Results and things - long post!!!

[sarah1]

Hi everyone - apologise now for the long post, I'm just very frustrated and upset.

So I had a call on friday from a gp - it was one I went to see a while ago and he was rude so I asked for another, but they told me last week he was the only one who could ring with blood results.

He said all my blood tests had come back fine except I have an imbalance in hormones which means I have PCOS - don't know why didn't see this on any of the scans I've had (about 20 since I was 18)

So I then asked if I could have just developed this since after my MC last year, as I've been tested for it several times and I've always been fine. He said it can't just appear but I've since read online that it can - and obviously has as I haven't had it before! Plus I got pg fairly fast last time.

So I asked what I was meant to do next. His actual words were 'Keep at it. You might eventually get pregnant.' Very positive! He said it seems quite mild PCOS. I asked when I could see a specialist he said he didn't know. He said all they could give me for it is clomid but they won't give me cos of my age and you can only take it for 6 months (I didnt know this) in your whole life. He said I could only have it towards the end of my reproductive years. I tried to say that my hubby doesn't want to be old when he's a dad (age gap) but his reply was 'well he'll keep producing healthy sperm till he's 70'. Great He also said 'you won't get given it either if you are a big girl' so I told him I had lost just under 4 stone in a year and had a healthy BMI. He then decided that it wasn't PCOS stopping me from getting pg it was cos I was starving myself! I said it had been gradual and I hadn't starved myself, just ate healthier and exercised regularly. He wouldn't have it and kind of blamed it all on me.

After asking him (again) about my scan results he set up a referral to a gyno - make clear this was only for probs I'd been having with cycles - mid month bleeding, something that might be a cyst and lots of other stuff. When I mentioned hormones being up and down he said 'well women like to blame everything on their hormones don't they? this is nothing to do with hormones so it must be something psychological'.

So I came off the phone pretty upset. I've calmed down and will deal with diff gp from now on if I can but the questions I have are:

- Why didn't anyone tell me about this a year ago after I was ill from the MC? I have spent a year back and forth to docs with the same problems
- Is the cyst in my uterus anything to with PCOS? again why wasn't I treated for this a year ago? ( I was given antibiotics for 'infections' then told to go away and keep trying)
- If pcos 'can't just appear', how did I get pg easy when I was fat, but now I'm thin I can't get pg?
- How can I keep my weight down but eat lots more (he said I had to keep my energy levels up) the minute I have a day where I eat a lot more I put on a few pounds, plus I'm just not that hungry.
- How do I cope with having PCOS - irregular cycles etc - is there any way to treat it?
- When can I see a fertility specialist? I was told by the other gp I'd get referred.
The gyno I am going to see is also the fertility specialist for the area so I can maybe ask him a few questions, but I just feel very confused and meeved at my gp's - if I had known all this a year ago I'd have been saved a lot of stress.

I know I'd have big probs with side effects from clomid even if they'd let me take it - I can't take pain killers without having an attack of IBS, and I once took the pill and felt awful all the time. Any tips from anyone with PCOS?? I don't know anything about it!

I just want an appointment with someone to ask these questions. I feel like I'm stuck in rut here and not sure where to go next. Hate gp man - he's so rude to me, and talks like its all my fault.

Thanks - again sorry for long post. Love to all xxxx

 

[LouiseB]

OMG, that's horrendous.

You never ever HAVE to deal with a GP that you don't like. Reschedule to get someone else in future.

Or even better, change your GP clinic. Get a completely different team of doctors.

I live outside a small town and there are about 3 GP surgeries on the same road! You must have options?

Another point worth mentioning is that your GP is NOT qualified to give you specific advice regarding your fertility. It is a specific area of study and to deal with fertility related issues that are as extensive as yours, you have every right to see a genuine specialist.

That would be my next step personally. I'd go to the GP and ask for a copy of all the results they have on their system relating to your fertility.

Then i'd go and have a private consultation with a specialist and take them with you, which is about £150 (i think - trying to remember).

All of their opinions can be forwarded to your GP to continue discussion with a professional diagnosis.

If you can't afford private, just change GP and ask them to refer you to a specialist on the Nhs. I wouldn't bother with your current GP anymore.

I'm not overly familiar with PCOS and clomid, although i do have a vague recollection of the 6 month thing. The Nhs will only pay for 6 month worth of the drug in some places i think. It's not that you can't buy it privately.

 

[sarah1]

Thanks, Louise - you're so good at this stuff x I was starting to think I was overreacting about the whole thing. Yes there is another GP surgery I am going to ring up tomorrow I think. Either that or I remember there being a nice doc at the surgery I'm at now so if I can get in this week might go see her and try and explain things - do you think its worth complaining about that man? I've had him be like this before, when I first got IBS I had terrible cramps and thought it might be ectopic preg or something and he said - so what are you so worried about? and laughed when I said we wanted a baby and I was worried it was something to do with that. I hate to think he speaks to everyone like that x

 

[LouiseB]

No, you're not over reacting

I must have seen about three of four GPs at my clinic and i didn't particularly like any of them, but i stuck to the third because he didn't actually offend me and he was taking us seriously.

One of the horrid ones also made the utterly stupid comment about my hubby being able to produce sperm until he was 70... he can't even produce sperm now at 35! lol

They are kind of ageist aren't they?

I never complained about mine, but they were only temporary staff. I wish i had in hindsight.

If it makes you feel better than definately do, it's the only way he's going to change. Just be polite and specific in your complaint, a letter might be best

 

[maybe baby]

Hi Hun,

You have every right to be annoyed and you should definitely seek another opinion.

Just as a comparison, I have been TTC a year have had 1 M/C and 2 probable chemicals.

I have already had 1 Gynae and 2 fertility appointments, my first one was after the MC so not long after I'd started TTC.

The NHS rules are that you have to have all the diagnostics done before they are allowed to refer you.( I think you've had most.. Have you had a smear and your STI swabs?)

They do say you need to be TTC for a year but I nicely argued that that's fair in a normal person's case but I was not normal, I had M/C, long cycles and crazy spotting so I didn't think the 1 year rule was fair in my case and you're the same.

I spoke to the practice manager and complained and also asked if there was a doctor at the practice that I could speak to who had a better knowledge of fertility than the stupid patronising male idiot I was dealing with!

I have a new doc now who is great, I think she's a similar age to me too and she's caring and really wants to help me, so different from the other docs I've seen.

Get your assertive head on and make a phone call, you'll be surprised at where it will get you! Unless you're Louise B!!

Good Luck Hun,

Keep us posted!

xx

 

[LouiseB]

Get your assertive head on and make a phone call, you'll be surprised at where it will get you! Unless you're Louise B!!

I love your new avatar btw maybe, very summery

Edit - is that even a word? Summer-like or summer-esque? Who knows... it's season appropriate anyway

 

[maybe baby]

Summery! I use it all the time, although I don't think it is a proper word!

I thought I was about time I had a new one...

xx

 

[sarah1]

Hi Maybe, we have been trying for coming up to 14 months, and had MC a year ago this week. I've had about 3 scans, one gynae appt and all the swab tests done. They just send me around in circles and treat me with all sorts of diff medicines that dont work!
Yes I had just found a nice gp too who was going to refer me but then she left (she was training). I'm going to ring up today to go see another doc - any of them - and ask for referral to fertility specialist. If they say no, I'll visit them every week until they say yes x x x

ps. I like your piccy too - very pretty! xx