"Ultrasound Scan Appointment"

In February 2014 I attended the Ultrasound department for two scans to help try and diagnose a condition. On arrival I was left waiting for half an hour after my appointment time. When I was finally seen I wasn't made to feel at all comfortable about the procedure and the member of staff was less than friendly. As one of the scans was invasive I was extremely nervous and wasn't made to feel at ease. Particularly when I complained that it was causing me pain and major discomfort. The staff member continued and seemed almost annoyed that I was distressed. In the letter I received I was told the probe used for a "trans-vaginal" ultrasound was no bigger than a tampon or finger. This was not the case. It was frankly terrifying. A short while after I left the hospital I visited the bathroom to discover that there was blood. When I visted a nurse practitioner later that week after being unable to walk or sit comfortably I was told I had a stage 4 perineal tear and that the gel used for the procedure had caused an allergic reaction. It took me several weeks to heal from this and has left me with scarring. Overall that visit has made me very reluctant to use the NHS for these sort of services again. Particularly as the results from my scan showed that there was nothing to report.