"I felt like my pain wasn't acknowledged"

I had really bad abdominal pain in only my left side for several weeks. I had originally assumed it was from period cramps as I usually get quite long and heavy ones, but was unsure due to only one side hurting. It was a consistent pain that painkillers such as paracetamol wouldn’t take away only minimise, so it was present constantly. I also began bleeding extremely heavily, and had to hold down on area with pain for it to be brought down.

I called 111 and told them of my symptoms. They sent an ambulance but after checking my vitals, thought it wasn’t bad enough to go to the hospital, saying they think it could be an ectopic pregnancy, but can’t be sure so I should ring up the doctor or call 111 again if it gets worse. Unable to go to A&E and wait in line in the pain I was in, I called up the GP practice the next morning with no luck in getting through.

I then left an online application stating all symptoms, experiences and requesting an appointment/response, and that it had been over several weeks of pain already. I heard nothing for several days. At this point I was just taking paracetamol and ibroufen consistently for weeks.

I called up the practice repeatedly and after finally getting through, I was told I would get a doctor calling me to go through details and arrange an appointment. I did not hear anything back for over several days, over the amount stated in the text message I received. When it got worse I stopped trying to ring up and walked in to the doctors myself and tell the member of staff on reception I’m in pain and need to be seen immediately.

Thankfully, they said a doctor will see me later that day. After meeting with one, they tell me I’m pregnant and I need to go to the surgery practice immediately to assess it further for ectopic risks, referring me and telling me to get there as soon as possible as it’s highly dangerous. I request pain killers but they tell me to just take more paracetamol, even after saying I’m taking the recommended amount and still in agony.

I take an Uber when I leave to the surgery practice, and they say they cannot see me at the time I arrive and that the GP practice gave me the wrong times for arriving and that they cannot do anything. At this point I was just so frustrated! I am going back and forth whilst in agony.

I go home and endure another night in pain without sleep. The next morning I repeat the journey, and finally get seen and confirmed of an ectopic pregnancy and admitted into a pregnancy ward. I am crying consistently in pain, not one staff member approached me regarding the pain, after requesting painkillers I was left alone for a further nearly two hours, still crying, before being given any pain relief. It was the most pain I had endured at for such an amount of time ever in my life, it was horrible and I felt like it wasn’t acknowledged the entire process.

The first nurse to see me about the results stated I needed surgery to remove the pregnancy and puts me in a gown and pressure socks awaiting the surgeon's availability. The nurse states the risks of infertility post surgery, and along with a Google search and a two page flyer on it I don’t feel at ease in the slightest.  

After several anxiously awaited hours (6+) I am greeted by a second nurse who then states that further testing is required, and to stay overnight to assess my vitals, as I could be eligible for the injection instead. I then spent the night worrying about that fact that I am in my 20s and never got pregnant before, about to get surgery for the first time and potentially have my fertility removed along with it, all in a couple of hours.

The next day I wait until the late afternoon to be greeted by a third nurse, who after checking the results states I can actually just go home, and see how it goes, as a third option. Thankfully, it turned out to be okay. However, this experience brought me so much anxiety around the healthcare system. In my experience, it is overrun, underpaid, under resourced, understaffed, and so many more life threatening implications. This experience should of not of happened in the way it has and I hope it never happens again.