Question for anyone who’s had a surgical termination recently..

[Luckyme30]

I’m due a surgical termination next week at BPAS and wondering what they do regarding Covid testing?

No one has mentioned I’ll need to take a test before the procedure.

I’m testing every day via lfts but worried I’ll test positive on the day (after taking pre-meds) and they won’t do the procefure.

If anyone has had a surgical recently and can let me know whether they were tested that would really put my mind at ease!

Hiya, I was with MSI not BPAS but there was no testing, wasn’t even asked if I’d had symptoms. At reception they asked anyone not wearing a mask to wear one, and they took everyone’s temperature on arrival but no testing/asking about covid.

@Unsureaboutit9 thanks very much for replying to me!

That’s reassured me a little! I’m so stressed that I’m going to get Covid on the day of my surgery and they won’t operate (it’s about an 80 mile journey to the clinic) and I’m staying overnight, also worried as they give meds to start the procedure.

I’m really hoping BPAS might be the same.

Can I ask when you had your procedure was it very recently?

It was Wednesday this week so hopefully itl be similar, I traveled 60 miles each way too so I no it’s stressful. I couldn’t stay over tho so didn’t have any sedation or anything.

I wasn’t very far along, but the meds to start it off just softened the cervix and we’re given an hour before the actual procedure once they’d asked their last set of questions so I don’t think theyl give any tablets before they are certain they are going ahead. Hope it goes ok for you

@Unsureaboutit9 thanks so much!

For some reason they have told me I’ll have the meds the day before to take - I think I’m going to question it, the last thing I want to happen is for whatever reason it is cancelled and then I have taken meds to essentially start the process.

I am having a general anaesthetic which I wonder if it’ll make a difference to what questions they ask re Covid.

If your further along it may be different with when to take the meds, but don’t be afraid to ask, I was misinformed a couple of times unfortunately and I wish I’d been more direct, although my experience on the day was absolutely fine and everyone was lovely. I went through all the same prep as if I was having a general, aparently it’s quite unusual not to have anything, so once I’d confirmed for a final time I was ok the person doing the anaesthetic left the room so I don’t think you’ll face extra covid questions (altho it was a different company like I say). Before the procedure they’d checked temp when I arrived, and check blood pressure a couple of times before I went in and monitored my pulse/O2 sats once in the room. They’d checked my height, weight and blood type at the initial consultation a few days before. If you had covid symptoms or felt unwell I imagine it’d be a different situation though.

I’ll be around 11 weeks, not by choice sadly! I contacted BPAS at just over 5 weeks, it’s taken this long to get an appointment

So yes I do wonder if maybe it’s because I’m further along, I personally would prefer to take a tablet on the day, imagine if for some reason they couldn’t perform the surgery - I would hate to start the process and not be able to finish it. I’m definitely going to question it - I have a scan on Monday to see how far along I am.

Yes I would say it’s quite unusual to have nothing, I hope you didn’t find it too painful without pain relief!

I’m just concerned because my sons nursery have had a few cases of Covid (not the room he’s in) and I know he has no symptoms as yet but these things can take a few days to manifest so it would be just my luck I would test positive on the day having already started the process with tabs.

Sorry OP that’s a long wait! BPAS never answered the phone, and never got back to me either, they must be pretty over run at the minute I guess. I thought at 10 weeks the could still give you the tablets on the day, but just give them longer to work, mine just went under my tongue and I waited an hour, I was 8 weeks, they said if I was further along I’d have had to wait 2 hours. Strange how much it varies!

It was quite unpleasant, but the whole thing lasted about 3 minutes, and because I’d had no sedation or anything I was sat back in my car outside the clinic 30 minutes after the procedure was done. I was more shocked about that than the actual termination to be honest. But honestly I felt safe the whole time and everyone was lovely. Fingers crossed your little one manages to dodge covid!

I know, it’s been such a long wait to get to this point! I tried MSI and NUPAS but neither operate in my area - though as it happens I’ve had to go out of area anyway!

I’m going to ask the question as to whether I can have tabs on the day, I’m just so anxious if I have to do it the day before and they test me that it’ll be positive :(

You poor thing, it’s a horrible thing to go through, I can’t imagine doing it without pain relief, though as you say a positive to it is that at least you got to leave soon after.

Thanks so much for your reply!

I had one a couple of weeks ago with bpas and all they did was ask if I had any symptoms and then checked my temperature.

@Muddydogwalks thanks so much for confirming that! Did you have surgical with general anaesthetic?

Yep had surgical with general anaesthetic.

And so sorry last question - do you mind me asking what location?

This does make me happy!

Also if it’s not too much to ask, did they make you take pre-meds the day before to soften the cervix?

No need to say sorry. It was at Bournemouth. I had the pre-meds on the day so had to wait 3 hours before they did the procedure.

Ahh ok, I was hoping to go to Bournemouth but couldn’t get an appointment there.

Ok, so looks like I may be able to have pre-meds before, I think I’m going to ask the question, I just would hate for anything to go wrong and not be able to have the procedure on the day.

We’re you generally there a whole day from start to finish?

I’m sorry I have so many questions, I’ve not been told much at all about what will actually happen on the day, just to arrive for 9am!

I got told to get there for 8am but didn’t see anyone until 8.50 then I had the pre-meds. I went in for the procedure just after 12 that took 20 mins. Then they make you wait a hour afterwards and then you all good to go home.

@Muddydogwalks thanks so very much! At least I have an idea of the kind of wait. Great that it’s only an hour you need to wait until you can leave after too.