does Cambridge spire endometriosis clinic need a gp referral?

[pinkie25]

we’re planning to try getting an appointment with mr mabrouk at Cambridge spire endometriosis clinic but when mum was looking at the hospital site generally, it said you might need a gp referral. Does anyone know if you would need a gp referral to ask for a consultation with mr mabrouk? I’m not sure why you would when there’s an online form where it seems like you fill in your own details.

[Scoutybob]

I don't specifically know the answer to this but to my knowledge any Spire clinic for endo would be private so I believe you can self-refer without a GP referral because you'd be paying x

[Sandygirl6697]

Hi there. I self referred. I sent my enquiry in through the Spirelea website. I then received an email back asking me for a few details. After I had replied to this I received another email offering me an appointment, no need for GP referral. However my GP is very good and did send in some details on my behalf just to give some further background but this wasn’t actually requested.

I hope this information is of some help.

Best wishes ☺️.

[pinkie25 in reply to Sandygirl6697]

Did they not give you a choice of different times? cause we’d be travelling to get there

[Sandygirl6697 in reply to pinkie25]

Hi yes they did but first appointment was via video link which was a bit easier initially and probably if you have to travel might be ideal. From there he organised an MRI for me then I had a face to face following that .

[Hidden in reply to Sandygirl6697]

Hi, how much was the MRI? I just emailed Spire Lea this week and they said the MRI was £800 which seems a lot more expensive than other places. All in, the initial appointment, MRI and follow up appointment was around £1200 and the wait for first appointment was 10 weeks.

[Sandygirl6697 in reply to Hidden]

Hi, I paid £220 for the initial video appointment and then the MRI was £580, face to face appointment was £170. I think I waited about 5 weeks for my first appointment but I know that demand to see him was high so waiting times probably increased. It was still quicker than nhs waiting times.

The money I spent was definitely worth it.

Hope this information helps x

[pinkie25 in reply to Hidden]

Were you asking specifically for the endometriosis mri price cause another person said it’s £580 and I’m confused why the same hospital has completely different prices for the mri but it might differ depending on what the mri is for

[Hidden in reply to pinkie25]

Yes that's strange with the different prices especially as the appointment prices are the same as I was given! Inflation maybe?! I asked about further investigation for endo specifically around the bowel as an NHS gynaecologist reluctantly agreed to send me for an ultrasound (I'm nearly 51) to see if there was any endo after I was referred for bowel problems. My sister has a stoma due to endo and it was so widespread and complicated 8 surgeons had to be coordinated for her surgery. Anyway, after every gastro test under the sun (all negative) I started to look at endo. I know women with endo are more likely to have ankylosing spondylitis, there seems to be an intolerance to lactose often with endo (also have this) and it can cause a loopy colon (the only thing that came up on my colonoscopy) so I felt there were a few things pointing towards possible endo. My periods have always been incredibly heavy and lots of clots etc. so the gynaecologist agreed to the test. A small 2cm endometrioma was found on my left ovary and the doctor who performed the scan said he wouldn't be able to see endo on the bowel with an ultrasound and I'd probably have a laparoscopy, but this became "all normal but there's possibly an endometrioma" in the gynaecologist letter, the offer of mirena coil, gnRH injection or just wait for menopause "which will only be 4 years at most" and discharge back to GP! I asked if menopause would stop my chronic diarrhoea and she said yes! It was all completely nonsensical and so I thought I'd try private to see if I could get some answers...

[Greenlady48 in reply to Hidden]

Hello.

Sorry to jump in on your reply

I have the same problem as you. I’m 53 and over the years have seen probably 12 doctors in total. All of them have the same theory. I have adenomyosis in the womb but many believe the endometriosis is on the bowels have finally found a doctor from the bowel team that will see me next month. I was told the same thing by a good doctor in London that I saw privately that if the endometriosis is on the bowel then a stoma is the only choice. Dairy and wheat are among my triggers. I am now coming up 3 years post menopause and stopped the HRT as one horrible doctor told me it was my fault my endometriosis was bad because I’m still on estrogen. So menopause hasn’t cured the constant diarrhoea or the pain. 😔

[Hidden in reply to Greenlady48]

It's terrible really isn't it to have to fight so hard just to find out what is causing your problems. I can totally sympathise with you. It wasn't until I was finally, after 25 years, diagnosed with AS that anyone took my bowel problems seriously as you are more likely to develop Crohn's or colitis with AS. When my tests came back negative I was simply discharged - but I still had the awful diarrhoea with no idea as to cause. In the end I paid to see a colorectal surgeon, who transferred me to his NHS list and I am still under him although I haven't seen him for a year. The diarrhoea is exhausting and I think that's what doctors fail to grasp. Sometimes I have to have a lie down afterwards as it's so depleting. No one suggested endo until I was in my late 40s but I feel like now my age is being held against me. I was going to say I cannot believe a doctor told you your problems were your own fault! But unfortunately I can believe it! There seems to be many doctors who can't have an adult conversation with you and speak to you as if you have some intelligence. It's very frustrating.

[Sandygirl6697 in reply to pinkie25]

Hi sorry for late reply. It was to check with diagnose primarily for Endo but it was explained to me it would be a very throughly mri which would be reviewed by a higher recommended and recognised radiologist who specifically looks for endo. The results were very throughly and included deep infiltration of Endometriosis in several areas and also adenomyosis.

[pinkie25 in reply to Sandygirl6697]

I’ve now booked a consultation for the end of may. It’s now 8 to 10 weeks wait, I’m waiting about 8 weeks and the consultation price was £250

[Comedykid]

hi so I currently see mr Mabrouk and when I emailed to ask for an appointment they did ask for a go referral. Mine might have been different as I went nhs first and was asking mr mabrouk for a second opinion but we required a GP letter.

I then got given a time to see him, the first time they just offered me the next available appointment the second time I got a choice of times and days. If you need choice then your best bet it to email his secretary and ask as they are pretty accommodating

[pinkie25 in reply to Comedykid]

Why are you seeking a second opinion? Did you get seen first by a non specialist?

[Comedykid]

I was seen first by a gynaecologist on the NHS who I don’t think was a specialist and they said they thought I had it but then did an mri and said nothing showed up - the report said I had a cyst but they didn’t even tell me that. I thought there has to be something as the pain I was in was not normal, so I went private and researched Cambridgeshire specialists and went with mr mabrouk. They reviewed my mri and said they saw thickening on my uterosacral ligaments and on my appendix that they suspect is endometriosis and have booked me in for a laparoscopy to confirm and remove that there is

[pinkie25 in reply to Comedykid]

How long did you wait for a consultation?

[Comedykid]

I can’t remember I think about 4 weeks back in November. That was online at £220 and then they reviewed my documents and then I had another consultation of February for the results which was £170 and then I had another consultation with the other surgeon on my case which was then £220 and that was about a week later and now waiting for surgery which will be in June because of my work - they did offer me April/May but I could not do it so it will be in June

[pinkie25 in reply to Comedykid]

I’m aware prices for surgery might change depending on how complicated the surgery is but do you know how much your surgery is costing?

[Comedykid]

my surgery is going to cost me £8010, but yes it massively varies depending on how severe it is etc and what you need. What I will say is that is the price my surgery will stay regardless of whether I need an extra night in hospital or if I need further scans after, unlike other places that will add that to the price that doesn’t happen with Mr Mabrouk from what he told me. I’m doing it on a payment plan so will be putting a deposit down and then will be paying the rest off over each month