"Generally shocking experience throughout"

I had suffered from food poisoning, but 2 weeks later had a totally new pain, in a different part of my abdomen. NHS 111 directed me to NEMs, who in turn sent me to C31. I'd reached NEMs 11. 30pm Sunday night, and then hit C31 at about 1. 45am. I was admitted quickly, with few questions asked about past medical history or the type of problems I was having. Within about 40 mins I was moved from the assessment bay to the main ward and told I would receive analgesia soon. I wasn't given my buzzer and was left in the dark.

And hour later I hadn't received any pain relief and was crippled by pain. After attempting to call for a nurse, the woman in the bed opposite me came over to check on me, pressing her buzzer and walking to the main desk 5 meters away. After another 40 mins I finally got some painkillers.

When I was seen by the doctor in the morning ward round, I wasn't spoken to once. The doctor didn't introduce himself, spoke only to his medical student and instructed them to carry out various tests. I was then put as NBM and the large group that had gathered round my bed swept away.

Cut to 3 days later, the same thing happening every morning. I'd been to one ultrasound, and had another booked. After waiting in the USS department for over an hour in a wheelchair, we found the doctor had decided to cancelled. I was never told why. I was still NBM, and had been told this included any fluids. In those three days I had drunk maybe 400ml.

They finally realised when I had a BP of 84/56 that IV fluids might be necessary.

I was woken to have my BP done at 2am, which I understand is necessary. However the HCA woke me by berating me for not immediately telling him what I was allergic to, despite me being asleep only 10 seconds before.

Half an hour later, at 2. 30am I was told I needed to be moved to a different ward to make room for "one of their regulars".

I was move to a ward on E floor. I was forgotten on the morning ward round, and despite asking 4 times if I was going to be seen by the doctor, I was not seen until 2. 30pm for the 9am ward round. He sent an F1 to discharge me without seeing me himself. She tried to send me home with oramorph, a controlled drug that is rarely sent home with patients. Luckily my sister, who is a doctor, had insisted on coming to see me. She questioned what tests had been done, and why I was being send home with pain that required oramorph to control it.

The F1 paged my doctor, who came down and FINALLY introduced himself...to my sister. He agreed that I should go home, but on a reduced level of pain relief.

I didn't get my medication (basic over-the-counter pain relief) until about 8pm that day.

The next morning I collapsed and vomited over 2L.

I collapsed twice more from the pain before getting an emergency GP appointment, as I had been given no number to ring on discharge if I had any more problems.

My follow up appointment was eventually booked after much hassling and I was seen by a doctor who had never met me. Still no diagnosis, continuing problems and I now have a phobia of eating.

Despite that, the nursing staff on C31 do their best to make you comfortable, and are incredibly friendly.