Help with questions I should ask my consultant tomorrow please :)

Hi! I've been reading your posts with great interest and have found them a huge help so have finally decided to post myself. I'll try and keep it as brief as possible!

I've always been bloated, I have thin arms & legs but always a huge belly. Yet it's only in the past 18months I've really noticed a change in my periods becoming irregular, very painful and extremely heavy.

Last year after being in a lot of pain I had vaginal ultrasounds which confirmed a large cyst in my left ovary and that my uterus is full of fibroids with a really large one at the back. Nothing was done about it & by October the cyst had gone. Nobody seems concerned about my fibroids.

This year (January) I'm back in my GPs office with the same pain, only worse. My GP sent me to A&E for me to be turned away with nothing done except for antibiotics for an infection.

I am still in pain, although it's not as bad as it was - unless I'm just used to it now?! I always have a heavy feeling in my lower abdomen that doesn't go away. I was admitted to hospital two weeks after being turned away from A&E. An ultrasound revealed that I had a large 9cm complex cyst again.

I was then booked in for a diagnostic laparoscopy and cystectomy which I was meant to have yesterday to remove the cyst. It is also highly suspected I have endometriosis (my mother had a hysterectomy at the age of 40 due to endo).

However, I had a phone call last Friday off my consultant who had looked at my mri results (my mri was 9th March!) and was concerned as I have a borderline tumour and in her words it looks very sinister.

Because of this she has now postponed my surgery and I am still waiting in pain. I have an appointment tomorrow after they held a meeting about me today at the hospital as apparently I am a complex case. I phoned the secretary today for information & she said they now think it looks like a large fibroid rather than a tumor. I feel I am getting contradicting information from everyone I speak to and am seeing a different consultant tomorrow.

I was just wondering if anyone has any questions they think I should ask when I am there tomorrow? My brain doesn't work lately, I am so tired with no energy at all so can't think for myself!

I am fed up of feeling down in the dumps, I am snappy and moody. I cannot do much with my daughter. I am 35, and know the consultant feels I am too young to have my ovary removed, but I feel if there is a chance of a tumor I would prefer just to get it out.

I just want to feel 'normal' again, whatever that feels like. I've forgotten. I'm dizzy and nauseous daily and can't go for a short walk without having to lie down afterwards. I have been off work for 3 months already. I am a single parent and cannot afford not to work.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I know so many of you are going through your own problems and are such strong women. I wish you all the best. I'm sorry for such a long post.

Thanks
Cath xx

Hi Cath,

I'm sorry about what you're going through. The stress of having conflicting information from various consultants takes a toll, on top of the worry about what exactly is going on makes it such a challenge.

My suggestion would be to list everything you've experienced symptom wise, and list questions you need answered. Take these with you to your appointment. The question list can be as long as you want it to be. You have the right to find out everything about your condition and your treatment.

When I go to an appointment with a list in hand, it makes it easier for me to communicate with the doctor.

There's a good article on this site titled Questions for Your Pre-Op Hysterectomy Appointment. The site won't let me post the link, but type it in search and it should pop up. I know it's not for your specific health issue, but it might give you a path on what type of questions to ask the consultant.

I'm hope that you get the treatment that you need to feel better! Best wishes for you!

Pumpkin45

I am so sorry you are going through this pain . I agree that you need to list all of your symptoms, lack of energy, etc.
Ask them what they plan on doing ....such as tests, scans, etc.
I hope you get a good game plan! Keep us posted and you will be ok. I'm a single mom as well and it's not easy trying to mom and dad when you are sick.
💜
Lorene

Hi ladies

Thank you so much for your replies, and for taking time out of your day to read my extremely long post!

I have written a few questions down to take with me and hopefully will have more of an idea after the appointment. I know I will definitely be having surgery, but what type of surgery is unknown at the moment.

Thanks again, what a lovely site this is

Cath xx

Ps I will have a look at the article regarding questions, that sounds great!