Ignored and bullied in A&E. Refused laproscopy. Please help!

[Hayulls]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for advice on:

1. Being taken seriously in A&E

2. Getting a laproscopy to diagnose suspected endometriosis.

Background: constant, severe pain in pelvis and lower back, extreme fatigue, feeling sick (from the sheer level of pain), upset tummy for 9 months. Stopped taking the pill for 2wks this resulted in dramatic increase in symptoms (main reason along with symptoms for suggesting endo). Past2 days (back on the pill) the pain has worsened to absolute agony - feels like someone is stabbing a large abscess with a screwdriver on the right hand side of my pelvis/pubic bone. Struggling to breathe through the pain.

In the past 9 months I have had 5 hospital admissions amounting to over a month and I STILL can't be taken seriously or get a laproscopy (despite it being suggested as necessary on my very first trip to A&E by the consultant). I have had 2 CTs, an MRI, 3 ultra sounds, gastroscopy, colonoscopy, colposcopy, blood, weeand stool samples, countless physical examinations. My consultant has told me I need ANOTHER ultra sound which I have to wait FOUR MONTHS for.

I'm asking to change consultant at a doctor's appointment tonight and then most likely going to A&E as the pain is absolutely unbearable. Does anybody have any advice on what to say to be taken seriously? (Apparently crying and writhing in pain isn't good enough).

I have no doubt that were my boyfriend in this kind of pain he would be treated as an absolute priority, yet I am bullied into going home every time. Arguing with medical professionals is absolutely exhausting.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Larrie7]

Is there any way you could pay to see a private endometriosis specialist? Its about £200 and with your symptoms they would defo suggest a lap and might be able to speed things up a bit. Apart from that I'm not sure what to say except I really feel for you hun. We're still treated as second-class citizens when its comes to our health and its appalling, it really is.

[Hayulls in reply to Larrie7]

Thanks for your response! My current plan is to be referred to a certain consultant tonight and then phone his private clinic in the morning to pay for a faster consultation, so that he can do the lap on the NHS under my referral, but the pain is currently so bad that I might need to go to A&E before that appointment at 8.15. The pain in my pelvis and lower back is sharp and absolutely agonising and I'm quite worried that something has happened in there somewhere!

[Larrie7 in reply to Hayulls]

If you're that concerned then A and E is the best play to go. Its unbelievable how many tests you've had done and how many times you've been to A and E and they still don't do a lap. Unbelievable. I'm so sorry I can't give any better advice, hopefully some others n here might be able to suggest something. I know it won't help but i feel really angry on your behalf.

If the pain is that sharp defo go to And E maybe they can give you some morphine or something for now. Good luck x

[Tboag]

Make sure you get refferal to a bsge specialist centre check out the list and tell your gp what one you want to be referred too, ring them up and check what waiting lists are like and if it will be worth while to get consultation privately, you can the n revert back to nsh,

A+E will not do anything apart from getting g pain under control and test for infection ect,

Good luck,

[Hayulls in reply to Tboag]

Last time I went to a and e they did all of those tests listed above though

[Tboag in reply to Hayulls]

Unfortunately endo probably won't show up on Amy of them test, and once they find nothing they can't do anything, it's a nightmare, xxx

[crossrabbit in reply to Hayulls]

If it's got a lot worse in the last couple of days and you're feeling an intense right lower side pain, I'd be surprised if they don't work you up for appendicitis if you go into A&E - sounds like you need to get your blood checked for inflammation markers at least, that's probably what they'll do if appendix is possible.