaches and nausea with hormone changes. After my period I get a awful neck headache and my back muscles are so tight.

I got refered three days ago but apparently I'll have to travel and it will takes ages! I asked the gp for a scan locally whilst waiting because my pains are daily at the moment and I'm suspicious of a cyst as I bleed if I move wrong and feel pain in the area. She said no, gynocology can deal with you but it will take ages as routine stuff isn't really being done. She was short and stern with me because I've refused the coil. I asked about ovarian cysts. She said a blood test in June was fine? The left side issues been more in the last two months though. Things can change?

I asked if the mini pill could have caused a hormone imbalance as i started with these headaches and stronger symptoms since coming off that. She said no!

She told me I have a fibroid. I said yes I have one small one and the hospital have told me it's so tiny it won't be causing my issues. She said it will be. I said the pain in my groin etc can't possibly be from the tiny fibroid they could barely see in January. The hospital and another GP said my scan showed nothing to explain things. Yet my regular gp is insisting.

She just won't entertain me or believe anything I say. Something inside me is causing pain and bleeding. I can feel exactly where the area is. It feels bruised and stabbing.

I'm waiting for my smear results. But the nurse said my cervix was ok just pink. So there's no signs of an ectropian or growth on my cervix. I presume you can see an ectropian?

I just feel ignored. I really hope gynocology care and actually will listen to me? I feel based on the GPS attitude I'm going to be suffering for a long time.

That sounds awful.
It is definitely not right.

You gp sounds absolutely rubbish, have you tried requesting to see a different gp?
I have had problems with a gp ignoring me before, refusing to listen to me and doing the ‘I know better’ dance.
I complained, wrote to the practice manager and requested a new gp, I got one but was painted as a ‘trouble maker’ and still ignored so I ended up changing gp practices and it was the best decision I made.

I would definitely recommend doing similar.

Hello thank you. Yes I feel dismissed. I've spoke to three drs there and they now read eachothers stuff at me when I call. So they will say Dr Smith has suggested the coil. Dr Smith has sent you links to therapy as you were anxious.

I just want to be heard. I don't think they've asked any decent questions. I've been spotting for a month solid now with niggles in the left side. She said midcycle spotting is normal. I just wanted to cry. It's not ovulation.. it gets worse when I ovulate. But spotting for days and days is not ovulation.

I am very fed up but hope a gynocologist will care more and believe I'm not creating something in my head.

I'm sorry you were treated the same. It really is disgusting.

I think there should be drs to specialise in certain areas and Gps should be knocked on the head. Because they are becoming more and more unhelpful as the years go by. They can't help people like they used to. They focus on mental health when there's clearly a medical issue. They dismiss you. Then they go on at people about reporting changes. But when you do they move so slow. They try mask all issues with hormonal pills and contraception.

Unless it's something simple like antibiotics for your chest or a pill for blood pressure they seem to be incapable of providing a decent service.

I say this as someone who's friends vulva cancer was missed and dismissed as thrush. Someone who's neighbour died of cancer because the Dr figured she was depressed due to her husband dying the previous year. I sometimes fear they are missing something serious.

Thanks for your reply. I am certainly considering moving surgeries.

There is definitely a massive systematic issue with the dismissive attitude towards gyne issues,
I’m so sick of reading and hearing about this kind of situation over and over, it’s disgusting.

The way they can just stick a note on woman’s medical notes basically saying ‘she’s a drama lama’ ‘it’s all in her head’ ‘it’s emotional/hormonal not a physical issue’ and encourage others to dismiss women is sickening.
I know they exists because I have seen them.

You should have to fight for care.

Is there another gp locally you could move to?
If you write a letter setting out the basics of your concerns and how you have been dismissed, try to keep it short and factual, send it to the practice manager of another surgery, it should help them with transitioning your care to someone who actually knows what they are doing and more importantly someone who will listen and make you feel heard.
This was the advice I was given and it really helped me.

I sympathise absolutely. I got messed about as well even though I stood my ground (was previously diagnosed with both PCOS and endometriosis) and also refused the mirena when I started to have constant bleeding. The GPs response was to send me for a blood test and when that came back as "normal" there were no more appointments available for another 3 weeks. In the meantime I was still bleeding so I self referred to the local Nuffield hospital who saw me a couple of days later.

I would change GP practice as a matter of course. Mid cycle spotting is NOT normal either.

I did think endometriosis when you wrote about your symptoms; this can cause great pain along with heavy bleeding. Any symptoms that are cyclical in nature and or get worse up to and including menses should be checked out by a gynae to see if endo is the root cause. Endometriosis is NOT usually picked up on ultrasound scans though, it is usually diagnosed through a keyhole surgery op called a laparoscopy. To my mind some GPs are still very much ignorant of endometriosis, I had one GP telling me it was uncommon so I replied that actually its the second most common gynae issue seen in women after fibroids.

Glad to read you now have a gynaecology referral. It may be an idea to see if there are any cancellation appointments available, that way you may get seen sooner. In the meantime I would keep a daily pain and symptom diary noting everything; this will give the gynae clues. I suggest this only if you're not already keeping such a diary.

Thanks for the replies. I definitely feel they are not taking me seriously. It's limiting my life. I don't want to just muddle through life with headaches and nausea and no energy.worrying I could pull myself in the street and be in pain.

I am very suspicious of endometriosis too. But I will say the pains not agonising. It's mild mostly. But on some evenings I feel like something is going to really hurt. I get sharp stabs and bleeding when I feel like this.

My bloods a different shade this last few weeks. It's very fresh and pink. No smells or anything. Just fresh bright blood or pink. Then it will settle and go abit brown of the niggle settles. It feels like something on the left side is being pulled and bleeding. Which is why I really want a scan now whilst it's happening. She gave me no time frame for letters. She also seemed to get pleasure out of telling me I'll have to travel it won't be done locally.

Is it easy to swap GPS? Thanks again

It’s very easy to swtch GPs, just visit the new surgery you want to join and tell them you would like to register as a patient.
They will give you forms to fill in (with your details, so they they can request your records) and that’s it.
You may even be able to call and have them post the forms out given the current circumstances.

If the new surgery is farther away and you are out of the catchment area for it you can ask to speak to the practice manager and explain the situation and how unhappy you are with the treatment you have received, they will likely make an exception.
That’s what I had to do.

I could have written this op, minus the careless attitude of your gp.

I had considerable midcycle ovulation pain and bloating, odd bleeding, constantly running to the loo for a wee, and a heavy dragging feeling/sharp stabbing pains. Then three weeks ago I began bleeding and it just went on and on and wouldn't stop.

I got triaged over the phone by my GP and went to A&E on their advice.

I was admitted for tests on Thursday and came out of surgery at 2pm today to remove one ovary that was covered in endometriotic cysts and to have a 10cm cyst removed from the other.

Please don't leave it and trust what your body is telling you.

Hope you get it all sorted x