Follow up appointment!

[GRigby98]

When did everyone have their follow up after their laparoscopy as I don’t know much since my surgery and would really like to know the next steps and options I have sooner rather than later it’s took enough time to get here?

[Natalie507901859]

I think it depends on the wait list in your area....I should have had mine 8 weeks after surgery but it will have been 5 months by the time I have my appointment because the waiting list is so long. By chance, I mentioned it to the GP at an appointment for something else and she looked through my notes and found letters from my surgeon to the specalist team which had more information, so might be worth seeing if your GP can do the same.

[GRigby98 in reply to Natalie507901859]

Hi, I suppose but isn’t it a case of the longer you wait the more it’ll just come back in those months you are waiting. I can’t get a gp appointment as they haven’t had any since my surgery. I want a plan as soon and don’t want to get any endo since the surgery since they removed it and it’ll just start growing back from first bleeding which in this case has already happened but I have them every few months I was just hoping it would be long enough to get my follow up. Thank you for the advice I wish I could have an appointment with my gp just have to wait for one to come up.

[Natalie507901859 in reply to GRigby98]

Oh yes absolutely it's the case that it might grow back in the wait, but unfortunately these services are dealing with huge amounts of patients, and consultants are extremely busy having to balance consultations with performing complex surgeries.

Could you speak to the GP on the phone? Or I know in my area the specialised endo clinic has a specialised nurse that you can self refer to who gives out advice. Otherwise you could try and contact your surgeon's secretary, see if speaking to them might prompt an earlier appointment. There's not much more you can do I'm afraid, at least without going private (I know from other support groups that people have paid to have a consultation with their surgeons privately, and then been referred back to the surgeons NHS clinics, but not sure if this is universally done).

[Pinkprincess22]

I guess I was lucky to go back to see mine after three weeks. My consultant wrote to my dr and sent me a copy of the letter so I knew where I was at.

I’m certainly ask your consultants secraty for information as she should be able to read your notes or send you a copy of your letter.

I’d also call your gp ask to speak to their medical secretary who will be able to read out to you the letter.

At your gp surgery are you registered for online bookings? It’s the only way we’ve been able to get appointments with out doctors. They release new appointments at midnight so I stay up until midnight and book them!

[GRigby98]

Yeah on my discharge letter it said follow up 3/12 but I don’t know if that’s weeks or months😕 yes I do have the online system and I’ve been checking every day but there hasn’t been anything up to even book the only thing that’s been available is the “flu nurse” for flu clinic 😞 I try ringing and they just tell me there’s no appointments I have to book online. Bit of a shame because I’m guessing older people have a problem with this system as they can’t get an appointment easy as they don’t use technology some of them.