medicine pursuit except it's fuelled by female rage (i also need help)

Mine is not professional medical advice so go back to the same or another GP and hassle them. Who ever will listen to you.
There are two separate issues:
1) Your own health
Higher levels of prostaglandins can cause period pain and inflammation. Your GP may suggest trying the pill to see if that alleviates the pain. Keep going back to your doctor to get a referral and pain relief (try a hot water bottle & body stretches)
Then ask your GP if they can reassure you and eliminate the slim possibility of endometriosis, adenomyosis; fibroids; or pelvic inflammatory disease or any other abdominal cause. I've never known the excuse about age and ultra sound, but try again. Consider a private consult if you can afford it. Try a group like Benenden Health. You can sign up for a relatively modest monthly fee, get virtual 24/7 online chat to medical advice and if you need an NHS consultant (for certain investigations) If the NHS queues are too long Benenden will pay for you to have them done privately. This is about your pain relief and survival (& it is also a very common syndrome)
Re your burn out. If you can't control and manage your study life balance now it is not going to get any better in medical study. In fact it is going to get far far worse. You will be working in a hospital withe very long hours, disrupted sleep and have continual exams requiring study which will stress you out. No one is really interested in the excuses you can bring, just whether or not you know the work and can get on. If you aren't coping now, and struggle to look after yourself it is unlikely you will have the reserves to study medicine. You might want to consider looking for a different career?
Look at your whole balance of sleep, exercise, nutrition (cut the junk) - lots of fruit & veg, lots of water. The exercise (walking) may gently help your period pain. Get a structured work & revision plan and stick to it, totally.
2) Admissions for medicine
If you got the grades bar one (maths) and you are so determined to apply for medicine - if that is really what you want to do then do it. Retake your maths and be determined to get where you want to be. Your adversity and drive to get into medicine coping with period pain is an interesting statement to write up. You should check with any of the Uni's you have on your short list to find out what their grade boundary 'drop' is. One of the ways you can do this is to go and visit the medical faculty at the Uni (for any you have short listed) Make an appointment and also chat to the medical students and see what they were accepted on. Work out why you want to help others, help improve their health and get very little thanks for it? Junior doctor pay is shocking. A grade qualified nurse gets more pay than a junior doctor, but junior doctors can do so little (other than have a clever head with a knowledge bank) Look at joining the Armed Forces & see what their criteria are. Look at doing a nursing degree as you can now qualify and apply for an MA. I don't rate physician associate courses or the end result.
One thing you lack is practical hands on experience in the 'messy stuff' - go volunteer at St John's, The red cross, your local nursing home, a homeless shelter, food banks, mental health support charities to get first hand experience of people living in real life situations within their limitations, and see if you change your mind. The most important part in being a medic is whether you can create a 'link' a 'connect' with your patient and get the best most truthful history you can from that complete stranger who is expected to trust you in a very short length of time? Can you talk with complete strangers very easily? If you can't it can get stressful. You also need a very thick skin to not take in to heart the comments from frustrated and angry patients.
Cast your net far and wide as to what jobs you see yourself doing, imaging yourself in 5 years time. Where do you want to be? Make pro's and con's for each job role. Use college career help or chat to staff
If you don't want medicine also look at scientific research, foundation degrees aligned to medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, acupuncture, ambulance crew etc etc
The trick is not to look too far ahead. Focus on today and get the work you need to finish today. Small amounts each day get the job done!! Good luck where ever you end up.

