Gynaecologist appointment , please help

[NaiceKoala]

Hi, I'm looking for some help for anyone who may have been through similar.

I was referred by my Gp to gynaecology and it was an urgent appointment. Cycles vary 26-36 days, consistent pain lower left abdo, heavy periods, bleeding in between , unable to conceive.

I had the appointment today and I am utterly gobsmacked at how terrible it was and how little info I was given.

The dr said "probably nothing" then went on the take a biopsy, of what I dont even know ? He mentioned my womb at one point whilst I was lying there but I have no clue if it was a biopsy of my cervix or womb or what !! I asked what it was and what it was for and he replied "a tick box exercise", I was totally speechless which is why I've come away not knowing what the hell went on. He then said I was to arrange a scan, again I asked why and he laughed at me and said "to look at your insides".

Can anyone help me and tell me what's just happened and what might be the likely cause :( I feel humiliated, dedignified and so disappointed.

I'm also now getting cramping and bleeding, is this from the biopsy? He didn't even tell me what to expect.

Thanks for reading and I appreciate any advice or help

That's really poor of the GP.
Maybe you can try to phone the gynae dept of the hospital for information. It's quite likely that you will first be given an internal ultrasound scan first so the doctors have a better idea of what's going on inside you.

Then you would probably be booked in for a hysteroscopy where a doctor will be able to look inside your uterus, via your cervix, using an instrument with a small camera and will be able to take biopsies.
Please do some research on hysteroscopy beforehand as it can be very painful for some patients, but it varies a lot between mild/moderate discomfort and severe pain and you don't know how much you will feel until it's happening to you. The latest figures from RCOG say one in three women suffer severe pain, but this is not mentioned by NHS, who suggest taking paracetamol and ibuprofen beforehand and suggest it will be like period pain. It is not! Under best practice, you will be able to request GA if you want it, or possibly spinal block, or IV sedation if you are lucky. The Campaign Against Painful Hysteroscopy on facebook can give you more support or info if you need it.
Sorry if I have scared you, but it's important that you get checked out, just in case it's anything serious. I hope that it all turns out OK for you.

OK so as soon as you said "he" I had flash backs to an old gynaecologist I had to see. Whoever thought men should be dealing with women's health needs their heads read.
I've recently had another appointment with a female consultant and it was so different.
I had a biopsy too. It's of your womb to check for anything untoward and yes that's a formality.

Then you might be booked in for a hysteroscopy where you can actually have it under general but I've had one a couple of times before while awake. It's uncomfortable.

If he's said scan then that's also no problem. Usually done with a wand they insert into your vagina. Completely painless.

The consultant sounds like a prize prat which unfortunately is par for the course. Ask to change to someone else? Although the wait on the NHS is hideously long unfortunately.

Also the cramping after biopsy I had too. I think it's normal when they've been scratching around inside your womb

Your GP sounds like a dick.

Yes, it's pretty common to have cramps after. They may also do blood tests and an ultrasound as well - it's all to rule out it being anything sinister. Once they know that it isn't any form of cancer etc, there are more things they can look into.

Hope it goes well, OP.

Can everyone read the post. The op has seen the gynaecologist. That's not the GP!

i can explain it having recently been through similar but can’t explain why your gynae was such a walloping prick. Im so sorry you went through that OP.

1. the biopsy will have been of your endometrial tissue inside your womb. They are checking for abnormal cells because one of the possible causes of bleeding between periods is endometrial cancer. Your gynae is right, it is routine to check for this in women who present with unexplained abnormal bleeding, but the chances are incredibly low.
2. during the biopsy they’ll have also had a camera up there and will have checked for common causes like fibroids or polyps. Again, this is routine.
3. what’s not routine is for you to have had a biopsy before you’ve had an ultrasound, have you had an ultrasound already that’s come back normal or has your gynae sent you for your first one? That might be why he seemed annoyed (not that I’m excusing it at all) because it’s unusual to have a biopsy before they’ve ruled out more common things like PCOS, endometrial hyperplasia, endo etc.

Thank you all. Yes it was the gynaecologist who was awful, not the GP.

I am just so confused as to why he's jumped straight to a biopsy. I thought it may have been of my cervix but it definitely felt further up. Would he have done a cervical biopsy too? To make matters worse, I told him we're TTC and he offered me a pregnancy test, it was negative although I'm not due until Monday so it likely wouldn't show now. Assume I'll go on to miscarry if it was a biopsy of my womb.

He was blunt in saying I'll soon be discharged from the service when they don't find anything.

I feel awful about the whole thing. I just want to know what's causing me all this pain.

It sounds like you had a hysteroscopy and a biopsy of your endometrium but I would check with the hospital.

I googled hysteroscopy. I'm sure if it were that I should have been told? He didn't mention a camera or anything and it was literally in a consult room on a bed, I didn't have my legs up or anything

Hi. It doesn’t really sound like OP has had a hysteroscopy. It seems she has only had a Pipelle biopsy of her uterus.

OP I imagine you will have a long wait for a scan and possibly hysteroscopy and follow up. They may well be doing a biopsy now just to rule out cancer. This is probably why he used the ill worded ‘tick box’ . You will be extremely unlikely to have this, but it would be so bad if you did and it went undiagnosed due to waiting times that they rush doing it first whilst you wait for a scan.
i would be complaining about him and asking for another gynae. Their job is to help you, not to mindlessly discharge you just because they fail to find anything wrong. You deserve better.

If this took place in a NHS hospital I would contact PALS about your recent appointment. Complain too so that other women do not have such a poor experience.

The word "endometriosis" crossed my mind re your symptoms and it can cause ttc difficulties. Internal ultrasound scans do not detect that if it is present. Its usually diagnosed via laparoscopy which is a keyhole surgery op.

I had a biopsy and then booked for a hysteroscopy. The biopsy is standard procedure. My friend had one also. It's inside the womb but a hysteroscopy is much more thorough.

Were you given written information about the procedure, benefits, risks, and asked to sign a consent form?