Surgery date given with 3months time scale after joining BSGE centre.

[BrightLights88]

Hi All, so after referring myself to a bsge centre I have now been given a surgery in 2 weeks for my Stage 4 endometriosis.

Just wanted to ask what sort of essentials would you recommend I take with me...I.e lots of or just a spare knickers, do I need a towel?

I'm not nervous, I am just thankful that just before hitting the one year mark of being diagnosed I am finally going under the knife to sort one part of my ovary and uterus.

[Christin_a]

Hello so below are some essentials.

Phone fully charged, charger, books or magazines to pass the time, take a pillow with you and use it in the car on the way home put it between you and the seat belt, loose comfy clothing (I wore pj's a size to big, as they use gas to inflate your stomach so you'll be a bit bloated after), slip on shoes (you won't want to be down and do up andly buckles or laces). If like me you don't like the take some squash with you so you don't just have to have water afterwards.

For at home, make sure you have plenty of pain meds ready and extra pillows on your bed you won't find it comfortable to lie down completely flat straight way so pillows can be used to prop yourself up. Peppermint tea this helps with the gas they use mentioned above. Stuff to keep you entertained, have a few soups in the house some people get sore throats post surgery so soup is good to eat when this happens.

Hope this helps.

[Christin_a in reply to Christin_a]

Oh I forgot take some pads with you. They do have ones but they are bulky so your own will be more comfortable

[BrightLights88 in reply to Christin_a]

Thank youuu so much for taken the time to give me some tips.

I have just noted this down on my notepad.

x

[Mussya in reply to Christin_a]

Good luck with the surgery!

Don’t have advice but wanted to ask how did you refer yourself to the centre?

I was referred to a gynaecologist but he is no endo specialist and although he suspects endo he didn’t refer me to a centre...

Thanks!

[Missingcat in reply to Mussya]

As far as I'm aware you have to be already diagnosed with stage 3 or 4 before you can be referred to BSGE.

[BrightLights88 in reply to Missingcat]

I was diagnosed as stage 3, but was already on stage 4 without even having done the MRI. The last hospital kept me waiting for a surgery since december.

The gp will not even ask about the stage, as my gp kept saying they are not gynae specialist. But you really have to poor your heart to the gp and tell them you want a new referral because you really can not live like this,the constant pain etc. I found it better to see a male gp who was actually was sk concerned about how long I been waiting for surgery.

[BrightLights88 in reply to Mussya]

Thank you.

Well I had a terrible 11months. Since been diagnosed with endo in last year September. had 9 hospital admissions for pelvis pain. My last one resorting in me having a cardiac arrest outside the hospital in March.

Once I was discharged after 2 weeks. I went to my GP with a few endo specialist centres in mind and asked them to refer me by checking to see which one had the earliest appointment. My cardiac arrest happened due to a small mistake by the nurse as she overdosed me in morphine. I didnt complain as I was so lucky to come through. But I wasnt too keen on letting a gynae department poke and prode inside me if they didnt know what a endo looked like.

So I made a gp appointment. Told my gp to search for a new referral as the waiting time for surgery at the gynaecology specialist was 6months and I was suffering to much.

He then found a earlier appointment at my chosen BSge centre. I had my referral in may, got added in for surgery, had my MRI in june and got my results in july and now have my surgery in under 2 weeks. They kept all their expected timescale. So I have faith they know what they are doing.

Check out the bsge centre online, and search under your post code area to see which one is close by and also search for the one that also has a fertility treatment in their centre because on the long run that would be perfect as the surgeon who does the endo surgery will also be able to treat you for fertility treatment. I also have a pelvis pain clinic within this hospital.

Gp will try and make you not refer yourself, by saying it will take longer for a new hospital to get your records etc ignore it and say I am prepared for that. But I cant go on anymore with the pelvis pain flare up i am on the strongest pain relief and nothing is working. I would like to be referred to a bsge centre and then give them the names of the hospitals near to you.

Good luck. x

[Mussya in reply to BrightLights88]

Thank you everyone, really helpful.

BrightLights, wow - I'm so sorry to read what you've been through. Thank you for sharing, and all the best in the coming surgery! x

.

[Cupcake1617 in reply to Mussya]

Lip balm! my lips are always dry after surgery, no idea why! I packed PJs and nighties because sometimes I don't like anything around my operation wounds x