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"Misdiagnosed and sent home...."

About: Forth Valley Royal Hospital / Gynaecology Forth Valley Royal Hospital / Xrays & Scans

(as the patient),

I was recently hospitalised due to ongoing severe pelvic pains & abdominal pains.

I was in hospital for a total of 4 days & in between i had a CT Scan & MRI Scan & to try and determine what the problem was.

The CT Scan showed no abdominal problems so that's when the MRI was issued to rule out any pelvic problems as they said it looked like possible PID from the CT scan.

The results from the MRI were then sent over to the gynaecology department to have a look and they said that they had came back all clear and the suspected PID was actually my ovaries ovulating?

I was then able to go home the next day with the pains being put down to a bad IBS flare-up. 

Even though ive had IBS for years and never experienced anything like it.

A week later i decided to still go to the original appointment made by my GP from months before for the Ultrasound to try and see what the problem was.I asked the nurse if the ultrasound was needed & she said it wouldnt be considering a week before i had just had to X2 scans done and they had came back ALL clear and my results would be the same from the other 2 scans but still to go ahead with the ultrasound considering im here.

So i recieved my results back yesterday....

And my GP is now saying it looks like i have PCOS and they have referred me back over to the gynaecologly department for more blood tests and to investigate further considering i had my bloods taking daily when i was in hospital & was just told a week prior i was all ok! Now am not??

Coming home from hospital i changed my diet 360 to help with the IBS but the pelvic pain is still there every single day. And as well as another X-ray appointment next week for another health issue i am really at my wits end with it all , No wonder ive been put on antidepressants in the last week. i just dont understand how something like this could have been missed and put down to "bowel problems" when it was seamly so clear from a 2 second ultrasound that was done.

Now i dont know what scan is right or wrong or whats went on!? I am glad i went with my gut and still went for the ultrasound as i wouldnt have been any the wiser to what is causing this pain.... :( 

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Responses

Response from Radiology Department Manager, Radiology, NHS Forth Valley 3 years ago
Submitted on 06/04/2021 at 12:47
Published on Care Opinion at 13:10


Dear warmwr78,

I am very sorry you have been compelled to write such feedback regarding your recent experience in FVRH. I can only reply on behalf of the Imaging questions you have raised, but hope the below provides some reassurance for you:

Different types of imaging examinations show our anatomy in different ways - unfortunately there is not one imaging technique that highlights all conditions. CT tends to be the fist line of imaging in an acute setting, so long as it is justified in nature, with MRI being an excellent choice for certain pelvic conditions.

The clinical diagnosis pathway for PCOS tends to involve very specific blood tests and at times also ultrasound imaging*. I am pleased you decided to keep your original ultrasound examination appointment, and I am sorry this whole event has caused you some distress, however I hope my explanation regarding the imaging process reassures you.

Best Wishes,

Radiology Department Manager, FVRH.

*This can vary between Health Boards.

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by warmwr78 (the patient)

Hello

Thank you for replying & explaining the image technquies for me. I understand that not one scan can detect all problems hence why the MRI was issued on top of the CT scan.But I cant help but feel let down that if I hadnt went to the orginal appoinment on my own accord that the suspected PCOS would have been missed.

I was told numerous times that the following ultrasound wouldnt have been needed as MRI is the " gold star " in terms of scans.

I had asked when I was in hospital if a ultrasound would have been a option rather than the MRI as I didnt like the CT scan and had suffered a Bad panic attack and was told the MRI can see my ovaries much better than the US.

After researching ive found out that PCOS is one of the most common conditions that a women can have. I just feel like this should have been addressed & looked at as an problem in hospital considering I was in there to determine what the problem of the pain was aswell as the other issues I was experincing with the pelvic & tummy pain.

I wasnt instructed by anyone in hospital to attend an ultrasound or to follow up to have any other blood tests or investigations done ECT. So to be let home and be told that it was IBS related, then a week later be told something completely different over the phone was heartbreaking and made me completely lose trust.

One thing I can say is I cannot fault the nurses who were very kind and helped me in both scans as I suffer badly from panic attacks and anxiety and they were great at reassuring me and keeping me calm throughout the whole process.

Im sorry to complain as its the last thing I want to do as the Xray department were great in terms of helping me cope, And getting the scans done in a timely manner.

I just feel that I was seriously let down considering I had already been to A+E X2 prior with the pains and then hospitised after calling 111 3 days after being sent home AGAIN from A+E without the problem being fully investigated.

I was also moved to B32 the day before I was sent home as they said it was " bowel related " & not anything from the reproductive area. I just cant come to terms with being sent home & this was being completely missed again by the people that were meant to find out what the problem was.

Again thank you taking time out your day to reply to me its much appricated.

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