Topic: NHS Surgery for gyne ??? can it be a succes

[NotFedup]

posted this elsewhere had 32 views but no help so ill try it here for you friendly guys





Today i went to the local NHS hospital to see the surgeon for my gyne.
Unfortunately my surgeon was away and i saw a new one that seemed very nice.
It was my 1st visit and i was adamant that i was going to put my case forward with a positive attitude and make sure that the surgeon realised that i wasnt taking no for an answer.
After i was inspected and had a sample taken from my chest for tests i had my testicles checked and was told that i would need a blood test and they will book me a date for surgery.
The new surgeon said that i had some breast tissue but also had some fatty tissue that needed to be removed.
He also said that i could possibly have surgery within the next 8 weeks.  


does this sound too good to be true.
i was actually biudgeting for surgery in poland but obviously id like the surgery for free on the NHS after paying over 20 years of taxes and national insurance without ever getting anything back.  

all opinions and advice welcome  

[geg100]

go for it man
but make sure you ask how many ops the surgeon has done before-how experienced
how good results will be expected
what are common risks
wat type of incision?u dont want it like some of people had like thru the areola not around it etc.
hope you have researched well.

[phantom]

There is nothing wrong with going NHS.  It really comes down to the skill and experience of the surgeon.

As geg has already stated.  How familiar is the surgeon with male chest reduction procedures?

Some surgeons only remove a certain amount of breast tissue to 'sculpt' the area, others seek to remove as much breast tissue as possible.

Did you ask to see any before and after pictures of past patients to help manage your expectation?

NHS surgery is in effect as good as Private.  Very often surgeons work in by NHS and private.

Between now and surgery date, don't be afraid to contact the surgeons secretary if you have any questions.  A good surgeon will appreciate how this may be affecting you mentally and be happy to answer all your questions.

Hope that helps.

[NotFedup]

it was my 1st visit to the hospital and he said hes booking me in for surgery.
i should think the next time i see him ill be in hospital ready for the operation.

i couldnt really ask the new guy for photos as he was standing in for the guy i should have seen  :-/

[NotFedup]

cheers matey for that gem of advice  

ill deffo say yes if asked  

[phantom]

Interesting post Gruff!

And it sounds like you are happy with your result which is the main point.  It's impossible to tell if your own surgery was better or worse than the next patient.  Final results cannot really be judged for several months, possibly even a year!  Whilst I can understand that you possibly felt as if you were giving something in return for surgery by allowing photos to be taken, remember that the surgeons concerned are not doing this for free!  They are highly skilled and highly paid professionals paid for by YOU the tax payer.  Any treatment you receive has been authorised by your GP and you are fully entitled to it.  There is no way a medical professional will differentiate one patient from the next in what they intend to perform.

First of all, medical ethics dictates that each medical professional must to their best to maintain the physical and mental well-being of all their patients.  If for any reason, the treatment that needs to be administered is beyond their capabilities, they are obliged to refer you on to another medical professional that can carry out the work.

Asking patients permission for photos for any kind of procedure, be it treating a guy's gynaecomastia or another person's skin rash, it is very common practice to take photos for research and education.  Doctors are very privileged people in that each and every patient they work with is a case study for them.  Doctors are learning their job from their first day at university to the day they retire!  They will respect the specific wishes of any patient.  So if they choose not to allow photography or even allow student doctors to be present, this will always be respected!

Personally, I would always be happy for photos to be taken and to allow students to be present.  How else are they supposed to learn.  However, if they asked me if I'd allow a student to be involved in any part of a procedure, I would decline.  Let them practice on someone else!

Best wishes for your outcome.

[NotFedup]

Thanks alot Phantom for your reply
as you see i like to reply to most posts as quickly as i can as this surgery is the single most important thing in my life.
Ive had a huge year with some massive decisions that ive had to make and im just so glad im slaying my way through things ive been putting off facing.
as my username says "fed up of having breasts" im 38 years old so ive suffered for the biggest portion of my life.

would be great if i could get another 38 years without these  

all info and advice greatly recieved and appreciated

[yorkshirelad_1979]

posted this elsewhere had 32 views but no help so ill try it here for you friendly guys


I was all ready for the off to Poland when i thought id try the NHS.  Ive just had my consultation today and they have estimated 6 months wait which i think is discusting.  So i could very well be off to Poland after all.


