Over the last year I’ve had to scream and beg the NHS and my GP to listen, I got my own bloods after theirs showed ‘normal’, looked more deeply, got my own ultrasound and got it a second time and told them exactly where to look because I suspected the mass was on the back of my uterus easily missable, I told them over and over it was pressing on my nerve and that’s why my hip was losing all function and mobility and I was in constant back and leg pain, I got my own weekly pain management just so I can do my job and sit at a desk, I’ve got natural supplements to try balance my hormones, whilst weekly spiking my stress by literally screaming at the doctors to refer me and what to prescribe. I finally saw a consultant and refused to leave until he looked through my entire file I had bought with all the tests I got done that they wouldn’t do, or wouldn’t connect issues, and he finally referred me and then said oh god this is urgent, we will refer you on the 2 week pathway. What ever is growing is now pushing on my spine and nerves and bladder so much, trying to function throughout the day is near impossible, running is over, walking is limited, pain is constant and it took 12 months and every last penny I had to cope, and to get a picture that my GP wouldn’t refer, and to get them to do something that if they had just listened the first time this would never ever ever would have gotten this far. Listen to women, please for goodness sake. This isn’t a post for sympathy I know I have so many privileges that meant I could navigate this in ways many others can’t, but it’s been horrendous, I know also at so many stages it’s made people deem me chaotic or risky in the work too, because they can’t always see what everyone is holding, and questioning leadership is the first thing that happens. I’m just sharing this because I know so many other people are going through this, and if your a gynae who can just listen you may change peoples lives, a lot of Twitter fam have helped me navigate so much, so thanks. Let’s see what this week brings, I just hope it isn’t something that if we’d started treating a year ago would have helped dramatically. – at Solihull, England