New and in need of some advice

[Sun_Kissed_Princess]

Hello,

I’m 29 and have been struggling with period pain for years, pretty much since I first started my periods at age 12. Over the past couple of months they have become progressively worse I.e. I take the 30/500 co-codamol and it’s not been hitting the period pain at all, I’m literally still writhing around in pain and agony. I have nausea and vomiting and I’m literally bed bound during my period.

I have been suffering with abdominal pain, through out the month and have been diagnosed with just have random IBS (i.e. it’s not caused by stress or food). But I’m pretty sure that’s just the diagnosis that’s given when there’s no explanation for the pain and it doesn’t fit into the bracket of any other gastrointestinal conditions. I’ve had to go to hospital a few times this year, due to being in pain and having some blood in my stools. Each time I’ve mentioned my period and that it was exceptionally bad around this time, it’s kind of been just dismissed.

I have been to the doctors at least twice this year just explaining that my periods are becoming worse, one just dismissed it and said I probably just have bad periods and the other sent me for bloods and an internal examination, which both yielded no answers. So I was once again left deflated and sent back home with the mindset of just deal with it. There’s just too many things telling me that there’s something else going on.

A family friend who has endometriosis, heard my symptoms and said I may also have it. So I went to the GP once again as my periods have been getting even more worse, to the point I’m waking up in agony prior to my period, feeling nauseous and with the feeling of needing to use the toilet and I have been experiencing a lot of fatigue. And long story short I basically have to have to have all the same tests I’ve had before which provided no answers and the possibility of investigation endometriosis didn’t really seem like a factor. I left the doctors feeling really dejected, as I feel I’ll probably end up with all the same answers, the tests will all come back clear, but I’ll still be suffering. I’m at a loss of what to do now, do I go back again to the GP prior to taking these tests again or wait for another set of potentially negative results and ask again.

I would be grateful for any advice right now, as this is actually getting me down and I’m genuinely fed up of going through the same circles and being made to feel it’s all in my head or I’m just supposed to suck it up and deal with it. Sorry for the long post.

Thank you in advance!!

[Cupcake1617]

Sorry to hear you’re having a bad time and a hard time with your doctors. I was also told I may have IBS I laughed at the consultant and said there’s no chance. 6 months later I woke up from surgery to be told I had endo. It was quite a fight, I keep a daily diary and it’s been so helpful when seeing different doctors and surgeons. Keep asking to be referred and different meds if yours don’t help. X

[Sun_Kissed_Princess in reply to Cupcake1617]

Thank you for your reply.

It genuinely looks like I’m gonna have fight for this to be looked at. The daily diary is a great suggestion and I’ve started doing it. I’ve also made another appointment with another, so fingers crossed!!

Thank you x

[sheri1991]

Hey.. i wud change your gp or ask to have a second opinion.. i have stage 4 endo and its blocked my tubes.. so cnt get preggs on my own.. my gp told us to just keep trying even after going back for years.. he left so i have a new one i seen her once and we was refered after one visit. They found cysts on everywere i had an mri thn october 2017 i had a op to remove it or most of it as my tubes were to far gone.. i also have low egg count so was told i need to lose a stone to have my nhs funded cycle.. which we start in january.. i was talking to a friend she said she played 5he stress n depresstion card as her gp was not doing anything for when she had emdos. Hope this helps you.. and good luck xx

[Sun_Kissed_Princess in reply to sheri1991]

Hiya, thank you for your reply. I’m sorry you had to go through your struggle and I hope everything goes well for you in January.

I’ve made another appointment with a different gp, so fingers crossed I’ll actually make some progress.

Thank you x

[Maxi72]

Sorry to hear your battle. Look up the NICE guidelines on GP referrals for endo. You need to put this in front of the GP- they need to refer you to a gynaecologist at the least and then if you have the same battle there, raise the guidelines again. Sorry for the short post. Good luck! X

[Sun_Kissed_Princess in reply to Maxi72]

Thank you for your reply. Great suggestions, I’ve not heard about those guidelines, I will definitely have a look into them. I have another appointment booked so I will have a read up and bring them with me.

Thank you x