"I wasn't listened to."

I was admitted to ward 4A at Crosshouse recently with a suspected bowel obstruction.  I had had previous emergency surgery for an obstruction in May 2017 at Crosshouse.

The x-rays showed some blockage in my bowel however nothing as serious as my last obstruction. I was admitted.  The doctor explained that they hoped the blockage would rectify itself. I was given pain medication and an enema. The pain did seem to subside however the next day I started vomiting. I was unable to eat or drink anything and the vomiting was continuous. I was given iv fluids however there seemed to be no communication between the doctor and the nurses as one minute I was to have the iv fluids and the next the nurses said the doctor had said I didn't need them. 

The  next again day I was still vomiting and unable to eat or drink and my temperature was slightly raised. The doctor said the vomiting was not due to the blockage but gastroenteritis and suggest I could go home to recover. I was advised against this by the nurse.  The next day the doctor suggested I go home to recover. I tried to say that I had still not managed to eat or drink anything and keep it down however the doctor didn't seem to listen to anything I said. I wanted to go home but I wanted reassurance and I felt they had no idea what was actually going on with me. A nurse spoke with me and suggested I stay another night as she had noticed I wasn't going to the toilet. I was hardly passing any urine. 

The next day (5 days after being admitted) it was suggested yet again that I go home to recover. The doctor kept saying 'keep eating and drinking' I continued to say that I was unable to keep anything down and not drinking...however again I wasn't listened to. All that mattered was getting me to go home. I also mentioned at this point that I was concerned about the colour and smell of the vomit. It was very dark and had a yeasty sulphurous smell. The doctor said that was fine. I also asked for reassurance from the nurse before I left the ward and she agreed that the vomit was normal. I went home feeling absolutely terrible but delighted to get home. Over the next two days I continued to vomit and could not eat or drink. 

A couple of days later I saw my GP as I still felt terrible. He examined me and immediately had me readmitted to the ward. As I arrived at the ward I began to have muscle spasms due to the lack of electrolytes and dehydration. I thought I might be having a stroke or something similar and I was extremely scared. The junior doctor also checked a sample of the vomit and confirmed that it was faecal vomit and I had an NG placed to drain my stomach. My care from here was wonderful and the doctors who took care of me on this and the subsequent admissions (I eventually had surgery for the obstruction) were very professional and caring. 

My issue is the lack of interest or care I felt from the first doctor who did not listen to me when I voiced my concerns, and whilst I maybe should have stood my ground and refused to go home when I knew I was well and something was very wrong, I really feel if I had been listened to the doctor would have seen that it wasn't just gastroenteritis. 

I am also very unhappy with the discharge letter as this seems to echo the doctors thought and not how I was feeling. Things were certainly NOT resolved when I was discharged!

This has been an extremely difficult experience and I have feel very scared and low. It is not an experience I would wish on anybody.