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Original poster

Pay for private hysterectomy to get keyhole?

38 replies

Oakbutterfly · 06/01/2025 11:46

Hello

Do you think it’s worth paying privately for a keyhole hysterectomy? I’m currently due to have total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) surgery in early Feb, but have been told it can probably be keyhole if I pay. (I'm currently referred to a private hospital by NHS, that only pays for TAH, but I could pay around £6000 and get it done privately by the same surgeon at the NHS hospital - ironically). I'm highly anxious.

Considerations:

  • I have at least 2 calcified fibroids around 7cm from scan last a year ago. Also mild endo on an ovary.
  • I’m 47, no children (so it does feel emotional) and had op for fibroids and endo removal in 2012 that went quite well.
  • main symptom heavy menstrual bleeding. (Only during my period)
  • main reason for wanting the surgery: so I can take HRT, without fuelling the growth of the fibroids (preferably without progesterone) and to stop the heavy bleeding (wearing incontience pants at night and pads with period pants in day) and need to take iron.
  • the date for the surgery works okay for work, and it would be in a private hospital paid for by the NHS.
  • if I pay privately it would be done in and NHS hospital by same surgeon in 3 months. Im nervous about the need for the fibroid shrinking injections with keyhole because of my mental health.
  • I’m also quite fragile mental health wise and buying a house. I could stay with family during the recovery.
Basically wondering if it would be better for my mental health to pay for keyhole or whether I just go for the total abdominal now as it’s on offer and in a private hospital (own room which would help, but no intensive care). Is it worth getting a scan to see if they’ve grown? I guess if I’m going to need TAH anyway I might as well not pay for the keyhole. I’m so confused… but welcome any advice. I’m worried it even having it is a bit drastic as I can manage my heavy bleeding symptoms even if they are a pain. Mental health is my main priority.
OP posts:
creamsnugjumper · 12/01/2025 23:58

@GCAcademic oh good god they inject that awful drug for fibroids as well?

I have endometriosis and it's touted as a "cure" ruining poor women's bodies and bones with what's effectively a cancer drug. I swear they are on commission for that and the coil.

UncharteredWaters · 13/01/2025 00:45

@Oakbutterfly

  • main reason for wanting the surgery: so I can take HRT, without fuelling the growth of the fibroids (preferably without progesterone) and to stop the heavy bleeding (wearing incontience pants at night and pads with period pants in day) and need to take iron.

picking up on this - if you have significant endometriosis then you will need progesterone in your hrt, otherwise you risk any endometrial deposits out with your uterus growing e.g any bowel involvement. Worth asking the consultant if you have another appt.

mathanxiety · 13/01/2025 02:01

I had keyhole surgery (not a hysterectomy) back in 1992. At that time, the first surgeon I had a consultation with wanted to open me up and leave me with a four inch scar. A surgeon who was a family friend (different specialty) was gobsmacked when she heard this plan and urged me to find someone practicing modern surgery. It was a procedure only done by dinosaurs even back then, and I can't believe there is anyone still practicing it.

Nat6999 · 13/01/2025 02:55

I had mine done keyhole in a private hospital under NHS Choose & Book, ask your GP for a referral, they then send you a list of places to choose from, you may even see the same consultant at the private hospital if they do private work.

Oblomov25 · 13/01/2025 07:03

This all sounds such a mess. Flowers Is this only about money? Why was keyhole not an option in the first place. Get your questions ready, print them off so he knows you mean business. Phone back the secretary and arrange that new appointment with consultant to discuss. Take someone with you. I find they behave quite differently when you have a 'witness'.

Shirtyllama · 14/01/2025 16:49

Hi, if you have a hysterectomy then you will never have to take progesterone for HRT*, just the oestrogen! Progesterone is to protect the uterus.
(*Sorry amended to say you might need progesterone if you have endometriosis which remains after a hysterectomy)

I had a hysterectomy on NHS that was supposed to be keyhole but ended up being abdominal as there were adhesions to deal with and also my uterus was larger than on the scan (which had been done months before...). That wasn't what I had wanted, but it has been fine. Slightly longer recovery because there's a larger incision that needs to heal, but felt better and very mobile after a week, and all absolutely fine after 6 weeks.

