infection

[stepmum]

I have endo which is kept under control by the pill. A close friend has all the same symptoms and has been hospitalised twice the last four months - on morphine for the pain. She has had scans which show a cyst on her ovary. The only times in the last four months when she has been pain free are when she was briefly pregnant (sadly she suffered an early miscarriage). The consultant says she has an infection and is treating with anti-biotics. She won't sanction a laparoscopy - just more scans - which bearing in mind that she has only just mis-carried - don't show anything up. Over the last number of years the only times she has been pain-free have been when she was using the pill/hormone contraception. I visited the consultant with her some years ago who wouldn't investigate further as she was symptom free due to being on the pill. He said she would have to come off the pill and let the symptoms recur before he would put her forward for a lap - obviously this could take months during which time she is losing days from work and life every month. Does anyone have any suggestions to help her or to push things forward?

[jojo777]

Maybe to ask for a referral to a different endo gynae? She has the right to do that and it will be good to research a good one in your area and go back to GP so she can be referred there.

Just make sure she gets all her medical records before her new appointment so the new doctor knows exactly what happened. x

[Impatient]

Why is she so against a lap? What aspect of it is worrying her so much?

Does she actually know what it is? That a dagnostic lap is a hole in the belly button and two more or so further down. Has she been shown what they look like scar wise after they have healed up?

Barely noticeable in most cases. I even had a whopper hole and that's barely noticeable.

OR is she terrified of needles, or of general anaesthetic or hospitals or what?

Something is putting her off having basid diagnostic proceedure which will not impact her chance of a pregnancy and might make the world of difference to her long term health.

If she does have endo, the longer she leaves it untreated the worse it will get and could leave her in a few years time in a dreadful situation and possible unable to look after the very kids she wants to now have.

There is only so much looking from the outside by scans that anyone can do and antibiotics do not resolve cysts or endo (if it's that) or adhesions if she has those.

nor will they unblock tubes and ovaries from adhesions if those are a problem too.

A gynae surgeon is there to offer diagnosis and relief from surgery, if she refuses that then not much point in making use of them as there is nothing more they can do that a GP cannot in terms of medicating.

I presume her main aim is to have a successful pregnancy, you don't take your car on a long journey without a full service, checking tyres and oil and so on, so why not get a surgeon to make sure all is as well inside too, as it can be before carrying a pregnancy?

Even with getting pregnant, in due course as the baby grows if there are organs stuck together with adhesions and they have not been dealt with first and cut back OMG that will be one hell of a painful pregnancy and she can't take the pain relief like smarties that we can when not expecting.

Something is wrong, else she wouldn't be in pain.

If you can find out what the reason is for her phobia about a lap op, then you know what you have to address to get to persuade her to go see the surgeon.

However some people simply don't want help with pain, they actually enjoy being a martyr to pain and with the best will in the world there is nothing you can do to stop that or help them feel better.

It's a tricky one, tread carefully.

[stepmum in reply to Impatient]

It's not my friend who doesn't want a lap - it's the consultant who won't put her forward for one. My friend has been hospitalised twice recently with excrutiating pain that is only touched by morphine and the gynae says it is an infection and the cyst that are the problems - they are also still harping on about the possibility of it being appendicitis. It's very frustrating as I can see her going through exactly the same things I went through 20 years ago! I know the average time taken to diagnose endo is currently 8 years but I don't understand why when so many women have it that they seem so reluctant to go down that route.