Hi everyone,

I’m honestly just typing in here because I need to get this out because I am just honestly feeling so alone in this situation (medically speaking not family etc) and scared of where my body and health may be heading.

I have a history of 2 years where I lost my once routinely once a month period completely during Covid. Bloods etc fine, internal scan fine. I was told by the GP it was probably chronic stress. After 2 years my period returned but it was never the same (very light, only lasted a day). I’ve been on the contraceptive pill since 14, now 32. 

last June I started reporting chest pain (was told it was heartburn) and upper abdo pain, I was given PPI. As symptoms worsened they increased my PPI dosage. By the September I was having major abdominal distension and reoccurring shortness of breath. My GP referred my for a rapid chest test which came back fine (I was originally very fit and trained at the gym 5x a week as well as riding my horses and working as a staff nurse). I was told really bad heartburn and every GP refused to refer me anywhere else. Told “potentially anxiety”. 

November 2023 I’m in so much pain that I get signed off work, then am hassled for 3 weeks straight so tell them to shove their job essentially. My sleep is being disturbed, im tired all the time etc. I start coughing a lot, feeling lightheaded, walking into door frames etc. Vaginal bleeding every time when having sex with my long term partner. I started paying for a private gastro consultant in December who tried various lifestyle changes and medical changes, was convinced I had IBS-C even though non of the treatments solved my issues. Paid for a chest, abdo and CT scan in April which came back pretty normal bar some light stranding on my left lung. The gastro consultant then said he wouldn’t see me anymore as he felt he couldn’t help. 

Went back to GP, new DR, referred me to gastro. Gastro consultant stated my private consultant was his superior so odd if he couldn’t help. Stated acid reflux and hypersensitivity are most likely the issue and referred me for endo and a surgical referral. Also commented on how my weight would be causing my SOB, even though I told him I’ve gained 2 stone because of my SOB etc and being unable to train at the gym or work. 

a week following this appt my symptoms of SOB worsened and became more frequent and were also associated with vaginal bleeding. I bled every day for 2 weeks (so out of my norm) so I called GP. He said to come in for a smear. Turned up for smear and the nurse informed me you shouldn’t really get a smear if you are bleeding but she would do it anyway just in the hope it worked. After having the smear I was in agony within my pelvic area and lower abdo for 4 days, it kept me up all night until I was exhausted. I am now just short of 4 weeks of more frequent SOB and constant bleeding (bleeding through my clothes, onto bed, when I sit on the toilet when I get up the entire bowl in bright red). 

And that takes us to today. I am so sorry it’s so long, I just really need to type this all out and speak with someone as I am getting more worried that something really quite serious is going on within my body and it feels like the medical profession doesn’t care, and it feels like one day it’s going to be too late to do anything about it. 

I’m only 32 year old and my life is miserable. I can’t live the life I used to love living, I can’t wear fitted clothing or bras due to my abdo distension causing pain etc.