the patch still not helping on month 2

[pinkie25]

I’m currently trying the birth control patch to see if it lessens my tummy pain. This is the second week of the second month and the 3rd week starts on Tuesday. The first month I started the patch in the middle of my natural cycle cause I was getting daily pain in my tummy and my doctor thought it would be fine. The first month period started before the week break and was just as painful as normal but lasted ten days instead of the normal 6 days. I’m suspected to have endometriosis and I’m trying the patch to see if it reduces the pain. Mum said she doesn’t think it will stop the daily pain and only help the period pain but if the pain is probably caused by endometriosis then shouldn’t it help the daily pain as well as the period pain? I feel like if it’s still not helping my daily pain then why would it help the period pain this month if they’re probably both caused by suspected endometriosis.

[BloomingMarvellous]

Hi Pinkie

The idea of the patch - you don’t say it’s particular blend - will be to up the progestin levels to reduce the progression of the suspected endo or “to try to regulate “ the hormones to ease the pain. It can work to hold off endo progression for some for some while but doesn’t always do the job. Generally they like to review after a few months.

Personally BC always made me worse and I only ever felt better pregnant ( it came back straight after so no it doesn’t stop it and isn’t the solution!) and it hasn’t ceased with menopause. What’s me and what’s your experience however maybe different.

It’s really useful for you and your Mum to have a lot of information about endo to avoid the treatment choices you don’t want and know those that might work better for you . There’s a lot of variable care and knowledge out there and it’s easy to be misdirected sadly . Lots of us find Heal Endo by Katie Edmonds really helpful both to explain what’s known about endo and the differing options including self care that are out there.

You might find both proper specialised pelvic floor physio - @corerecoverypt is worth a view - a way to help out with the pain and discomfort and certainly worth giving tens type machines for the acute pain on and off during the month. Don’t keep going with treatments that don’t work - don’t be a martyr to pain and insist your GP refers you forward for investigations.

[pinkie25 in reply to BloomingMarvellous]

I’m currently still staying on the patch for a bit longer just to see if it will start helping but mum agreed I could come off it after 3 months if it’s still doing nothing. We’ve sent an online message to the gp asking if he can contact Norfolk and Norwich endometriosis clinic and see if they’ll see patients privately. I had already told my gp I’d be willing to have surgery if a doctor thinks it’s the right thing and he just said he’s not going to refer me anywhere cause the waiting list is several years long and I should try birth control first. But I’m currently still in pain daily so we’re looking into going private but we need somewhere near to us that’s also accredited cause dad isn’t comfortable driving. We’ll probably go to Cambridge spire if the Norfolk and Norwich endometriosis clinic won’t see patients privately.

[BloomingMarvellous in reply to pinkie25]

It’s worth getting the professional view if you can instead of waiting for the excessively long waits on NHS which is just not serving many women.

Irrespective of how short or long the wait is it’s really worth exploring books like Heal Endo before you go so you both have a better idea of the territory . Some women do very well with straightforward early surgery but this isn’t an easily resolved disease and does need on going care and management. Medics are part of that, as is getting a clear idea of extent of the problem but it is only part. Self care and other treatments are important and the work of Prof Horne in Edinburgh might be worth you exploring. Combined approaches often work better than a single strategy to manage the pain.

[pinkie25 in reply to BloomingMarvellous]

We’re still not 100 percent sure I even have endometriosis we’re just guessing basically

[BloomingMarvellous]

it’s a fair guess x