Private treatment

[Jk2015]

After a lot of pain recently and fruitless trips to the gp/scans etc, I think I have endometriosis. I am lucky enough to have private health insurance through work so I'm waiting for my referral letter from my gp then hopefully I will be able to see a consultant and get some treatment. Is anyone who has gone the private route able to give me an idea of timescales? I've never used the insurance before and guess I would need to see a consultant and then hopefully they will agree to do a laparoscopy to definitely diagnose and hopefully treat it. I'm just wondering how quickly it might be possible to get to that point? I'm in so much pain, I'm not sure how to cope for much loger

[Summer143]

Compared to the NHS getting an appointment privately is pretty much instant. Choose a hospital and consultant, let your GP know and they will usually get a referral letter emailed or faxed over within a day or two. Bupa insist on you contacting them for an authorisation code before an appointment which they require the consultant name and hospital. Not sure how other insurers work basically, if you don't have a code you have to pay. It really is a fast and simple process. I have in the past been seen within 24 hours. Just make sure you are aware of the policy excess.

[tmc182]

If you are going private do some research on consultants in your local area and choose one that has an interest in endo, and better still one that is BSGE registered. You may find even privately these consultants have waiting lists, but it won't be anywhere near as long as on the NHS. I had a lap privately 6/7 years ago, at which point I had no idea what I had, I just had pain. They offered me multiple different consultants with waitlists that went from instant appointment - 6 weeks. I obviously picked the instant one and had surgery 3 weeks later. I was diagnosed with endo, but not treated with anything other than the coil and have since had to have more surgeries. Perhaps waiting in the first instant to see a specialist would have got me to where I am today faster. Do your research is my advice. Good luck.

[Jk2015 in reply to tmc182]

Thank you both. There's an endo centre at a hospital local to me so I'm going to ask to be referred there. I am in absolutely agony, I can't carry on like this. I'm hoping to get my referral letter tomorrow to see the consultant- do you think they're likely to insist I try the pill or something before they do a lap? I've been on the pill before and currently have the coil. I really don't want to mess about with contraceptives, I just want to know what's wrong with me