No more periods has been the best thing ever. In my late 40s I thought I could live with my fibroids and heavy periods, but in my early 50s they had become intolerable.

GooseMoose2 · 14/01/2025 19:45

mathanxiety · 13/01/2025 02:01

I had keyhole surgery (not a hysterectomy) back in 1992. At that time, the first surgeon I had a consultation with wanted to open me up and leave me with a four inch scar. A surgeon who was a family friend (different specialty) was gobsmacked when she heard this plan and urged me to find someone practicing modern surgery. It was a procedure only done by dinosaurs even back then, and I can't believe there is anyone still practicing it.

It depends, if there is a massive fibroid or if there is any suspicion of cancer they may prefer open hysterectomy.

I had everything out by open surgery due to suspicion of both ovarian cancer and uterine sarcoma but everything was thankfully benign.

With some atypical fibroids there is a chance if leiomyosarcoma and if there is any risk of that then open may be a better option. This is very rare however.

GooseMoose2 · 14/01/2025 19:47

creamsnugjumper · 12/01/2025 23:58

@GCAcademic oh good god they inject that awful drug for fibroids as well?

I have endometriosis and it's touted as a "cure" ruining poor women's bodies and bones with what's effectively a cancer drug. I swear they are on commission for that and the coil.

Agree Zolodex is awful.

Destiny123 · 14/01/2025 19:56

Oakbutterfly · 07/01/2025 17:42

Thank you for this. I'm a therapist and academic lecturer teaching on a degree programme. I do get sick pay for the teaching.

I don't think it is considered that urgent - optional more like, but I guess the fibroids can grow. But my periods are very heavy and I'm sleeping in incontinence nappies. I would like it dealt with so I can start HRT. The reason I don't want progesterone is I got quite depressed when I had the Mirena coil so suspect I'm sensitive to it.

It's a strange situation. I was referred to a private hospital on the NHS because of waiting times, so I'm being seen more quickly. But they are only paid to do TAH by the NHS, not keyhole (I found this out a year into the process). I would have to go back to the main NHS hospital to get the keyhole, but this would either mean paying for it to be done privately there by the same surgeon. Or joining the end of the waiting list again.

Show quote history

Anaeathetist. That doesn't really make much sense, I'm sure there's more too it that's not been explained/you've misunderstood. The payment is for the completion of the op not the means of taking it out the body. Lap/vaginal hysterectomies have a quicker recovery and hence length of stay/costs. Many places do them as day surgery. There's a few old surgeons that don't do lap cases as trained pre laparoscopic surgery but it's not common now

Destiny123 · 14/01/2025 19:59

mathanxiety · 13/01/2025 02:01

I had keyhole surgery (not a hysterectomy) back in 1992. At that time, the first surgeon I had a consultation with wanted to open me up and leave me with a four inch scar. A surgeon who was a family friend (different specialty) was gobsmacked when she heard this plan and urged me to find someone practicing modern surgery. It was a procedure only done by dinosaurs even back then, and I can't believe there is anyone still practicing it.

It's really not "just done by dinosaurs" that's just ignorance. Having worked in many cancer centres the default for tah bso for cancer is often open to improve clearance/minimise spread etc

Original poster
Oakbutterfly · 07/04/2025 18:37

You can't stay on the medication permanently and it is like inducing early menopause.

OP posts:
Original poster
Oakbutterfly · 07/04/2025 18:38

Apparently it is to do with the contract that this private hospital has with the NHS. The NHS will only pay for them to do a TAH, not keyhole. Also they don't have the kit. But I could wait to have it at the NHS hospital, but it would be on their timescales - e.g. a long wait.

OP posts:
BeachRide · 07/04/2025 18:40

I went for a keyhole abdominal surgery that due to complications had to be changed to open mid-surgery. I now have a lovely 8" scar (lovely because it saved my life). It would be awful to pay for the keyhole and end up with open anyway.

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