Crying over a year wait for gynecologists

[Scaredofmynipple]

Just that I have other health problems. 61 weeks until I can see a doctor. I'm in floods of tears. Cant even ring them up to check for a cancellation as they don't do them apparently. 😭😭. Just a rant I know it's useless. I hate being a woman sometimes I really do.

I personally didn’t get on with my coil for birth control reasons, and it isn’t nice having done- but it’s an option that is worth exploring.

I can’t imagine ‘silently crying tears whilst making lunch’ when you have a treatment option available. If your symptoms are affecting your life so much you can’t wait, surely you’d want to try it?

A mirena coil could be fitted next week in my part of the country and and has helped other women with endo symptoms.

I don’t think hormonal contraception is always the solution, but it can be for some.

Once you've seen the consultant and discussed your history, symptoms etc then they will discuss with you what further tests or treatment you need. They will then arrange for you to be scheduled in for the tests/treatments etc. If you are paying for them to be done privately then obviously they'll likely happen faster than if you are having them done on the NHS.

I finally have an endocrinology appointment in May after being referred in November 2021. It's just all so frustrating but there just isn't enough doctors to go round :(

Contraception not an option. As trying for another kid. And yes lots of people can cry silently! Pain, distress high emotions etc. I don't want a coil I don't need a sodding coil. If you read my posts!

If you can afford to have investigations done privately you can normally see someone in a week or two. Just search for your local private hospital (eg Nuffield) and for the specialist you need to see (gynaecology). Call their PA and make an appointment. It’s actually easier paying directly than going through insurance as sometimes you need the insurers permission. There’s usually a higher fee for the first consultation. I used to have insurance but don’t anymore. I was able to have private gynaecology investigations including transvaginal ultrasound and follow up for around £500. TTC was the reason I went private as couldn’t afford to wait. I’ve recently waited 18 months on the NHS for a different gynaecology issue but there’s no urgency this time.

Can your GP can ‘fast track’ you.? (I don’t think it’s called that) I had a similar wait time to see a neurologist but the symptoms weee causing me such anxiety I went back to the gp and he wrote to the department and I got seen in about half the time. Worth a try.

I'm sorry you're having to wait, I know how miserable the condition is.

As far as I am aware the only way to diagnose would be a laparoscopy so obviously if you got pregnant before your consultation they wouldn't be able to do it until after the birth.

I hope you find a solution from the advice in this thread. It's such a shame that going private seems to be the fastest option for many which then makes the NHS waiting lists even longer. Such a sad situation for our health service to be in.

Hi there. I had an endometrioma. It’s linked to endometriosis. I had a laparoscopy and it was removed and I was also diagnosed with endometriosis and they removed scar tissue. It was a simple procedure and I was home a few hours after the procedure.

It’s been like this for ages, I’ve been waiting 2 years for a gynae appointment.

I've been struggling more and more the last 6 years, especially the last 1.5 years. I can't even get a referral, GP says treatment is the mini pill and it's not an option for me. So I'm left unable to have PIV, in pain, and frequently too exhausted and weak to get out of bed and bleeding heavily.

It's really awful. I hope you find a solution.

I’ve referred myself for private treatment a few times, never had a GP referral, never been refused.
Can you access your medical records online? If you can print everything relating to your current problem, all tests done , results.
Look at private health providers near you , they all show the different drs, choose one that specialises in your problem.
Phone and ask the cost of a consultation, this is quite normal, no one will be offended by you asking.

What they mean is you can join even if you have pre-existing conditions.

No I'm wrong.

But you have to wait 6 months before they will help.

This is an article that explains about the liver, for people who are criticising the suggestion, it may explain more

thisisendometriosis.com/why-its-important-to-look-after-your-liver-with-endometriosis/

Book a initial consult with a private consultant. Make sure they also work for the NHS.

So they will see you,.discuss how much the investigations will cost.

If you cant afford it they can put you on the NHS list for the procedure. And the rest of your treatment will be on the NHS.

So you've skipped the initial 61 week wait. But will have some new info and know what the plan will be. Obviously you'll have to wait for your procedure but you got seen 61 weeks earlier.

If you just wait the 61 weeks, you'll still have that wait for the procedure.

And it usually costs around £200 for the initial consult.

Hi OP, I remember your other thread. How did you get on with that appointment?

My Dd had an 18 month wait when she was referred to ent but they actually saw her within 5 months so don’t give up.

with endo your gp should be able to support you with medications that help while you wait.

Haven’t read the whole thread but just coming back on your question about going privately.

I went private for gynaecology (I know not an option for everyone) due to irregular periods, heavy bleeding and infertility. Was TTC so waiting 18+ months didn’t feel like an option as if my issues were causing infertility I wanted to know straight away.

Went to a Spire hospital - consultation was £150, scans/blood tests/hysteroscopy (which I suspect is what is needed to diagnose endo) priced individually from £100-1200. Luckily my work insurance covered it but prices are crazy is paying out of pocket. Only bright side is I could literally get all treatment within a week. Sorry you are in this situation and hoping you get answers soon :(

Honestly, if you can afford to go private, I would. It's not just the wait to see the consultant, it's all the tests, and waits between tests and next consultations and other fuck ups that you need to consider. I first saw my consultant about treatment for fibroids in January 2019. After various tests and appointments with nearly year-long gaps in between, plus missing results, I am now on a waiting list for a hysterectomy, but that may not even happen this year. If I'd known this at the outset, I would have taken out a loan and gone private, but now it seems like the end might be in sight, I'm loath to do that.

For anyone tempted to see a specialist privately, do check to see whether your local hospital has a private clinic. I saw the cardiologist at the hospital clinic for £200. An appointment with the same guy at the private hospital two miles away, would have been £300. And as I said in an earlier post, the profit from my appointment went to the NHS hospital.

I dare say the private hospital might have been fancier and I might have been offered a coffee. But £100 for the location...?

Considering myself lucky that I got to see a urogynacolgist after a 6mth wait. Has really helped my cystitis issues.

Hi Op

i have endo, it took years to get a diagnosis as there is a huge lack of understanding around it and it’s not seen as that important.

I have had multiple surgeries to deal with this, but what has really helped in between is having the Mirena. It’s one of the best options for managing endo outside of surgery. You should have a sexual health clinic you can book into to get the insertion done. It takes a few weeks to settle down but it was a game changer for me and made everything manageable

no, unless anything has changed we have no control over waiting lists. It's worth OP checking any other NHS hospitals she can get to and seeing if any others have shorter WL

Unfortunately you can't jump the NHS waiting list in this way. Private consultant can book for private tests, NHS consultant can book for NHS tests.

I'm in same boat, up to 2 year wait to see a gynae, I need either ablation or hysterectomy due to the level of bleeding, nothing else has worked. I'm so anaemic I have just paid privately for an iron infusion, but private surgery is out of my price range. It's miserable.