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Someone Please Help me....
Hi. My name is Kendra, I am 18 years old from New York. About a year ago, I was rushed to the hospital for vaginal bleeding. They ran numerous tests on me and came to the conclusion that I had an infection. They treated me for this infection, but it never went away. Since about February of 2002 I have bled almost every day and had abnormal discharge. I keep going to the doctors, but all they want to do is test me for STD's and when they find out that it's not an STD, they tell me it's just hormones. They refuse to test me for anything else, because I don't have medical insurance. Basically all they will do is give me a pap smear to test for STD's and send me on my way. I know that something is wrong. Something other than what they want to test me for. I have a part time job and can't afford to do any more testing. I am thousands of dollars in the hole from all of these hospital visits, and I don't know what else to do. I was hoping that someone on here might read this and tell me what I should do or try to help me. I don't know what else to do and I have no money left to turn to someone. I'm stuck. And I am so scared of what might happen to me if I don't get help. My fiance and I are planning on having children someday. What if something is terribly wrong with me and I can't? Someone pointed out to me that my symtoms are that of cervical or ovarian cancer. The only thing is, I bleed everyday and I have watery discolored discharge. Sometimes once in a while, I get slight discomfort and sharp pains in my vaginal area. Please help me, I don't know what else to do or turn......
Hello there,
Try getting checked in another city or town (another clinic or hospital) or maybe try a university that has healthcare...like UCLA if you are in California...perhaps they can help you financially. Document everything that is happening to you, sort of keep a journal of your symptoms. Also, keep a record of whatever tests they have given you with the results (pap tests, etc). I just hate it when doctors keep testing you for the same stuff over and over, and you keep telling them that the test results are normal or negative. Besides, I haven't heard of an STD that makes you bleed all month long! You ought to print STD stuff from the internet or get STD pamplets to show the doctors and throw it at their face. Plus you should make complaints about the doctors you have seen (definately do this). Also, it would be very important to get your medical record.
Also, keep in mind that you are not "too young" to have something going on down there (whether is harmless or not) or that there is nothing wrong with you. You know your body best and if there is something that you feel is wrong, then you have to seek medical care. You spend 24-7 with your body, not the doctors or anyone else. Plus, it wouldn't be psychological either because it wouldn't explain the bleeding (just in case a doctor tells you to go see a psychologist).
I am also very upset with the healthcare system (due to my situation as well--gyno problems too) because even if you have insurance (specifically HMO), then you are screwed. If I had money, I would go to another country like Canada or Mexico to seek medical care.
Well, best luck to you and I hope that you find a doctor who will help you A.S.A.P.
Try getting checked in another city or town (another clinic or hospital) or maybe try a university that has healthcare...like UCLA if you are in California...perhaps they can help you financially. Document everything that is happening to you, sort of keep a journal of your symptoms. Also, keep a record of whatever tests they have given you with the results (pap tests, etc). I just hate it when doctors keep testing you for the same stuff over and over, and you keep telling them that the test results are normal or negative. Besides, I haven't heard of an STD that makes you bleed all month long! You ought to print STD stuff from the internet or get STD pamplets to show the doctors and throw it at their face. Plus you should make complaints about the doctors you have seen (definately do this). Also, it would be very important to get your medical record.
Also, keep in mind that you are not "too young" to have something going on down there (whether is harmless or not) or that there is nothing wrong with you. You know your body best and if there is something that you feel is wrong, then you have to seek medical care. You spend 24-7 with your body, not the doctors or anyone else. Plus, it wouldn't be psychological either because it wouldn't explain the bleeding (just in case a doctor tells you to go see a psychologist).
I am also very upset with the healthcare system (due to my situation as well--gyno problems too) because even if you have insurance (specifically HMO), then you are screwed. If I had money, I would go to another country like Canada or Mexico to seek medical care.
Well, best luck to you and I hope that you find a doctor who will help you A.S.A.P.
