I’d love to add some things as a person who has a family history of just. every possible reproductive health issue!
— If you feel like you have X disorder, don’t tell the doctor you think you have that disorder. Instead, tell them the REASONS you think you have X disorder. Saying “I have abnormal bleeding and pain and also too much facial hair” will get you to a diagnosis much faster than “I think I have PCOS”.
—Also, PCOS. If you’re afab and are growing hair on your face/chest without going on T, you tend to gain weight and not lose it, and you have really heavy cramping with your period, you should see a doctor! A lot of the symptoms of poly-cystic ovary syndrome get ignored because they “aren’t a big deal”, but when you put them together they’re a sign of bigger issues
—There is no test for endometriosis, and so doctors tend to look for other reasons behind severe pain related to periods, because the only way to prove someone has endometriosis is by physically looking at the tissue during surgery. If you’re in severe pain during/around your period (not just uterine cramps, but pain with ANYTHING around that area- bladder and bowels included) and the treatments/diagnosis you’ve been given doesn’t help…bring it up again. And again. And again. Tell them if whatever they’re trying isn’t working, because if it IS endo the only real way to figure it out is by ruling out everything else, and if you don’t catch endo early you’re not only gonna be in extreme pain, but you also may have to have your entire uterus removed, as well as anywhere else there’s tissue. Don’t just ignore the pain if nothing helps. Make them aware so they can find the problem.
—Any sort of penetration is not supposed to hurt! If you feel like you’ve been properly “warmed up” for the situation and it’s still painful, talk to your doctor. I know it can be embarrassing to say that to your doctor, but there are real disorders (some physical, some psychological) that can make penetration hurt. Don’t risk missing a big warning sign because you don’t want to discuss sexual health with your doctor!
—Around 5% of people with a uterus have some sort of genetic uterine malformation that is pretty much invisible without a transvaginal ultrasound (where the ultrasound wand looks from inside the body instead of outside). Most of these are pretty innocuous for the most part, but can cause abnormal menstrual pain and be a big cause of miscarriages. If you have a lot of pain during your periods and are looking to get pregnant at some point, get it checked out before you try!
—Basically the big note is if it hurts more than it should, don’t ignore it. Period cramps shouldn’t be severe enough to interfere with your daily life. If the doctor tries to tell you it’s normal, push for the proper healthcare. You know what “normal” pain is and when pain is enough to affect your life. Tell them the truth of how much it affects your life, and if they still don’t listen, then find another doctor. So many reproductive disorders are practically invisible until they aren’t, and often menstrual pain is the early warning sign you should not ignore.
—Also, get your pap. I know it sucks, but uterine cancer sucks more
—Also also, get the HPV vaccine. Two shots and it prevents almost 100% of uterine cancer, which again, sucks
