Pain control . . . please help! GP and gyno wont do anything

[GRosetta]

I'm 21 years old and got diagnosed with endo after my first laproscopy when i was 15.

My doctor and gyno wont do anything more for me after the endo returned when it was removed via laser therapy. Also they wont give me any pain meds for it due to my intolerance for non steroidal anti-inflammatory durgs (NSAIDs). But I have been in absolutely agony all weekend and now this week and I feel a lot worse than normal. Still I am getting no help from the docs. Any advice or help would be amazing! Thanks in advance :/

[Catcat]

Hi sorry you are in so much pain, have you tried a tens machine i find it really good you can get them from lloyds pharmacy , argos and boots , it takes the pain off while you have it on . good luck

[GRosetta in reply to Catcat]

Thanks I will definately give it a try.

[Chrissie66]

Hi

My gynae told me that there is evidence coming through now that NSAIDs are not the best pain relief for endo. There is a huge range of other pain relief out there, and they can't just refuse to treat your pain.

Ask them if you can be referred to a pain clinic to help you out. You have to be quite determined with these things, but you know your body and your pain better than anybody else. The only thing that even touches my pain is pethidine; my gynae is supportive of me having it because she's seen the state of my insides but my GP is really reluctant. It took a lot of talking about but now it's settled. Although my regular GP has just left our practice so I can foresee another battle coming up

Good luck

C x

[GRosetta in reply to Chrissie66]

Hi

I wish I had your gynae! Mine told me that - "It's just one of those things" and "They will look into treatments once I'm 25!" They are a joke. They only thing they will prescribe me is cocodamol which doesnt even touch it. They were even hesitant about that saying I will end up a drugie.

It took me and my lovely mum 2 years from when it started to get booked in for my first laproscopy being told it was normal just period pains. My first gynae who did both my ops was lovely but unfortunately he has left and the replacement is awful she has no clue. My doctors are just as bad even getting an appointement takes 2 weeks then they are no use when we go in. (I must note we've moved doctors 3 times).

I will keep pestering and mention about the NSAIDs.

Thanks

[Chrissie66 in reply to GRosetta]

I have been INCREDIBLY lucky with my gynaes - I was diagnosed 20 years ago when I was 26, my gynae was really gruff and didn't expect me to answer back when he told me stuff. At the beginning I didn't because I was so scared, but then I got...not angry, because I don't think it's helpful to be marching in and demanding stuff, but I started asking questions and questioning things he was telling me. He was completely taken aback, he wasn't used to that! LOL! but eventually we turned into firm friends and he said it was really refreshing to talk to somebody who was interested in what was going on in their own body. When he retired I was devastated because I didn't think his replacement would match him in any way, but she is absolutely bloody brilliant. Again, when I first met her, she was very matter of fact about everything but to be honest I prefer that, I'd rather people were honest with me than tried to placate me with fluffiness, but now we're on first name swapping Christmas card terms. I do appreciate that I have struck lucky but on the other hand...I don't know, I see ladies on here advising that people "demand" answers and saying that we are "entitled" to know what's going on; I'm not sure that that's the way to go with this disease. There is so much about it that the doctors just don't know, and no amount of demanding anything is going to change that or make a difference. They are working within limits themselves, and if you understand that and work with them rather than against them it's better for everybody.

Regarding the pain relief - take your mum with you to every appointment. I'm 46 now but when I was having the worst battles with my GP about giving me pethidine, I took my mum along. I was in the same boat as you, they didn't want to give me pethidine because of its tolerance problems, and I live in a town where people go to the doctors to get drugs which they then sell on a Friday night, so I understand their reluctance, but it is genuinely the only thing that works for me. Anyway, because the GP had had dealings with my mum and dad, once she made the connection between me and them I think she understood that I would a) not be allowed to abuse the drug and b) not be selling them in the street on Fridays!

Remember, if you are really not happy with your new gynae you can ask to see somebody else.

C xxx