Well, I'm not on birth control and have never been pregnant. I've had millions of pregnancy tests and all negative. Thats usually one of the first things that the doctors test me for. We have a free clinic right here in town that I have been to twice and they are *excuse my language* "Dipshits". They know absolutly nothing. Trust me.... And I can't remember about what happened before the emergency room visit a year ago. I had been bleeding about 2 weeks. I thought it was just my period, but it didn't go away. Thats all I remember. And when I went there, about 3 days later, they gave me an ultrasound and didn't find anything. They thought I might have a cyst, but didn't. Then about a week after that they called me and told me that I had an infection. They treated me for it and gave me antibiotics and since then have been treated for infections twice and have none. And no, I don't have a family that can help me. My family is rather poor. My father is on SSI and my mother works two jobs just to put food on the table. My father is the only one who has insurance and thats only because he is on SSI. But everytime I tell doctors I don't have insurance, it's back to the free clinic they send me...well lemme tell you, there is a reason that it's free... :-\
Hi Kendra - Well, first of all, before I say anything else, your chances of having ovarian cancer at your age are next to zero. And no, your symptoms are NOT a sign of ovarian cancer, the symptoms for that are different from what you're experiencing, and shame on the person who told you that, especially at age 18. Like you don't have enough on your mind right now without having something like that to worry about. Yes, there is something wrong with you, but at your age, the chances of it being something that can be easily taken care of is pretty good. You are fortunate enough to have youth on your side, so let's start with some questions.
Has anyone done any blood work on you to see if you're anemic from bleeding for so long? There's a good chance you are if you're feeling weak and tired alot.
When you say they did pap tests on you looking for std's, are you sure they did an actual pap test on your cervix to look for any other changes? Also, where did you have this done - at a reputable gynocologist who specializes in this, or someone at a clinic? A gynocologist with a good reputation - not someone you see once at a clinic who may not really care about a 'child' like you - is someone you need to see. Many will be happy to work out a payment plan with you considering the financial hardship you have. Find a doctor who cares more about you than the money he makes, believe me, they're out there.
Did anyone consider a miscarriage? Are you on the pill? Can you remember anything at all out of the norm that may have happened to you just prior to all this happening?
I also wanted to tell you, that when you experience heavier bleeding druing the month like a period, that's exactly what it is - a period. It's the lighter bleeding and spotting in-between that's the problem.
Do you remember if you were experiencing any kind of abnormal bleeding before the emergency visit to the hospital a year ago? (maybe bleeding after sex, even a little?) Did you have irregular periods anyway, or were they pretty much normal every month? Any cramping or pains before you would start, or during your period?
The pain you're experiencing would be typical of an infection, though you say they treated that and it didn't help. Did they give you antibiotics to take?
Did they check for endometriosis? Look this up online in either yahoo or 'www.webmd.com' or even the Mayo clinic to find out if your symptoms match this. There is always the chance that you have two different things going on and they aren't really related. Your pain could be from another infection, endometriosis, etc, whereas the bleeding could indeed be hormonal from the wrong birth control pill, an unidentified miscarriage where you would need a D&C to stop the bleeding, etc. Or it could be a problem with your cervix that a good doctor will be able to see.
When these doctors check you, do any of them give you a pelvic and feel your uterus and ovaries to see if there is anything there? Doing this, they will be able to feel cysts, tumors, fibriods, etc.
Has anyone given you an ultrasound? This is a very simple test that some doctors can do right in their office where they simply roll a devise over your abdomen, and your uterus and ovaries are displayed on a screen which shows if there is anything there. This is much less expensive than a CT scan or MRI, every pregnant woman has them done, and doing this, a doctor can see if there is anything out of the norm inside, he can see what the lining of your uterus looks like and if it's thickened or maybe a polyp inside there that's causing your bleeding.
I think if you ask a few people or make some phone calls, you should be able to find out where someone like you with no insurance goes for care. There's alot of people out there with no medical insurance, and they have to go somewhere to get treatment. Find out where you can go for help and what you would need to do to qualify. I'm sure if you called a few doctors and asked either them or their receptionists, they could refer you to someplace or guide you in the right direction.
Yes, your symptoms altogether would normally suggest cervical cancer, but for someone older, not someone in their teens. Even though you do need to be checked for it just to be on the safe side, please remember that you are only 18 and the chance of your having this type of cancer is very rare. Yes, it's possible as there is a particular type of cervical cancer that affects young girls and can be very aggressive if left untreated, but I'm sure someone would have seen something in one of your pap tests. But this is why I ask if you know for sure that they looked for this also, and not just an std. Because of your age, I wonder if they even bothered to check for any cervical changes such as this or just brushed you off because you're so young.
Please find another doctor who will be sympathetic to your situation, and ask for a pap test to check your cervix, a pelvic to feel your internal organs, blood work to not only check for anemia but your hormone levels as well, and possibly an ultrasound to look at what is going on inside. None of these tests are terribly expensive, and if you don't have insurance, many doctors lower their prices considerably for people like you because they know they cannot demand the high prices from someone like you that they can get from an insurance company. Sad to say, but this is how many doctor's - if not most - work. They will charge a high cost for a test simply because they know the insurance company will pay it. Someone without insurance cannot so they will settle for what you can afford just to be able to treat you.