Hey, I just finished year 13 and I'm based in Cardiff. I didn't apply for uni in year 12 but am applying for medicine this October for 2025 including Cardiff Uni. I'm not going to answer all your questions because I don't think I'm in that position to, but i'll try my best at the rest 🙂 .
From my (exhaustive) research for Cardiff Medicine, they would consider your resit. They state they don't accept resits for Level 3 Qualifications (A-Levels and such), so GCSE's which are level 2 should be fine to resit. And with Cardiff particularly I would highly recommend you resit this. I say this because Cardiff pretty much purely interview applicants with good GCSE's. They score your top 9 grades which HAS to include Maths, Eng Lang, and all sciences. You must have a B in maths, so you would be instantly rejected if you don't resit!!! and A* = 3 points, A = 2 points. This also applies for achieved A-Level Grades. ONLY APPLICANTS WITH 25-27 SCORE ARE CONSIDERED!!! Keep in mind, if you're Welsh Domiciled, you are given extra consideration. You should also be aware 3500 - 4000 people apply with 300 places available for Cardiff Uni medicine. This is insanely high, even for a medicine course (I think its the highest amount of applicants for medicine, maybe on par with imperial). This is because Cardiff uni don't use the UCAT, but you still must do it, so people with a low score apply here.
I'm also assuming your Welsh due to doing Welsh Baccalaureate, this is amazing!!, make sure u get at least an A in this. Cardiff Uni Medicine classes this as one of the A grades for medicine!! ( this is crazy ).So if you miss one of your Grades, this can be used as a backup! I did the Welsh Baccalaureate at A-Level also and I just recommend for you to finish the long 50% essay ASAP!! (This should be done as early into year 13 as possible, don't use ur teachers deadlines, go beyond this!! it doesn't even take too long if you put ur head down). Maybe you could also do this project on something to do with Female Health? That could be a very good topic for you to write about on your personal statement! You are also much much much more likely to get an interview because your Welsh Domiciled.
As for some mental health / overall health stuff, all I can really recommend is to workout, eat good and drink the right amount of water. I had a huge gym "phase" at the beginning of year 12 which has stuck with me and it seriously made a difference in my productivity. Also, if you have any free lessons, study in at least 50% of them in yr 12, this rule helped a lot for me getting good grades.
For your personal statement, try getting some in-person work experience/volunteering somewhere. This can be a Care home, Hospital, etc. You could even get a job, even working in a local cafe will have many transferable skills to being a Doctor / whatever you want to be.
Sorry I can't answer all of your questions, but i hope there is some insight here that can help 🙂 And finally, if you're doing wjec bio for a-level, lmk if u need any help, I seriously loved this subject.

So i ended up with A*A*AA in my A-Levels with an A* in wjec bio. In terms of preparing for year 12, I honestly don't think you should do anything content wise. A kid in my class pre read half of unit 1 before we began the year, he was answering all the questions in class about glucose, isomers, food tests, etc. But after a few months, that died out pretty fast and he ended up with a D. If you pre-read, your going to burn out. Maybe read a bit into the subjects if you just wanna have a quick look over, don't read it like your going to sit a test. I didn't even buy the textbook until like 1 month into year 12 lol, but try and get one before the year, they sell out pretty fast. Your school might sell them discounted from past students, this is how i got mine, you only need year 12's textbook for now. I'll walk you through how i studied for bio:
1.) Read the textbook and write out what it says, i never made flashcards as they never work for me (maybe they do for you? pretty sure they work for most people.)
2.) UNDERSTAND!! It is so important to understand what is happening in topics, this is so your not regurgitating the book, but can genuinely write out what something means in the exam. A02 (applying knowledge) is where the majority of your marks will be from. This also includes asking questions to your teacher during lesson if you don't understand something. This pretty much means, you can memorise the whole textbook but if you cant apply that knowledge, your screwed.
3.) Once i understand a topic well, go onto Physicsandmathstutor and do the questions by topic for the specific topic mark it, see what went wrong, strengthen these areas. You can also go onto the WJEC Question bank for more questions. You should be doing these and past papers over and over again each before your real exam, the more you do the better.
4.) In my school we took a "Topic Test" after each topic, these were amazing for me and scheduled my revision well, if your school does these, make use of them and prepare well. Try aim high in these, they are so motivating if you do well. FYI for bio, in my opinion, units 1 + 2 are about 50% easier than units 3 + 4. Year 12 to year 13 jump is pretty wild. so please please please do good in your year 12 exams so you dont need to resit your as levels.
In terms of what you need for year 12, I brought multiple binders for each subject, a notebook for each subject and a pen, but i never used the binders and just used one notebook, so for pretty much after the first month of year 12 I brought a notebook and a black pen. People like to overcomplicate it with colourful notes etc, but I liked to keep it simple. (this is complete preference, you did very good in your GCSE's so do what worked well for you, everyone studies differently!!! My study techniques were seen as very boring lol, but i enjoyed it and it worked very well.)
I was personally pretty unlucky with my timetable and had 90% of my free lessons during all my mates lessons, so I had a lot of time to myself. This was difficult to begin with, but I benefited so much from these. I would put my head down and study in the majority of these in my schools study area, this was a big contributor to my good grades. I could study during school hours, then do literally whatever after school if I had no upcoming tests.
I wish you luck, and whatever you do I'm sure you're going to be great at it. Work hard and you will do well. Remember it is literally only up to you if you get good grades. 🙂 lmk if you need any help at all.

