Going Private

[Sunset-lady]

I can't wait any longer so I've decided to go private and I've booked to see a consultant next week. I can't get my head around the fact I can see the same consultant I have to wait a year for on the NHS next week if I pay £200. I'm 50, currently on continuous provera and estrogen and I'm bleeding heavily. I have 5 growing fibroids and I look pregnant every day. I have no idea how big the fibroids are now but they were approx 5cm back in May. I can feel them now. I went for hysterectomy in September but the endometriosis lesions have fused my cervix to my bowel and possibly left ovary. I am due to go on zoladex on 29th December. I guess I am after a second opinion. I want to know if it's possible to do the surgery with the right team. Has anyone out there gone private for this kind of incision operation? Is there anything I should ask or expect when going private? I've been told to ring my GP and get a referral letter - has anyone else done this? My husband thinks he will just put me on zoladex and see what happens before considering surgery as I will possibly go through menopause in the next year. Thanks for all your support on here. I woukd have struggled without this forum and everyone's support. Xx

[Avourneen]

Sadly that is how it is, we are always told we don't have enough doctors but many NHS docs only work a couple of days a week for the NHS and the rest of the time they go private and get more money. It's horrible as the only way to get seen is to go private, but that is the state the country is in. I guess the government could say we trained you which costs hundreds of thousands so you can't work in the private sector for 10 years or something but a lot of conservative MPS have shares in private health coampanies so the worse the NHS gets the more money they make.

ON the plus side it will probably mena you get treated much more quickly.I also felt I was treated with far more care as a private patient during and after my op. But you can just have teh consultation privately and not the op. If you oragns are fuse d it will be a big and very expensive operation. You should get a refferel letter from your GP just phone up or e mail and tell them who they need to write to they should do thiswithout a problem.

You don't need to do anything differently if you go for the op privately but you will get a priavte room, your consultant should personally check on you after the op and you will get a long app to talk with him ask questions before hand. You will get service more like a hotel than a hospital. hope it all goes okay.

[1Poppy1234]

I had something called Graston Technique done to relieve my scarring to hopefully prevent it adhering to anything and my stomach feels a lot easier. Its very uncomfy when you have it but I felt that it has helped. Worth a read.

[Sunset-lady in reply to 1Poppy1234]

Thank you! I will have a look x

[Bookworm3371]

I’m due a hysterectomy and my ovaries/uterus is fused, may also be fused to bowel. My surgeon has said he’ll have a bowel consultant available in case I need a resection. I’m on zoladex (month 2) as a proof of cure type of thing to see if it lessens the pain, and also as he said it can help reduce lesions in the lead up to the op.

I think if going private I would just ask if other specialisms are on call, and if any HDU/ITU provision is available should it be needed. Some of the private hospitals here adjoin the NHS hospitals but I know that’s not always the case and while we hope for the best I would want to know what emergency care was available if it was needed, particularly if it is a more complex op.

[Sunset-lady in reply to Bookworm3371]

Yes, thanks. How did they know about your bowel and cervix before your operation? Did you have sn MRI?

[Sunset-lady in reply to Bookworm3371]

Sorry I meant ovaries and uterus

[Bookworm3371 in reply to Sunset-lady]

It’s been picked up on both TV scan and MRI.

[Sunset-lady]

Yeah if I'd had an MRI things would be different. I don't understand why (well I do, it's money) they don't do an MRI before such a major operation as a hysterectomy. I feel they are down playing how big it is; mine was supposed to be day surgery!!!