So, I had good news and bad treatment this past week. On monday I had the long-awaited gynecologist appointment and he said it did sound very like endo, and he is going to book me a laproscopy very soon. He also said in the meantime I should go back to the GP to get some contraceptive pills to control the symptoms- for the last 3 weeks I have been controlling bowel and pain with codeine. So I toddled back to the GP on tuesday and told them what I needed. Now, I cannot have the Progesterone only Pill as I took it a few years ago and bled every day for 3 months, I also cannot take Ovranette which is a combined pill as when I took that it made me need to pee about 30 times a day. So I asked for a pill that was a different chemical compound as there are many. The GP told me I could have Microgynon 30, I asked 'Is it different?' she said 'Yes, absolutly.' So I took it home, took one, but then decided to check it against the Ovranette just in case. You can imagine my anger when I see that it is the same chemicals in the same amounts as Ovranette. It is essentially the same tablet made by a different company. I am fed up with GPs trying to fob me off, not listening to me and thinking it's alright to lie to me. Either she didn't know, so she lied, or she did know- and she lied. This is why the NHS is going down the potty, that GP wasted my time and hers, so now I'm going to waste her time by going back to ask for a different pill. And it's a waste of resources, I've just opened that pack of pills so no-one else can have it now- they will be destroyed and more taxpayer money wasted. I am fed up of being handled like an idiot because GPs don't believe I know my own body. I know it hurts and I know it's not in my head.
From scared to angry- and everything between - Endometriosis UK
From scared to angry- and everything between
Lesson learned the hard way. Next time ALWAYS look up the prescribed drug online and read the patient info leaflet before you go and pay for or pick up the prescription. It's a lesson I learned a while back. We have to be a back up Doctor for our own health and double check everything because Doctors are human and make mistakes and Doctors do not have our best interests at heart when they are at the mercy of the drug reps and making money from pharmaceutical companies insentivising them to promote one drug over another.
You could go back to the same GP - but you might just be wasting your time ...and theirs. So if there is more than one GP at the surgery - perhaps see someone else next time, or visit the family planning clinic and discuss options with them. They tend to be a lot more knowledgeable as this is the area they specialise in, whereas GPs have to cover the gamut of health issues in the local community.
What I would add is that not all POP pills will cause th same response in the body. There are a variety of POP options made with different progesterone derivatives and just like with Combi pill (oestrogen and progensterone derivatives) it may only take a slight adjustment in the ingredient doses to find one that works.
Furthermore over time our bodies do change and what might once have worked may no longer and what may not have worked before, might now do so. it's very much a trial and error to find what suits best.
All the contraceptive options PILeaflets are online for you to read. Just google the name of the drug and patient information leaflet and you can do your homework yourself too before going to ask for a prescription.
Combi pills cn be taken back to back packs for 3-4 months at a time to reduce the number of periods from13 to 3or 4 a year.
POP options work over time gradually thining the lining of the womb each cycle to the point where the bleeding eases off and stops. This usually happens within 6 months of starting.
In the case of mirena coil the periods can be stopped up to 5 years, Skyla coil 3 yrs, Nexplanon arm implant 3 years, Depo-Provera injections are every 3 months.
Then there is norethisterone which is taken 3 times a day and so long as you don't lose a tablet through illness or forget to take them religiously same times each day - then you delay the next period starting till you are ready for it, and stop the pills and you shouldhave a period start a couple of days after stopping.
There's a lengthy list of options on the wikipedia page to get you started on discovering what options there are for you in terms of the pill.
Hi, I would return to your GPs & ask to be referred to a gynaecologist. My GPs have insisted that I go back on the pill since I came off it when I was 24 (I'm 41 now). I was livid with my docs when they kept fobbing me off, a mate of mind told me to ask for a referral and I was lucky as my last doc appointment was with someone who listened to me and asked me what I wanted. I was so relieved I could have cried. I'm now booked in for a lap & mirena coil op on Tuesday. Don't give up. It's been hard and there are many times over the past few years when I resigned myself that this would be my life. Pain free for 1 week a month. Good luck x
CA125
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