I am in so much pain and even though the consultant agreed that I am an emergency my appointment is for the 28th of July. I have been refered on the 18th of May...
I am going o france to see my parents and I manage to get an appointment with an endo specialist in a new endo center that just opened 10miles away from my parents house
I will go to my NHS appointment as well but at least I will have a second opinion and see what options are offered both in France and England.
I was wondering if any of you have ever had surgery abroad and how it works? Will I have to pay and get the NHS to pay me back? Because it's Europe, do they have special agreement?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Hope you all have a pain free day
Written by
Snad
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I booked an appointment with a private Gynea (that works for the endo clinic in JR in Oxford). I will see him on the 9th of July (the day before I will go to France and see the french Gynea).
After a chat with his secretary, she informed me that I will have to pay 195£ for initial consultation but that after that I can be referred back to the NHS and be seen in JR but that the waiting list for diagnostic lap is more than 18 weeks. However, she said that they have radiologists specialised in endo and that it would be great for me to get an MRI (which I can get on the NHS as well).
My appointment is friday next week and even though I can't wait I am also a bit worried.
I don't know what to expect during the appointment.
What happens in an appointment in the UK? Just so I can have an idea of what to expect...
I have my "pain diary", the list of my symptoms and the report of the most recent ultrasound I have done where nothing at all was found.
Shall I ask for a recto-vaginal exam? I think that I might have some endometriosis in the Pouch of Douglas (I have had a look at Lindle post about it, and unfortunately I can see myself in every single lines she wrote).
Hey Thought this was really interesting that you can see someone in France and be referred, i bet it will be nice to get a second opinion!!
Is this your first consultation with a Gynae then? If it is, it really isn't all that bad! You have your pain diary (which will be a god send in helping you talk about your symptoms), and if you've already had an ultrasound then at least you won't have to wait even longer to have one of those done! You'll more than likely also have an internal and external examination (so they'll just feel your stomach, and then he'll examine you internally, which really isn't as horrible as it sounds). Then i went for my ultrasounds a few weeks later, so your lucky you've had those done already!
I really hope they can help sort out your pain soon for you!!
It is my first appointment with an Endometriosis Specialist.
The system in France is quite different. You can book yourself with a gynaecologist like you can in the UK with a GP. I use to go to see one every year as it was him that use to prescribe me my contraceptive pill, do smear tests, etc.
I was surprised when I arrive in england to see that all that is done by GPs.
I am just worried about the outcome of the appointment to be honest. I will be relieved to put a name on my pain but a part of me still wish that the specialist will say that I'm perfectly fine ( which I know I'm not... )
It's a bit silly I know but I suppose that you have been there as well.
I will keep you updated after friday appointment. I am not too sure I will get time to do it while i am in France but I promise i will tell you everything as soon as I can
I have seen french endo specialist yesterday and ... WOW that he is a good doctor. I stayed about 1 and a half hour for consultation and he listened a lot. It feels so good to get to talk to someone that takes you seriously and understand what our daily pain is.
According to my symptoms and my history he thinks that everything must have started when I was a teenager, so about 13/15 years ago. He also think that my endo is quite severe. He did a new ultrasound and found that my uterus is just 5cm long and one of my ovary is ok but the other one is not (I can't really remember what he said about it, it was hard to concentrate with the pain of the examination but I will receive a report on monday).
I showed him the NHS S2 form and he thought that it was a bit complicated but still possible to do even though it might be quite long as I have to have a letter from NHS consultant and a letter from him and then wait for NHS funding aggreement (or disaggreement...).
His idea was to book a date for laparoscopic surgery and for me to come on holidays to my mum and dad and then pretend it was an emmergency. I then can use my European Healthcard and be treated as if I was French....
He still wants me to have an MRI done in england and get the full report and if possible a DVD of it... I have a prescription from him requesting that but I am not too sure how this will work in the UK...
I also have to go on monday for a blood test to see how many eggs I have left.
After op, he suggested that I will try IVF straight away as it is still in my plan to have babies and it will be the best time for me to conceive and at the same time but my body into (kinda) rest for 9months.
I hope this is not too confusing... I might have forgotten bits and bobs but it was a long appointment but definitely worth the wait.
I'm not sure if you're still active on here but really interested to hear how things went from there. Did you do the Surgery in France. This is something I may explore as so far, and from what I read, people don't seem to have ht best impression of the UK.
I haven't had any operation yet but I have been told it looks like endometriosis. I don't have a lot of pain as I would describe it - but lots of heavy dragging sensations like period time. There is also a dull ache in my right side and back.
I feel bloated and very, very tired. Basically I have gone from a very energetic and positive personal trainer to being low energy nervous/body sensitive and unconfident to push my body the same way.
I don' think the NHS doctors seem to realise what a huge impact this can have on your life and just accepting it is not ok.]
Anyway, French system sounds great and as also have links to France may explore options.
Any additional info would be greatly appreciated - e.g. if you did with EHIC etc.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Surgery or wait for ivf 
Experience of Surgery Abroad? (Wellborn Endometriosis Center - Romania)
Major stage 4 endo surgery - NHS hospital or Endo specialist Centre???
Private Consultation
Tips for pain relief with endo - let down by consultant and having to go it alone.
