Hi guys! 
I have a telephone appointment with my GP on Thursday. I am getting really nervous about it. I am going to ask to be referred but I don't want to feel like I am telling the doctor how to do their job. Do you have any advice please? What do I say? Going into slight panic mode now...
Thank you xxx
I was nervous too, I've spent the last 10 years investigating various other conditions and always hitting dead ends. Some doctors were starting to treat me like I was mental, just left me on painkillers for the last year and shrugged their shoulders. I finally stopped letting them "do their job" and started pointing them them this direction, it's YOUR HEALTH sweetie, and you have every right to say "Hey, I think I have symptoms of endometriosis, could we look into that please?".
It has been on the telly loads this month, it's a great time to go to your GP and get some help. If anyone says otherwise then remind them that the Endometriosis charity is urging women to see their GP if they have any of the symptoms of endo, so you're not doing anything wrong.
They will do a tummy examination first, then an Ultrasound, because apparently gyno won't see anyone unless those two things have been done first. It may take a few months, I went in Feb and I've just been referred to gyno this month after having those tests done to rule out more easily diagnosed conditions. But yeah, get down there and get the ball rolling, with how long it takes it won't hurt for them to put the referral in and then do some basic tests to rule out things like PCOS and Fibroids.
Sending love and hugs! You can do this! Be firm and tell them what you need.
Thank you so much for your reply. Bless you, it sounds like you have had a terrible time with it 
My doctor told me in December that she was pretty positive that I have it and to try a new pill (which is not working at all). I am really concerned at the time period it takes for everyone to get taken seriously. I have been going to the doctors since I was 17 with chronic back/hip pain, which is all linked but only very recently was I told I just feel so deflated and anxious about the doctors and I really hope they will refer me.
Thank you so much for your kind words and support. xxx
Yeah the time scale is awful isn't it, I didn't even know that half the symptoms I was showing were abnormal! I honestly thought every woman had very painful periods, that it was just a really heavy period causing blood in my urine and having a bloated pregnant belly was normal too if you were on. My husband heard a woman talking on the radio about it and I googled her, I just burst into tears when I heard her story. She sounded exactly like me! I think if there was more awareness about it there wouldn't be so many women like us that are worried to see their GP, being told "all periods are painful" needs to stop!
Can definitely empathize, I refused to do anything for months because I've had so many scans and tests and tablets for lupus, fibro, chrons, MS, rheumatoid arthritis...I couldn't face another thing to think about, but I needed answers. So as anxious as you'll feel babe, think how good it will feel to get an answer 😘 that's what keeps me going! Hope that I can put a name to all this.
Any time love, I hope you manage to get sorted out!
Hi! When you say you went in Feb do you mean to your GP to try and get a referral?
I've just started round 2 of trying to get a diagnosis for my gynae symptoms as it was brushed off 5 years ago when I was 18. I had a GP appoint approx. 3 weeks ago and have been referred for an ultrasound but have yet to receive an appointment - just wanted to know how long it took for your appointment to come through for this?
I work in the NHS so i know how stretched services are currently but I'm not sure whether being impatient about the appointment is justified or not. Don't want to fall through the system again.
Yeah I went in Feb about the endometriosis specifically, and they did the tummy examination around beginning of March, the ultrasound was about a 6 week wait. I have to chase gynecologist up tomorrow and see if they have any appointments soon, docs said to ask for cancelations and things like that so I can be seen sooner.
I would guess you'll have around a 3-6 month wait for actually seeing the gynecologist, depending on how your hospital is doing appointments wise. But you may want to ask your GP for a estimate once the ultrasound is done you can be more forceful about being seen sooner. Explain your symptoms are seriously effecting your life (mine are nearly every day now, don't know about you) and you need to be seen sooner rather than later.
Quick question, have you been keeping a diary of your symptoms for the doctor? I use Glow, it's easier to track it on an app than remember to write it down every day lol. Anyway, a pain/symptom diary can be really useful for them. And you'll be able to map your flares if you use an app, gives you some warning when your period/ovulation is due so you know symptoms will start. I can plan my weeks around it then might be worth a look for you, it's free too I have the premium so I can print charts out and other stuff, but that's just me being over organized haha
HiHave a look at the Endo uk site, there’s info to get the best out of a consultation.
Notes are useful.
Their job is to help you get well, we pay their salaries, or did until this knocks you for six
Hey! Wishing you all the most at your appointment. When I explained my symptoms to the first GP I saw she was like ‘but this doesn’t make sense?’ (Almost accusingly!) and to my query about endometriosis she flat out refused to entertain the idea, saying I basically didn’t tick enough boxes. I was so upset and traumatised really because my pain was REAL and it’s so hard to describe the severity and types of pain to another person.
However in the end I ended up writing a 5am email to my practitioner explaining how I felt and asking to see another doctor, any other doctor. Turned out this one would be much more receptive and kickstarted the whole reference process.
So my advice is please try to be resolute about this and remember that not all GPs are clued up about this, some very much want to stay in their lane. But you are always, always entitled to a second opinion and to keep at it.
Best of luck x
Hi, please always remember, this is your body, your health and your wellbeing. You are in charge, the GP is not in charge. If they are not willing to refer, be assertive and insist. Tell them you are not happy with that and make sure they do the referral. You need advice from a endometriosis specialist therefore need to be referred. Never worry about telling them how to do their job, I do this regularly and that's why (mostly) they don't mess around with me. Don't take no for an answer. If you have a friend or family member that you trust, do some role-playing in advance, ask them to pretend to be the doctor and refuse the referral. Practice your assertive answers with them. This approach to GPs works for me so it will work for you too. It will be ssuccessful and you will be referred. Doctors aren't used to patients standing up for themselves x
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