Spent the 8 hours in hospital
Hey!
I'm new here so please bare with.
Last night I spent roughly 8 hours in hospital but let's go back a bit.
So last week I started getting period pains (makes sense I was due on). After a few days of excruciating period pain but no blood I started getting the feeling that my pelvis was full of concrete, it was heavy and extremely painful. I make it through the weekend and Monday as Tuesday is the day I usually see my Dr. Tuesday rolls around and my Dr is on holiday so on Wednesday I ring back and just speak to whoever is available because the pain is too bad.
I get a phone call from this Dr I've never spoken to before. She essentially says "you need to poop and as long as you're not pregnant you're fine" - I told her I am not constipated I know my body this isn't right something's wrong! Did she listen? no. However, she books me a face-to-face appointment with my Doctor... for Friday the 13th so 9 days time...
Thursday night comes round and I am just a wreck I'm in agony, it's not getting better, pain killers aren't touching it and I can't wait 9 days so I go to the 111 website and end up on the phone with a nurse. She was lovely and referred me to the out of hours GP.
The out of hours GP rang and asked me to come in and see him at 00:15am as he was worried it could be the start of appendicitis. I go to the appointment, he listens intently and understands how much pain I am in (Being quater past midnight the pharmacies were shut so he couldn't give me pain relief). He went off to try and get hold of the surgical dr at A&E because he still had concerns of appendicitis.
The Dr couldn't get hold of the surgical Dr so he printed me off a letter and sent me straight to A&E...
Long story short... I get there at around 1:00am... I get my blood taken and told to sit and wait for the surgical dr. (I need to add here I haven't taken any pain killers since 7:00pm on the thursday night the nurses know this I told them at every possible chance). I'm sat on the worlds most uncomfortable chair for 5 hours! no obs, no painkillers nothing just rocking myself to try and get rid of the pain trying my hardest not to cry because if I do I won't stop. 5:30am hits and a Dr (not the surgical one) pulls me into a room and talks to me about what's going on... He finally gives me a tiny bit of oramorph and tells me he is going to get the surgical Dr to see my ASAP. 15 mins later, the surgical Dr arrives. He examines me talks to me and says that he is confident it's not appendicitis but he id referring me for scans and I have a choice. I can either stay there and wait but he can't say when I'll be called for scans it could be at 9:00am or 5:00pm or I can go home and wait for a phone call for an appointment tomorrow (Today, Saturday). I choose to go home at least I can take pain killers and sleep.
My mum picks me up and we end up taking my brother to work and I get a mcdonalds because I deserve it haha! As my mum is shopping I get a phone call to come back to the hospital for 2:00pm as they have an appointment for me to have my scans.
2:00pm and I'm back at hospital (still no sleep, just another dose of oramorph when I got home before taking my brother to work) I get my obs taken at the SDEC and then sent down for scans. (I wasn't told to have a full bladder and didn't arrive with a full bladder because I've had scans where I need a full bladder and one's where it needs to be emptied.) I go for my scan and they can't get a clear picture because my bladder is empty. They tried to do an internal scan but the pain was just too much. I got sent back to SDEC expecting to be told to drink a lot and they'll try again with a full bladder or come back the next day... no... (This is where I completely break down)...
A Dr pulled me into an examination room examined me and the said.... "Your scans were clear there is nothing from a surgical point of view that I can do and because it is clear, Genecology won't be interested. You can go home now and I suggest you just wait for your period and take painkillers".... and with that I was discharged... I exited the hospital and just completely broke down.
Can anyone help me? I am keeping my appointment for Friday 13th I just don't know what to do now? Do I go back to A&E? if so what do I say? I just don't know I'm so distraught and in so much pain. I know something isn't right I know my body but no one is listening
TLDR: Went to hospital, got told to wait for my period and take pain killers and that they can't do anything.
So very sorry to hear of this frustrating situation you have been put through 🙁 and also so very sorry you are in so much pain. Like you said, most definitely keep your apt coming up. The very tricky thing with pelvic pain, especially if it is endometriosis related, the ER is 99% of the time not helpful. I have been so many times with pain like that, them thinking it was my appendix, scans coming out clear and them telling me it is just gas, go home and rest. It is so angering. Your best bet, is to try to wait for your appointment. Unless there is another doctor you can get in to see earlier- GYN related. The pain can be numerous amounts of things that one may not be able to see unless you have surgery- that was my case. I would certainly keep fighting until someone listens to you and I hope your doctor on the 13th is the one to do so. Up until that apt, I would try to rest as best as you can, use your heating pad, take warm baths if you can, walk around lightly, maybe watch what you eat -if you have any foods that seem to trigger more pain- maybe stay away from them this week. And if it just becomes too unbearable, you can go back to ER, but most likely it will be another frustrating trip 🙁 I wish I had a better answer and could help take your pain away. But you know your body and know something is not right then you absolutely keep on fighting. No matter how many doctors it takes to listen to you. And know we are here for you as well. So please reach out anytime you need to talk, have more questions or anything! Sending you hugs and good thoughts. Keep us updated if you can! -Kimberli (team member) 
I am so sorry to hear you went through this, and that your doctors didn't address your concerns. Like Kimberli says, the ER isn't usually helpful for endometriosis-related pain. I've also been to the ER for what I thought was a rupturing appendix, and the doc brushed it off as "just ovulation." I didn't get diagnosed with endo until 7 years later by an OB-GYN, meaning he's a surgeon and not just a gynecologist, who had experience treating endo. Since then I've always sought doctors who surgically treat endo. They are the only ones who've been able to help. My scans are usually clear, except for some cysts on ultrasounds in the past. Endometriomas are about the only thing that'll show up in a scan, in my experience. I've had other endo removed when everything looked "normal" on MRIs and ultrasounds. My advice is: Don't give up! It is truly night and day talking to someone who knows about endo vs. a doctor who doesn't. Keep searching until you find a doctor who'll offer you a pain management plan and one who'll help you get to the bottom of what's going on. Wishing you well! - Keri (endometriosis.net team member)
What a stressful experience! I'm so sorry that you have had such a difficult weekend. I'll second the other moderators who advise seeing a gynecologist as soon as possible. A&E is not likely to be super helpful at diagnosing endo--it's good to know that you don't have appendicitis or some other life-threatening condition, but a gynecologist who has endometriosis experience will be able to give you the best information. If the pain is worsening, please call again for an earlier appointment. Wishing you all the best! -Audrey (endometriosis.net moderator)
I hope that your pain has given you some relief. It can be difficult to receive good care for endometriosis in an emergency room. I am a firm believer in researching your doctors. In a way, you can look at it as if you are looking to hire a new employee.
You can get a list from your insurance for local doctors. By going off the list, you can google the doctors. Many times you can find reviews from other patients, which can give you some type of expectations. Sometimes doctors will have an 'about us' description on their clinic's website, which allows you to see if endometriosis is something they focus on.
Prior to your appointment Friday, make a list of things you want to discuss with the doctor. This will help you to prevent forgetting to mention an issue while speaking to the doctor.
I would be sure to note what you experience between now and then too. Are you bleeding? How heavy is your flow? What level and type of pain are you experiencing... Things along those lines. This information will help the doctor out and by writing it down it will be easier for you to share it.
In my opinion, you should make sure that you feel comfortable with your doctor and they appear to be taking you seriously. In the event that you feel like the current doctor is not a great fit, you can fire them and find a new one.
Stay strong and keep fighting your battle with endometriosis. I hope you know that the endometriosis.net community is here for you. - Amanda (team member)
