Can anyone help me find an Endometriosis Specialist in Penrith?

[Smilie]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with Endo in 2004 and have had 3 laparoscopies to remove it with the same Gynaecologist. The last surgery he performed I nearly died - Hence why I need a new Specialist.

I have just found out I am pregnant. My Family Practitioner does not know how to deal with me and is now trying to send me back to my Specialist.

I have very bad pains which keep me in bed for up to three days and I don't know if this is from the pregnancy or Endo.

I am not getting help anywhere and was wondering if any of you know of ANY Specialists and Family Doctor's in the Penrith area that have a good reputation as I am at the end of my tether!!!

Smilie

[Deevine]

Hi Smilie,

Firstly, congratulations on the pregnancy! It sounds like you have been through a lot with your endo, so you must be excited to have fallen pregnant.

I have personally seen two endo specialists. One is at Westmead (and somewhere near the mountains I think), and the other in the city. Dr Roger McMaster-Fay is the one at Westmead, and the specialist who removed my endo.

Dr Michael Cooper is a fantastic specialist in the city where I got a second opinion from. Personally, I prefer Dr Cooper, and if I need to have further laps I will be going to him. He is pricey though, I think my first appointment was $250. You can google both specialist for their contact numbers because they both have their own web pages. The receptionist at Dr Coopers is extremely helpful too.

It sounds like you probably have adhesions and there is a little pulling going on in your abdomen. At least if you see an endo specialist they will either be able to help you or refer you to someone that can.

I would also look into acupuncture. As far as I am aware, it is safe during pregnancy as they avoid points that are contra-indicated. I have had a lot of relief from acupuncture with my endo symptoms.

I hope you get some answers soon.

D

[Mumszword]

Firstly Congratulations on being pregnant!!!!! doing the happy dance for you girl!!!

I can relate to endo pain during pregnancy - the funny thing was when I was pregnant with DD and ended up in the emergency department due to severe adominal pain they put it down to ligament stretching.... I know know eight years later it was actually endo.... the doctors never worked that out till last year!!!!

In relation to your question about specialists I would have to second the recommendation that Angel Dee of Dr Michael Cooper (Macquarie st Sydney)

He is not in Penrith but he is definately worth the extra travel in my book. I don't live in Sydney and had to travel aprox 2hrs each way to see him but it was a small price to pay for having such good care. i had very significant endo and required extensive surgery and had this in september and was back at work three weeks after bowel/colon resection, removal of cyst and falopian tube and removal of disease from POD.

Considering how extensive the surgery it was amazing at how quickly I made recovery and I feel this had alot to do with my choice of specialist.

Initial consultation was expensive but i suppose you get what you pay for also. So I think it was money well spent to a surgeon that I had heard such good things about.

He has a web site so you can go check him out and he gives details of his surgery sucess rate as well on his web site.

I can only speak from my own experience. At the end of the day its really up to you who you choose and who your happy with - I hope you find a specialist you feel you can trust and that your comfortable with

Good luck with the pregnancy and search for the right specialist. I hope this info helps you in your seach.

[Willow]

I am in Penrith too.

I have also heard excellent things about Dr Cooper but have not been to see him myself.

Do you want to see someone about your endo symptoms or do you want someone to care for you during your prg who has some experience in treating endo? I can recommend a fantastic ob/gyn in Penrith but it would help if you could say who your current specialist is? Otherwise I might end up recommending the same one - I would be surprised though, the Dr I saw for my last prg (IVF prg after secondary infertility caused by the removal of a large endometrioma from my ovary) was fantastic and has an excellent reputation. However, he didn't do my surgery, and I have no experience of his surgical capability. My first lap (to remove the endometrioma) was done by another local ob/gyn and I'd NEVER go back to him again. My second lap was done by my FS but was pretty much just exploratory. He is in the city and if I ever have another cyst or endo symptoms I'd go straight back to him.

I will say though that with the adhesions I have from my surgeries, this prg was a lot more uncomfortable than my first two. I had pain pretty much from day one and was extrememly uncomfortable by the end of my prg. My FS warned me that this could happen due to the adhesions and scarring from my surgeries so maybe this is the case for you too? It's not much fun..

[Smilie]

Hi Smilie,

Firstly, congratulations on the pregnancy! It sounds like you have been through a lot with your endo, so you must be excited to have fallen pregnant.

I have personally seen two endo specialists. One is at Westmead (and somewhere near the mountains I think), and the other in the city. Dr Roger McMaster-Fay is the one at Westmead, and the specialist who removed my endo.

Dr Michael Cooper is a fantastic specialist in the city where I got a second opinion from. Personally, I prefer Dr Cooper, and if I need to have further laps I will be going to him. He is pricey though, I think my first appointment was $250. You can google both specialist for their contact numbers because they both have their own web pages. The receptionist at Dr Coopers is extremely helpful too.

It sounds like you probably have adhesions and there is a little pulling going on in your abdomen. At least if you see an endo specialist they will either be able to help you or refer you to someone that can.