⚠️ : Rant of context incoming, so if you just want to read the part where I mention my question(s) and include the female rage bit just look for this emoji (‼️) indicator and skip to those paragraphs *only*. I have to warn you, this is going to be a VERY long read.
I've always been curious about the medical field and so I decided to pursue the path of it since my GCSE's (all my options were based off of it; HSC, Psychology & Triple Science. But that's besides the point). Since then, I started researching as much as I could; I would ask medical students about their experiences, I would ask doctors and nurses about their opinions, I would go through forums such as TSR's forums to see what medical students have to deal with, I would watch vlogs and dramas and read books and quite literally went for anything that would get me immersed into the field. I even based my A-level subjects off of it (Biology, Chemistry & Economics). However, I managed to figure out the one thing that could set me back; stress (and grades but we talk about that soon). I have this really bad issue of, not being scared of work but, being indulged in it too much at a time to the point where it would cause me severe burnout (I'd end up with various health issues too) and no matter how much I try to find ways to cope and deal with the burnout (or even prevent it) I'd end up at square 1. After a while I also started considering Dentistry because, although the study would equate to similar stress and workload a medical student has to go through, once you're done, you can set off to working in your own times and it's more laid back than medicine (obviously, it takes a hell lot of time and various factors affect it and medicine can also end up being the same if you pursued specific specialties; but again, all this is besides the point).
(‼️) Fast forward to my GCSE's and I got all the grades I needed (almost all were A's and A*s) except for Maths (& Numeracy) in which I got a C. The university I had as my first choice was Cardiff University, and their requirements state a minimum of a B for Maths. This is obviously a setback for me because I know how competitive it gets when it comes to Russell Group University acceptance, especially with Medicine. Now one of my questions is:
[1] If I had EVERYTHING they were looking for (perfect A-level grades, proper experience, proper interviewing process etc. etc.), would this one C grade in Maths hold me back? And say I resit and get an A*, would they consider the resit? (Also while I'm at it, what exactly do they look for when I say EVERYTHING, especially if it isn't mentioned in the website but still plays a factor in deciding their acceptance process?) Anyways, I decided that if I couldn't get into medicine in any of the universities I was planning to, then I might just pursue Dentistry as they don't require GCSE Math grades (or at least not in Cardiff University).
(‼️) However, I've been very (and I mean VERY) interested in the study and research of women's health and this includes (but isn't limited to); the reproductive system, menstruation cycles, pregnancy, midwifery, hormones and just health in general (and how everything somehow always links to another yet there's very little knowledge on it). I'm even more interested in getting into the unknown areas of women's health research where it's often disregarded and has almost little to no research on it. My rage comes in here. I've been dealing with the worst period pains known to mankind, and I mean so bad that it has me screaming, crying and throwing up (literally), it has me bedridden and unable to move, it has me ripping my hair out and wishing someone would rip my uterus out too. It has me going quite literally insane. This has happened and is happening since the day I got my periods, and I have a lot more other symptoms such as PMS, irregular periods, nausea, hirsutism, excessive bleeding, migraines, mood-swings, breast tenderness etc. etc. So obviously, I decide to get this checked up with a doctor and after 3 different doctors being consulted, I've only got one general answer from all of them. And that is; "You're still a teenager, we aren't allowed to do ultrasounds, we can do blood-tests, we can give you painkillers and contraceptive options but that's about it". Hearing that made me absolutely FURIOUS, because (1), what does "you're still a teenager" EVEN MEAN? I may be a teenager but NONE of those symptoms are normal and surely they should be checked up on? (2) I've had so many blood-tests done, I swear they could make a whole blood-donor charity out of it (and for some reason all the results turned out to be 'normal') yet nothing came out of it (3) Surely there should be other options of treatment than just pain killers and contraception/birth control? Obviously, I couldn't settle for the answer they gave me, because I'm fighting demons out here and going through hell and back just to have such a basic a** answer given to me? I refuse to accept it. So I decided to search it all up and found out that medical research is mainly based on men because "the female body is more complex". Which just added to my rage even more, because after CENTURIES of science and technology developing, you're telling me that the female body is too complex to be researched on? Don't **** me off. Let's not begin on the absolute vile history of the speculum and how it was basically used as a torture device in the 19th-century, yet there's barely any improvement to the tool which is laughable seeing how much science has progressed but still can't figure out a painless way to examine a vagina. And also on the fact that endometriosis takes up to 7+ years to get diagnosed and has less funding and research done for it, even though over 190 MILLION females are affected by it globally. But that's rage for another day.
(‼️) Anyways, this was how my rage fuelled and I'm considering to battle my way into medicine just so I can contribute to increasing the awareness and research on women's health, to hell with my grades and burnout. So more of my questions are;
[2] What exactly (like a degree) do I study to contribute to this field of research and to change the way healthcare systems and attitudes towards female health? And what kind of jobs would lead me to it? I know it isn't easy and takes more than one, but I'm sure there is a lovely percentage of people who'd join me in my cause if they haven't already done it.
[3] While doing my A-levels, what could I possibly do on the side to help boost my personal statement in this regard and also increase my chances of getting accepted into my preferred university? I'm currently planning on doing Biology, Chemistry, Economics + Welsh Baccalaureate (mandatory) and maybe resitting GCSE Math (only if required, so advice is appreciated on my options too).
[4] Say I do end up doing Dentistry in the future, is there any way I can still contribute and be involved in the research of female health? What kind of jobs would that be?
[5] What's your advice for someone who's struggling with medical issues (aforementioned) but doesn't get a clear solution through doctors?
[6] What's your advice on choosing in between Medicine & Dentistry? I'd appreciate and in-depth dive-in and breakdown of what they're truly like if you've experienced it.
[7] What would you recommend I do on dealing with stress and burnout? I'm scared it's going to mess up with my AS/A-levels too.
[8] What's your opinion on my female rage fuelling my decisions for my career path? Is that a good or stupid idea?
Finally, thank you so much for taking your time and reading all the way to this point, (here's a cookie 🍪), and if you happen to reply, thank you even more, I truly appreciate it. Much love and hope you have a great day or night ahead 🫶🏼

