Going private

[Lincoln67]

Can anyone shed any light about going private for your appointment and then having your operation privately? How much did you pay? What were your wait times like?

I’ve been told I’ll need an op but my first specialist said he wasn’t specialist enough to tackle the bowel/bladder situation so I’ve been referred to an endometriosis centre. Their wait time for initial consultation is about 10 months. They say if an operation is needed, it could be an additional year from the first consultation.

I’m absolutely terrified of the thought of just shy of two years doing this.

[JenRow7]

Hi I paid £130 for appointment. Then £8337 for my operation next week. And £7000 in 2021. That's nuffield. Was lucky my Dad helped me last time. Only just afforded it this time. You can get payment plans. My wait time from emailing secretary to surgery is 4 weeks

[Lincoln67 in reply to JenRow7]

That’s an insane wait time. I just don’t have that kind of money is so disheartening!

I’ve emailed the secretary of the surgeon at the centre I’ve been referred to. I’m wondering if they have an option to see him privately so initial consultation and then have the op on the nhs. At least that might cut 10 months off. I imagine if that were possible everyone would be doing it though!

[JenRow7 in reply to Lincoln67]

Yes that is possible. A lot of people do that with my consultant because he gives you that option. I think most people just don't know you can or don't ask. It should cut the wait time. Then get on cancellation list, chase secretary. Get gp to chase and so on

[Lincoln67 in reply to JenRow7]

Yeah I think that’s my plan. If I can cut down the initial wait, then just pester until I can be seen for the second bit 🤣

[RedCat24]

Hi. I was sheffield based at the time I saw a gynae specialised in pelvic pain because I'd already had a lap on NHS and was told no endo found. I paid £250 for first consultation, then mri £500 (showed endo and multiple adhesions, nhs refused to give me one), another consultation at £175 then I had a laparoscopy 4 weeks later as he was off on holiday this cost £3850 and I got a follow free well included in the lap price. I unfortunately couldn't go any further and he was amazing, the first person to actually listen to me

[xxkatiexx]

I’ve just had lap oophorectomy plus adhesion removal - that plus consultations, MRI, ultrasound and follow up consultation has come in just over £5k

I had a slight delay with mine due to my MRI being cancelled on the day and was Xmas time so had a 2 week wait for another appointment but from first consultation to op was around 8 weeks although I could have had the op a couple weeks earlier but wasn’t convenient for me.

[Sunset-lady]

Hi, I was referred to specialist endo clinic after a failed hysterectomy. It was a 12 month wait so I paid 200 and saw him the following week privately. I had a private MRI (£700). Then I started his treatment plan until my appointment came through 8 months later. They can start you in a treatment plan but you can't jump the NHS queue -otherwise everyone would go this route.. I then decided in January to go private for hysterectomy in March as the NHS waiting list is another year. This is £9000 as it's not straightforward because of endo. Being able to start zoladex 8 months early was good so I'd recommend going private. Just make sure the centre/surgeon is BSGE accredited for endometriosis.

[Lincoln67 in reply to Sunset-lady]

Thank you!

I’ve emailed the secretary of the main person at the endo specialist centre I’ve been referred to. If I can cut the initial consultation wait down to a few weeks instead of 10 months and then just wait on the NHS list for the op, that’s still 9 or so months sooner than I would have. Every little helps. Half of me thinks I’ve survived 10 years now whats a year more but there’s something about knowing what your pain is and knowing something could help that makes the wait excruciating!

[Sunset-lady in reply to Lincoln67]

You should be able to do this x good luck.

[Kay1984]

I paid around £4k, for initial consultation, diagnostic laparoscopy and endo removal, follow up appointments and then coil insertion. Wait time for everything (apart from coil which I chose to have done 3 months after surgery) was 2 months, from making the first phone call to having the surgery. This was all done at a private hospital in Preston last year xx

[Fibroidgirl50]

I had already waited for more than a year for my surgery when I went private. All in it cost me £8,500. That was appointments, bloods, medicine, ultrasounds and surgery with 2 night hospital stay. It is a huge amount of money but between fibroids and endo my cervix had fused to my rectum and I was in constant pain. When I woke up from my hysterectomy the dragging pulling pain was gone and I have never looked back. Absolutely the best money I have ever spent , my life is completely different now.