Am i being stupid? Be honest

Yes be your on advocate. If you feel you are not being heard shout! Nobody knows your body quite like you do and it seems as if you have not been treated ideally.

I hope you get your answers and some relief with the new gynae. x

owthathurts wrote:

But i learnt sum very valuable lessons, namely 2 trust ur gut instinct & speak up if u disagree with ur doctor. After i am the only person who knows my body best. Lesson learnt.

I couldn't agree more! Any doctor that doesn't want to answer my stupid questions in his eyes won't get my business.

Times are changing, people google symptoms before going to doctor, in order to know whether if the doctor is making a good call. There is more power to the individual and any doctor that doesn't realise this, will be out of bussiness in a few years time.

Best of luck with the new doctor, keep us updated!

Thank you to each & every 1 of you beautiful souls who replied on this topic. I just put my head down & cried (partly in relief, partly from period pain) but mostly from happiness that there are people who can relate to the emotional rollercoaster that endo brings. I'm based in durban & my old gynae, Dr. R, is a well known fertility specialist. I was very happy with him as my 1st gynae had butchered me during my 1st lap. Over time tho, i became abit uncomfortable with Dr. R as he seemed more interested in getting as much cash out of us as possible b4 he rushed us out 4 his next appointmen, all the while downplaying my fears and ignoring my questions regarding why i needed X injection or Y procedure. Last year's botched laparoscopy could have happened 2 any1 but i finally decided 'enough is enough' when while i was in ICU, Dr. R came on his rounds & 4got 2 examine me! When the nurse reminded him about me, he had the audacity 2 ask me wot i was doing in hospital as my lap was a day procedure. This was after 3 days in an ICU!! WTF!? I was furious & told him it was his fault i was stuck there. The absolute final straw was my post-op consult when he was falling off 2 sleep while trying 2 explain 2 my husband & i wot went wrong. UGH!! That was it. But i learnt sum very valuable lessons, namely 2 trust ur gut instinct & speak up if u disagree with ur doctor. After i am the only person who knows my body best. Lesson learnt. For now, I am trying 2 set up a consult with a female gynae, Dr. Roberts(?) in ballito & see where it takes me. Fees seem abit steep but she's apparently really good. I just am so happy i've found a place that i can turn 2 4 advice. Thank you ladies

Oh hun, I am so sorry you are having such a bad time.

You need to find a dr that can fix this. I suffered from chronic endometriosis and ovarian cysts and had a HORRIBLE time. 3 gynaes later and a couple of laps I found one that treated me properly and within a year I had my baby love. The 2st gynae wanted to give me a hysterectomy (at 21!) after the 1st lap.

I know of 2 women (my aunt and my bosses wife) who also left it and ended up requiring major surgery because their organs were bonded together (like Julz). My aunt had a hysterectomy and my bosses wife had a beautiful baby girl (ivf).

I remember the pain I had and I know how horrible you feel etc.

Please dont ignore it maybe you can find a really good gynae referred by the ladies on this site. They can share their personal experiences...

Where are you based?

owthathurts, welcome to moomie.

No, I don't think that you are being stupid. You have been through quite a hard time!

All I can say is that having constant pain does take its toll on your emotional health. I have been struggling the past few months with strange pains in my abdomen that doctors could only identify as IBS (I still think it could be endometriosis). Inbetween I get good doses of migraine attacks. It really isn't fun and not many people understand what it feels like to have pain on a regular basis (especially if you are young). It really is frustrating walking around with a beanbag on your tummy at age 33 due to pain.


As for your fears regarding that the emergency surgery might happen again if you fall pregnant: I can relate to that. I had an ectopic pregnancy that nearly ended in death. The fear of the fact that it might happen again is still there. I did see a psycologist to help me "manage the fear" better so that I am not in constant fear everyday.

I can only imagine that battling to fall pregnant must be tough emotionally as well.
There are lots of ladies here on the forum that I am sure will be able to offer support with regards to this.

And, yes, Julz gives great advice!

Hi there. I can't offer you any advice, but I just want you to know that I am very sad for you. I know that Julz's advice is always sound. So I'm glad she's filled you in.
Good luck, and know that you're in my thoughts.

Hi and welcome to Moomie

Chronic pain is really the pits. It is so frustrating to have something which can only be managed and not cured so I get that you are feeling the way you are.

I feel so bad for you. For a year I had all sorts of tests and eventually went back to my gynae and told him that either he finds the problem or he must send me to a shrink. He took me seriously after doing a scan and not being able to make out my internal anatomy so we ordered a lap. When I woke up he said it was severe and referred me to a fertility specialist who is excellent at lap surgery for endometriosis.

I had a big surgery 2 weeks later and he cut out adhesions and unglued my ovaried and uterus from my bowel etc.

He found another issue but 5 months later I was pregnat with our son.

Shortly after his birth I had a big trauma and needed further surgery which ended in a hysterectomy.

Fact is that I know there are still small patches of endo. I can feel the pain, but the first surgery done by an excellent specialist in the field really sorted me out. As long as you have ovaries and there is endo tissue it may continue.

My advise to you would be to seek further treatment from a fertility specialist.

If you are in Cape Town, I suggest Prof Siebert at Aevitas. He is excellent.