I'm wondering how my experience of NHS endocrionlogists measures against everyone else's
If you are interested please answer my questions ( I've answered them too now).
Ta all How long/ many times have you seen an endo? Three appointments, three years. What does your endo do for you? I get weighed and talked to for 10 mins, I just get told to eat less and excercise more now. The first appointment hooked me up with laser. How often do you see them? Once a year Do you get regular blood work? I had blood work at my first appointment about three years ago and then another lot of tests a year later. Can you make extra appointments? No Do you see the same one every time? No Do they follow up from your last appointment? No, the last guy actually read my file in front of me, but just told me not to worry aout anything. Has your endo tested you for any other conditions? I got tested for cushings. How long did it take you to see and endo? I had to beg my GP to to test me for PCOS for several years. Then she still wouldn't refer me because everyone has some polycystic ovaries apparently. I finally changed my doctor and the nurse doing my practice entry tests got me all the blood work to support and endo appointment If you want to increase your met or other endo prescribed meds, how do you go about it?I wait for my endo, right now I am stuck on 1000 a day and have to wait another 6 months for my next appointment.
What does your endo do for you? - checked my weight, bloods and any other symptoms/concerns. prescribes medication.
How often do you see them? It was every 6 months but he's happy for me to carry on as is for the moment unless there's a change or I'm TTC
Do you get regular blood work? Yes I got every 6 months and get from time to time at my GP's surgery
Can you make extra appointments? I never needed to but I'm sure if I asked my GP, he'd organise it.
Do you see the same one every time? Nope - a consultant oversaw the clinic but I saw him and another doc for all of my appointments
Do they follow up from your last appointment? yes most definitely
Has your endo tested you for any other conditions? No. I had the initial bloods done by my GP and was then referred to a gynae (who was private). He got ultrasounds done (to save time) and referred me to the endo.
How long di dit take yo uto see and endo? About 3 months I think
If you want to increase your met or other endo prescribed meds, how do you go about it? I would speak to my GP first and see what he said - it would possibly be up to the endo though.
HTH
__________________ Amanda, 28
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DX with PCOS - July 2004
DX with Endometriosis - 27/04/05 by laparoscopy
DX with inflammatory arthritis - 2008
Meds and Supplements - Pro natal vitamins with folic acid, omperazole, naproxen, hydroxychloroquine, omega 3. Starting metformin again soon.
Weightloss for the wedding
Starting 16st / 224lb / 101kg
Current 15st 12lb / 222lb / 100kg
Target 9st 9lb / 135lb / 61kg
I see an endo all the time. (Got referred from gynae clinic). Anyway, i used to see him once in 3 months, then it was 6 months. Now it's about 9-12 months. I always get blood tests done, thyroid/diabeties/ etc. If the result are different - i get a letter to go back earlier. It was my endo who dx me with locah as well as pcos - cos of blood test results.
Mostly i see the same endo each visit. Well, for the last 5 or so years, anyway I was told that it has to be an Endo that gets you met - then a gp can make repeat prescriptions, once an endo give the ok for it.
hope this answered your questions. If ive missed anything - let me know - either here or as a pm.
How long/ many times have you seen an endo? Maybe 5 times since diagnosis?
What does your endo do for you? Nothing, I got discharged from consultant care, but I couldn't get metformin without the ok from him
How often do you see them? Never anymore
Do you get regular blood work? No not anymore
Can you make extra appointments? I guess if I wanted to. they saw me when I was pregnant just because I asked
Do you see the same one every time? Yes
Do they follow up from your last appointment? No
Has your endo tested you for any other conditions?Yes, I think they do as routine practice
How long did it take you to see and endo? After my diagnosis from the gp, I had to wait a few months to see the endo, maybe 3 or 4 months? Not too long
If you want to increase your met or other endo prescribed meds, how do you go about it? I guess I would ask my GP but I am pretty certain my gp wouldnt increase my meds without the ok from the endo anyway. I think I would just take a higher dose and put in the repeat prescription form more often and see if they notice
Hope that helps! I found the dietician at the endo clinic much more useful than the endo anyway, I think the endo was there just to sign forms and that was about it.
__________________ Naomi 24, Chris 28, DD Lola
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i been wondering if i should see an endo, i currently see a gyno (privatley) i tried to look for one to see privatley with no luck...would you say an endo is better than gyno? i have to see the gyno to prescribe the met as gp wont.
How long/ many times have you seen an endo? every six months
What does your endo do for you? understand and know what PCOS stands for ,Prescribe met and makes sure my mental health is ok along with my phyiscal healthHow often do you see them? used to be 6 months now 12
Do you get regular blood work? yes
Can you make extra appointments? yes
Do you see the same one every time? no, see top man every 2 years but can request to speak to him at any appt
Do they follow up from your last appointment? yes with my GP
Has your endo tested you for any other conditions?Yes, I think they do as routine practice
How long did it take you to see and endo? Cant rememberIf you want to increase your met or other endo prescribed meds, how do you go about it? Think I on max - 2000mg
i been wondering if i should see an endo, i currently see a gyno (privatley) i tried to look for one to see privatley with no luck...would you say an endo is better than gyno? i have to see the gyno to prescribe the met as gp wont.
Well an endo and a gyno are two different things. I guess it all depends on what kind of treatment you get from your GP or clinic nurse.
An endocrinologist is a hormone specialist and can test you for a whole lot more than PCOS, a lot of PCOS symptoms are shared by other conditions and of course a lots of PCOS symptoms can lead to other conditions, such as diabetes. I think it is very important to have these tests and my GP wasn't interested in testing me for anything so I pushed for a very long time to see an endo. It sounds to me as if you don't have that understanding a GP either, push to see an endo you are entitled to see on on the NHS.
Can't help I'm afraid...I only very had a gynae who was fantastic.
Hope you get some responses, I know there are a couple here see endos rather than gynaes.
P
x
Sorry to be nosy, don't answer if you don;t want to, why haven't you seen an endo? I know nothing about gynecology, have you had lots of hormone related tests done by your gyno or GP?
We all seem to have such different patterns for treatment. I guess its because we all find out about our PCOS in different ways at different stages in our lives and have different needs. Plus treatment doesn't seem to be consistent in any way across the country!
It was my endo who dx me with locah as well as pcos - cos of blood test results.
Ah now that's why I think endos are important.
I was tested for locah and did not have it. I wonder how many pcos women do not get tested for it you know?
Hi flubby, sorry so long in replying.
think my hospital so good coz it University College London, so all doctors wanna learn stuff and not got fed up yet, They are always nice, I never feel rushed and I know when I wanna ttc I can count on them. Perhaps I am lucky. Where you live in Uk?
I see a gyno rather than an endo, I think it just depends on where you are in the country as to who treats PCOS. My gyno is really good and knows a lot about PCOS, he's even done research into it. I've had a load of blood tests done by my gyno and generally takes them every time I go. I've never thought about trying to see an endo because I'm happy with my gyno.
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I am not disorganized, I have anti-systematic methodology disorder.
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NHS Endocrinologist questions 
