Operation (self funded private)

[steve_b_wales]

Last Friday, I went into a private hospital to have my inguinal (groin) Hernia repaired. Everything went well and I've not got to relax for 'up to six weeks'! Yeah, of course I will. I've got a month off from work and I'm already cheesed off and pacing the room. I begrudged paying privately, especially after already paying 48 years (so far) N.I. contributions. I'm not knocking the NHS one bit, as I've seen how they work from either side of the coin. Because of my job, I couldn't wait 'up to three years' to get it done on the NHS so reluctantly went private. £3440 later, all seems okay, apart from being very sore, which is to be expected. 

[samboy]

At the end of the day Steve your health comes before money. Hope all goes well for you.

[Mice!]

1 hour ago, steve_b_wales said:

Last Friday, I went into a private hospital to have my inguinal (groin) Hernia repaired. Everything went well and I've not got to relax for 'up to six weeks'! Yeah, of course I will

Give it two weeks and you'll  feel great again,  it's a lot to have to pay but it's done now, let yourself heal then enjoy being pain free.

[Vince Green]

My mate is in much the same position with his back. When I suggested he went private he was indignant "Why should I have to pay?"

OK don't then, it was just a suggestion.

If he is prepared to spend £40,000 plus on his car and doesn't mind spending the next three years in what he himself describes as absolute agony who am I to argue?

You have done the right thing Steve good luck  

[sandspider]

Given the waiting list for an orthopaedic consultation in Wales is currently something like 2 years, I'm having to have a private consultation too. Hopefully the consultant can then refer me back to the NHS for necessary surgery / follow ups etc. I begrudge paying too, but I want / need to be seen, and it won't be quick on the NHS...

[steve_b_wales]

53 minutes ago, samboy said:

At the end of the day Steve your health comes before money. Hope all goes well for you.

I totally agree, and I was in a lot of pain, while walking, sitting down, up and down stairs/steps etc. My job entails physical intervention which, at times, can, and is hard going. The company I work for were aware of my Hernia, and had I not had the operation, I could have possibly lost my job, or at the very least, reduced to office work.

4 minutes ago, sandspider said:

Given the waiting list for an orthopaedic consultation in Wales is currently something like 2 years, I'm having to have a private consultation too. Hopefully the consultant can then refer me back to the NHS for necessary surgery / follow ups etc. I begrudge paying too, but I want / need to be seen, and it won't be quick on the NHS...

I also paid £180 for a ten minute consultation, where the consultant had me to cough a few times, and then said 'You've got a Hernia', something my GP already told me. If it wasn't for the pain and discomfort I was having, and also the nature of my work, I would have tried to have waited until a slot with the NHS became available.

[Vince Green]

5 minutes ago, steve_b_wales said:

. If it wasn't for the pain and discomfort I was having, and also the nature of my work, I would have tried to have waited until a slot with the NHS became available.

Those days are gone Steve and they are not going to be coming back ever (probably) Its pay or wait. My cousin had her knee operation cancelled two or three times on the actual days. She was in hospital, in the gown, starved prepped and waiting to go down but was pushed out each time by somebody more urgent.

Hernias and knees are on the back list. thats something else to consider 

[Bigbob]

I had carpol tunnel syndrome went to the doctor he said theres a 2 year wait you will just have to grin and bare it , the wife  chirped in ive got Bupa threw my work he said phone this number i was seen the next day and had both wrists operated on within the week . Money talks 

[marsh man]

Glad everything went well , your soreness will be at the stage where you can manage without any pain relief and each day will be an improvement .

Taking the dressing off for the first time made me sweat and did you have to self inject for anti blood clotting ? , again not very nice .

 

All the best     MM

[JDog]

Good luck and a good recovery.

[30-6]

I had the same op as you Steve, in 2017, was told 6 weeks to heal and up to 3 years to really settle. It seemed to settle although not 100 % , but it now seems to be going backwards. I find sitting, especially driving where a belt is being pulled into you stomach gives pain / discomfort, even wearing a belt with trousers is bad, so much so I whenever possible wear braces. Right on the scar, it seems to feel if the mesh is playing up inside.

[steve_b_wales]

10 hours ago, marsh man said:

Glad everything went well , your soreness will be at the stage where you can manage without any pain relief and each day will be an improvement .

Taking the dressing off for the first time made me sweat and did you have to self inject for anti blood clotting ? , again not very nice .

 

All the best     MM

I/my wife took the dressing off for the first time yesterday morning. I was anxious to say the least, but because the area had been shaved before the op', it was okay. I didn't have to self inject for any anti blood clotting, but I have to wear surgical stockings while sleeping or relaxing for long periods (something I don't do!)

[Bobba]

16 hours ago, samboy said:

At the end of the day Steve your health comes before money. Hope all goes well for you.

Too true.

Half way through 2020 my right hip decided it didn’t want to work anymore. The deterioration was very quick. I am arthritic and my left hip was replaced 10 years ago (NHS). The NHS waiting time to see a consultant extended beyond Xmas: an operation date was nowhere in sight. Mrs B was of the view that without action I’d most likely need a wheelchair by the Xmas. At our age (I’m now 78) our quality time together is important. I made enquiries of the private sector and on 1st Nov 2020 I had a new hip. All went well. Now, I easily walk 5 miles and the bonus is that pigeon shooting carries on as normal. (Except no climbing 5 bar gates!)

