Anyone had a consultant they didn't get on with

you were very lucky then hope i get some luck soon

Hi Christine, I am a patient at St Thomas' as well. I think we are treated by the same clinicians. Please feel free to private message me, I can only provide an understanding ear but it might help to share it with someone that knows the long lift up to the 12th floor.

Hi Edith I have an appointment on the 12th floor next week first time do you check in at the main reception first and is it easy to find the 12th floor, i am going for a scan for pelvic floor have you had it done not sure what it entails so a bit nervous about it all

Hi Christine, no you can just check in at the pelvic floor clinic. Inside the main hospital entrance, go round to the right and then left to the lifts in front of you. Give yourself a bit of time to get to the 12th floor as waiting for a lift takes a while. The pelvic floor scans that I've had involved a vaginal and endoanal ultrasound. They were performed in a little office like room with one clinician and were very straight forward. Like nearly all the tests I've had (multiple colonoscopies, proctograms etc) the thought of them have been worse than the actual procedure. I had some discomfort during the anorectal manometry, which tests your sphincter control and rectum sensitivity, but that was during the part of the test which tests tolerance levels; but I assure you it was fleeting and I'm glad it was performed so they could get physiological evidence for this symptoms I've suffered with for a long time - if they said for me to have it again I'd have no qualms about it apart from the time out of my day it takes. I hope that that reassures you! The 12th floor gets really hot as its all glazed, so wear some layers you can easily take off. I always wear a dress so I dont feel so exposed when being examined, also.

Hi Edith thanks for that not looking forward to the test but need to find out what is wrong had a lot of tests already with no joy the thing that gets me is i had all the tests but not a meeting with the consultant no one to discuss anything with just feel like I have been left without explanation and no one to discus anything with very frustrating  no progress has been made and nothing

I had a very similiar experience, Christine. I didn't have an appointment with the consultant until all the tests had been performed, which left me feeling quite neglected and in the dark. I understand now that they didn't want to waste time by having only half of the picture but it's difficult when you're experiencing such misery and not able to tell someone how bad it is. I hope, like it was for me, that things were going on in the background and clinicians were talking to each other. Hopefully you'll be able to meet with your Doctor and have the full picture of what's going on and what to do next. 

Hi Edith, do you know where the wing Lambeth wing i think is for the proctogram in St Thomas is it at the main entrance and where do you go from there I am having one done on the 30th not looking forward to it as have to drink the barium meal as well not feeling too good these days with the rectocele hope they can help me st georges refused to help me thats why i am having a second opinion at st thomas, st georges proved to be of no help to me at all even after all the tests i had done there the consultant was horrible and very abrupt couldnt even speak when i saw him he was that bad

Hi Edith how did you find drinking the barium meal when you went for your proctogram i am due one in a couple of weeks and worried about it all just wanted to know how yours went

Hi Christine, I hadn't seen this post before I replied to you on your new thread, so please see my response there. I hope that reading my experience makes you feel less worried; I know we are all different in our sensibilities but it really isn't something to fear at all and hopefully can give you answers. 

how long did you have to wait after the tests to see someone i am due a  proctogram and was wondering how long after will i be able to see a consultant and did you see Mr Williams who i know is the consultant at St Thomas or was it someone else I saw a Linda Ferrari who was quite abrupt and did the ultrasound test she said 'do you know who i am' which i found quite upsetting as i didnt know who she was as if to say she was someone very important but she was doing the test so i thought she must be a nurse not so it seems

I think there was a two month gap inbetween having the tests and then seeing a consultant. I know of the complete frustration of waiting for appointments and feeling like no one is looking after you. I saw another consultant, but they all work together and review the patient cases at their weekly multi-discipinary meetings. 

I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad experience at the ultrasound test. There are other health care practitioners that work alongside the physiotherapists, nurses and doctors at the pelvic floor unit, but no matter what her profession is, it doesn't sound like she was very professional. I too have had some rather questionable things said to me, in both primary and secondary care. Do seek out the PALS team at St Thomas', as with everything that you are going through it's not right that you are coming away from consultations feeling upset at how you have been treated. The PALS office is on the immediate left as you come into the main entrance. 

I got  a letter saying I will have to drink the barium meal so not loooking forward to that at all it will be an ordeal to get through

They are looking at the small bowel as well which is obviously not what happened last time if you didn't drink the barium. See it as a positive christine, they are being more thorough. I'll be thinking about you as will all the other ladies on the forum. x

I think Matron is correct that this is a positive.  Based on my recent experience where I was offered a procedure very quickly that did not fully repair my prolapse I think you may get the last laugh.

I don't know if you have been following my discussion (apologies we have chatted on the conversation, my concentration is very poor at the moment). 

I am not in the uk and was offered surgery within 4 weeks of my initial consultation with the consultant.  I was diagnosed with a enterocele (small bowel prolapse) and a rectocele. The operation ended up only repairing a very small section of the enterocele, I was left in severe pain and a worsening of my primary symptom, bowel obstruction.

By the time I saw the head consultant I was a complete mess, I needed many more tests before he would even tell me what was happening and what needed to be done.  My enterocele was so complicated that the consultant decided that he would need to do a laparoscopic examination prior to the procedure.  I had my second procedure 10 days ago, it is early but I think this time the repair has been a total success, I had my bowels open on day 2!!! I have no obstruction symptoms at all.  My discharging doctor said that I had adhesions that were constricting my small bowel.

I guess what I am trying to say is that in the long run you will hopefully get a better result by doing all these horrible tests again.  I wouldn't wish my experience on my worst enemy, I have been an emotional mess this time round and essentially feel like I have been run over by a bus...

I agree though that the lack of communication and explaining to patients is poor and really leaves you feeling anxious.  I am sure is someone took five minutes to explain what was happening you would feel so much more resilient and able to cope better with what is happening.

Sorry for hijacking your discussion, I find it hard to do concise 

I really hope you get your answers soon Christine and that what ever procedure they plan is successful. X