I need help...

[Amycartz]

Hi.

I'm 26, I have been on and off contraception pills/injection/Implant for 11 years. In the beginning it was for contraception but as the years have gone on it was required due to extremely heavy periods (hospitalised twice for anemia) bad acne, severe bloating (to a point I gained severe stretch marks over night!) hair growth, all of the horrific symptoms of a my cycle. I was seeing my GP for 18 months straight before he referred me to a gynecologist and diagnosing me with PCOS. I started suffering from migraines and he told me that I could no longer carry on taking the pill (I have taken everyone available) due to me being a smoker, a little over weight and now a migraine sufferer I was at high risk of having a stoke. I first saw the gyne in June 2017. He told me to stop taking all hormone based tablets and use condoms for protection. I have to say I have never felt more of a human, more of a woman, more normal than I can remember. I actually feel, I don't feel numb all of the time. I actually enjoy having sex with my partner of 6 years (after 4 miserable years on my part) I am having a period once a month rather than 6+ months at a time. My vagina is no longer dry, I do not constantly suffer from Thrush. I know after all of this, people can say she's cured! Not the case. 3 days before my period starts I become a monster. I am unrecognisable. I shout and scream at anyone who is in front of me. I cannot drive as I get extremely bad road rage. I cry, I hit out (literally), I am a monster. I also still suffer with heavy bleeding and can feel the blood pouring out of me like a tap. I have clots every day/night. I bloat, I am doubled over in pain. I can't move without feeling like someone has stabbed me with a machete. The up side to all of this, I only deal with this for 1 week a month and then I am back to 'normal'. Before hand I was struggling everyday. I went to see my gyne today and told him of all of this and I told him that I gave up smoking and lost a little bit of weight. I asked him how I can stop suffering with the physical side of my period and his response was - Combined contraceptive pill. The treatment I have had for 11 years that has never worked he said this was the only option. I asked him about my severe mood swings and told him I actually got physical with my other half and he had to move out for 2 days because he mentally could not cope with my temper (ONLY WHILST ON MY PERIOD) his answer - Anti depressants! What the? I have to admit, I flipped. He was writing a prescription for anti depressants with out asking me any further in depth questions about me. About my mental health, my previous mental health. He didn't even tell me they were anti depressants, I asked him if they were and he said yes. After he calmed me down, he told me about the Mirena and said to research it as it could be an option. After researching - I can see that the side effects are the same as some of the oral pills I had taken in the past 11 years which didn't work. How can he be sure that this will work?? I really do not want to risk going back to the shell of a human I have been. On the other hand i want to marry my fiance as planned next month! I am stuck - I don't know what to do. I asked about a Hysterectomy - he said he hasn't recommended this as he doesn't see it as an option for me and he doesn't make the decision - it has to be agreed with a 'panel' of consultants. A panel? What is this? - X Factor!? He also said that there is a possibility of me having endometriosis. Just out of the blue, this has not been discussed before – only PCOS. (A bit of history that I should of mentioned) I have had blood tests 4 times on the first 1-2 days of my period which have confirmed that my testosterone is higher than it should be. I do not have diabetes. My Iron is low sometimes so I take supplements. I have also had 3 pelvic scans which show that I have cysts on my ovaries although, apparently not big enough to be causing me distress and haven't gone away on their own as they are on every scan! I have had my smear test which came back fine. I have also had STI tests and they have all resulted in being negative. My question is - What can I do? What shall I do? - Do I need to see a different gynecologist? - Where can I go from here? I need help before I lose everything I love. Can someone/anyone give me some advice, help or guidance? Or even share similar experiences and outcomes? Please.

Thank you

[Boodie]

Hi there I'm so sorry for what you have and still are going through. I have had cycles too in fact I have not had a cycle since August 2016 and since then I've had heavy bleeding with clots for weeks and months at a time

Norothisterone put me in hospital so I won't take it. I went on prostap which shuts everything down it puts u into temporary menopause and you can have add back HRT with it. First time I went on it was for 3 months then I thought my cycle may go back to normal after taking it and it didn't I bled for months! Now I'm back on the prostap for 6 to 12 months. Some people have it shorter or longer. I want kids desperately so I won't have s hysterectomy. Do u have or want kids?

I would suggest asking your current gyne about prostap. If he she shrugs it off and deters u from taking it I would maybe consider a diff gyne. With prostap u do get symptoms on menopause but everyone is different. The good thing is you don't or should not bleed on it whilst you have it. I think there is similar medicines out there like zoladex. Feel free to message me x

[Amycartz in reply to Boodie]

Hi Boodie. Thank you for your reply.

Since I have been off all hormone tablets for the past 6 months I am actually having 'normal' 4-5 day bleeds (I only missed October's cycle) beforehand I was very irregular and would either bleed for 6+ then have a few months break. My periods have always been heavy and clot ever since I can remember but the pain is excruciating - to the point I cannot walk/stand or even sit upright. And the mood swings are getting way out of control. Even when I didn't used to bleed I would still get all of the symptoms but no blood - even cramps! Which i felt was worse as I felt I was going through all of that for nothing!

The only meidcation my gyne is offering me now is the Combined Pill - which I will never take again or anti depressants - which I will never take again. What is Norothisterone? What is it for? and Prostap?

My partner and I have decided not to have children which is a very firm decision. So the hysterectomy is an option for me. But the gyne is saying it isn't but is not giving me a clear reason as to why. He has now asked me to send him a letter explaining why I want it so he can then discuss it with a panel!? - Now that I do not understand.

I feel misinformed and judged by him all the time. Do you know if an endo specialist if different from a gyne? Since he mentioned endo to me yesterday, has made me even more confused as I do not suffer from many of the symptoms like painful bowel movements/urinating/sex. I used to but I don't since not taking the Pill.

I feel stuck and confused. x

[Boodie in reply to Amycartz]

Hi there, norothisterone stops your period say if you were going on holiday and didn't want to gave a period. I would not ever take it again it put me in hospital. But everyone is different on it. Prostap put a you into a chemical menopause. It's only licensed to use for 6 months but women are on it for mych longer. You may get signs of osteoporosis on it so u have add back HRT with it. I'm on it at moment.i don't have endo but I think a you can have a general gyne and one that specialises in endo. If your not happy with your current gyne I would sit down with them again and explain your concerns. If they are still not willing to actually hear you I would request to be referred to a different one. xx