Lack of NHS services in certain areas (TMI warning)

[Someonesayroadtrip]

AIBU?

I sort of know IAMU but un the same breath this is my reality and I just don't know how I go on like this. I know the NHS is amazing, I used to be a nurse before I had children. I think the NHS is amazing but I can't help but feel frustrated at the massive differences across the country.

I have been bleeding since August 3rd after passing a very very large clot. Prior to this I had been experiencing increased discharge, weird spotting and my periods had suddenly become very irregular. I have not stopped bleeding since August 3rd. I now struggle to leave the house as I bleed though the maximum protection available to me. Two GPs have stated to me that I need to be seen urgently for both a scan and a Gyn appointment, in total those two GPs have sent or updated up referrals 7 times. First urgent scan referral was sent on August 3rd which radiology rejected as NOT URGENT. The GP resent that in middle of August.

September 1st GP referred me to Gynaecology as a urgent “2 week referral”. The GP confirmed hospital has accepted this as urgent however the letter I received indicated that it would be a much longer wait as I mentioned informing them of dates in the next 6 months I was unavailable. I know the GP again asked them to see me ASAP on 28/09/2020.

I got hold of appointments today, who were very sympathetic but said I was accepted as urgent but I wouldn’t be contacted until at least March, that urgent appointments are taking 28 weeks currently. Even then it would just be a telephone appointment as they weren’t seeing patients or doing procedures.

I did receive a letter from radiology with an appointment for 19/10/2020 but this will be 10 weeks since I was referred. If I don’t stop bleeding by then it will be 78 days of bleeding.

I am in pain, my children are really scared and confused after seeing me with blood running down my legs on numerous occasions, I am becoming increasingly desperate and depressed. I have not stopped bleeding for a single day, the thought of any day longer is making me very unstable.

I cannot go on like this. I have collapsed twice, I can’t work, I bleed through at the school pick-up which is mortifying for us all, I feel so ill, depressed and afraid at what is happening to my body. It’s having a profound affect in us all as a family, I have children with additional needs and one was excluded this week, he has Autism and learning difficulties, and the fact mummy isn’t as hands on and mummy keeps bleeding has a huge affect when he can’t understand what is happening. Another day this week I took my child to the opticians and I bled though everything and had to call my husband at work to take over while I wrapped my coat around myself and sat in a towel to get home.

I accept and understand this is an unprecedented time and the service is under immense pressure but that doesn’t change my current situation. Why is there such a divide on NHS services? I know that some places are back to a more normal service yet it seems like my area is way behind and that is only going to have a massively determinate affect on waiting lists and future services.

If someone deemed as urgent, like me, needs to wait 28 weeks for a consultation and 10 weeks for a scan, what hope do other non-urgent services have? What am I supposed to do in that time? I can barely function most days, it’s having a huge affect on my mental and physical health.

I was like this in my early 20’s (this was 15 years ago!) and bouncing from pillar to post trying to get anyone to take me seriously. In the end my husband suggested paying to see a private gynae. We researched and found one locally that did both private and NHS.

I realise that paying private is not an option for lots of people and to be honest wasn’t really an option for me at the time, but I was desperate. I paid the private fees from initial consultation, but after that she called my GP and had me re-referred directly to her on the NHS as an urgent referral. I ended up having a hysterectomy on the NHS, which I never would have afforded privately (although I’m sure I would have found the money through loans etc if needed), but if I hadn’t have paid for that private consultation I probably would have been miserable and pretty much house bound for another year or so!

Now days I wouldn’t be without private insurance. During Covid had a pretty major health scare and was able to access the facilities that I needed quickly and efficiently.

And there are lots of gynaecologists that will take a self referral if your GP is not forthcoming

UPDATE: Unsurprisingly perhaps but my appointment has been cancelled. So far still have the scan due on Monday.

The medication stopped the bleeding. The side affects have been horrendous. I've always struggled with hormonal contraceptives for so many reasons, this drug left me literally raging. It's my last day today thankfully. But I am grateful my husband is understanding because it literally makes me loopy. I have rages out of no where, I cry constantly, my body feels like it's been hit by a bus, I have no patience at all. I have children with additional needs and I really need a lot of patience as they need a lot of reminding and encouraging. I felt depressed by this before so I can't say that it's strictly the medication but it's certainly not helping.

I'm going to go private once I have the scan Monday and I'll rewrite to to the people I did before to update. I don't actually believe the appointment ever existed.

It's certainly made me aware that I'm really screwed going forward, the answer I kept getting told is the coil but I know I can't tolerate it, I will literally end up killing someone or myself, the reaction is that severe. It's noticeable for anyone who knows me to see how unhinged this has made me. But like I say, last day so hoping my hormones will settle down the next few days. But I'm not bleeding so hopefully the iron will help, I feel get pretty faint at times, but a lot better than I was when I wrote this.

Thanks everyone for the support.

Sorry your appointment has been cancelled!

I hope you get your scan on Monday & some progress can be made. Let us know how you get on 🌷

Thank you, will do.

Argh, so it was my last day of tablets today and I've started bleeding already. 🤦‍♀️ roll on Monday.

How are you doing OP?

Hi,thanks for asking. I was really surprised when I was offered another appointment which is now on Monday. Had scan so will have results then but guessing there wasn't anything too alarming as I was told they would be in contact.

Mentally the drugs seems to really put me out of whack and I've been struggling with depression. It's been rough but I think it gets a bit better each day. I'm still exhausted and started fainting again but been better the past week. I was supposed to get my bloods redone but our area isn't allowing bloods for routine things currently, so that's my iron stopped for now.

Bleeding wise, I bled horrendously at first but now I'm just spotting. Which I great, so hoping it's kicked me back into a pattern.

Will wait and see what Monday brings. Apparently surgical options in this area is over 2 years, someone in this area I was taking to, was told it's likely to be 3 years now with delays because of Covid, which is understandable but I'm a little lost at what my options will be seeing how bad I reacted to hormones for just 10 days.

Thanks again for asking.

Hi Op, have you had another appointment?

Hi, yes, I got seen. She did a biopsy and examined me. Just said some people get unexplained bleeding especially close and around 40 (I'm 36).

She has put me on the waiting list for an ablation. So I'm pretty happy about that, she said if I can't take hormones there isn't much else she can offer in the meantime which I get.

I'm back bleeding again, I'm hoping it's just a normal amount of bleeding, it's heavy but more my normal heavy rather than running down my legs heavy. Little annoying is that we can't get routine bloods done as hospital under pressure so I'm not on iron again, although I do feel way better than I did.

I wish things were quicker but I'm really please she put me on the list and did a biopsy to just check. She also said she would sterilise me if my husband doesn't get an vasectomy (he says he will buy never does anything about it).