Stomach pains and irregular periods - waiting on tests!

[JaneGnR88]

Hi all, I suppose I’m just looking for some reassurance or experience.

Since coming off the pill in October 2019 I’ve had really long cycles, like 45 days and then last year I didn’t have a period from August to November, I had one early November, got pregnant (first time trying) and then sadly had a miscarriage at 6 weeks. Since then I haven’t had a period.

I also get pains on a daily basis in my groin and around my belly button as well as shooting pains under my ribs.

I’ve been for swabs and blood tests and been referred for a scan. Some of my tests are back now and I’ve got a telephone appointment with my GP on Tuesday.

I’m really worried, especially as we are hoping to properly start TTC.

Does anyone have any similar experiences and what was the outcome? I know everyone is different but I’d find it a comfort to know!

Irregular periods are often caused by hormonal imbalances; a common cause of this is a condition called polycystic ovaries or its related syndrome PCOS. An internal ultrasound scan may show polycystic ovaries (it can also depend on the skill of the operator).
Polycystic ovaries are ovaries covered in cystic follicles and some of these are dormant, others pump out hormones (causing the irregular periods) and some may contain an egg. Such follicles can disappear only to be replaced by further cystic follicles. There is no one therapy or treatment that will eradicate PCO if it is there.

What blood tests did you have done and on which cycle days?. I ask only as bloods taken on the wrong days can give meaningless or otherwise misleading results. Swabs won't likely pick up anything and I do wonder why those were done at all.

The pains you describe may be due to endometriosis being present. Any pain that is cyclical in nature and or gets worse up to and including menses should be checked out by a gynae to see if endometriosis is present. Its usually diagnosed through a laparoscopy.

Would suggest you now keep a daily pain and symptom diary noting everything particularly if you do not already do this.

Do let us know how you get on re your phone appointment Tuesday. Do not accept "normal!".

Hi. Let us know how you get on.
I'm going for blood tests next week (very nervous about that, never had it before and I don't do needles or anything squeamish like that).
I looked up about PCOS but apparently it makes you hairier and gives you acne? I haven't gotten hairier and my skin is fine. Acne only stopped a few years ago.

What blood tests are you having done next week?

Not all PCOS patients have hirsuitism and acne together.

PCOS is a very individualistic disorder and affects each woman with it very differently; this is an important point. I've had no adult onset acne and have only had a few stray hairs. My menstrual cycle though was very irregular in nature. I have PCOS all the same; the commonality is the cystic follicles on the ovaries.

Me? To be honest, no idea. I have a couple of minutes chat with doctor on the phone. Told her my period was awol. She said book an appointment for blood tests.

You should have a day 2 test done to compare your luteinising hormone level against that of your follicle stimulation hormone. These hormones kickstart ovulation so if these are awry then ovulation will be affected.

If the menstrual cycle is irregular such tests can be done by calendar days.

Thanks all, the blood tests I have had are for a bit of everything really! Hormones, liver, kidneys, thyroid, the works!

The hormones one seems like a bit of a red herring though as I don’t know what cycle day I’m on due to the irregularity of my periods.

We shall see, I’m just really worried but I know that won’t help at all!

I used to do my hormone blood tests by calendar days I,e the 2nd and 21st of the month.

Thyroid uks website has useful information on blood tests for measuring thyroid levels.

Hi all, just to confirm, spoke to the doctor today and have been diagnosed with PCOS. Waiting for a scan to see the extent and then talk about options around fertility, if anyone has any experience of this I would love to hear it! X

@JaneGnR88

Hi all, just to confirm, spoke to the doctor today and have been diagnosed with PCOS. Waiting for a scan to see the extent and then talk about options around fertility, if anyone has any experience of this I would love to hear it! X

I have quite bad PCOS. I'm insulin resilient, can go over a year with no period, and have cysts that are like rings of pearls around my ovaries. I conceived naturally twice x

Thank you so much @pinkprettyroses It’s so nice to hear positive stories! Can I ask if you tracked at all or just timed it well? I’m tempted to try OPKs but don’t want to just waste money! Xx

I know two people with PCOS who conceived naturally - both were told they would never conceive naturally, both pregnancies unplanned, both babies healthy.

PCOS is a very individualistic disorder that affects each woman with it very differently. The commonality is the cystic follicles on the ovaries.

Do not use OPKs and further waste your money on them; they are not recommended to use if PCOS is present (I think it actually states that on the box). This is because these kits measure LH: in many women with PCOS there is an excess of this hormone level so the kit basically reads that. These kits also work on two misleading principles; namely that a rise in LH is followed by ovulation and that there is only one such rise every month - again both are not true.

I needed medical help in order to conceive because my cycle due to PCOS was pretty much non existent. I would urge you to educate yourself as much as possible re PCOS as knowledge here is also power.

Verity is a good UK based PCOS website

www.verity-pcos.org.uk/