Laparoscopy waiting time

[Samid76]

Can anyone tell me howling they’ve had to wait for a laparoscopy?? After months and months of waiting for some answers i finally thought I was getting somewhere with my last consultant appt who referred me for a short notice laparoscopy and fertility tests, but have been told today by the surgery dept that i have up to a 30 week wait which I find utterly ridiculous if anyone has any advice as to how I get this sorted out sooner that would be amazing x

[luthien]

I'm not sure, I had mine done privately and was referred by my GP to my specialist within a week (work health insurance) then had a consultant appointment a week later, and the lap booked in for 3 weeks after, so total 5 weeks from GP referral.

If it's the NHS I've no idea how long, but I think there's guidelines somewhere, 18 weeks rings a bell? Anyone??

[cmbxm in reply to luthien]

Yep, if you haven’t been seen within 18 weeks contact PALS and your GP, x

[Samid76 in reply to cmbxm]

Thank you I was referred to the hospital in December by my go after months and months of chasing I had one appt with a registrar in feb who wouldn’t do anything then another appt in June where she finally referred me for a laparoscopy and was told it would be 8-12 weeks had a pre op assessment which is only valid for 12 weeks so that was pointless just don’t get why I’m now being told 30 weeks... not sure when the 18 weeks starts but pretty sure I’m well over that now 😭😞

[cmbxm in reply to Samid76]

18 weeks starts from the day you were referred, contact PALS asap!!!

[Holleymuzz in reply to cmbxm]

18 weeks from your appointment saying your having the op or the pre op appointment?

[cmbxm in reply to Holleymuzz]

18 weeks from your referral when they say you’re having the op x

[Holleymuzz in reply to cmbxm]

My gp said they are going to write a letter do you think it will truly help? X

[princessk09 in reply to Holleymuzz]

My gp wrote to my gynae and it didn’t help. PALS were more helpful and got things moving so my lap is at the end of the month instead of near Christmas time xxx

[Hidden in reply to Holleymuzz]

It helped me immensely; on receipt of the letter day surgery offered me a date within 2 and a half weeks. xoxo

[cmbxm in reply to Holleymuzz]

Cannot comment as I didn’t require a letter from my gp, sorry, but it could and wouldn’t hurt to contact PALS aswell x

[Cupcake1617]

My first op (NHS) was 20 weeks. BGSE was a lot quicker

[Hidden]

When I was sent private it took a few weeks. I’m currently waiting for another on the nhs and by the time I have it done it will have been 12 weeks so I’d definitely chase it up!

[Samid76 in reply to Hidden]

Hi there I’ve literally only spoken to them today and got told sorry that’s how it is, which was lovely I’ve spoken to my consultants secretary who’s going to speak to her on Monday but I’ve today also written to her to say that this kind of waiting time after what she has informed me is completely unacceptable thanks for your reply 👍

[Hidden in reply to Samid76]

That’s horrendous. It may seem obvious (so sorry if it seems obvious!) but have you considered following the complaints procedure?

Sorry that you’re having to struggle and getting nowhere

[Samid76 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, isn’t it hideous it’s taken me 7 months constant pushing to just get to this stage not to mention the 5 months before that to see a doctor who didn’t just say oh that’s weird try and get pregnant it will solve all of your problems.. if only i could get pregnant, i am very shocked at the lack of support and help we get it’s extremely stressful and frustrating, I was looking at the complaints procedures today but I’m a bit confused about when the 18 weeks to be treated starts from and do they class an actual appointment as being treated?x

[Hidden in reply to Samid76]

That’s horrible, there seems to be a lack of compassion by some health professionals out there. My personal favourite being “is it not just period pain?” from a 50 something stuffy male GP.

I’m not too sure about that one. I’d say from the first appointment when they said you needed treatment but unsure what they’d say.

[Samid76 in reply to Hidden]

That’s what I thought my gp wanted a laparoscopy done when he referred me but because what I havevis rare they’ve been reluctant to do anything. To be honest i think they should’ve done one ages ago to confirm what I do have 😞

[MaggieBluee in reply to Samid76]

Hi, I’m in a similar boat (I think) as you.

I’ve been going to see a doctor since last year about my endo (suspected back then). It took 5 months for me to see a gynaecologist who then refered me for an MRI scan. That confirmed endo but I only got results by post (very vague) and the doc said that he wouldn’t recommend a laparoscopy and my follow up appointment is end of October!

My main problem is fertility so I decided to have a consultation at a private fertility clinic (not ideal) to see what they recommend re endo etc.

It does take forever to get anywhere and they really test our patience, don’t they....

All the very best!! X

[princessk09]

I have been waiting for 7 months for surgery and have a date for the 31st July.

I contacted PALS and they managed to get me a date but only because it had gone over the 18 week guideline.

It’s a 30 week waiting list at my hospital as well which is ridiculous but just explain to PALS that your symptoms are getting worse and they normally help xx

[sarah___x]

i don’t want to upset any of you but if you’re going through the NHS, it can be subject to long long waiting times. i am 1 week post lap today and prior to this, i waited over a year for my surgery date. it’s been nearly 3 years since i was referred to the hospital by my doctor.

[Hidden]

Hi lovely.

I had 2 laps at my local hospital and it was only 8 weeks to wait! I was lucky. First one was with my fertility doctor and second one was a gynaecologist.

