I've been told I'm on the urgent list for a referral to the gynae but it's been over a week now. Shouldn't I be seen within 2 weeks? I haven't even had any details about an appointment through.
I dint realise but I was also on urgent wait list - however this is below the 2WW tier so I have been waiting since June - this is for a Polyp which I assume they dont suspect is cancerous but they want out asap. What is your referral for?
Enlarged ovary shown on ultrasound. The GP told me that if the CA125 blood test came back normal, I'd still be pushed through as an urgent referral on a 2 week wait. But I just phoned and the receptionist told me it could be weeks, and that it was a standard referral - and that those appointments are also delayed due to Covid. So confused and anxious right now. Waiting since June! Poor you.
My referral was "urgent" but not in the 2 week wait can see suspected category. I had my scans that found my mass on 23rd July and was then seen by gynae on 12th August. The waiting is so hard - I completely understand how you feel. I've had a long few months with so much waiting. Even though it's all been dealt with relatively quickly, it has seemed like forever!
Thanks Sharon24. I hope you're getting things sorted. 3-4 weeks doesn't sound too bad. What have been the next steps for you? I just now had the text through from the NHS - it says the triage will take place on the phone on 16th Oct.
Here’s my little story! I had a large dermoid cyst removed from an ovary 21 years ago whilst I was pregnant with my 3rd daughter. There was never any mention of it being anything other than dermoid and I was never worried about it really. It was found on an early pregnancy scan. During the start of lockdown I started getting period like aches on my left side which varied from niggly pains to ones that made me have to stop what I was doing and sit down. So I spoke to my GP over the phone at the start of July and explained and she said she’d send me for a scan because of my history and no point in her seeing me to confirm that it hurts when that area is pressed because I’d already told her that! From the day the scan was booked my pain stopped and I nearly cancelled it! I honestly thought they were just going to say that at 45 the pains were part of starting the changes of the menopause. I never expected them to find anything and then do an urgent referral. I have a large mass on my left ovary that is about the size of a Kleenex man size tissue box! Since I saw the consultant gynaecologist two weeks after the scan I have been under the gynae oncology care and everything is discussed at MDT meetings which are always on a Wednesday. My MRI was on 3rd September and then discussed at the MDT on 9th. My consultant then called me on 11th to say that while the mass does have some traits of a dermoid cyst, they are not happy to say that the entire mass is just that (they can be both apparently!). I had a CT scan on Friday to see if the ovarian mass has spread from or to anywhere else. My care is then being transferred to a different hospital in Bristol that specialises in gynae cancer and I will have a dedicated nurse there that I can call whenever I have questions. (Possible she’ll need to block me!). All seems a bit surreal to be honest - it’s not even definitely bad but either way it’s got to come out and they’ve said it will be open surgery not keyhole and as soon as possible. They said 8-12 weeks recovery after the surgery depending on how much they need to remove. At the moment the plan is just one ovary and tube. With twins that are 22 and a 21 year old as well and two step children aged 14 and 11 I’m happy for them to take the lot! I won’t be needing any of it anymore! So for now, it could “just” be dermoid but I think until they biopsy it when they remove it, we won’t really know for sure. I’ve named my mass Donald - after Trump - because no-one knows how the ****** got there and everyone just wants him to leave! My "big" appointment is tomorrow with the MDT - to get the results of the CT and a date for the surgery. I'm actually excited to actually get some answers and be able to ask some questions. The not knowing what I'm dealing with has been so hard - and I'm an overthinker! I'm glad you have a date now for your next steps x
Donald! You're hilarious! Well, you've had quite an eventful couple of months. Good luck for tomorrow, I hope it all goes well for you. I'll be checking back in x
Hi, Some good news! The ct scan shows that there is nothing anywhere else but it’s not clear enough for the consultant to be able to confirm that the cyst is non cancerous. Still does show signs of being at least partially dermoid. Surgery booked for 13th October and they will biopsy then which will take another 2 weeks for results. She said they will try to do it as keyhole but under general anaesthetic as that may change once they look inside properly and they could then open part of my old scar! Recovery time is 6 weeks. Will be in for 1-2 nights. Glad to finally have some answers and a date for the surgery. Am now isolating at home! At least I now know that in 4 weeks I will definitely know if it is cancer or not and Donald will be history!
The GP referral was sent to an external healthcare provider. I'm told it's something that's been put in place since Covid, to keep people out of the hospitals. The referral system change is so new that even the GP didn't know about it. It's still a two-week wait and even then, I can't be sure I'll speak with the right person.
I've got private healthcare through work but wasn't sure I'd be covered. I checked today and I am, so I should be able to speed things up a bit. The waiting is the worst. The consultant will be back to me by early next week with the next steps.
