When I first started writing I did not know where I would start I have my diary and I thought I would barely fill half of it and here I am now rambling on and realising how easy it is to just write about whatever comes into my head I am now one third into my diary and still by the looks of it our journey has a long way to go (I may even need to buy another diary) lets see how the next examinations/appointments and tests go.
I have not written anything for about a month as I have been so busy. Since I last wrote I have received a letter from my gynaecologist explaining my last appointment the letter days about me being diagnosed with endometriosis in 2009 when I underwent a laparoscopy. It talks about being referred to him at the beginning of the year as well as being presented as an emergency with pelvic pain. It talks about my cyst and laparoscopy on 18th February and my post-op problems causing me to undergo my laparotomy on 28th February. It mentions that I was found to have severe endometriosis stuck to my gynaecological organs. Since then I have largely recovered although I still feel quite tired and that I still suffer from pelvic pain, particularly on the right and dysmenorrhoea – painful periods. The letter says that I have a regular 28 day period and had positive ovulatory sticks.
It then goes on about us trying to conceive since 11th September after me stopping the combined pill. I have never been pregnant. It mentions about Kev never having fathered any pregnancies before and that his seamen sample analysis came back normal.
The letter then goes on about the blood tests I had done back at the beginning of the year (my hormone profile) being normal.
It is such a relief to actually have normal healthy results come back, for once I am normal.
He also wrote about him arranging to redo my “day 21” progesterone test. And that he took a high vaginal swab and an endo-chlamydia swab with the view to performing a HyCoSy scan to check my tubal patency and that he has advised me not to have unprotected intercourse the month in which I have this performed. He also mentions about him taking a cervical smear that day as I had never had one before. He adds that he it seemed sensible at the time to take one.
The letter ends with him explaining to me that endometriosis can make conceiving more difficult; however if I have patent fallopian tubes and if I am able to get pregnant naturally this would be a good treatment of my endometriosis symptoms. He plans to have a follow up appointment after I have my HyCoSy.
When I had my “day 21” blood test I asked the nurse if she was able to get my smear test results. She said that they were normal/ this was a relief as when he took the cells he said that there was a bit of blood that could affect the result.
A couple of days later I received another letter from the hospital. The letter was about my smear test here is what it said:-
Dear Mrs Jay,
Thank you for attending for your recent cervical screening test.
The report from the laboratory showed a normal result. However, it has been advised that you should have a further investigation called a colposcopy. Colposcopy is a detailed examination of your cervix and it takes place at a hospital outpatient clinic. The procedure is very similar to the cervical screening test. The enclosed leaflet ‘The colposcopy Examination’ gives more information.
You will be sent an appointment letter direct from the hospital. Please contact your GP if you have not heard from your colposcopy clinic within 2 weeks.
It is important that your cervix is checked in more detail to make sure there are no cell changes which could become serious in the future. If colposcopy shows you need treatment, you will usually be treated as an outpatient and there will be no need for you to stay in hospital overnight.
Cervical screening, like other medical tests, is not perfect. It may not find every abnormality of the cervix. If you have any unusual symptoms like discharge or irregular bleeding don’t wait for your next test, but see your GP or person who did your last test.
If you have any questions about your test result or would like more information about cervical screening please contact your GP or the person who did your last test.
Yours sincerely
Cytology Screening Service’
Why can I not just be normal, no endometriosis, having operation, bowel problems, fertility problems and not this smear test. It seems like I should get a tattoo on my pubic line saying “Barbara’s vagina now featuring…..” it seems if it is not one thing then it is another thing.
Talking of ‘vagina cinema’ I phoned up to book my HyCoSy examination. I phoned up on day 1 of my cycle. They asked how long my period lasts for. I said 4 days and 5 days spotting. The receptionist then said that because the 2 doctors that do the HyCoSy’s are on holiday they will not be able to do my examination any sooner than Monday 24th June. I said that will have to do as my gynaecologist appointment is in July and he wants all the results of my tests by then. I asked if it being so late would affect the results. The receptionist said no but I must not have unprotected sex until my HyCoSy.
My appointment is on the Monday after our long weekend away, which I am due to ovulate so really this month is over before it’s even started with the trying to conceive. I just hope it is worth it in the end. We shall see. I cannot wait to get this HyCoSy out of the way and find out where we go from here. I could have waited for next month to get my HyCoSy done but they could not guarantee that I could get my HyCoSy before my gynaecologist appointment.
This period was the first one since my operation that has fallen on a work day. It was hard! For 3 days before I started I had not had a bowel movement. Then on the day before my period I had bad pains, they got worse as the day at work went on. I was working till 3.00pm that day and at 2.30pm my supervisor suggested I went home as I looked bad. I said no as I only had 30 minutes left of my shift. Finally when I got home I had a bowel movement however this did not ease the pain. The following day I came on after a day of spotting. My first day was a medium flow and painful the following day I was lighter and less painful. Today I am light flow and the pain is hardly there, only in my pelvic area. On my first day I had 6 bowel movements, yesterday I had 4 and today it is only 2. So almost back to normal again. Maybe I should mention this to the gynaecologist.
