Foobed off, next steps.

[cabbage12]

Hi everyone

Hope everyone is doing well.

So I had my first gyni appointment on Monday, which was a complete waste of time. She barely asked me any questions, questioned why I had beeen sent to gyni, asked me why I though it was gyni related, and didn't really listen to me. She believes that my right sided pain isn't gyni related as my scan and bloods ( which were done 4 months ago) were clear, and And the internal hurt like hell, but i couldn't pin point where it hurst, so she doesn't see the point or there to be any reason for me to have a Lap done at the moment to see it it is gyni related.

I came home in tears, mainly because i am fed up of the pain now, as it is starting to interfer with my uni work and placements. I feel like no one is listening to me or cares.

I was basically told to lose weight, and to go on the pill to see if it helps with the period and ovulation pain and to stop the amount of periods I have, but i want to avoid the pill as it didn't help me in the past.

I am hopefully going to get an appointment with my new GP on friday or next week to see what the next steps could be whether that is re-referal, new scan or new plan of action. And this time i am bringing my mum with me.

Anyone got any advice for me of what to say? Or anyone been in the same situatio, especially about the lap not being done as it isn't appropriate or not enough reason for one.

Thanks in advance.

[Impatient]

Even with a lap op to diagnose and remove endo you still need to take contol of periods afterwards and either reduce them to 3 or 4 year or stop them altogether.

Even thought there may be some side effects they won't be as bad as painful endo and heavy periods.

By far the option with the least faffing about is mirena coil.

It takes 4-6 months to stop the periods and lsts up to 5 years and is only 20% of the hormone dose of the birth control pills, so in many respects it really is the best of the bunch.

However if you found the internal painful then you must insist on an anaesthetic to hve the mirena inserted. Ideally it could be done at the same procudeure as having a diagnostic lap op, but that needn't be the case.

You have right to ask for and get anaesthetic to have it inserted. The NHS do not publicise this, because it costs them money and they are actually pain a BONUS by the gvernment to not use anaesthetics, that's on top of the savings of not using the anaesthetic.

It's a pity you didn't mention that to the gynae at the appointment as it would have added a valid reason for doing the op - even if no endo was found. It is something you can still use to help you get the op you are requesting.

And as with all methods of period control not every one has no side effects.

A small number of ladies find it doesn't suit them - but mercifully it'smuch easier to remove than to install.

And if in the 5 years you want to have it removed because you are ready for baby making then you can have it taken out then anyway.

In soe ladies it stops ovulation and preserves the egg count for a bit longer, but not in every case.

I can't begin to tell you how liberating it is to not have periods any more. I save a fortune in tampons and towels and pain killers, there's no PMT anymore, no painful periods no fretting when will i come on, how long will it last how heavy will it be etc. And no remembering to take tablets every day either. I just forget about it being there and periods are not part of my life anymore.

There certainly were twinges and tweeks as it was settlling in, but once the periods stopped it was settled and I haven't had any pangs from it at all since then. Mine was inserted in a surgery and I wouldn't contemplate having it put in without anaesthetic - that would be just too painful and unnecessarily painful, because we are entitled to have anaesthtic and should demand it.

There are arm implants too as an alternative option to bc pills. Nexplanon stops perods up to 3 years in some ladies.

There are also a raft of different bc pills, from the combi ones to progesterone only ones, and each has a slightly different balance of ingredients. You need to try a few and decide which is giving you the least side effects. Do not assume because one didn't suit you all won't suit you. That is not the case and it may only take a slight adjustment in the ingredients and you have one that suits you fine.

If you want to try the stronger stuff there is a drug which is injected - called Depo-Provera, not to be confused with Provera (which is a bc pill), the depo does pretty much what the mirena and nexplanon do, it thins the menstrual lining so thin it should stop you having periods and builds up a plug of cervical mucus in the cervix which helps prevent any sperm reaching the uterus so is a contraceptive too, although its primary use is for managing periods or stopping them ideally.

Another one is norethisterone, but it is 3 times a day and is not practical for long term use. It is great for delaying a period if you have exams coming up or a holiday and and don't want to be bleeding, but it must be taken religiously to be effective, miss a couple because you forgot, or were ill and they rushed through you or you vomited them up, then a period will arrive a couple of days later.

Do speak to your GP (book a double appointment slot with them) or pop to your local family planning clinic - they are experts in this too and probably have a lot more time

to run through the many options with you.

Also take your time to research online so you know about the drugs and the side effects and how to take them to stop periods.

you have to be the one to decide what you want to try next as far as endo or managing periods is concerned. the gynae folk are there for the times you need a surgery but the rest of the time it's you that's managing your quality of life with the GPs help, and its you that decides what you want to try next and being open to exploring lots of different

methods is the only way to find out which gives you the best results with the fewest side effects. Best of Luck.

[cabbage12 in reply to Impatient]

Thanks Impatient for the reply. It's not the side effects of the pill that i am concerned about, it's just that when i was on it didn't help with my period and ovulation pain, i was on Microgynon at the time.

In terms of the internal exam, i did let her know that i was in pain. she asked if i could identify if it hurt internally or when she pushed on my stomach, but I honestly couldn't tell.