I will tell you something else that may help you get treated. Doctors like to be the one who 'cured' you, they like to be the one who 'found out what was wrong' when they know so many others failed. They look at it as a challenge, especially when told how many other doctors you've seen and how no one could tell you what was wrong, or how baffled all the others were. I've been there. Nobody knew what was wrong with me, they could guess but couldn't tell for sure. I finally found a doctor who agreed to take me on as his patient simply because he was bound and determinded to find out what was wrong and 'fix' me. And oh my, how wonderful and proud he felt when he did just that. Doctor's are competitive, just like anyone else. That's why so many don't like it when you say you want a second opinion. They want to be 'the one' to cure you, and also to be right about their particular decision. They don't want another doctor maybe telling you something different, which of course then makes you doubt the first one. Well, all you have to do is tell a doctor how incompetent you felt the other doctors were because SOMEthing is obviously wrong, as anyone can see, and how you wish you could find a good and competent doctor who knows what he's doing to find out what is wrong and treat it. I'll tell ya, if that doesn't get a good doctor to agree to see you, nothing will.
Finally, I have to ask you this, and I hope I'm not out of line here, but do you have family who could help? I assume you're not on a parent's insurance and I can't help but wonder why. You sound so terribly alone out there, I wish I could give you a hug. If you can, try to answer the questions I asked above and maybe we can at least try to narrow down what it could be, which would be a step in the right direction. And Monday, start calling around to some good gynocologists and give them all the same pitch about what's wrong and how nobody can figure out what it is. You might want to add how some doctors turned you away, even as sick as you are, simply because you had no insurance and are financially suffering right now, and how you need to find a good doctor who cares about his patients. I'm sure if you give them a sob story and really play on their sympathy, you'll get in and probably fairly quickly.
I'll be waiting to hear from you, and please remember, we all care and will try to help any way we can.....
Has anyone done any blood work on you to see if you're anemic from bleeding for so long? There's a good chance you are if you're feeling weak and tired alot.
When you say they did pap tests on you looking for std's, are you sure they did an actual pap test on your cervix to look for any other changes? Also, where did you have this done - at a reputable gynocologist who specializes in this, or someone at a clinic? A gynocologist with a good reputation - not someone you see once at a clinic who may not really care about a 'child' like you - is someone you need to see. Many will be happy to work out a payment plan with you considering the financial hardship you have. Find a doctor who cares more about you than the money he makes, believe me, they're out there.
Did anyone consider a miscarriage? Are you on the pill? Can you remember anything at all out of the norm that may have happened to you just prior to all this happening?
I also wanted to tell you, that when you experience heavier bleeding druing the month like a period, that's exactly what it is - a period. It's the lighter bleeding and spotting in-between that's the problem.
Do you remember if you were experiencing any kind of abnormal bleeding before the emergency visit to the hospital a year ago? (maybe bleeding after sex, even a little?) Did you have irregular periods anyway, or were they pretty much normal every month? Any cramping or pains before you would start, or during your period?
The pain you're experiencing would be typical of an infection, though you say they treated that and it didn't help. Did they give you antibiotics to take?
Did they check for endometriosis? Look this up online in either yahoo or 'www.webmd.com' or even the Mayo clinic to find out if your symptoms match this. There is always the chance that you have two different things going on and they aren't really related. Your pain could be from another infection, endometriosis, etc, whereas the bleeding could indeed be hormonal from the wrong birth control pill, an unidentified miscarriage where you would need a D&C to stop the bleeding, etc. Or it could be a problem with your cervix that a good doctor will be able to see.
When these doctors check you, do any of them give you a pelvic and feel your uterus and ovaries to see if there is anything there? Doing this, they will be able to feel cysts, tumors, fibriods, etc.
Has anyone given you an ultrasound? This is a very simple test that some doctors can do right in their office where they simply roll a devise over your abdomen, and your uterus and ovaries are displayed on a screen which shows if there is anything there. This is much less expensive than a CT scan or MRI, every pregnant woman has them done, and doing this, a doctor can see if there is anything out of the norm inside, he can see what the lining of your uterus looks like and if it's thickened or maybe a polyp inside there that's causing your bleeding.
