"Endometriosis"

I have been suffering with Endometriosis for 10+ years and had my first laprascopic surgery in 2016 to remove tissue and a cyst on my ovary.

Overall, it was a very positive experience despite an allergy to opiates being overlooked.

I later went back to my gynaecologist after two years to discuss further treatment as my pain and symptoms had all resurfaced. 

After a few very patronising appointments, I signed my consent forms for a second surgery. 

I only had to wait the 12 weeks for my operation which was welcomed greatly.

The day of surgery, June 2019, despite telling nurses and having it written in my notes that I have had adverse allergic reactions to opiate based painkillers in the past (Attended A+E when my entire face and lips were swollen and my eye was swollen shut) Nobody has ever referred me for any kind of allergy testing or even spoken to me about what happened.

I arrived on the day or surgery, gown and socks on, ready to go when I sit down and have the initial conversation with my anaesthesiologist and he asked me all about my previous reactions. He was very concerned and decided that it would not be safe to put me under anaesthetic without having this investigated. He is the first person to show concern and I can't thank him enough for being so brilliant. 

I was sent home that day and never heard anything from anyone about allergy testing.

Weeks turned into months and I was taken off the surgery wait list.

I phoned the gynaecology department over 100 times between June-January of 2020 trying to find out what is going on with my case as my symptoms have spiralled and I can no longer cope.

Months passed and I had to phone my gynaecologist during lockdown as I was in so much pain and didn't know what to do. The conversation put me in floods of tears as we reeled off every medical treatment possible to me and it was eventually realised that surgery is my only option at this point. I wasn't expecting to be called in or given surgery during a pandemic, all I wanted was answers.

A week later I received a letter from my gynaecologist telling me I have never been referred for allergy testing in Glasgow as I had been told by many people when I've phoned in the past and that the plan was for the anaesthetic department to follow up with me which was never done.

A week after that I received a letter from the head of the anaesthetic department telling me that I had been referred.

It would seem that 15 months down the line, it's one big game of Chinese whispers and no one wants to take responsibility for the situation.

I am left in limbo with debilitating symptoms and no answers.