Emergency Access To Treatment At Another Hospital

[sheribee]

Hope someone can help.
I had a miscarriage just over 2 wks ago, and was scanned this saturday and found to have retained products, I was told I needed an operation to removed these, however, due to a past experience I need to avoid a general anaesthetic, as it made me ill for months afterwards after increasing my irregular heart beats.
I want the procedure as i am in pain, and feel terrible, but the hospital say I have to have it under general.
I have searched online and quite a few other hospitals offer the same or similar procedure done under a spinal or local anaesthetic, which i would like.
My gp tells me that he isnt allowed to refer me for emergency treatment at another hospital, but surely I am entitled to have treatment at any NHS hospital am i not?
Can anyone please help, I would be happy to travel anywhere. If i just turned up at one of the hospitals that offer the procedures a&e department would they have to treat me. I am symptomatic, as i pain, on antibiotics and feel terrible.
I need this procedure doing asap, but need to avoid the general anaesthetic, as i now have children and cant risk being so ill again this time following a general.
Thanks in advance :)

[Sqad]

\\\\I want the procedure as i am in pain, and feel terrible, but the hospital say I have to have it under general.\\\

Who is the "hospital?" Has you Obstetrician refused to do it under spinal anaesthesia?

[237SJ]

I don`t know the answer to your question but according to this the GP is correct in that you can`t choose your hospital for emergency care http://www.chooseandbook.nhs.uk/patients/choosing-your

[sheribee]

The gynaecologists at my local hospital told me they would only do the evacuation under general anaesthetic.
I would be happy to have it done under spinal/epidural or have a manual vacuum aspiration under local, but these arent offered at my hospital.
They are offered at other hospitals though, and im frustrated as I want to feel better, but unless I have the general my hospital wont help.

[kvalidir]

If I were you I'd just turn up at a hospital that does do it and play nearly dead and see what happens. Horrible exerience for you, and I hope you feel better soon xxx

[ummmm]

How many times have you had a bad reaction to general anaesthetic?

[Sqad]

This is not a decision for the Obs &Gynae bloke, it is a decision for the Aneasthetist.

I would go back to the Gynae Consultant and plead your case.

Your operation needs to be done.

[sheribee]

Ive been back 3 times now, Saturday I saw one gynae doc, had a scan, was told i had retained products, told i have to have an operation under general, i explained why i needed to avoid the general, but was told they only do it under general, so they tried medication to help things along, which did obsolutly nothing at all so was sent home. Re-admitted Sunday as still in pain and all 6 tablets they inserted Saturday to help lose the products had come out, but they said its ok as its just the tablet coating that has the medication in. Saw a different consultant who said my uterus was normal size and cervix closed and needed no further treatment??? But the scan showed a bulky uterus with products 3.1cmby2.6cm.
Went to my gp monday who was amazed they sent me home, he sent me back yet again, and i saw a sho doc and a reg doc, both id not seen before, had bloods and all normal just very slightly raised crp at 6. so was told to go home, it may happen on its own, even tho bleeding is bright red and only slight, and go back for scan Monday, but that I would have to have a general to have the procedure.
Feel very let down, as I have a valid reason for not wanting the general, I cant risk being so unwell again for months after as i have 3 children now, but I want the procedure doing as im worried i will get an infection, im on antibiotics, and something terrible will happen to me.

[Sqad]

Right..........a complicated picture all round.

You don't want a GA and there is some doubt as to whether you have retained products.

You have only slight bleeding now, although it is bright red.

What would be my advice?

Monitor the situation until your scan on Monday.

[Maydup]

Like ummm, I'm wondering if the bad reaction to a General was a one off? This won't be a lengthy procedure and you might find its a lot easier to cope with than a high dose anaesthetic. Either way I hope you find a solution soon. Take care.

[sheribee]

I have been researching hospitals which offer the procedure I need under local or spinal, and have found 3 in London which do it, but I live in Northamptonshire.
Im worried about leaving it, as I have a return in preg symptoms, 2 test have shown positive, im told its because the products are placental, have pains deep inside, and feel unwell, unable to eat much as lost appetite, but im hungry.
Just want to find out what my rights are, so when i go back I know I can tell them I want to be refferred somewhere else as they have refused to do this procedure. Just very down as its dragging so much, been 3 weeks tomorrow since it all started, and feel like im just being left coz im difficult and they dont want to help me unless i do it theyre way. All the docs were off with me, only the nurses were kind and understanding.

[Retrochic]

Bite the bullet and go private, you need to get this sorted NOW. If money is an issue then some private hospitals will do a pay plan. Call your nearest private hospital now and get a price.

[sheribee]

I had the same procedure done for a missed miscarriage when i had the bad reaction :( This was a few years ago.

[Retrochic]

http://www.privatehealth.co.uk/private-operations/Gynaecology/erpc/

[sheribee]

Retrochic i thought about that, Im self employed at the moment, so dont have a secure income, I also have bad credit, and no savings, so was unsure as to whether I could do this.
I know private clinics do the procedure for terminations, but unsure for retained products.

[ummmm]

Sheri - how many times have you had a bad reaction to GA?

[sheribee]

once Ummmm, and ive not needed one again till now. I just cant risk it, for months and month, probably coming on for a year after my last GA i was ill with irregular heart rhythm, i was on beta blockers, anti depressants, sleeping tablets to cope with them, I was off work ill, and It was just me and my husband then, now I have 3 kids, am seperated from my husband, though working on reconciliation, so I just cant risk the posibility of that happening again :(

[237SJ]

I don`t mean to sound indelicate but how do you know that reaction was caused by the GA? Could it have been caused by the stress of the situation?

[ummmm]

I'm thinking the same as 237...

[Retrochic]

237SJ Exactly what I was thinking. After effects of a GI usually only last a few days at the most. Those symptoms sound more psychological than medical

[Sqad]

Ladies.......for whatever the reason, sheribee does NOT want a G.A and it would be a foolish Dr who put that wish into the background.