Should I be more pushy with the NHS?

Digestive health
1

I hate making a fuss, but I don't seem to be getting anywhere with the NHS. I'm in constant pain. Should I be one of those awful people who go to A&E even though it is not life threatening?

History below

• Late May - Acid reflux begins and there is no relief (24-7)

Lansprazole 1 a day

Gaviscon dual action

Gaviscon original liquid

No impact

• 12th June - Saw private doctor

Lansoprazole upped to 2 a day

Gaviscon Advanced (Swapped back to Original after 2 days due to instant diarrhoea)

Zantac

Suggested multiple causes and produced endoscopy referral letter (private)

Cut out all spicy food, changed diet to grazing/smaller regular meals

No impact

• Mid June - Additional symptoms introduced : bloating, diarrhoea, constipation

• 27th June - Saw NHS doctor

In addition to above meds, prescribed buscopan and motilium

Suggested it was IBS. Referred to IBS websites

Had blood tests / stool tests. All negative

Referred to NHS for endoscopy

No impact

• End June - Cut out all fruit and salads. Continued with smaller / regular meals

No impact

• Early July - Ran out of all prescription meds. Continued with Zantac / Gaviscon

• Late July - Acid reflux symptoms finally abated. Had 1 day symptom free

Began to hurt chronic if ate anything at all. Stopped eating for several days. Complete loss of appetite

• Early August – eat only ½ meal in the evening. Instantly hurts

Continued with bloating, diarrhoea, constipation

Continued to hurt throughout the day but worsens when try to eat

8th August – still waiting for endoscopy

Chased Referral Service. Told I should hear soon. To ring again on 16th

Do I go to A&E?

2

Omg, you sound in the same situation as me... And yesturday I went to A&E... no help at all!

Here comes alot of waffle but my rough history is that in november 2011 I had a really bad episode of gastroenteritis that lasted 3 days of extreme sickness and diarreah. A few months after that I started noticing really bad bloating and struggling with food and wanting to vommit in the mornings. My gp put me on omprazole 3 a day to start with then down to 1 and since then i've been back and forth to the doctors changing the amounts weekly... He put me on omprazole due to suspected acid reflux, My mother has GERD as does her Aunt so the gp decided being herititory thats the problem.....

The problem decided to get worse this year in maybe April-May time, I noticed that I had to go to the toiilet alot more regularly and started to really struggle eating meals, skip a few weeks and the intense vommiting starts and I have a constant dull achy pain in my stomach that gets worse through the day. About 4 weeks ago I went to see my gp yet again as the sickness was majorly affecting my job and he prescribed my metoclopramide an anti nausea med. This messed me up majorly and I was back to doctors 2 days later but with a different GP (mine was fully booked) this guy seemed shocked I had never had any tests done and put me forward for the edoscopy exam and Put me on Zantac but told me to continue with the metoclopramide... I did for another 2 days and stopped and went back to my gp who told me to stop and im now on omprazole 3 times daily and zantac twice daily. Oh and neither of these doctors seemed concerned that the vomitting was so bad id been throwing up streaks of blood...

So yesturday.... The stomach pains were bad and so was the vommiting and I was at work in tears mostly on the toilet floor... My manager sent me home and he rang his wife whose a nurse at my hospital for advice he told her what Id told him about my acid reflux and she was shocked I hadnt been sent straight in for the edoscopy etc and adviced I just go to a&e and they should do it.

Im really not the sort of person to go to a&e... and yesturday was my first trip in my life...I only went as once i got home from work the sickness got worse and I started getting shivering cold then hot and so my mum came round and said enough was enough.

As soon as it was my turn I sat down to be told to do a urine sample (which was hard as i had literally peed 5mins before they called me!) then a doctor asked me questions.... mostly about my periods?! then about being constipated.. i had the impression he was trying to say id maybe strained too hard and pulled a stomach muscle? I explained to that, that i am never really constipated and that I hadnt eaten properly in a month so I havent had anything to strain out! I was then taken to another room and laid flat to be prodded round my stomach to see if any parts hurt but they didnt but I kept explaining its not like the sort of pain like a bruise where you poke it and it hurts... its just there constantly... as is the constant want to be sick. He then left for an hour... some guy took some bloods then took my temp, blood pressure etc... we were left for another 2hours.... feeling stupid..... the original doctor then came back and said they found nothing from bloods and as it wasnt an emergency I would have to go home and deal with the problem with my gp as ive been doing to no avail.... I found out at the hospital that my edoscopy is august 29th and they guy suggested if they dont find anything to press for a scan incase its my ovaries with cysts etc.... seriously this guy wouldnt take no for an answer over the problem not being periods etc.... Maybe it could be but im certain its not.

So today im off work yet again... So far my stomach pain is there ive taken my morning tabs and even eaten breakfast... I feel really nausious but im deterined to keep the food down at least for today as sometimes food does help...

Im a chef and im supposed to be back to work tomorrow and I know I will feel ill the whole time and have to throw up through the day... I also struggle with feeling dizzy and abit all over the place at times from bad tiredness which according to my gp is from the reflux.

Anyway after all of that I would say dont bother! They will just basically tell you to deal with it and wait your turn for edoscoopy like they did me but then every hospital/doctors different. If you do go.... dont hold your breathe over them doing anything as i left yesturday very angry and wanting to cry over feeling like nobody gives a damn about me!

3

I've said it before and I'll no doubt say it again,, Stomach / Abdominal things do Doctors heads in I went through all this for years

4

Thanks for the feedback. Strangely it feels good to know I'm not alone. I will put up with it until the Hospital finally give me an appointment.

I'm off to India for work in 3 weeks so I have no idea how I'm going to cope. Time to step into stiff upper lip mode (and just stop eating completely).

I do hope you get better soon and we both get the treatments we need.

5

The first thing people need when they're having really terrible Reflux / Stomach things is an Endoscopy Stomach problems plus India doesn't sound like a good idea to me,, be ever so careful what you eat and drink

6

Hii all

Not sure whether I should be in the discussion, as I don't have the problems you do. But..... Whattodo - please be very careful in India. As already advised, not the best place for food and drink. Always, always bottled water and no eating from street carts etc.

I was there for 6 weeks some years ago for work and was advised to take Acidopholis - a pro-biotic pill which I swear by. Various friends had used it during their gap years travelling over there and also loved it.

I only had one bad food incident and that was from a steak in a 5 star restaurant! Other than that, no problems at all. You can buy it in Holland & Barratt quite cheaply.

And finally to all who are not getting the helpful responses and/or treatment from the NHS - wait until 03.00 and call an ambulance!! They can't ignore/fob you off then.

Good luck to you all

7

Did you ever find out what was wrong?