To be worried and upset about cancelled hospital appt

[Aloneonprecipice]

Hi

I have posted before about my problems with ovarian cyst. I have a small 3.8cm cyst on right ovary and it gives me hell from time to time. I am on my period and the pain in it along with my right hip and lower back is driving me insane. Tramadol, neproxen just take the edge off. My stupid endo irritates the sciatic muscles and I am in chronic pain anyway. And with all kids and home I am seriously in pain and fairly depressed cause I am about to be finally referred to gynecologist and I was rejoicing that finally and lap surgery might sort out my months and months of pain.

But after three weeks of referral no letter has arrived for choose and book service. Gp said it's the delay from the hospital. Hospital don't pick up.

I have severe bloating most of the time. Pain, that makes it hard to sleep at night. It's just I don't see an end to this coronavieus anywhere near. And then how wud hospitals deal with the backlog. I just can't think of living like this for a year. Depressed.

Just a rant really, I am all for NHS and ppl suffering from virus. But there are ppl suffering from other very bad illnesses too. You can put a hold on jobs and schools but other health conditions don't take a break.

You could perhaps Google the hospital's PALS service and email them - they can access your records and see where you are in the system. Stress the amount of pain you're in.

I would just add that there does tend to be a lengthy waiting list for gynae appointments at my hospital even during 'normal' times.

Good luck

You're right.

Other stuff doesn't stop.

But NHS is currently having to be utterly ruthless about prioritising. If your referral was under the 2 week rule, it would still be happening.

And you're right that when staff can be returned from the front line to their normal duties they won't be getting a break, they'll be facing one hell of a backlog.

It's tough.

And that's why people sometimes get so tetchy about breaches of the lockdown. Because protecting NHS by flattening the peak is the only hope for keeping its other services running.

Horrible situation for you

Thanks limescale.

A very good point about pals. I will look into it today. Yes the waiting times are already long and that's my GP said he wud send me choose and book so I can already be on the list quickly. It was a phone appointment or he would have done so then and there.

Thanks again.

Thanks Edith.
True. I was feeling selfish that for a lot of ppl it really is a life and death situation and I m rambling about period pains. Needed a talk, really. Thanks.

My local trust isn't accepting new referrals now unless urgent or 2 week wait. There just isn't enough staff or capacity to deal with them, and who would want to enter a hospital right now anyway. The local private sector is also not taking new referrals - its difficult for those waiting but this is unprecedented times. We have never had to cope with a global pandemic and also it's unlikely you would be seen for months as gynae has some of the longest waiting lists.
That said, I do feel your pain but even a year ago I went private for a hysterectomy due to the wait so I have sympathy but dont feel this pandemic will be resposible entirely for your wait.

But other stuff has stopped at the moment.
All routine appointments have gone.
All staff redeployed to cover absence.

If it is choose and book then that is active from the moment the gp sets the appointment- all is electronic and nothing to do with the hospital. You go in an choose where and when you want to be treated. I’d suggest you check with the practice that the referral was C&B and has gone in. If so they should be able to give you the details so that you can ‘chose’ your appointment.

Yes that's why I called the GP practice @helspopje.

But receptionist just said it's with the hospital and it must be back log there.

Do I need a reference number for the choose and book system. I will call again today. Even if I don't get to see any gynae I would like to get on that very long waiting list at least.

I need surgery. I saw the GP maybe 3 weeks ago and a referral letter arrived perhaps 10 days later. I made an appointment at my local private hospital, which were taking nhs patients. Meanwhile, I went to see the surgeon, who performed my last surgery. Good job I did as the private hospital cancelled my entire NHS referral and told me I needed to go back to my Gp for a new one.

I was lucky and the surgeon put me on the nhs system. However, I will probably end up paying as I cannot wait 6 months plus for new surgery. This will be my 3rd btw and need kid gloves.

You can try calling your local private hospitals to see a gynaecologist. The cost of a consult is up to £200. I think it will be too late though as you will be a new patient and private hospitals are all going to be nhs for the duration of cv.