Today i went to the local NHS hospital to see the surgeon for my gyne.
Unfortunately my surgeon was away and i saw a new one that seemed very nice.
It was my 1st visit and i was adamant that i was going to put my case forward with a positive attitude and make sure that the surgeon realised that i wasnt taking no for an answer.
After i was inspected and had a sample taken from my chest for tests i had my testicles checked and was told that i would need a blood test and they will book me a date for surgery.
The new surgeon said that i had some breast tissue but also had some fatty tissue that needed to be removed.
He also said that i could possibly have surgery within the next 8 weeks.  


does this sound too good to be true.
i was actually biudgeting for surgery in poland but obviously id like the surgery for free on the NHS after paying over 20 years of taxes and national insurance without ever getting anything back.  

all opinions and advice welcome  

[irish_dude]

Judging from the mixed bag of experiences here from UK sufferers taking the NHS route, it appears to be a postcode lottery.

I would suggest that maybe a seperate thread, or even FAQ,  be established here for NHS, primarily because GP's tend to act as 'gatekeepers' and from what I read here, there seems to be a bit of skill and persuasion needed to get your GP to take you seriously.

Some people here seem to have had incredibly bad experiences with GPs and initial Hospital referrals that I feel such a thread/FAQ would help those going down the NHS route not to be sold a pup at the first hurdle (sorry about the mixed metaphor!)

[NotFedup]

yep sounds like a good idea that does mate..


since this thread ive recieved a letter from my surgeon saying he wants to see me again
looks like the trainee tw@t doesnt really know what hes talking about.
im seriously considering poland again  

[irish_dude]

yep sounds like a good idea that does mate..

To which I'd add that there should be a 'hit-list' of good guys working in the NHS maintained, just like we discuss those working in the private sector here.

[lopher]

To which I'd add that there should be a 'hit-list' of good guys working in the NHS maintained, just like we discuss those working in the private sector here.

A nice idea but I doubt it would work. The NHS doesn't just contract your case out to plastic surgeons or breast specialists, they use any surgeon going right down to the bottom who are 'General surgeons'. So therefore the number of surgeons that operate for gyne are huge.

Anyway, unfortunately you have very little say over who carries out your surgery if you go via NHS. And it's paid for by your local area so you wouldn't be able to travel to a different area to visit a different surgeon even if you did hear about a great one.


lopher

[tazz]

hey all,

first time posting..... just thought id let you know about my NHS operation a couple of years ago.
at the time i couldnt beleive that i was finaly going to be rid of this gyne.....and it turns out i was right.
the doc didnt remove any tissue at all, just did lypo. it looked better but still not right (puffy nips ect). i went back at a later date to express my veiws but was told "we dont perform cosmetic surgery" my surgery was just to bring me into the parameters of acceptable!
the worst thing was i had the money to go private but i foolishly thought my troubles were over so i bought a car with the money instead.
nice car but woe is me!
im now thinking of going private, see how it goes.

all the best.

[orrible]

hey Tazz thats a shame that they didnt sort it for you, however i have the same issues and went private. Its a lottery mate in the UK.

[lopher]

I've changed my mind about the NHS for gyne operations. I had one 2 1/2 years ago and I used to think that it was a pretty reasonable job. But now having had a revision by a semi private PS I can reflect a bit, compare it... and say in actual fact the NHS job stank.

Reasons why the NHS stinks like that old white dog poo you always used to see as a kid:

1. The wait and the torment. Having to convince my GP for the need for surgery. Waiting 4 months to see if a surgeon would even give me a consultation. Then having to convince him of the necessity of me having to have the op. Waiting another 6 months with no real guarantee's and a slightly uneasy feeling.

2. Finally getting to the big day and finding out that the surgeon the hospital had contracted in to do the job was a general surgeon NOT a PS.

3. The put off's all the way through from every person in the NHS I met with. Gyne is hard to deal with as it is without having some kiss arse who really just wants to save a few coffers by getting you to back out, and telling you all manner of things that could go wrong in a rather condescending fashion.

4. The surgeon being totally unflexible. You have this done it will be gland excision with no lipo. I will not remove all of it. You could lose a nipple. Are you sure you want to go ahead with this?

5. The surgeon being true to his word and not removing all of it  :-/

6. The absolute piss take that I just had an amazing revision op done on Taiwan's NHS after a 7 day waiting list   and got Taipei's top PS to perform the op including lipo at a slight extra cost of about 200 quid. What the hell is going on in England?


lopher