A really bad experience

[Bekie84]

Hi ladies I went to see my doctor yesterday about the weight gain that I had experienced since having endo. Also to discuss my hysterectomy date not being through still and the fact only one ovary should be taken not both like they want to. My doctor weighed me an felt my stomach which was agony. She then sat me down and told me that the size of her small pin box on her desk is the amount of food I should be having. I told her that I don't eat sweets chocolate and cakes etc and to be honest don't really eat much at all which my family can back up she told me that she will not discuss it with me and won't listen to the pathetic excuses she has spent 25 years listening to excuses at end of the day it's coming from somewhere and I'm putting it in my body end of. She then had a go at me about exercise which I told her I do do when I can but sometimes can't with the pain especially when I'm having my period which is twice a month at least. She had no sympathy and told me that's no excuse endo does not cause weight gain or for your daily life to be affected. She then moved on to say I'm depressed I told her I was over my weight problems she tried to make out it was my home life. I'm disgusted she then be littled an endo specialist saying there advice was wrong. I was in tears she knew from phone convo before I went to the appointment that I was upset with weight gain and the endo was dragging me down. She made me feel worse I was in floods of tears she isn't exactly really slim herself. I spoke with the receptionists and they were disgusted and said there has been endless complaints and for me to make one so I am and I changed my doctor. They wonder why girls starve themselves and take dodgy diet pills well no wonder at it. I told her the truth and went for help I weren't going ask for help to then lie to her about my eating and lifestyle. Now I can't bring myself to eat its knocked my confidence badly I feel worse than I did. I honestly don't do anything different to before and I've never been above a size 10 I'm now a 12 maybe 14. I have booked with a health trainer. This doctor is awful she doesn't suffer with it she is a doctor not a gynae or endo specialist. Loads of girls experience weight gain with endo and not being able exercise as much as usual due to the pain. I'm so upset and now feel worthless and like I'm some whimp and endo shouldn't be affecting me.

[LisaP74]

Hi Bekie84,

I am disgusted by your GPs behaviour, she is totally ridiculous!! How on earth can she say that this illness does not make us put on weight!!!?

The bloating alone (that I suffer from and I know others suffer from) makes our bodies change shape etc. I have had to change the type of clothes I wear altogether at the moment. I am not taking any type of hormone tablets at the moment or injections, but obviously treatment also affects everyone's bodies differently. It almost sounds like she was just intent on being vindictive and nasty (more than likely a power trip for her!!!).

She clearly has issues, please don't allow yourself to absorb any of the ridiculous things she said to you. I would definitely complain about her and hopefully she will see or learn she can't treat you like this.

Please don't stop yourself or worry about eating as this won't help. Since my lap (just over 6 weeks ago) and before I was diagnosed, my stomach has been bloated constantly and many times looked like I am pregnant. I have changed my diet a lot and don't drink any alcohol and yet my stomach remains the same (and used to be totally flat), I understand exactly how you feel, you know the truth and so do we 😊

L x

[Bekie84 in reply to LisaP74]

Thank you so much for your reply. I used to have flat stomach even after my 3 children it's been a shock to go through this I've done all I can I too have cut things from my diet and still I look 6 months if not more months pregnant. I am seeing a health trainer soon I booked appointment yesterday so hopefully she can help me. I cannot believe the doctor cannot see that having endo swells your insides and when your in pain and there a problem with your stomach whether it's endo or another problem cause your belly will swell. I am so down and even more so now I don't know anyone that has this condition so have no one to relate to. Everyone just sees me as putting weight on but sometimes my belly is not too bad other days it's hideous but as I said I have 2 periods a month at least that itself causes bloating. Thankyou so much again. I hope no one else has to go through that from a doctor it was awful. She honestly has no clue about this condition and that makes me mad when they then demean us ladies that do know what it's like. Problem is this condition is not very well understood by gynaes etc and none of them are really sure what happens and what it does to us we are the ones who love with it and know what's happening why won't they listen to us maybe they would get some answers then.

Bekie x

[LisaP74 in reply to Bekie84]

Same here, I don't know anyone that has this condition either and have days from the pain etc. that I feel really down and none of my family seems to get it either.

If you would like, feel free to message me, maybe we can help each other? X

[Bekie84 in reply to LisaP74]

That would be great I will follow you on here so that we can message anytime then and I hope we can help each other through this. Thankyou very much it's made me feel a bit better already after my dreadful time with doc yesterday.

