"Not taking women's health seriously"

I had been experiencing severe abdominal symptoms for a couple of days and was unable to eat or drink very much, I visited my doctor and after my GP examined me she wrote a letter asking for urgent investigations into appendicitis and an ultrasound to look for this as well as pancreatitis, she requested I visit ED immediately.

I arrived at Peel and when triaged the nurse took the letter but I believe upon recognising me as someone who’s been in ED quite often (I have several underlying physical health issues) they didn’t seem concerned , didn’t ask me any detailed questions and just asked me to wait. I sat for hours and was finally shown through to a side room where a doctor greeted me and said that I had a choice, I could choose to get a basic blood panel and await the results then go home, or I could choose to just go home and continue on pain management I had already been doing.

I questioned what the point of the bloods were as appendicitis won’t show on a blood panel unless it had already burst and I had a severe infection, to which they said yes that’s right. They then went in to say that women often experience ‘phantom pains’ which typically resolve on their own. I was too scared to go home as I was in crippling pain but knew I didn’t have an infection, so I just agreed to have the bloods and when they came back within normal range, as I knew they would,  the doctor told me I could go home and wait and see what happens.

I asked them if I could get that in writing as I felt it was negligent, specifically the fact they decided not to investigate as my GP requested and to include they only gave me the choice of FBC or nothing. They refused , I felt looking panicked, and said they don’t normally give patients the discharge summary, but they’ll send it to my GP. I pressed them and said would they be including exactly what they had told me, to which the doctor said yes.

I followed up with my GP over a week later who received nothing from the hospital, no bloods or discharge summary - which I expected as in my opinion, this doctors behaviour was clearly showing they didn’t want to be held liable for doing the wrong thing. I luckily had a scan independently from the hospital which didn’t show appendicitis however I have lots of inflammation and I’m still in a great deal of pain.

I have had numerous visits like this to PEEL, all of which I feel I’ve been dismissed, treated as a young lady coming in for basic ‘women’s problems’ as opposed to anything pressing, or as though I’m a hypochondriac.

As someone who has pre existing diagnosed diseases requiring management from multiple specialists it’s extremely concerning, not to mention patronising, to be treated like I’m just there for a day out at the hospital As opposed to a young women who is ill and deserving of compassion and medical care just like everyone else.

I believe the staff I've seen at peel, especially doctors, need better training at identifying complex health issues and to not dismiss patients just because they may be young or require intermittent treatments more than someone without chronic health conditions. I’m genuinely too afraid to ever go back there because I believe I’ll be subject to prejudice regardless of what I’m experiencing.