about 6 months ago, I suffered something like a boil on my outer labia. this where my maladies began and has since escalated to severe pain and discomfort in my illiac fossa and lower back, with the bartholin gland singing backing vocals in the choir of pain.

In January I went to my GP with the above mentioned boil and a slightly swollen bartholin gland. She told me to come again if it did not clear up.

Six months later, the boil long gone, I had to return to her due to a gradual increase in severity of the uncomfortable bartholin gland, pain in my lower right abdomen and some discomfort in my lower back. She sent me for x-rays to see if it is my hip, and an ultrasound to see my innards (I was worried about my ovary, since I only have one on the right side and have had cysts on my ovaries 3 years ago).

The x-rays came first, and showed degenerative changes of the right hip with a sub-chondral cysist. There were also early hemodilution of the femur head. The X-rays also showed that I had surgical staples in my right abdomen (left there from an appendicitis 10 years ago).

The results of the ultrasound confirmed the enlarged bartholin gland to be 2 x 3 cm. My ovary looked fine but the radiologist did see a cystic structure of 1.3 x 1,2 cm separate from my ovary.
I was found to be very pressure tender in my right iliac fossa, and thickening of my intestinal wall at the distale colon of up to 3.7 mm. The possibility of diverticular disease was suggested as to be ruled out by differential diagnosis.

During the examination, the radiologist commented that if I still had my appendix, she would have jumped out of her chair, after having prodded a very sensitive part in my right abdomen and consequently produced a squeal from me. I call this the DST – Doctors Squeal Test. I have found doctors tend to look you right in the eye and prod you until you produce a squeal at some point. I probably would have found the DST an invaluable tool if I were a doctor.

After the sonar, I went to the gynaecologist to have the para-ovarial cyst checked out as well as the enlarged (painful) bartholin gland. The bartholin gland was identified by the gynaecologist as to be 'normal, and if it bothers you too much, you can have the gland drained with a small procedure. The para-ovarial cyst, is also 'normal, it is what is left of your reproductive system while still in the womb, before your body started forming your female parts'. I am still waiting for the smear results.

The gynaecologist, having found nothing really wrong with me, referred me to an obstetrician, to see if it might be my hip.

By the time I had to go to the hip doc, most of the pain had subsided, probably because of bed-rest, and the initial cortisone and anti-inflamitories. I decided against cancelling my appointment, reasoning that another opinion could not hurt (sic)

The hip doc told me according to the x-rays the labrum on my hip socket is slightly enlarged, but it could be the way God had made me. He did some reflex testing with his little hammer, which seemed fine, and then some hip rotations, none of which was painful. He then told me 'this will hurt' and did the FADIR/MFIR test on me. It did not hurt and he looked perplexed for a second and did it again, this time with much more force. This produced a squeal. He seemed satisfied and booked me for an MRI and a follow-up with a possibility of surgery...

That evening I literally cried of the pain despite the fact that I had taken 4 very strong prescription pain-killers. I was very upset with the results of the visit to the orthopedic surgeon. Walk in fine, walk out cripple.

The pain is worse now than it has ever been. I cannot sit for more than 30 minutes and a pain on my hip bone and lower back drives me to lie down. This is the first time in 4 days since my visit to the hip doctor that I can go without pain-killers.

In my opinion the orthopedic surgeon damaged my hip with invasive diagnostic methods when he applied too much force during the test. The pain I now experience is different from the initial pain, in that is is much more severe, and located more on the top of my hip, instead of in my lower abdomen.

I was horrified to discover the presence of the surgical staples, and I cannot help but to make a connection between them and the symptoms I originally had on my right side. Cysts, thickening of the intestinal walls, Arthritis in my right hip... all on the right side in close proximity to the staples.
But it seemed futile to suggest this to the medical experts I have seen so far. And as far as the hip-doctor goes – I think we are breaking up after one date...

Could anybody please assist me in choosing the next appropriate action?