Well I got a letter today from my gynaecologist saying that he received the results from my smear test and they were normal and I will not have to have another test for 3 years. This letter contradicts the other letter I received about having to have a colposcopy. So now what??? I have two letters saying different things. I think what I shall do is see if I get a letter with my appointment for the colposcopy. If I do not get this instead of phoning my GP in 2 weeks I shall wait until my gynaecologist appointment and show him the two letters and see what one I should listen to. I hope it is one that I have just got and everything is ok and I can wait another 3 years before I have another smear test. Fingers crossed.
I read an article in the newspaper on Sunday about a woman that had endometriosis and had suffered 19 miscarriages before she finally conceived and successfully gave birth to her daughter. I could not imagine having 19 miscarriages. Just proves that there is hope for everyone.
My cycle this month is a bit longer than before. My last cycle went on for 30 days with the last 2 days spotting then day one was on medium flow instead of a light flow. The next 5 days were light and I had the past 3 days spotting. But what is bugging me at the moment is the constipated feeling since day six of my cycle. I have had that constant feeling of needing to go for a poo but when I go I am sitting on the loo for ages and having to strain when I go. When I do actually go I am going 3 or 4 times a day and you could say it is very little and often.
I spoke to our personnel person at work today because we were wondering how I am getting paid holiday at the moment. She said I get holiday paid as my normal working hours until the end of August then we will review my hours at the end of August. So looks like I am on amended hours until then.
I have just got back from work to find another letter from my gynaecologist saying that he has received the results of my progesterone blood test taken on 29/05/2013. The result showed a level of 15 NMOL/L which is not conclusive of ovulation. He says that he will discuss this result further with me when he sees me for my follow-up appointment with the result of my HyCoSy scan. If I am not ovulating there is a simple medication that may well help me ovulate and to conceive. Obviously it is necessary to check my fallopian tube patency prior to treating me with this medication.
I feel gutted about this but part of me is not surprised at all. But it does make me wonder why my ovulation tests have come back positive (the home tests) and my temperature goes up when the tests say I have ovulated. Obviously they were false positives as this test is a more accurate test.
Let’s see how my HyCoSy comes back, please oh please be clear so I can take this medication to make me ovulate and have a baby. If the tubes are blocked I do not know how I will react I think I will cry because that will mean we will have to go down the IVF route.
I have not written anything for about a month as I have been so busy. Since I last wrote I have received a letter from my gynaecologist explaining my last appointment the letter days about me being diagnosed with endometriosis in 2009 when I underwent a laparoscopy. It talks about being referred to him at the beginning of the year as well as being presented as an emergency with pelvic pain. It talks about my cyst and laparoscopy on 18th February and my post-op problems causing me to undergo my laparotomy on 28th February. It mentions that I was found to have severe endometriosis stuck to my gynaecological organs. Since then I have largely recovered although I still feel quite tired and that I still suffer from pelvic pain, particularly on the right and dysmenorrhoea – painful periods. The letter says that I have a regular 28 day period and had positive ovulatory sticks.
It then goes on about us trying to conceive since 11th September after me stopping the combined pill. I have never been pregnant. It mentions about Kev never having fathered any pregnancies before and that his seamen sample analysis came back normal.
The letter then goes on about the blood tests I had done back at the beginning of the year (my hormone profile) being normal.
It is such a relief to actually have normal healthy results come back, for once I am normal.
He also wrote about him arranging to redo my “day 21” progesterone test. And that he took a high vaginal swab and an endo-chlamydia swab with the view to performing a HyCoSy scan to check my tubal patency and that he has advised me not to have unprotected intercourse the month in which I have this performed. He also mentions about him taking a cervical smear that day as I had never had one before. He adds that he it seemed sensible at the time to take one.
The letter ends with him explaining to me that endometriosis can make conceiving more difficult; however if I have patent fallopian tubes and if I am able to get pregnant naturally this would be a good treatment of my endometriosis symptoms. He plans to have a follow up appointment after I have my HyCoSy.
When I had my “day 21” blood test I asked the nurse if she was able to get my smear test results. She said that they were normal/ this was a relief as when he took the cells he said that there was a bit of blood that could affect the result.
A couple of days later I received another letter from the hospital. The letter was about my smear test here is what it said:-
Dear Mrs Jay,
Thank you for attending for your recent cervical screening test.
The report from the laboratory showed a normal result. However, it has been advised that you should have a further investigation called a colposcopy. Colposcopy is a detailed examination of your cervix and it takes place at a hospital outpatient clinic. The procedure is very similar to the cervical screening test. The enclosed leaflet ‘The colposcopy Examination’ gives more information.
