How do you talk to your Dr about the mental health side of endo?

[asoullessstatic]

So, I’m not gonna lie I’m struggling. I’m in pain almost every day now, and with a 38 week wait list to see gyno, I’m not going to have anything dealt with any time soon. About two years ago I was misdiagnosed with PCOS, but I had a normal ultrasound and normal blood work. I was in hospital last year because I was in agony, they thought it was my appendix and again everything was normal, they did an ultrasound (3 of them in fact) and a contrast CT and blood work. Repeatedly its been shown I have no clinical evidence of PCOS at all, but the endocrinologist I saw said she was convinced it was because I looked like I had PCOS ie I had acne and I carry my weight around my middle.

I’m now utterly paranoid that I am going to wait this long, in utter agony, to see someone who is going to just look at me and not see past what I look like. I know I’m only 15 stone and 5’11, but I am like a potato with cocktail stick legs and arms, so I know what medical staff think of when they look at me. I keep having panic attacks at the thought of having to see doctors, I ‘ve got an appointment with my new GP at the end of the month and I’ve already had three panic attacks thinking about it. I have only seen her once but the first time I saw her she believed me, believed everything, told me she thinks its likely endo and immediately referred me. However I keep having dreams about going in and she goes “by the way, I read your records and there is nothing wrong with you, I don’t want to see you anymore.” The extreme worry and anxiety about never getting treatment is destroying me. I cried myself to sleep last night. I’ve got friends who are telling me I need to see my GP about my mental health because “you’re not yourself, we’re worried” but whats the chance of them believing me about that if no one believed me about the endo for 15 years.

Has anyone had experience with having to repair your relationship with doctors or, having to come to grips with getting over the intense panic and anxiety of seeing treatments for multiple facets, or even how to discuss the mental health aspects of endo with your doctors?

[Sfr204]

So sorry to hear you feel this way. I am a very anxious person and have struggled at times managing this alongside a very long endo story (diagnosed two weeks ago, laparoscopy yesterday, 15 years after first symptoms!). My advice would be to be honest with everyone in the medical profession, seek specialist help and guidance for your anxiety AND your endo, and believe that you will get through this. X