Doctors messed up!!!!!!!!!!

[awoik123]

So I have been off work nearly 2 months now, after all this time I have decided I need to go back, anyway in the time I have been off I have been waiting for a referral letter for gynae, I went to see a different doctor who was recommened to me and I left there feeeling like I had gone back months not forward. Here's why, She sat and looked at me like I had 2 heads and I kept talking to try and push her to answer, she just sat nodding and not replying. the upshot was I only remember 2 things that came out of her mouth 1 yes it may be endo, 2 oh it looks like the other doctor forgot to refer you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got up and walked out after that, i was so angry. She didn't ask what tablets I was taking ( none because the tablets they prescribed are not given out anymore ) she didn't ask whether i was ready to go back to work, she didnt ask if i wanted to go on birth control ( I had a miscarriage in december, so wanted birth control i was to dumbstuck to remember what to ask by this time ) I have sat and stewed over this all week and am thinking of making a complaint but wouldn't know where start, any advice would be welcome. Thankyou xxx

[Mabes]

You should complain to the practice manager - in writing.

[Impatient]

and ask for a referral to a 2nd gynaecologist because this first visit clearly didn't work out.

Next time write out a list of your requirements and the questions you want answers to and want to discuss in regards to your treatment.

Remember that the visit to the gynaecologist is for surgery. Not birth control or period control options, or pain killers etc. Those sorts of discussions are for you and your GP or the family planning clinic.

The gynaecologist needs to know what you are wanting to do next and a good one would ask you that and come to some agreement on a plan of campaign.

So if you think you might have endo, then your goal is a diagnosis, and a key hole op to check for endo. Before that there would be various tests to be undertaken to rule out other factors than may be causing your symptoms and would be easier to spot.

If you want to check if your tubes are clear too, then again this is something else to add to the list.

If you find smears painful and haven't managed to have one in ages then that's another to add to the list.

If you want to have a mirena coil inserted under anaesthetic, that too is something to discuss.

The more you can justify the need for a surgery the better your chances of getting one.

If you know your have cysts and they are causing you a lot of discomfort then draining them or removing them will be on the list.

If you have fibroids then they may need to have treatment before undergoing surgery.

Perhaps you want to have a D&C tidy up inside after the miscarriage.

At any rate you need to consider where you are headed and what steps you want to take next and the ones that involve the gynae team are the ones to discuss at the next appointment.

Discussions over birth control types are for your GP, the only one of those that the gynae surgeons would be involved with are inserting mirena, or replacing it under anaesthetic.

And possibly undergoing treatment for pausing existing endo using GnRH treatments, but you are not there yet.

So stew on this a bit more, write out what you want doing as a priority and which person you need to see about it.

You definitely have some things you need to discuss with your GP as it stands, so when you know what you want to talk over with them, book an appointment or even a double appointment so you have the extra time to talk through your options and also if needs be, ask to see a different gynaecologist if there is still something that they can help with e.g. if you definitely want to go ahead with a diagnostic surgery for endo, or an MRI scan to check for adenomyosis.

With your GP you need to discuss adequate pain relief options if you are off work due to pain and possible ask for a referral to a pain clinic where your level of pain can be looked at, and you can be given advice on alternative ways to cope with your pain besides pain killers.

If your are needing to be signed off work -again it is your GP that would handle that side of things.

The gynae surgeons rarely sign you off for more than a week or two at best, after surgery, they consider anything above that to be something your GP would take care of if necessary... which it usually is for the majority of us.

Try and take someone with you when you visit the consultant. Give them a list of the topics you want to discuss and ask them to make a mental note of answers, or even write them down for you as you have your chat with the consultant.It is all too easy to plan what you want to ask and end up with brain fog when you get in there to talk about it, so take in notes or a list of questions with you.

Don't give up, these hiccups can happen from time to time, where the communication between patient and specialist gets muddled and neither ends up with much idea where to go with things.

Have a good think, and then get to your GP and start again. You may want to write to the gynaecology department head about your experience and put any questions you may have unanswered, to them. It might just get your 2nd appointment bumped up the priority list.

Very best of luck

[DSan]

Hi, Ive had similar experiences before I was diagnosed with stage 4 endo. I ended up moving to a different surgery. I would definitely write a complaint to the gp practice manager to start with and see if it helps.

Also mention that you are having to take time off work as you are in a lot of pain and you just can't function normally on a day to day basis because of the pain and discomfort. Anything to convince them you need to get diagnosed asap.

Endo was only suggsted to me because I told the gp I had been trying to get pregnant again for the past four years. originally I was told that I just wasn't trying hard enough !!! It wasn't until I went back and saw a different gp that I was referred for a lap.

Hope this helps xx

[curlyjo]

There is a formal complaints procedure in the NHS through PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) or you could just call them up for some advice. I used this service to lodge a complaint and the follow up was amazing. They took me very seriously and used it as an opportunity to improve their service. My advice to you is to stick to the facts and try not to get too emotional. What I found out was that the NHS are trying to get through as many patients as they can very quickly but in doing so don't always explain things adequately or find out what is going on in our heads re our understanding of what's going on. I hope you get a good resolution what ever avenue you take.