consultant advice

[Emylou1]

Good morning all.

I'm just looking for advice. I have been under the care of a BSGE surgeon for the last four years waiting for a diagnostic laparoscopy MRI shows deep infiltrating endo on the uteri sacral ligament and recto vaginal septum. The delay was partly due to an increased BMI which I have worked hard to reduce. I received a call from bookings to say they can offer me a date for surgery, which is fantastic. I received a letter of confirmation and it's a different consultant doing the surgery. Am I being irrational to be upset about this? I've not met the surgeon, I know nothing about him and is it wrong to say I want the consultant who is the endo specialist.

Sorry for the rant, any advice would be appreciated.

[Sabrinacolada]

Hi,

I would get in contact with the hospital to get furthur info. Sorry if I have misunderstood your message, but to double check- you've said diagnostic lap (normally to confirm if endo) but there are endo lesions on the mri already?

If they confirm rectovaginal involvement this is deep endo thus surgery should be with a multidisciplinary team consisting of an endo specialist, colorectal specialist etc . I assume the other surgeon is an endo specialist? Did they say they will excise at surgery? Will there be a colorectal surgeon etc?

❤️ Sabrina

[TwoSheepOneShoop]

It's entirely your choice. Their priority is to get you seen the soonest which is why you've been booked with a surgeon with availability.

Based on my personal experience of having a different consultant do the surgery Vs see me before hand, I'd want to stick with the most knowledgeable and experienced with endo, no matter the wait time. Hope that helps x

[Sunset-lady]

Go on to the BSGE website and look up the centre and see if his name comes up as an endo specialist at the centre. Then I'd ring his secretary and ask for a phone appointment to talk through the surgery and you can ask all your questions then. That's totally normal and acceptable prior to surgery. You can't name surgeons on here but if you go on the Facebook group for endometriosis guidance and information you could do a search with his name to see what others' experience has been. I'd do all of this first before changing your surgery date x

[Sunset-lady]

Also why do you need a diagnostic lap when your MRI has already confirmed DIE? Are they planning to excise all endo?

[Emylou1]

good morning, thank you all for the advice.

I'm just as confused as to the need for a diagnostic laparoscopy. The MRI shows lesions I have bowel and bladder urgency frequency and incontinence also neuropathic pain in right leg. I have been told that I have a 2 hour slot in theatre and it's down as see and treat. The surgeon I have seen in the past is the only BSGE endo specialist for the health board and I was ok with this, it didn't make sense that I potentially might need further survey if it's more complicated but again I was hopeful that the surgeon with her expertise would do what she needed to do. I have tried doing some searching on the new surgeon and didn't get very far except a mother who reviewed him poorly about misinformation relating to endo and I think he is a general gynae consultant.

I contacted the hospital and was told because my original surgeon's list was so long some patients have been pooled. I made a complaint. I said I should have been made aware of this before agreeing to the surgery date, because if I now decline the date I go to the back of the list. I also asked for the criteria used to decide which patients were pooled, I should have been given the option to wait and stay on the list I was on and I wanted to know more about the new surgeon, if he's not an endo specialist he's not doing my surgery.

I felt awful making the call as I don't usually make a fuss and I'm now second guessing whether I should have gone with it and just accepted I have date for surgery.

[Sunset-lady]

No. I think you have done the right thing. What stage endo is it? Unless you are agony then I'd wait for your original consultant. A specialist endometriosis surgeon will be able to do it properly as they are highly skilled. Having someone else could result in having to have further surgery down the line. Ask to be placed on the list for the original surgeon unless they can provide evidence of endometriosis expertise.

[Emylou1]

Hi Sunset-lady,

Thank you, I have been second guessing myself, I hate complaining but on this I just don't want to compromise. I agree with you I would rather wait if I have to like you said I'm hoping to have just one surgery. I'm struggling with my hormones and declined the Prostap but might consider giving it a go.