What’s wrong with me, hospital clueless

[elm26]

Yesterday at 1pm, I put my 6 month old on the rug with his toys and went for a wee.

As I was walking back I had a sudden severe pain in my right side radiating into my lower back and up to my shoulder, I was in agony.

I called DH who was luckily only on a job 15 mins away, he came straight home and took one look at me and called ambulance, I was shouting out in pain they gave me gas and air and morphine.

I had an emergency CT when dye last night and also have a catheter as lost the ability to wee. Nothing showed on CT, they got me settled on morphine and today I’ve had a transvaginal scan which shows ovaries and womb look normal.

Gynae can’t find a reason so they’ve stopped painkillers and just giving me paracetamol but somethings wrong I feel like somebody’s twisting my insides. The gynae consultant was horrible and said the surgical team will come see me if they think it’s worth it?? So I’m waiting for that if they come.

I’m in so much pain and genuinely scared they’ll send me home not knowing what is wrong with me.

Has anyone has anything similar?

what sort of scan did you have on your gall bladder? I had severe pain, my bloods and ultrasound were clear so drs thought I was mad and keep me in the waiting room for 22 odd hours - it was not until they agreed to do an CT scan with contrast did they fund fluid at the base of my gall bladder and then within 30mins were apologising and put me down for urgent removal.

A similar thing happened to me when I had my youngest. It was a kidney stone stay put until you get results

Glad your DH is on his way. Hopefully with his support you can insist on more tests.

They are looking at gynae due to your history.

Have they done an ultrasound?

Keep advocating for yourself.

I also am thinking need to rule out both Cauda Equina and Cardiac event.

Ask to invoke Martha's rule / law - you are entitled to a review or second senior opinion.

Pretend doctor?

Can you pee again yet?

A regular pregnancy type ultrasound. I had a quick CT with dye last night which showed nothing but they told my DH that different dyes show different things so who knows. I was rolling around up to my eyeballs on morphine and gas and air last night so barely remember what was said other than the agonising pain.

No they removed my catheter and I can’t wee as of yet

They won't send you home if you can't wee.
Does your bloodwork show any inflammation (CRP level) or infection (white blood cell level)? .

So have they not ruled out kidney stones yet?! From the pain you describe it sounds very likely to be that. I haven't had it but have read a lot about.

It sounds like you have fallen down the wrong "funnel" and they aren't looking at anything other than gynae for some reason.

I'd try and see an a and e consultant somehow but no idea how you could go about that. You need someone more open minded than a gynae focussed consultant.

If you have issues peeing (which you clearly do) I would be asking for an immediate referral to urology.

I would also ask how they have ruled out cauda equina give that that is a medical emergency and should be ruled out asap if there are any symptoms. I would ask for these questions and their answers to be documented in both your medical and nursing notes as you don’t feel that you are being listened to. You are not there to make friends. It’s ok to hold them to account, and I say that as a HCP.

I have no idea they said my bloods are normal so I don’t think so x

Kidney stones?

I had a sudden pain that had me on my knees, it was worse than labour. Gallstones! Two attacks, one of which I went to A&E on 111 recommendation as pain was so bad I couldn't keep still, was writhing round the car seat as I was taken in and I'm not someone who would make a fuss normally! I felt rhe stone pass as I was there, immediate relief, so I left.

Haven't had any since thankfully but a scan showed I had them, and that I had had an infection caused by a blockage as some of my gallbladder wall is thickened. I'm on the waiting list to have it removed, 12 months apparently. I thought I was dying, heart attack or something I didn't know what was going on, thankfully my husband was home or my toddler would have been terrified!

Yes it is barbaric, and hard to believe they won't scan kidneys with inability to wee as a major issue.

Hopefully DH will advocate for you, and honestly he shouldn't have to, but he's a man and they listen to men you know. What an awful state of affairs, I can hardly believe it.

Apologies i used Grok for this analysis

Urinary Tract Endometriosis (Bladder/Ureter Involvement or Deep Infiltrating Endo Flare/Obstruction) — Strongest overall fit now.

• Why it aligns best: Known endo + multiple surgeries increases likelihood of deep infiltrating disease affecting ureters (causing compression, hydroureter, flank/back pain, hydronephrosis) or bladder wall (pain on filling, retention, "twisting"/spasm sensation). Flank radiation, inability to wee, and visceral pain match; shoulder referral possible with peritoneal irritation from inflammation. Pain can be relentless or fluctuating; post-meal diarrhoea if bowel endo coexists. Normal standard imaging is classic—endo implants often invisible on routine CT/US without expert protocols or MRI; ureter assessment on TVUS can help but isn't always done. Acute severe flare (worse than prior) can occur post-period or with triggers like bladder emptying shifting tissues.
• Nuances/edge cases: Can be silent until obstruction advances; rare kidney endo causes cyclical flank pain. Retention from bladder endo or reflex spasm. Diarrhoea could tie in if rectosigmoid involvement. Patient stories (forums) frequently describe ER visits with retention/catheter, "normal" scans, dismissal as "just endo," then specialist confirmation via MRI/laparoscopy.
• Implications: Risks silent kidney damage (hydronephrosis) if ureter compressed. Needs urology + endo specialist input; possible stents, hormones, or surgery. Not "not gynae"—deep endo often requires multidisciplinary care (gynae-urology).

This isn’t true. The reason you get shoulder pain after gynae procedures is because they pump you full of gas which tries to escape upwards into your shoulders. Lie flat with your bum higher than your head and it will come out the other way.

Do you have any numbness/tingling in legs, or change in sensation in your 'saddle area'? If not unlikely to be cauda equina, especially this is more likely to cause urinary incontinence rather than withholding.

If blood results normal, unlikely to be a kidney infection.

Gallbladder attacks tend to subside after a few hours, although are horrendous at the time.

I would be tempted (if you are able) to reduce pain relief so they have a true idea of what's going on. They kept telling me I was fine as the morphine was masking my symptoms so I didn't look too bad. But when they took me off it, and then saw me profusely sweating and unable to speak, they started to take me seriously.

Sadly I'm not stunned as in some hospitals this is normal. They don't listen and go for the easiest option.

I've just lost my mum as a result of poor medical care. Ended up in a&e in rhe middle of rhe night. Dr came in and said she just needs to eat. 15 days later they found out she actually had a perforated ulcer. I'm fuming at the moment and I'd advocated and told them they weren't listening.

OP if they try to discharge you ask them to note that you're not happy and still in the same amount of pain.

I’m so sorry @Keepingittogetherstepbystep♥️

I don’t have any numbness or tingling in my legs that’s out of the ordinary, however I do have sciatica anyway and have done since a teenager and as I’ve been sleeping on this uncomfortable bed my right leg is tingling/shooting pain/numb in parts of my foot but that’s usual for me.

This is interesting but I can barely get them to talk about anything other than contraception so god knows who’s going to be open to that possibility.

This sounds how I was with a severe muscle spasm in my back after a slipped disc I was also in so much pain I couldn’t wee. Diazepam to relax off the muscles was the answer.

Why is everyone recommending this now? AI makes mistakes a lot as it wants to please you/keep you talking. People not feeling well might not think to mention certain medications or relevant history.