"These experiences have lead to a fear of me going into Pilgrim Hospital"

I have had some very traumatic experiences at Pilgrim hospital over the years whilst having some of the physical procedures. At the gynaecology department, a doctor trapped my cervix in a speculum and was trying to pull it out whilst still attached.

I suffered physical damage, bled for weeks and was in a lot of pain. After this, I started to experience pain during sexual intercourse and using tampons. I was diagnosed with vulvodynia and prescribed medication, which made me suicidal, and then other tablet, which helped slightly but did fix the problem. I was unable to take it in any higher dosage as advised by my doctor as it was already affecting my ability to work.

I recently went into hospital to have a colonoscopy to investigate my IBS symptoms and to rule out anything more sinister. This was again a very traumatic and painful experience due to an  nurse and Doctor being unable to administer the sedative.

It took almost half an hour and over 10 attempts to insert the needle and eventually I was told I would have to have to have the procedure without the sedative.

By this point I was very cold and in shock. I was given gas and air to help with the pain but was fully aware of what was going on and it was excruciatingly painful.

At the end of the process, I heard the nurse say that they did not think the machine was working and that they “didn’t get the pictures”

I was frightened and concerned that I would need to go through it all again so asked was what was going on. No one gave me an answer and it was as if I wasn’t in the room.

These experiences have lead to a fear of me going into Pilgrim Hospital.