I think if you ask a few people or make some phone calls, you should be able to find out where someone like you with no insurance goes for care. There's alot of people out there with no medical insurance, and they have to go somewhere to get treatment. Find out where you can go for help and what you would need to do to qualify. I'm sure if you called a few doctors and asked either them or their receptionists, they could refer you to someplace or guide you in the right direction.
Yes, your symptoms altogether would normally suggest cervical cancer, but for someone older, not someone in their teens. Even though you do need to be checked for it just to be on the safe side, please remember that you are only 18 and the chance of your having this type of cancer is very rare. Yes, it's possible as there is a particular type of cervical cancer that affects young girls and can be very aggressive if left untreated, but I'm sure someone would have seen something in one of your pap tests. But this is why I ask if you know for sure that they looked for this also, and not just an std. Because of your age, I wonder if they even bothered to check for any cervical changes such as this or just brushed you off because you're so young.
Please find another doctor who will be sympathetic to your situation, and ask for a pap test to check your cervix, a pelvic to feel your internal organs, blood work to not only check for anemia but your hormone levels as well, and possibly an ultrasound to look at what is going on inside. None of these tests are terribly expensive, and if you don't have insurance, many doctors lower their prices considerably for people like you because they know they cannot demand the high prices from someone like you that they can get from an insurance company. Sad to say, but this is how many doctor's - if not most - work. They will charge a high cost for a test simply because they know the insurance company will pay it. Someone without insurance cannot so they will settle for what you can afford just to be able to treat you.
I will tell you something else that may help you get treated. Doctors like to be the one who 'cured' you, they like to be the one who 'found out what was wrong' when they know so many others failed. They look at it as a challenge, especially when told how many other doctors you've seen and how no one could tell you what was wrong, or how baffled all the others were. I've been there. Nobody knew what was wrong with me, they could guess but couldn't tell for sure. I finally found a doctor who agreed to take me on as his patient simply because he was bound and determinded to find out what was wrong and 'fix' me. And oh my, how wonderful and proud he felt when he did just that. Doctor's are competitive, just like anyone else. That's why so many don't like it when you say you want a second opinion. They want to be 'the one' to cure you, and also to be right about their particular decision. They don't want another doctor maybe telling you something different, which of course then makes you doubt the first one. Well, all you have to do is tell a doctor how incompetent you felt the other doctors were because SOMEthing is obviously wrong, as anyone can see, and how you wish you could find a good and competent doctor who knows what he's doing to find out what is wrong and treat it. I'll tell ya, if that doesn't get a good doctor to agree to see you, nothing will.
Finally, I have to ask you this, and I hope I'm not out of line here, but do you have family who could help? I assume you're not on a parent's insurance and I can't help but wonder why. You sound so terribly alone out there, I wish I could give you a hug. If you can, try to answer the questions I asked above and maybe we can at least try to narrow down what it could be, which would be a step in the right direction. And Monday, start calling around to some good gynocologists and give them all the same pitch about what's wrong and how nobody can figure out what it is. You might want to add how some doctors turned you away, even as sick as you are, simply because you had no insurance and are financially suffering right now, and how you need to find a good doctor who cares about his patients. I'm sure if you give them a sob story and really play on their sympathy, you'll get in and probably fairly quickly.
I'll be waiting to hear from you, and please remember, we all care and will try to help any way we can.....
Sorry, I should probably explain my symtoms a little bit better... I bleed every day, in the beginning it wasn't everyday, just about once or twice a week...then progressed. Now I bleed everyday and have for months now. Sometimes it's as heavy as my period and sometimes it's just spotting, but it's everyday. I've lost so much blood, it's hard for me to get out of bed sometimes because I'm so weak. I also have discomfort and moderate pains in my abdominal area. Sometimes the pains are so bad that I have fallen over and at one point, I was driving and drove into a ditch. Also there have been a few incidents where it was my actual vaginal area that had sharp pains just jolting through it. I also have a watery odered discharge with the blood. And there have been a few times when my boyfriend has tried to arouse me and it hurt me when he did. The last 4 or 5 times we had sex, it hurt so bad that I couldn't continue, so we have just stopped trying. I really need someones help, I'm at a loss of understanding what could be wrong with me. My doctors won't help me, so I am begging someone out there to help me. I'm so scared and worried that this is completly taking over my life. I stay up late at night crying wondering if I am dieing and no one knows it.... I just want answers, is there anyone out there that can give me answers?
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