Will try to keep this as brief as possible! Am 37 with 2 y/o DS. I’ve always suffered with anxiety to some extent but over the last year it’s intensified dramatically, along with lots of physical symptoms and I genuinely don’t know if it’s all based in mental health or to do with physical health.
I think a lot of us have the same issues with only feeling like we have a few good days a month with our cycles but mine is getting out of hand. Rather than PMDD it’s like as soon as my period ends I get really intense anxiety, feel like I’ve been wiped out by some kind of virus and yet migraine-type symptoms too. I get really loose stools and can’t eat properly. Have had multiple blood tests and all come back ‘normal’. Have also been investigated for gallbladder/appendix issues as I often have attacks of pain, especially in the lower right abdomen, usually during ovulation and during period. I said I thought I had endo, they’ve ignored that and investigated other things instead.
GP has said I should just have another baby/get the coil, but I feel like I shouldn’t have to go down that route just to see if I feel better.
I paid for a private scan 2 years ago when I had very frequent pain but periods hadn’t yet returned after birth of DS. This showed polycystic pattern of ovaries but I understand that alone isn’t a diagnosis. One hospital doctor said ‘oh you’ll definitely have it’ but haven’t had a formal diagnosis from GP (I have other symptoms like excess hair etc so fairly sure I have it). This was a few weeks back when GP sent me to A&E with suspected appendicitis (I never thought it was; I thought it was ovary bursting or similar). The outcome that time was probably an infection/virus somewhere which led to inflamed lymph nodes/raised infection markers - nobody ever checked ovaries, just scanned the appendix/bladder and surrounding lymph nodes.
I suppose what I’m asking for is any anecdotal advice about whether anyone has gone to a private specialist with anything similar and found out what it is?
If this is all hormones and a change of lifestyle/supplements during my cycle can help then I just need to know what to do. I’ve looked at the DUTCH test but have seen lots of people saying it’s a bit of a snake oil test and not worth it.
The pain/possible endo side of things isn’t anywhere near as bad as the post-period phase. I work full time with quite a high pressured job and I have to keep making excuses as to why I need to work from home/have to log off early and make the time up elsewhere. Have had some sick leave but am trying to just muddle through where possible as my work do ‘manage out’ those who are frequently off - especially without any formally diagnosed illness!
The anxiety which comes with it is also super debilitating, and I don’t know if fearing it makes it worse. I finished my period on Sunday and today is the first day I feel sort of okay, can eat and don’t feel dizzy and anxious.
In a nutshell, I’m getting nowhere with the GP, would be willing to look go privately if it was worth it. I can’t keep having one week a month (post-period) where I’m just a shell who can’t eat, work properly and wait for the next cycle to start again.
Didn’t really keep that brief did I! Thank you to anyone who stuck around to read that waffle ☺️