Miniverse?
I know we don't always hit the mark and help but I hope you are in a better head space than you were? Keep on doing your best, and keep hoping that you can be in a better pain free state going forward. Never be afraid to change your mind. But do it when you are in a calm and calculated mind frame able to reflect on all of the pro's and cons of what you are about to embark upon. Wishing you the very best of success where ever you study. You will be just fine.

Respectfully, without judgement. Maybe take some time away from the interweb. You seem to be over processing on many levels and will implode. I tell my students, DO NOT open too many 'metaphoric' tabs on your computer, it will CRASH. compartmentalise your concerns, keep 2,3 things you mull over at a given time. Over processing all your issues, worries, concerns will only burden and burn you out. Watch a Netflix film, take some walks, eat well, sleep better. Give yourself 48hr breaks not worrying about University. Refresh, go back in with fresh impetus. Good luck 🤞

that's good advice but sadly, i have tried resting and it just makes things worse for me because i have no idea what to do with myself 🥲 nonetheless i will definitely consider your advice and try again! thank you so much!!

Thanks for replying, do you have anyone outside the educational dynamic, sibling, relative, friend you can speak to who may provide a different perspective??? I know my advice might seem contrite, obvious or even diminishing your concerns but it's not, it's an older person who has been through that mill, I've taught A levels for over 25yrs and seen all the psychological journeys young people have to navigate. Be assured you will get through it, it's a difficult learning curve but the clouds do disperse and at a point in the not too distant future you will smile about and think what you were ever worried about. You've got what it takes, of that I'm sure.