In a previous post, a few commenters recommended I insist to my GP on a referral to a BSGE centre given my Gynae is a bit of a pain in the proverbial and very dismissive.
How exactly do I go about this? Do I just literally make a GP appointment and ask them to refer me there? In the meantime I have requested a copy of my medical notes from the hospital as I distinctly remember my original GP years and years ago reading a letter from the surgeon who did my lap and said "he noted small lesions when removing your ovarian cyst". However my gynae never mentioned this and I'm too nervous to ask her to find it, just in case my memory is faulty and I have somehow imagined that (I'm 99% certain I haven't!) as that one letter will make the difference to being taken seriously and being dismissed. I also have Joint Hypermobility which is starting to cause issues so I'm curious to see what they've said about me in my notes!
I found the below website which I'm assuming is the right website/organisation but wanted to check as it doesn't say NHS? If it's right then hooray as there's a centre not too far from York.
Hi Hun yeah that's right website. They are nhs although some of them also do private. Just find the centre and consultant you want to see then tell GP you want a referral to them. If you have any problems get in touch with Lindle on here and she will be able to help. Good luck.
I wrote an 8 page letter to my GP detailing absolutely everything: symptoms, how severe they are and when, how effects day to day life inc social, work, relationships, what been done so far and now feel need be seen by a specialist who understands the chronic disease as can't go on like this. Also wrote why and what I hope to gain from going to a BSGE centre.Oh I also said which were my nearest centres I could go to. I did say I have written the letter as so much to try and cover in a 5 min appointment slot. But I am of course happy to come in and discuss.
I got a call a couple of days later from the secretary at GP surgery saying "Dr has seen your letter and he agrees to you having a referal and has asked me to do this for you."
Just be prepared for more waiting. I finally got an appointment for 4 months after referal was done. I saw a specialist and am now still awaiting an appointment for an operation. But know it be worth it as they are specialists plus they were so understanding and friendly at my initial appointment with them. They had a copy of my letter to the GP I'd done and told me that was very useful for them.
Hope you get a referal and not another fight from a gp, which to be honest I was fully expecting from my gp surgery! Best of luck with everything.
Thanks, that's really helpful all of you!! I like the letter idea as I tend to get in appointments and forget to mention something or I'm conscious of time so I panic and agree with whatever they push back with. I have no qualms with how long I may wait, I've been battling some Orthopaedic Consultants over my hypermobile joints (my shoulder is awful!!) and it's been what 5 years with that? Ha!
Do read Lindle's posts, but good to hear that squidgy got results from her letter to her GP.
My understanding of what I remember from on here, is that there is some kind of official 'protocol' about referrals, that GPs (or it may be the non-BSGE gynaes) are supposed to tell you about. I'm sure 'L' may mention this in her own posts, so check it out. It may help if you can refer to it in your letter to the GP - shows you know your 'rights' .
As for the hypermobility. I think there is a UK Society. Check this out if you have not already. They may be able to tell you the best pathways to follow, or things to say, or to have tested - again in order to help you get some action. I don't know enough, and this may be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that certain types of hypermobility are linked to autoimmune conditions, so there could be wider tests or considerations, that anyone who checks you should be taking into consideration.
Hope this helps: meanwhile have fun, do stuff you enjoy and love: stress is the worst for all of this, so stress-bust!
Aww thanks! Yes at the minute they're just managing dislocations as they occur and haven't linked anything else to it. Which for now I don't mind as it bloody hurts!
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