Xx

[Bekie84]

Thankyou so much for your reply. I haven't been told the stage I'm at with endo. Which is disgusting. I had a lump that grew big and gave me so much pain I went for an operation and they removed it sent it for pathology they weren't ruling out cancer at that point yet said. The pathology eventually came back and said endometriosis and it was severe. I haven't been told where it all is or anything . I have tried many tablets that are suppose to help and they gave me injections to bring early menopause but didn't help so they took me off them and now I been told with everything in history and what the pathology reported its hysterectomy a total one no time for questions I would have op by March still waiting. I am under a gynae at the minute I'm at a brick wall so low at min don't know what to do or where to turn next. My doctor really has made me feel so much worse. I am disgusted with her. Thankyou for your suggestions and help I appreciate it loads.

Bekie xx

[bernie93]

Please consider writing to PALs. You can guarantee that if you write to your surgery, they won't do much about it! This doctors behaviour is absolutely disgusting and no one should ever be treated like that! I hope you get her sorted out! Please feel free to follow and message me at any time if you ever need a chat xx

[Bekie84 in reply to bernie93]

Thankyou so much for your kind words and same for you message me anytime thankyou again xx

[Bekie84]

I will defo ask as I want this sorted but I don't think hysterectomy will help so maybe I need to leave it until I I know what's going on an the facts I am so worried at the min I just want things to get better thankyou for helping me xx

[Bekie84]

I will for definate I'm just not coping at the minute and I'm scared and depressed with it which I heard is another cause of this horrible condition xx

[Sam341]

Aww bekie,

That is awful!! You are not worthless or a wimp!!! That GP is just bully miserable women by the sounds of it. And clearly in no way is a competent GP.

What you are feeling is normal for what you are going through.

I have been clean controlled eating, exercising 3-5 times a week and I'm look fatter than I have in months so I hope to god it's related. I have a friend similar build to me, doing the exact same, and she has lost 12lb since jan and I'm the exact same weight. Doesn't make sense at all.

I'm so desperate to loose all this fat around my stomach/back. Everywhere else looks much more lean. Weight gain is clearly hormone related. And your hormones are clearly all over the place so of course it CAN be related.

Keep strong, do what you can to feel fit and go back to an other doctor.

And make a very strong complant against that GP.

Lots of love

[Bekie84 in reply to Sam341]

Thankyou Sam I just still cannot bring myself to eat what she said to me has really stuck and upset me. I just wish these doctors would be quiet of they don't know what they are talking about with the endo. None of them really know it's us ladies that really know as we live it.

Lots of love too xx

[dot7]

How DARE a GP act like that! The NHS is shockingly rubbish especially in relation to endometriosis knowledge.

I got the "all is fine" diagnosis from them so went private and ended up having severe rectocaginal endo and endometrioma removed.....definitely nothing then!! I went to see doctors recently and they are acting like nothing has happened BUT the only nice GP did admit he had no real knowledge about endometriosis and THAT is the problem.

How can they aim to help, advise or treat with no real knowledge!!

I am a whale compared to just before my latest symptoms started and pain + fatigue = exercise isnt an easy option.....so dont push yourself too hard. I have been told by my specialist that shifting weight when your hormones are messed up is like pushing a car up a hill, as long as you know you are eating healthily why punish yourself further....none of this is your fault.

xxx

[Bekie84 in reply to dot7]

Thank you so much for your reply. And it's nice to know I'm not going insane when I told my doctor its endo that has caused me to put this weight on and exercise I do do it but it's hard sometimes but she honestly wasn't having any of it so at least your specialist has agreed it's a struggle when hormones are a mess. Im in so much pain today too and I really am finding the way that awful so called doctor hard. It's such an uphill struggle none of them know what they are talking about they haven't really helped me at all like a lot of ladies have found.

Xx

[SallyBowles]

Argh this makes me so mad. For a start 12-14 is not exactly obese is it? You are going to her for help and advice as you are concerned about the weight gain and it's up to her as a health professional to support you, not belittle you and make you feel like a failure and a liar. I am way bigger than you and have had lots of support from my GPs doing Weight Watchers to get within the normal BMI range so it's not all doctors by any means. I would do as suggested above and complain to PALS.

I put two stone on when I was on Prostap, it's a stated side effect of the drug and I also think it's much much harder to lose weight when you are in pain all the time. I have lost over two stone but my stomach area still remains quite bloated, I don't think there's anything much to be done about that as it's part of my symptom pattern with IBS issues and old endo scarring round my bowel.

Try not to let this ignorant woman put you off seeking further help. I found sticking to a low GI diet definitely helped keep me feeling full and also stopped a lot of the bloating.

Good luck!

[Bekie84 in reply to SallyBowles]

Thankyou for your reply I am definately putting a complaint in as she shouldn't be allowed to do that to people. I am going to see the health trainer on the 7th so will discuss with her all that's going on with the endo as see what plan she can come up with that suits the endo.