Hello
So...I went for my smear last month (came back fine) and mentioned in passing my stress incontinence (weeing when coughing mainly). The doctor suggested I had a bladder pressure test which I had today (not that comfortable, I hate catheters but got through it).
Afterwards gynae showed me a graph and said my bladder pressure was lower than it should be (?) and something about tubes not closing properly (this was all in German). He talked about a TVT mesh sling - showed me the tape - said it was a 25 minute operation with an overnight stay but similar to outpatients, nothing to worry about, he'd trained in Sweden (Uppsala) and the op had 95% success rate and it wasn't like the vaginal prolapse meshes I had read bad things about (again, all in German).
3 problems:
- I trust this gynae but I am emigrating back to the UK and he cannot perform the surgery in time (I have public health insurance in Germany)
- I briefly googled tvt and some of the contra-indications sound awful (but may be due to surgical incompetence)
- I will be back in the UK but would need to prove habitual residency for any hospital treatment. That won't be happening any time soon.
Questions for those in the know:
Did you have tvt for stress incontinence and was it worth it?
How much would the op cost to go private in the UK and is an overnight stay mandatory or can it be done as an outpatient?
If done on the NHS how long was the waiting list and presuming it was done by a urinary specialist/gynaecologist were you pleased with the outcome and how much had you had to push for the procedure to be done?
I obviously feel foolish that I did not deal with this two years ago but have been doing kegels, thought it was normal after a traumatic birth and did not think anything could be done about it.
Am still in two minds in any case about such a procedure/use of a mesh sling.
Am not an NHS 'tourist' - the tragedy is that it would have been done in Germany no problem with a gynae I know and trust (have been with him for 12 years) - returning to the UK is problematic - presumably I would have to wait at least 3 months before asking for referral, undergo the urodynamic tests again(?) then go on waiting lists and none of that can happen unless I pass the habitual residency test in any case. Add budget cuts, the fact that I am overweight and pushing fifty and they might not even want to do the procedure here.
Also the idea of scar tissue holding a sling in place makes me feel anxious, especially with an unknown surgeon.
I cannot postpone coming back despite the timing esp with Brexit being particularly awful. I am kicking myself for not having tests sooner.
The thing is I have lived with being incontinent for two years, it is not great but nor is it life-threatening.
Without this procedure can it get worse. I forgot to ask.
Will a UK doctor act upon a German doctor's recommendations or will I be accused at a later date of coming home with a precondition?
I almost wish I was still in the dark as to the cause or possible solution to be honest.
Any experience or advice?