Endo Help

Hi there,

I really need some help and guidance in navigating the NHS and BUPA re treatment for endo. I’ve been seeing the reproductive team at a London Trust for over a year now as we can’t get pregnant. I’m 37 and it’s been 2 years TTC. They suspected endo due to the painful and heavy periods I was having and I had a lap in Sept last year and they removed mild endo. They sent me on my way for 6 months and said the chances of conceiving was high.

Sadly nothing has happened and I’ve been having all the same endo symptoms again. A scan today showed an endometrioma on my ovary.

I really want to see someone privately, this is taking way too long on the NHS. They changed my appointment for a scan about 5 times over the last few weeks and are just so impersonal about it all and it’s a nightmare trying to get an appointment.

I have BUPA through work and have had it since well before all this started. How do I get them to send me somewhere privately? I just want a second opinion. Do I call them? Get the GP to refer me? Will they deny me as I’ve been seeing a fertility clinic? Any thoughts/suggestions welcome. I just want to get some help and sort out my periods. The baby stuff can follow later. Thank you 🙏

[Kangalou]

Hey - I’ve just done my treatment via BUPA highly recommend.

Firstly, look at your BUPA policy. Some employers have different cover. Mine required the GP to write an ‘open referral’ which means that you select your consultant via the panel approved by BUPA. My GP was keen to direct me to someone she recommended - your policy may allow that.

Once you have the referral, call BUPA. I hadn’t been with my employer for two years so I had to go through an extra underwriting process but this only took 15 mins and they were amazing at fast tracking this.

They will tell you what they will approve - for me it was initial consultation plus any blood tests, x-rays or scan. Anything else needed another call to approve. They will take your credit card info (and ultimately deduct your excess - mine was £100 so well worth it).

I got an appointment within a week - and a laparoscopy the following week. I called Bupa to get the lap approved and that took five mins.

I have now had an MRI approved and another consultation paid for.

Note - my policy didn’t cover all the drugs I was sent home with - so I got a random bill for £10 for dihidrocodeine which I thought was odd. They also sent me a bill for £4 for dressings!

Care was amazing - long story but I was in for two nights. They couldn’t do enough for me. They also followed up and removed my stitches as my GP surgery didn’t have appointments for two weeks. No bill for that.

Not sure if that answers your question - GP should refer you no problem and once you’re in the system it’s easy.

Good luck- let me know if you have any more questions.

[Kangalou]

Ps I should add - when you call BUPA they will tell you the list of people they approve. It was basically everyone working at my local private hospital.

I cross checked the list to the BSGE centre and picked someone I knew had good endo experience.

[Hidden in reply to Kangalou]

Thank you so much for this helpful reply. Much appreciated!