"Lack of empathy from most doctors I have seen so far"

Following a traumatic induced labour and emergency c-section just over 2 years ago, I have been suffering from increasingly numerous and severe gynaecological complications.

I felt repeatedly dismissed and gaslit by GPs, and had to push to be seen by Gynae.

They were also very dismissive and only seemed interested in offering the coil - not any investigation into my symptoms.

I had to fight to get any scans done and eventually managed to get an MRI earlier this year - for which I had to travel all the way to Glasgow, as waiting times up here would be several more months.

The scan showed that I had Adenomyosis as well as several post- surgical adhesions.

I then had to wait several more weeks to have any of my results discussed.

My last appointment was six months ago.

The consultant arrived 20 minutes late to the appointment and offered no explanation or apology.

The appointment had been scheduled by the consultant, in a letter they wrote to discuss the results of the MRI I had six months ago.

The consultant had clearly not read my notes and had no idea why I was there, no idea of my history etc., despite me having seen them several times before.

They couldn’t answer any of my questions on the condition or give me any information at all about what I could do to manage in the future.

They decided that because I didn’t want the coil fitting then they would refer me to a different consultant (one I saw shortly after giving birth).

The consultant declared that it was my previous consultant who had performed the C-section (not true, my surgery was performed by a another doctor) and that my previous consultant would remember what I looked like on the inside.

I found the whole experience completely unprofessional, insensitive and incompetent.

And now to top it off, I can’t see anyone who I feel is competent and in a position to discuss my MRI results that I had six months ago!

I have spoken to the Gynae secretaries in both Caithness and Raigmore and nobody can tell me when I might be able to get an appointment.

In the meantime, I have now been forced to attend A&E 3 times for urgent care and pain relief.

The chronic pain clinic denied my referral as they don’t deal with period pain, and the GP refused to repeat my pain medication.

I am currently in the process of trying to see a different GP, but the decision rests with the Highland Feedback Team, who have not yet come back to me.

My current symptoms include:

Constant abdominal pain

Lower back pain

Nausea and dizziness

Joint pain and looseness

Extremely heavy periods - barely manageable

Constant fatigue - different to tiredness, whole body fatigue

Difficulty sleeping due to the pain

Brain fog and memory issues

Breast pain

Anxiety around the cause of my symptoms and around being in a medical setting - issues with lack of care, gaslighting, and lack of empathy from most doctors I have seen so far, including in A&E.

I am dealing with all of this without adequate pain management, whilst working 7 days trying to run a busy business as well as being a full time parent to a 2-yr-old. (Who can’t go to nursery because the local early years provision has been mothballed - a separate but pertinent issue).