Unfortunately it was left all over my rectum and I was referred to a endo specialist who I saw in April. I was told the same as you that I would have to wait a minimum of 30 weeks.

My endo symptoms became much more severe so I saw my GP as the endo specialist wasn’t taking my symptoms seriously the GP was horrified by my symptoms and wrote to the endo specialist and fertility doctor also fought on my behalf. 👊🏻

The endo specialist handed the letter to the surgery department a day letter the surgery department offered me a date 2 and a half weeks later which is this Monday! It is considered urgent due to the symptoms.

My advice to get a date sooner would be to see your GP explain your symptoms & the impact on fertility for long wait and ask them to write to the hospital; it is an effective way to be pushed up the list 👍 the endo nurse said the only thing to sway it would be a letter from a GP.

You could also contact PALS again explain everything and the impact it is having on you. Some ladies have got a date quicker that way.

The hold up isn’t the specialist it’s the surgical department; unfortunately because of “ winter pressures “ last year some are still catching up. They have scrapped the 18 week wait policy which is crap and gives us no rights 🤦🏽‍♀️

Also the 30 week wait should start from the date you were referred to the specialist not the surgery referral. 👍

Good luck xoxo

[brokenbladder]

I waited 10 months for my lap and only because I chased it. Seems to be a postcode lottery! I was astounded that a woman on my ward being sterilised the same day (only because she didn’t want more children) had only waiting 12 weeks 🙄 x

[Goldencat]

Hi Samid76,

So sorry to hear about your wait. I was exactly in the same position and to be honest I didn’t get anywhere without A LOT of pushing from my side. I would have had to have waited one year from referral for my op date - I was told the earliest they would see me was October this year and I was referred in Oct 2017. I spent a great deal of time crying as I was in daily pain and couldn’t imagine being in daily pain for a year (id already had 3 months off work due to pain and felt very low). So I switched trusts in March and changed GP to my parents who live outside of London in the hopes I would be seen sooner and booked in for another consultation. It’s a 6 hour round trip to where my parents live - that’s how desperate I was. Got a preop appt 3 weeks after that but was then told I would face a similar wait to be seen October. I then called the surgeons secretary and broke down on the phone to her explaining my situation and how it was significantly impacting on my quality of life and how I had already waited 5 months in London and couldn’t they take that into account. She managed to book me in for surgery at a nearby hospital the consultant also worked at for the end of June. They found extensive endo and I’m so glad I listened to my family and didn’t give up with seeking help. The prospect of being in pain for a whole year was making me so depressed. I couldn’t afford to go private but my family were willing to lend me the money to have surgery if I couldn’t get surgery on the nhs sooner. It’s horrible that gps and other health professionals don’t seem in a lot of cases to understand how much of an impact endo can have on womens’ quality of life. I hope you get somewhere. I think it depends how much it is impacting on your daily life - if you are in daily pain and get no where with the nhs it might be a better option to go private if you are able to. Don’t give up. Xx

[nicki0308]

Hi, I’m sorry to hear of your wait time. My experience of wait times has been awful I hate to say. I had my first lap done last March (2016) at my local hospital. Due to the severity of my condition, I was referred then to Edinburgh Infirmary...I’m still waiting! I finally got a date in June this year but they cancelled my admission the day before. I’m now 16 months down the line with no new date. If anyone can give adivce on who to complain to in Scotland it would be really appreciated!

I’ll keep everything crossed that you get seen soon x

[Hidden in reply to nicki0308]

I went to my GP after my symptoms become more severe and she wrote to my endo specialist. The endo specialist gave the letter to admissions who phoned the next day. I was offered a date within 2 and a half weeks which is this Monday ! Initially I was told my wait would be 30/35 weeks. This will be my third laparoscopy within 13 months.

I’m not sure how things work in Scotland but my endo nurse told me a letter from a GP would help push the date closer ( Tho I didn’t hear that from her 😂)

If they cancel the date they should offer you a date within a month ( it is like like for England)

Sometimes we have to push 🤦🏽‍♀️ good luck xoxo

[MrsDx]

Hello, i had to wait 6 months and by the time it happened, the ivf funding criteria had changed in my area so we were no longer eligible. At the time it was devastating. If I had to do this again, I would either try and go private or chase up every other day. They lost my notes, letters etc... so it really was just a case of bad admin but I guess they have hundreds of patients to see. Chase, chase, chase and don’t feel bad for doing so xx

[Samid76]

Thank you for all your comments I surprisingly got a call from the hospital this morning offering me a date for my surgery on the 17 July!!!! Although they hadn’t been given the dates by my consultant of my holiday in August so now they’re checking that I can have surgery that close to flying.. just waiting on confirmation of that, I am guessing I complained to the right person on the phone yesterday so fingers crossed it’s either gonna happen on the 17 July or August ☺️

[Holleymuzz]

What Hospital are you waiting for Hun?

Iv been seeing a specialist in Portsmouth for over a year now, had my pre op on the 7th of June ( month ago) the pain is so severe I’m on morphine daily, which oddly gives me diarrhoea, my bowel doesn’t open unless I use a suppository! Even to pass gas! I phoned the waiting list team who said that my dr was booked up until the end of August, after breaking down sobbing they did say if my gp writes to my consultant they may push me up the list. I’m thinking about suicide weekly now and really struggling. So happy you got your date x