Waiting times for post hysterectomy biopsy

Hey GrannyA, 

It's easier said than done, but the NHS has procedures to make sure mistakes don't happen and we as patients just need to be.... Patient. Consultants, Lab techs, Dr's, Nurses, and everyone in between get sick, have kids who get sick, go on holiday, and more. All of these things can delay results, as can emergency rush cases that take priority over everything, be that appointments, operations, tests, histology, etc.

This is why there's no details about waiting times, because there are so many uncontrollable variables involved. As well as varying drastically depending on the hospital, the lab, their staffing levels, the time of year even. There's no way to guarantee when results might come back. 

3 weeks is the minimum I'd expect a histology report back in. So while it might feel a long time for you, in NHS terms it's really not. The report for the mole they removed from my leg they thought was cancerous, didn't come back for at least 10 weeks I think it was.

Things like PALS should be used sparingly imo. As I said on another thread, each time someone chases, and every time a complaint is put in, then that's time taken from the receptionists, lab techs, consultants, etc as they deal with the call/letter/complaint/investigation. So every minute they spend dealing with someone complaining or chasing, is a minute taken away from them writing reports and letters to get results back to people. So it just delays everything further.

So the question to ask yourself is, what is knowing the stage going to change? What difference is that going to make to your day to day life? Then ask if that's really what you're stressed about. Or is it something solid and real that you can focus all those feelings of having cancer, what that means for your future, etc on?

I'd suggest heading to your local Macmillan or Maggie's Centre to see if they have any counselling, talk therapy, or support groups you could join so that you can deal with and investigate the feelings you're having more fully. Some mindfulness or meditation exercises probably wouldn't hurt either to help ground and centre yourself to help you deal with the emotions you're experiencing. Especially if you're not keen to try medication as your CNS suggested.

Hopefully something there helps, and you find something that works to help you through these next few weeks/months.

Lass

Xx

Hi GrannyA,not in Scotland but I waited six weeks for my results,Op was early Dec.2017 no word by the middle of January so phoned my C.N.S who gave me the result.Never did get it in writing, 

Good luck and hope your wait is not too long x

Lass, 

The impression my CNS gave me is that results should be within two weeks but there just aren’t enough staff in pathology and they are seeing the wait time get longer and longer. 

My feeling is that by letting ‘someone’ know about this then ‘something’ might be done to help people following me. 

This is my second time with cancer and the process was much slicker then so in my experience the NHS has got worse and this shouldn’t happen. If we all sit back and do nothing then perhaps things will get even worse. I do see your point too though. 

The difference it would make to me knowing the stage would be being able to plan our lives. I want to know what life I might expect to have. I have a rare, aggressive cancer and I feel that the longer it is before next stage treatment begins the more chance there is of spread and/or recurrence. 

I know from having had cancer previously that once I know what I’m dealing with I’ll have a plan and will deal with it and get through what lies ahead.

My local Maggies Centre is 25 miles away. The Macmillan Centre in my local hospital closed down. 

I thank you for your reply but if I’m being honest it has made me feel worse that you think I’m needing to ground and centre myself. Thank you for taking time to reply though I do appreciate it and it certainly gave me food for thought. 

Thank you Stargazy. 

I suppose being around Christmas didn’t help with you but surely if your results were there someone should have told you. 

I know from having cancer previously that once I know what I’m dealing with I’ll manage better. 

Thank you for taking time to reply. 

Hi GrannyA

I am in Scotland and was told after my operation (6th July) the results would be 3 weeks. I do think however this time of year is full of holidays.

No news may be better news tho, I know I will be going through this soon and I know I will be exactly like you. You will feel not knowing may be delaying precious time spent getting the further treatment you may need. I am sure the Pathologists in their expertise know exactly how to prioritise all the specimens sent to them as they will have information along with the specimen.

You can call the Secretary related to your Gynaecologist and see if someone can call the lab for the results? they may have not filtered to the computer system yet. For me if I need more information (It gives me a little control) I call and ask for their help. So far everyone has been amazing. xx

Take care

Nina xx

I’m a person who chases and I see no problem with doing so.  I chased my results again today and the secretary emailed them straight over to me, took her a couple of seconds I expect..my results were clear and everything they tested was thankfully benign.

i hope you get some answers soon,  people dealing with a cancer prognosis should not be kept waiting and perhaps if our wonderful NHS only dealt with important medical issues like this and not silly cosmetic and weight loss surgery there would be more money to go around for those who really need it x

Heya, 

I'd suggest the person to complain to then is your MP. It's the governments who have cut funding to the NHS in a lot of areas, while selling off other parts to private companies who charge the NHS more for doing things they could have done in house. Then you've got this ridiculous farce of Brexit which has seen a large number of medical professionals leaving the country. 

So yes, in an ideal world results would come back quickly and efficiently. However we live in a world far from ideal and instead one that is full of greedy politicians. There's nothing the NHS can do in situations like this, but MPs have the power to change things if enough of them actually try and do some good for once.

Knowing the stage won't necessarily answer those other questions and concerns you've raised. And as you already laid out before, there are steps and procedures they need to go through, and discussions that need to be had before they have a plan for you. And if you've a rare and complicated form, it may take more than one meeting to get a plan together for you. Which of course means more waiting I'm afraid. 

I'm sorry to hear that Maggie's is miles away and Macmillan shut down. It might be worth looking at the page that lists what's going on in your area to see if there are still meetings and events happening even if the centres aren't there?

Of course, my post wasn't meant to make you feel worse, so I'm sorry that it has. I only went off what you said, how you said you were feeling, how you said you were reacting, and the fact your medically qualified nurse thought you could benefit from pills to help stabilise you while you wait for your results. Of course, you know yourself best and we only get a snapshot to form an opinion. So if you don't think you need pills or mental exercises to help you through this period then that's great!

You just need to do what's best for you, and get through this period as best you can. 

I'll just add as well, if someone is getting weightloss surgery or cosmetic surgery on the NHS rather than privately - then it was medically necessary. There are many hoops to jump through to get those sorts of ops on the NHS, and they aren't done willy nilly. We aren't folks to judge who or what does or doesn't deserve to have what surgeries or what tests done. Everything done is just as important as the next. 

Lass

Xx

My SIL had weight loss surgery because it was making her life miserable. The surgeons who do those ops are not the same as those carrying out hysterectomies I suspect. Privatisation of the NHS through the back door and Government cuts are what is causing the huge strain on the NHS

Hi Granny A,

I'm in Scotland, my CNS told me to expect histology in 3-6 weeks and if I needed more treatment I'd have an appointment to discuss it within the six weeks after my op. I had results around three and a bit weeks after my op I think. 

My hospital has a complaints service, yours probably has one too.

xxx

I agree. The surgeons that do that surgery are not the same as the hysterectomy ones. The problem I am finding is with pathology. Whether there is no cash for more staff or whether they have tried to get staff and can’t I don’t know. The longest wait in this whole process has been with pathology. 

Take care x