In Wondering Why Our Health Service Is So ****

[chinchi]

Ive been in pain now in the left side of my abdomen for 2 weeks. Originally thought the onset of either pregnancy/period, and once I had ruled them out, and the pain continued I went to my GP.

She wanted a urine sample to be sent off for pregnancy testing despite two home tests showing negative. She couldnt diagnose anything and said to wait until results came through.

I ended up at on-call doctor Friday night, and there another sample showed up that there was no infection. I was sent home with paracetamol.

Called NHS Direct Saturday night, and the not so helpful guy on the phone told me it was food poisoning (hmmm I dont think so).

Anyway I hung on until today and went back to GP. She wanted another urine sample to be checked for infection (yet this had been done on Friday). She referred me for an x-ray for suspected kidney stones, but said they wouldnt do the x-ray until pregnancy results were back (7-10 days)- can they not take my word that after 3 tests IM NOT PREGNANT. X-ray results wouldnt be available for at least a fortnight.

I was prescribed Co-Codemol. The instructions inside read 'do not take if experiencing kidney trouble'.

FFS what do we pay our taxes for?

Have you felt nauseous? Any temp? How does it feel if you press on the sore area and let go quickly- if it is agony doing that it could be appendix, in which case go to A and E.

I think being in pain for 2 weeks would make me unreasonable as well . The NHS isn't perfect but if it was ever abolished, a lot of people would suddenly realise what they were missing out on.

FWIW, I work for a contractor which squeezes every penny profit it can out of the NHS Trust it serves! I think of that sometimes when I send letters first class instead of second .

a colleague of mine recently had abdominal pains, did 3 home pg tests ( all negative)

GP took urine to test for pg ( which pissed her off)

.... she is pregnant!

chi, so sorry you;re not well, but it is absolutely the right thing to not have an x-ray. However you could have an u/s scan!