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Original poster

Why has DH's vasectomy referral been cancelled as "inappropriate"?

28 replies

pendulum · 26/01/2008 16:46

GP referred DH quite happily and he got an appointment to have the snip at the local hospital next week.

We've just had a standard-form letter to say that the appt has been cancelled because "the referral was inappropriate". It says that if we have any queries about this we should talk to the GP, and of course we will do so, but he is on holiday for the next two weeks. I'm really annoyed that, even when we get this sorted, we'll have to wait another 2 months for another appointment.

Does anyone have any idea why on earth someone has decided the referral is "inappropriate" ? It's not even clear from the letter whether it's something to do with DH himself or whether the problem is just procedural.

OP posts:
Twiglett · 26/01/2008 16:46

is he young?

scorpio1 · 26/01/2008 16:47

are you quite young or was there mention of not having finsihed having a family, even remotely mentioned?

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 26/01/2008 16:48

Have you got a child under 1 or are you pregnant?

Are either of you young?

How many children have you got?

Original poster
pendulum · 26/01/2008 16:53

He's 35

We've got 2 DDs, the younger one is only 4 months.

I have had 2 c-sections and during the second one my bladder was sliced open and the uterine incision made in the wrong place. My GP knows this which is why he was happy to accept that we don't want another pregnancy.

OP posts:
Lulumama · 26/01/2008 16:53

speak to a different GP at the practice in the meantime?

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 26/01/2008 16:56

It is probably because your baby is only 4 months old.

scorpio1 · 26/01/2008 16:58

agree about young baby

Original poster
pendulum · 26/01/2008 16:59

But are we not credited with knowing our own minds about this? Is there a blanket policy that you need to wait a year after birth?

OP posts:
NAB3wishesfor2008 · 26/01/2008 16:59

No, but unfortunately babies do die young and some people would want to try for another one. It isn't personal about you iyswim.

scorpio1 · 26/01/2008 17:00

or some people realise that they aren't finished yet.

yurt1 · 26/01/2008 17:03

Nothing about young baby- dh was referred when ds3 was little - and anyway the referral includes the counselling.

Sounds procedural to me. Certainly you have very good reasons not to have another.

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 26/01/2008 17:04

I will have to disagree, yurt1, most GPs don't agree a vasectomy on a man who has a child under 12 months.

yurt1 · 26/01/2008 17:10

Well we were referred with no problem. We then had the counselling (without which the vasectomy doesn't take place) - we said (1) ds1 severely autistic, (2) 3 c-sections and he didn't bother asking any questions.

It should be a decision to be made during the counselling- not before. I know plenty of people who have decided to have vasecotmies because of severe disability in a child and they shouldn't have to wait a year and risk another pregnancy (which could be catestrophic). Also know people who have been sterilised whilst having a c-section so the 1 year rule obviously doesn't apply there.

FAQ · 26/01/2008 17:12

we can't even get a referral from a GP round here - have to go private - or not have the snip (unless there's a medical reason for them - NHS - to pay for it!).

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 26/01/2008 17:14

Our GP agreed to it once hubby had said how old our kids were. Had plenty of reasons ready if we had to justify it but he was just interested in the children's ages and how many we had.

Original poster
pendulum · 26/01/2008 17:19

I can see the logic, but sadly even if we decided we wanted another (for whatever reason) I don't think I could go through pregnancy and birth again- would be terrified of scar rupture, for one thing.

Will talk to GP on his return- maybe can get him to explain to consultant. Am annoyed by arrogance of sending us tick-box letter stating it would be "inappropriate" without any further detail. I don't want to go back on the Pill and don't have enough faith in other methods to feel comfortable with them, so not sure what we would do for contraception for another 8 months!

OP posts:
yurt1 · 26/01/2008 17:23

Agreed- you have perfectly reasonable reasons for not wanting another pregnancy (I just had bad adhesions on the bladder and that was bad enough). Perhaps the GP filled the form out incorrectly. When we said at the counselling that ds1 was severely autistic the doctor practically started to get to sign there and then- he really wasn't going to bother with any other questions. Seems strange that they refuse without even having the discussion though.

emandjules · 26/01/2008 17:44

dh had the snip when dd was 13 months and an only child and he was 33.

purpleduck · 26/01/2008 18:00

my dh got the snip when he was 29ish. I believe

expatinscotland · 26/01/2008 18:04

SIL's partner got it when their second son was also 5 months old.

He was 34.

He wasn't immediately thrown back for being inappropriate, either.

That sounds pretty ridiculous!

Blandmum · 26/01/2008 18:05

My doctor signed for me to be sterilised immediatly after my ds was born by C section.

I had two fairly awful pgs, with two sections and was 37 at the time.

I had no problem at all, but had a longish relationship with the doc, as he had treated me for infertility probs. So when I told him that ds was very much wanted and planned, but that I didn't want to get pregnant again, ever, under any circumstances, he was kind enough to take me at my word

Original poster
pendulum · 26/01/2008 18:17

yurt- quick diversion- what were the symptoms of your bladder adhesions (if you don't mind me asking?)

after my first section I had unexplained pain when peeing for quite a while, combined with dragging abdominal pain. It went away after about a year (IIRC)but is now back again after my second section.

I have been wondering if adhesions would explain both this pain and the bladder "accident" during my surgery.

OP posts:
Peachy · 26/01/2008 18:42

Dh is going to go [private-r egardless of the age of this one, its the right thing for us- will be 4 kids, 2 with asd at least (assuming this one OK)- well worth paying for! Glad to ahev 4 but there has to be an end and with the genetic risk as well....

Feiend's dp got the snip at 30 with no kids ut he had an abusive childhood and GP understood why he'd never be able to face fatherhood

NorthernLurker · 26/01/2008 18:54

Did your dh book the appt there and then at his GP - or on line using Choose and Book? If so then his GP has probably referred him to the wrong service and that's why the appt is cancelled. Ring the hospital on Monday and then go back to your GP if you need to. The other possibility is that your PCT has run out of money and told the hospital they won't pay for any procedures done - I've known appts to be cancelled in that case as well. In either scenario it isn't actually the hospitals fault so go easy on whoever you speak to - but tell them their letters could be clearer!!

nooka · 26/01/2008 19:01

I'd ring up the practice, and also the PALS service at the hospital the letter is from. It may be a simple error, or something that the GP did wrong in the referral. The practice maanger is the person I'd aim to speak to in the first place, but I would also call the PALS service and get them to find out why the referral has been cancelled, and see if it can be fixed at the hospital end. It may be something really simple like the GP ticking the wrong box by accident, or it may be the hospital being rigid, or a referral to the wrong place issue. Make a fuss and you never know it might get sorted quicker than two months.