I get totally the pain. I have chronic pain and had a twisted ovary. My period was hell and I was put on similar meds - an opioid not licensed here. I agree, waiting 6 months will be hell. Idk your age / circumstances. Can you take the pill instead back to back?

I spoke to the consultant earlier this week on my follow up appointment and he said they’ve been triaging cancer patients and deciding if they can wait or must be operated on. You and I are way down the list. I’d do whatever you can to try to get through this difficult time.

nb when I said I went to see the surgeon, I mean, I paid to see him at the local private hospital.

I am 38 and have 4 kids. Hormones give me all kinda of trouble. Depression, is one of that and I certainly don't need any help there at the moment.

I don't think anything can be done at the moment, especially with daily deaths going 500+. Very sobering number.i should be happy that I am not one of those or likely to be at present, that God.
It's just the prospect that it's here for a long time was getting me down.

Thanks all for support. I think today will be abetter day.

So sorry OP, you’re not the only one unfortunately. It is my understanding that the choose and book system is suspended for now.

No new patients are being accepted anywhere-that includes privately. (DH is a surgeon & is not accepting any new patients because there is no facility to examine patients and nowhere for tests to be done. He is doing telephone consultations for follow up appointments but that will also stop soon).

The only new patients being seen anywhere will be those suspected of cancer or acute spinal issues that can’t wait. The local private hospital has ceased private work and is looking after cancer patients from the NHS hospital, to free beds up there.

It’s tough I understand, but going to PALS and complaining now, will not achieve anything but added stress.

I suffer from endometriosis.
In the short term I suggest that you try to self manage.
Have you tried the endo diets? Tried to cut out the key impacting foods?

Have enough fibre in the diet as constipation from pain relief won't help.

Have a look at the endometriosis Trust website www.endometriosis-uk.org/
They have a forum too.

I’m under the care of a leading London specialist gynaecologist and quite often he’ll tell me something will happen in X timescale, but In reality it is always at least three times as long as he says. And that’s in normal times without all this extra shite going on. I had an appointment cancelled in March and rescheduled for SEPTEMBER earlier this year, so it’s a very long-winded process at the best of times.

For choose and book your GP should have given you a URBN number and you should be able to log on and choose your appointment.

Like others are saying, we've pretty much suspended every appointment that's not cancer or life or limb at the moment, which whilst awful for those patients it is necessary. Half of my medical work force (jrs and consultants) in my hospital are off sick. Those that aren't off sick have to prioritise manning a and e and the covid wards (as well as those patients on cardiac/gastro wards that we haven't managed to optimise and discharge yet).
We (and I Hope most places) are going through every patient on the list and reviewing them to put them in priority order to be seen.

I hope this recovers soon so you are seen. Stay strong!

All appointments are being postponed or conducted via telephone at the moment, even existing ones..

I had my cardiology consultation by phone yesterday (serious heart condition, ten months post cardiac arrest and surgery, long term will need a transplant). I have supreme faith in my consultant but of course some of the vitals cannot be done such as bloods or ECG’s so currently symptoms is all we can go on if things start moving in the wrong direction.

But we’re in unprecedented times, and I know that the very consultant I spoke to will be working on the front line in a few days. There are no easy answers.

Thanks all.
I just needed to listen to a few things. Sometimes, especially with this lockdown and distancing, and hovering depression, I start to feel very alone. So just needed a bit of support and hand holding.
These times are unprecedented. Hope it all works out fine for everyone. We are still in early days yet.

Just a handhold from me OP, and . I waited 6 month for my cardio appointment after being hospitalised for a week after collapsing in the street (currently on medication, so condition is managed). I recently had to cancel my appointment as my DD (11) had a temperature and a cough (self isolating the family for two weeks) and they told me that they had no idea when I would get another appointment. I think it is exceptional times and we all just have to try to manage however we can. I am so sorry.

PALs isn't all about complaints. They are there for assistance and support. They were fantastic to me when a gynae referral to endoscopy got lost in the system - they clarified for me where I was in the system, and we actually managed to cancel an unnecessary appointment in the meantime back in gynae, freeing up that slot for someone else. Hugely helpful service.