Oh, another one.
I had gallstones (undiagnosed but suspected, was on the long waiting list for a scan) which unfortunately led to acute pancreatitis when a rogue stone blocked my biliary duct. I spent over four days unable to keep down even a sip of water and being sick, on average, every twenty minutes. For over four days. My sick was black and dark red, it was basically acid and my stomach lining, it was burning my throat. I was in constant pain. I wanted to die.
These four days encompasses two blue-light paramedic visits plus two GP appointments. There were mutterings about gastritis. I was given anti sickness tablets that I threw straight back up. Eventually I burst into tears in the GP’s office and she finally agreed - reluctantly since she was certain it was gastritis - to ask the hospital to bring my scan forward, they managed to fit me in the following day.
Turned up for scan, still throwing up black stuff, in so much pain I was banging my head off the wall. I was booked in for a scan with “gastritis?” written on the note. They then told me there was a long wait for the scan as a staff member hadn’t turned up. I had a total meltdown. This was day five.
They took me down to A&E as I was making so much fuss.
After a few hours, doctor came in to see me. I was still throwing up black stuff, contorted in pain. She took one look at my hunched posture, checked my eyes (first person to do so), found I was jaundiced and had me admitted immediately. I was put on a drip with IV anti sickness meds and painkillers, and I felt better within an hour. Had my gallbladder removed, pancreatitis treated, and I slowly made a full recovery.
At the same time, a male friend of mine who lives round the corner from me woke up in the night with symptoms of severe pain and vomiting, no previous history to suggest gallstones. He called an ambulance and was taken straight in to hospital where he was also diagnosed with gallstones and pancreatitis within four hours of his first waking up in pain.
Four hours.