"A&E attendance as a terribly anxious person"

Working for the NHS, my job is incredibly stressful and challenging and I know from firsthand experience about the pressures on our healthcare system. I am also currently studying,which is further contributing to my stress levels, & as if this was not stressful enough, my partner and I have decided to start trying for a baby. I've come off of the medication I was taking to manage my stress & anxiety in an attempt to transition on to something less harmful during pregnancy. My head is essentially all over the place, I feel pretty rough from the withdrawals and new side effects & my anxiety levels are through the roof.

I recently had my contraceptive coil removed as it had been in for 5 years at this point and, as mentioned, my partner and I are thinking about trying for a baby. Everything was fine & well until I sustained a bump to my abdomen and started experiencing significant pain and heavy bleeding. Already incredibly anxious, I contacted 111 for reassurance and they advised that with my symptoms I attend A&E for a pelvic examination. We attended the new emergency department at Chesterfield and the reception were helpful, check in was speedy, observations were also speedy and it wasn't long until I was called in to a room. This is where things went a bit wrong.

Whilst being asked for my history, another nurse started the process of taking bloods. I had to repeat my history several times, which was difficult to do while having my bloods taken and a cannula was inserted without me knowing that's what was happening. By this point I'd started to panic about what was going on & why I was being cannulated. I explained my anxieties and it seemed as though the nurses couldn't have cared less. I was then sent back out in to the waiting room.

The waiting room was hot and stuffy and very crowded by this point and I started experiencing a panic attack. My partner asked whether there was a quiet room I could sit in, to be told that the quiet room was not staffed over night. I ended up sitting outside on the steps to the entrance, in the rain, for the remainder of my 5 1/2 hour visit as I could not get my anxiety under control. My husband sat inside and called me in when it was time to be seen.

The doctor I saw (3 & 1/2 hours in to my visit) was lovely and agreed that I needed a pelvic exam and that they would contact the gynaecologist on call to assess me. I sat outside until the gynaecologist was available and they were honestly the kindest, most wonderful, reassuring doctor I've encountered. They took their time to listen to me and reassure me, providing me with advice. They soothed my anxiety and ensured my pelvic exam was as dignified as possible despite having difficulties locating a chaperone and lacking the tools to do their job (the light on the wall did not work and they had to find a torch). They then ensured my cannula was removed (it took them a while to find someone) and I was discharged.