I was fortunate in that we did have some savings and I accessed my pension pot. Not everybody can. Given my tax and NI contributions over the many years I did somewhat resent paying but glad I did. So, go for it if you can is my experience.

[JTaylor91]

20 minutes ago, Bobba said:

Too true.

Half way through 2020 my right hip decided it didn’t want to work anymore. The deterioration was very quick. I am arthritic and my left hip was replaced 10 years ago (NHS). The NHS waiting time to see a consultant extended beyond Xmas: an operation date was nowhere in sight. Mrs B was of the view that without action I’d most likely need a wheelchair by the Xmas. At our age (I’m now 78) our quality time together is important. I made enquiries of the private sector and on 1st Nov 2020 I had a new hip. All went well. Now, I easily walk 5 miles and the bonus is that pigeon shooting carries on as normal. (Except no climbing 5 bar gates!)

I was fortunate in that we did have some savings and I accessed my pension pot. Not everybody can. Given my tax and NI contributions over the many years I did somewhat resent paying but glad I did. So, go for it if you can is my experience.

My mother in law is very much in the same boat and is getting hers done private on the 8th of next month. The NHS couldn’t give her a date and as you say would likely end up in a wheelchair before she could get it done on the NHS. How did you find the recovery?

[Bobba]

40 minutes ago, JTaylor91 said:

My mother in law is very much in the same boat and is getting hers done private on the 8th of next month. The NHS couldn’t give her a date and as you say would likely end up in a wheelchair before she could get it done on the NHS. How did you find the recovery?

Recovery was fine. There were no problems with the wound nor dressings, including change of dressings. I would recommend that your MIL ensures they teach her how get in and out of bed independently, the correct use of crutches, both for walking and climbing stairs, and her daily exercises including their physiotherapy sessions. There is plenty of good advice on NHS (not Mickey Mouse) websites for background reading.
Getting mobile with a daily routine builds confidence and speeds recovery. Wish her well.

[JTaylor91]

9 minutes ago, Bobba said:

Recovery was fine. There were no problems with the wound nor dressings, including change of dressings. I would recommend that your MIL ensures they teach her how get in and out of bed independently, the correct use of crutches, both for walking and climbing stairs, and her daily exercises including their physiotherapy sessions. There is plenty of good advice on NHS (not Mickey Mouse) websites for background reading.
Getting mobile with a daily routine builds confidence and speeds recovery. Wish her well.

Thanks, she lives in a bungalow so stairs won’t be an issue. I will pass on about getting in and out of bed and the crutches. She’s been told about 3 months to recover.

[Cosmicblue]

The Private Vs NHS conundrum, married to a nurse I see the thing from both sides, the greater majority of the surgeons and consultants are free-lancing away from their NHS roles - that's why the ward rounds are early morning or evenings.  The private hospitals take on stuff that is relatively simple with lower associated risks and of course easy to make money out of.

The scary bit is that if something goes wrong on the operating table in an NHS hospital then the skills/resources and technology to get it sorted are on-hand and accessible immediately.   In a private hospital if it goes pear-shaped then you'll wait for an ambulance, blue light job and admitted via A&E which might not work out quite so well and that bit isn't in the glossy brochures.

I could have private healthcare as part of my pay-package but decline it because I've seen what can go wrong.  I'm in South Warwickshire and need a partial-replacement knee - saw the orthopaedic surgeon last week on the NHS who said 'you'll have it done before Christmas'.  I can work with that.

I'm fully aware that it is a postcode lottery for NHS services, where you live has a huge impact on the availability of services.

 

   

[fern01]

How do you find a consultant who works in the field of medicine you need?

[oowee]

52 minutes ago, fern01 said:

How do you find a consultant who works in the field of medicine you need?

 

That will come with the refferal from your gp to the private hospital of your choice.

Good to hear you got sorted Steve.

I am all for going private for stuff and during lockdown we both had our eyes done and my wife had a crusciate ligament op but it would make sense to get some tax relief on the payments. Reducing the burdon on the NHS.

[Vince Green]

54 minutes ago, fern01 said:

How do you find a consultant who works in the field of medicine you need?

you ask your GP to refer you

 

[steve_b_wales]

12 hours ago, fern01 said:

How do you find a consultant who works in the field of medicine you need?

I just checked for the private hospitals in my area, and then chose from a list of consultant/surgeons from there.

[fern01]

6 hours ago, steve_b_wales said:

I just checked for the private hospitals in my area, and then chose from a list of consultant/surgeons from there.

 

 

Thanks Steve, 

I wondered if asking the GP might not go down too well, professional pride and all that.

[steve_b_wales]

31 minutes ago, fern01 said:

 

 

Thanks Steve, 

I wondered if asking the GP might not go down too well, professional pride and all that.

My GP who first diagnosed my Hernia, didn't seem at all bothered when I told him that I was going to pay privately, as I couldn't wait up to three years to have the operation.

[steve_b_wales]

Yesterday, I had an appointment with the consultant surgeon who did my hernia operation. This was to see if everything was okay. A five minute chat with him, then a quick 'cough' so he could check if all was okay, and a bill for £110:00  Thankyou!!!!

[oowee]

On 09/09/2021 at 16:32, fern01 said:

 

 

Thanks Steve, 

I wondered if asking the GP might not go down too well, professional pride and all that.

It will likely be one of his NHS mates doing the work. They love it it as it gives the practice a cleared case,