I would also look into acupuncture. As far as I am aware, it is safe during pregnancy as they avoid points that are contra-indicated. I have had a lot of relief from acupuncture with my endo symptoms.

I hope you get some answers soon.

D

Hi Angel, Thanks for the information. I shall check them out. I have tried acupuncture and natural therapies all to no avail!!

[Smilie]

Firstly Congratulations on being pregnant!!!!! doing the happy dance for you girl!!!

I can relate to endo pain during pregnancy - the funny thing was when I was pregnant with DD and ended up in the emergency department due to severe adominal pain they put it down to ligament stretching.... I know know eight years later it was actually endo.... the doctors never worked that out till last year!!!!

In relation to your question about specialists I would have to second the recommendation that Angel Dee of Dr Michael Cooper (Macquarie st Sydney)

He is not in Penrith but he is definately worth the extra travel in my book. I don't live in Sydney and had to travel aprox 2hrs each way to see him but it was a small price to pay for having such good care. i had very significant endo and required extensive surgery and had this in september and was back at work three weeks after bowel/colon resection, removal of cyst and falopian tube and removal of disease from POD.

Considering how extensive the surgery it was amazing at how quickly I made recovery and I feel this had alot to do with my choice of specialist.

Initial consultation was expensive but i suppose you get what you pay for also. So I think it was money well spent to a surgeon that I had heard such good things about.

He has a web site so you can go check him out and he gives details of his surgery sucess rate as well on his web site.

I can only speak from my own experience. At the end of the day its really up to you who you choose and who your happy with - I hope you find a specialist you feel you can trust and that your comfortable with

Good luck with the pregnancy and search for the right specialist. I hope this info helps you in your seach.

Hi Mumsz, Thanks for the message. Will look into. Have trouble travelling for more than forty minutes though. It leaves me in bed for the next week but I will see what I can do.

Willow, Thank you also. I would rather not mention my Gyno if that's okay. Don't want any hassles with him. He's caused me enough grief!! I am looking for both someone for my endo symptoms and just a generally good family doctor in Penrith to monitor me when I am sick and during my pregnancy rather than just being given the run around all the time.

Thanks again everyone.

[Willow]

No, that's fair enough, I understand.

If you want to send me a PM (personal message) I am more than happy to recommend my ob/gyn. He is very popular though so it might be hard to get in to see him, it's definitely worth a try, he took very good care of us and I highly recommend him.

[Mumoffive]

Congrats on the pregnancy and hope all is getting better.

Personnally i have been to Dr Roger McMaster Fay for about 10 years and been through 4 or 5 ops with him for the endometriosis beginning when i was just 15. I cannot and wouldnt not recommend him obviously for reasons that i cannot say publicly.

I am currently also researching Endo specialists in Nepean/Hawkesbury area as i will not return to Dr Roger McMaster Fay and have come up with 2 names thus far Dr Rosemary Lovell & Dr Bernadette Parry. I have also had the name Dr Pandey come up but have done no research on this doctor as yet.

[sammystuart]

Hi there. I have had endo for most of my life (i am 39). I have had 2 operations through michael cooper and found him to be ok. I recently visited Dr McMaster-Fay who has advised me that I am going to need a total hysterectomy. This is ok because I have had a baby and don't intend on having any others. I had a second opinion from Michael Cooper and found every single piece of his advice to be the absolute opposite of Roger McMaster Fay's. I am very interested in knowing (due to the seriousness of the advice that I have received) what kinds of problems you may have experienced with this doctor. I can provide you with a private email if you do not wish to make this public.

Thanks.

[Willow]

Dr Pandey

I think you'll find this is actually Dr John PARDEY.

[May]

What is the best way to make contact and talk privately about Gynaecologists in Sydney?
We are looking for one we can be confident in.

[Mumszword]

Hi

My vote would have to be for Michael Cooper in Sydney - in 1997 I was only offered locally a full hysterectomy as I was told the damage was so extensive. However, I was still in the hope of falling pregnant and a hysterectomy would end those chances. I was then refered to Michael Cooper who was able to assist without the need for a hysterectomy that others had told me I would need. I also made a quick recovery. The extra distance in travel and appointment fees were a small price to pay for not having to have a hysterectomy. Also he is very easy to deal with. I had to travel some distance to see him but it was worth the effort.

He has a website if you just google him - the website has a wealth of information also.

As for the adominal pains. If anyone ever experiences this .... definately get them checked out however when I was pregnant with my daughter (prior to the endo being discovered) I had a similar sounding problem and ended up at my local A&E. They advised it was just the ligaments stretching... I now think that it was a combination of stretching ligaments and also that the adhesions that had attached womb to other organs contributed to the pain as things were all bound up inside.... It was an absolute miracle I carried to full term at all.

Your local GP should be able to write you a referal.

mumszword.

[May]

Thankyou Mumszword.
We have seen Dr Roger McMaster Fay.
If anybody has personal experience with him, could you please ring us on 0414 878 823.
Thankyou.