circumsision

[tkx1]

is it free to get circumcised by NHS or you have to pay?

[Hidden]

It's free as long as there is a medical reason for it as far as I know.

[Hidden]

If it's medical you can get it free on the NHS if it's cosmetic you will have to pay privately.

[nheather]

As others have said - if for a medical reason then yes it is free.

But my advice is don't do it. I had a tight frenulum and my local urology department have been totally inept and made a mess of it.

It all started with a little discomfort when retract the foreskin because the frenulum had become tight. Saw the NHS consultant at the urology department and he opted to do a frenuloplasty under local aesthetic. He botched it, leaving it as short as ever but now a load of scar tissue. I think it also messed up some nerves because it has never worked properly since then.

After about a year a saw another consultant in the same department and he said that he could do a circumcision or redo the frenuloplasty. He expressed shock that the original operation was done under a local. He said the choice was up to me and said I could leave my decision until the day of the operation - he put this in writing.

On the morning I saw the consultant who was going to do the operation and I showed him the letter and explained that I would like to retry the frenuloplasty. He looked at it and declared that it wouldn't work and I was best having the circumcision. He explained the operation saying that he would make the cut an inch or so below the head and not to worry as it would heal up nicely. So I consented.

When I came round after the operation the consultant explained that he had decided to make the cut just under the head instead.

A couple of days later I noticed that the stiches were a mess and were gaping apart in places. I could not contact the hospital so saw the nurse at my GP. She called in the duty doctor who said that it was an unusual cut and confirmed that the stitches were coming apart and said that I must go back to the hospital the next day.

So I did and saw a junior doctor and the registrar who did nothing other than claim it was the a really neat job and wished he do could work that neat. I feel that they were just closing ranks.

It is now 5 months on, and whilst it has got a lot better the scarring is quite prominent and painful.

I wish I had never had anything to do with that urology department - they are a bunch of cowboys.

Of course that it just one department and it doesn't mean that other departments are like that, but if you are going to do it I would go private - deal with someone who takes the time to discuss it properly with you and is skilled in the operation.

A final quote from the NHS now that they accept the scarring is bad - "our priority is to address the original problem, making it look nice is a secondary concern"

Cheers,

Nigel

[Hidden in reply to nheather]

Hi Nigel.

I was so sorry to hear your of your problem. If that had been me I would be suing for medical negligence .

What is such a simple procedure that can be done under local anaesthetic it has turned into a nightmare for you.

I think the moral of this tale is always check out the surgeon who is performing the operation to see whether he is competent . I regret often in these cases the best circumcisions are done by surgeons operating privately in circumcision clinics.

I hope things work out for you but I hope this doesn't put off guys from having circumcisions as you experience is the exception to the rule. All the best.