eventually some-one's listened... 3 years later

[Mum1888]

Hi, I'm a newbie 😊. I've suffered for 3 years no-one seemed to listen.. I decided to pay for a private consultation at a private hospital in Glasgow. My appointment on Monday went like a dream. The consultant sending a request for my doctor to refer me to himself, the consultant is actually based in a NHS hospital therefor all I'll be paying is for is the private consultation, which the consultant apologised about the cost. Omg I couldn't believe some one actually believed how I was actually feeling. So fingers crossed all hoes well when the time comes.

[mrsmcbain]

Hi there, I had to do exactly the same, twice!! I'm up in Aberdeen & was really struggling for anyone to help me or take me seriously. But after having two private consultations I finally got help & a resolution. One word of advice though, when your NHS appointment comes through, call them up & insist that you see only the consultant you saw privately. When I went for my NHS appointment which was the consultants clinic, I was seen by a useless registrar!! That's the reason we ended up having another private consultation. I'm pleased you have some peace of mind, I understand completely how much it means for someone to listen & understand you. I hope the rest of your journey goes as productively. X

[Mum1888 in reply to mrsmcbain]

The consultant told me he would deal with me personally.. So I'll be expecting his name on the appointment.

You know I've just joined this community, my partner was watching Dr Hilary Jones on this morning, there discussion was endometriosis he wrote it down when I googled it I found this site I couldn't believe how many women were telling the same story over and over again, it's totally unbelievable how this illness can effect your life. I had never heard of ENDIMETREOSIS until then. I also discovered a female cousin also suffered this. Over the last 3 years or so I had all sorts of scans and NO-ONE ever mentioned it could be endo I find it actually mind blowing. The best advice I ever had was from this community saying never give up.

[LeieH80]

I know how you feel! I struggled for years with pain, and was basically told to take paracetamol and get down the gym a bit more. In October last year I went and saw a private consultant and I swear she is the ONLY person to have listened to me and taken my concerns seriously. I burst into tears when she said that she wanted to do a laparoscopy to find out exactly what was going on. Someone was finally taking me seriously and low and behold when she did do the op she found both adhesions and extensive Endo that she reckons I've had since my teens! I'm now 35! The relief when I woke up and wasn't in The usual amount of day to day pain was one thing, the mental relief to discover there WERE problems and this hadn't all been in my head was something else. I really hope you start to get some answers now. Good luck!!! X

[Mum1888 in reply to LeieH80]

Thanks god I know I could have actually kissed the consultant when I was leaving 😉

[mrsmcbain]

Yes, I think the statistics are one in ten women or something along those lines??!!!

Yeah my consultant said exactly the same thing to me & when the NHS appointment came through it was his name on the letter, we even saw him walking around the clinic when we arrived for the appointment. But according to some medical friends of mine, all files sit in a pile & it's pot luck who picks up the next file. He was on that day because it was his clinic but he also had his registrar & unfortunately it was her I got Hopefully that won't happen to you, was just a word of warning from my own experience that then in turn cost me another £210 because the NHS is so rubbish! Wishing you the best of luck anyway xx

[Mum1888 in reply to mrsmcbain]

So you paid for the original consultation then also paid £210... he said he would be dealing with it so I'm hoping he means him. I'm so hoping that I don't get anybody else. The thought of having to go through the million questions again not bear thinking about.

[mama1]

hi whom did u go and see in glasgow?

[Mum1888 in reply to mama1]

I just phoned and got an appointment with a consultant at Ross hall and think I was just lucky with the great consultant I happened to get, but I had to contact my own doctor first as he's got to refer me. Even though it was ME paying for the consultation !!

[mama1 in reply to Mum1888]

Was it Chris hardwick u saw , tall with ginger hair at Rosa hall?

[Mum1888 in reply to mama1]

Sorry mama1, it was Dr Patterson at Ross Hall. I live in Ayrshire and his surgery is in Paisley. I'm being referred to Paisley.

[mrsmcbain]

Yes the original private consultation was £210, he said he would take on my case but through the NHS. Got NHS appointment for two months later, with his name on the letter, during that two months an MRI had to be done & medication had to be given. It was agreed that when we next met we would discuss results, MRI & surgery etc. I pinned everything on that day, I could hardly walk through the hospital for so much pain & I was a bag of nerves because I'd convinced myself I had cancer!! Then this registrar took me through for my appointment, she hadn't read my notes, knew none of my history & there were no MRI results. I was hysterical crying & begging for help & I explained everything to her, including my deteriorating mental health. She dismissed everything I said, she even told me Adenomyosis is nothing & will not cause pain. You now must just wait 14-16 weeks for a laparoscopy. My husband & I walked out of hospital & made the next appointment available at the private hospital, hence having to pay for two consultations. The lesson I have now learnt is not to make any assumptions when it comes to the NHS, insist & make sure you see the Dr of your choice 😃 xx

[Mum1888]

Thanks for that, when I get my appointment wether his names on it or not I'll be phoning the consultants secatry to confirm that he will be doing the lap.. It's not that I got an appointment 6th June eventually from NHS hospital yesterday just to see the gyno I've been on the waiting list for 5 weeks but normally its 12 weeks before you get an appointment. That's until my mother stepped in so god help the consultant if he tries to mess me about lol