Bristol bsge ?

Has anyone been to the bsge at Bristol ? Views ?

[Tanni]

I personally haven't had great treatment from them!....I have to travel 2 hours each way and I got to my appointment two weeks ago to find my notes were missing so after waiting 65 minutes after appointment time I was sent back home with no further answers or help with managing condition, I've been phoning secretary most days since and when the phone is answered the notes still hadn't been looked at...emails are not answered to, voicemails are not answered either. When I was first referred to them I made the two hour journey up to Bristol only to find there was no consultants there that day and the junior doctor said she couldn't offer any advice as it was too specialist and the consultant needed to see my notes to decide what to do.

I did manage to have both laparoscopys done quite quickly but that was only through phoning to chase how long it would be...informed I would find out 4 weeks before, a week later I had a phone call to say they had a cancellation so op would be the following Monday! The consultants are friendly but I do wonder if there is better places to be referred to! Xxx

[Hidden in reply to Tanni]

Thanks. Was that southmead ? There's two bsge in Bristol from what I read on line. I'm I'm only allowed to use the choose and book upto a 20 mile radius and Bristol are the only one that's a bsge :/ why is nothing easy x

[Tanni in reply to Hidden]

Yeah it is southmead. If you do end up going there due to that being your only choice I hope you get better treatment/care than I have had. The consultants are friendly but I don't think aftercare and explaining about the condition and why it happens and what it affects is very helpful at all. Xxxx

[Samtzan in reply to Hidden]

Hi,

I have a friend who was at Bristol.

Because her endo was so severe she moved to another specialist up north who could deal with all here problems and gaurentee she would not end up with a colostomy bag, as Bristol said she would most likely end up needing one after her lap.

Really do your research and ask a lot of questions before doing anything with anyone anywhere in country or worldwide.

Good luck

[Samtzan]

nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Yourc...

[Hidden]

Thank you's. X

I am currently awaiting a general gynea appt for a consultation ideally want to be referred to a bsge centre though. The reviews of the gynea at bath RUH that currently does the endo procedures aren't to bad. But I don't no how else to get reffered in currently moving GP surgery at the moment x

[Lms8]

I have severe/stage 4 endo and was with the Bristol Bsge centre (NOT Southmead, but the other one) and was kept on hormonal meds for 4 years tho they werent helping and finally told a hyst was my only option but that the deep Rectovaginal endo would not be excised coz too complex and would definitely end up with a colostomy bag. Got Gp referral and travelled to a Bsge centre in Manchester for treatment

Had thorough 6 1/2 hr excision surgery of all pelvic endo 5 weeks ago and am doing really well. All organs were saved and no colostomy bag!! Please do your research before choosing a centre even if they are on the Bsge list - these is a difference in skills and expertise between centres

Also as Samtzn mentioned you can ask to be referred to a consultant /Bsge centre anywhere in England under NHS choices. It does not have to be in your 'catchment' area! I would take the NHS choices document with me (link above) to GP in case they make a fuss.

[Hidden in reply to Lms8]

Thank you. How do I research all the bsge centres ? I've heard Oxford is good, and now you say Manchester is good. I live in Wiltshire and only got my fiancé to take me to these places which he struggles taking time off work so to be honest I don't want to go the other side of the country. You have been very helpful and I continue to research. It's quite deceiving as you expect any bsge centre to be confident in what they are doing but that doesn't seem the case. I'm reluctant to even have surgery of it's going to make me worse off than I am now.

[Lms8 in reply to Hidden]

Yes, the Oxford team, Manchester-St Mary's and Wythenshawe have very good reviews. It is worth looking at individual consultants websites to research their expertise and if endo is one of their main areas of expertise rather than one among a whole long list of things they are 'interested' in. Also once you have shortlisted who might be best for your case you can ask women on the different endo forums for their experiences with those consultants. The BSGE list is a good starting point as these surgeons do have 2 years additional training advanced laparoscopic excision and these centres have multi disciplinary teams, but unfortunately it is emerging that there is a big difference in excision skills and expertise between centres and especially so with more severe and complex disease. Good luck.