You will be sent an appointment letter direct from the hospital. Please contact your GP if you have not heard from your colposcopy clinic within 2 weeks.
It is important that your cervix is checked in more detail to make sure there are no cell changes which could become serious in the future. If colposcopy shows you need treatment, you will usually be treated as an outpatient and there will be no need for you to stay in hospital overnight.
Cervical screening, like other medical tests, is not perfect. It may not find every abnormality of the cervix. If you have any unusual symptoms like discharge or irregular bleeding don’t wait for your next test, but see your GP or person who did your last test.
If you have any questions about your test result or would like more information about cervical screening please contact your GP or the person who did your last test.
Yours sincerely
Cytology Screening Service’
Why can I not just be normal, no endometriosis, having operation, bowel problems, fertility problems and not this smear test. It seems like I should get a tattoo on my pubic line saying “Barbara’s vagina now featuring…..” it seems if it is not one thing then it is another thing.
Talking of ‘vagina cinema’ I phoned up to book my HyCoSy examination. I phoned up on day 1 of my cycle. They asked how long my period lasts for. I said 4 days and 5 days spotting. The receptionist then said that because the 2 doctors that do the HyCoSy’s are on holiday they will not be able to do my examination any sooner than Monday 24th June. I said that will have to do as my gynaecologist appointment is in July and he wants all the results of my tests by then. I asked if it being so late would affect the results. The receptionist said no but I must not have unprotected sex until my HyCoSy.
My appointment is on the Monday after our long weekend away, which I am due to ovulate so really this month is over before it’s even started with the trying to conceive. I just hope it is worth it in the end. We shall see. I cannot wait to get this HyCoSy out of the way and find out where we go from here. I could have waited for next month to get my HyCoSy done but they could not guarantee that I could get my HyCoSy before my gynaecologist appointment.
This period was the first one since my operation that has fallen on a work day. It was hard! For 3 days before I started I had not had a bowel movement. Then on the day before my period I had bad pains, they got worse as the day at work went on. I was working till 3.00pm that day and at 2.30pm my supervisor suggested I went home as I looked bad. I said no as I only had 30 minutes left of my shift. Finally when I got home I had a bowel movement however this did not ease the pain. The following day I came on after a day of spotting. My first day was a medium flow and painful the following day I was lighter and less painful. Today I am light flow and the pain is hardly there, only in my pelvic area. On my first day I had 6 bowel movements, yesterday I had 4 and today it is only 2. So almost back to normal again. Maybe I should mention this to the gynaecologist.
Well I got a letter today from my gynaecologist saying that he received the results from my smear test and they were normal and I will not have to have another test for 3 years. This letter contradicts the other letter I received about having to have a colposcopy. So now what??? I have two letters saying different things. I think what I shall do is see if I get a letter with my appointment for the colposcopy. If I do not get this instead of phoning my GP in 2 weeks I shall wait until my gynaecologist appointment and show him the two letters and see what one I should listen to. I hope it is one that I have just got and everything is ok and I can wait another 3 years before I have another smear test. Fingers crossed.
I read an article in the newspaper on Sunday about a woman that had endometriosis and had suffered 19 miscarriages before she finally conceived and successfully gave birth to her daughter. I could not imagine having 19 miscarriages. Just proves that there is hope for everyone.
My cycle this month is a bit longer than before. My last cycle went on for 30 days with the last 2 days spotting then day one was on medium flow instead of a light flow. The next 5 days were light and I had the past 3 days spotting. But what is bugging me at the moment is the constipated feeling since day six of my cycle. I have had that constant feeling of needing to go for a poo but when I go I am sitting on the loo for ages and having to strain when I go. When I do actually go I am going 3 or 4 times a day and you could say it is very little and often.
I spoke to our personnel person at work today because we were wondering how I am getting paid holiday at the moment. She said I get holiday paid as my normal working hours until the end of August then we will review my hours at the end of August. So looks like I am on amended hours until then.
I have just got back from work to find another letter from my gynaecologist saying that he has received the results of my progesterone blood test taken on 29/05/2013. The result showed a level of 15 NMOL/L which is not conclusive of ovulation. He says that he will discuss this result further with me when he sees me for my follow-up appointment with the result of my HyCoSy scan. If I am not ovulating there is a simple medication that may well help me ovulate and to conceive. Obviously it is necessary to check my fallopian tube patency prior to treating me with this medication.
I feel gutted about this but part of me is not surprised at all. But it does make me wonder why my ovulation tests have come back positive (the home tests) and my temperature goes up when the tests say I have ovulated. Obviously they were false positives as this test is a more accurate test.
Let’s see how my HyCoSy comes back, please oh please be clear so I can take this medication to make me ovulate and have a baby. If the tubes are blocked I do not know how I will react I think I will cry because that will mean we will have to go down the IVF route.