"I was rushed in to hospital by ..."

What I liked

I was rushed in to hospital by Ambulance on 27/12/08 with severe abdominal pain, but to be honest felt more like a heart attack.

The paramedics were excellent, they quickly got me in to the ambulance and gave me some morphine while they investigated the source of my pain, the female paramedic suggested that i may have gallstones from my symptoms so was taken to East Surrey.

I found the nurses bed side manor within A& E very short and not at all friendly. I had blood taken and an ECG to confirm that my heart was fine. I was then placed in the middle of a corridor whilst i waiting for a bay to be free.

The doctor came to see me, by which time at least 3 hrs ahd passed, i had been given morphine so i wasnt in any pain, he pocked my stomach a few times and said " You have too much acid in your stomach, take these tablets and you will be fine" I explained to him that i know what it feel like when you have acid in your stomach and that wasnt what i have experienced. I asked him if there was any possibility that i had gallstones and he lauhged at me and dismissed it.

I was sent home, but being unhappy with my diagnosis i went to my GP who sent me for an urgent ultrasound scan which surprise surprise confirmed I HAVE GALLSTONES!

I now experience regular episode of excrusiating pain whilst i wait for an operation to remove my gall bladder.

Overall i find it very frustrating that the doctor dismissed gall stones and that i experienced the embarrasement of being taken off in an ambulance to then be told i had acid in my stomach, im a firm believer that you only call an ambulance when you have to and i would not have called an ambulance ofr acid in my stomach!

What could be improved

Bedside manor of nurses in A & E. And doctors that listen to the patient!