"Medical experience with POTS"

I’d gone to visit my friend who struggles with a debilitating chronic disorder (POTS). I’m very used to their symptoms, but could tell that something was a little different on this occasion. My friend mentioned they’d had a fall recently and hit their head quite hard. Due to horrible experiences with gaslighting previously. My friend refused to get checked out for a concussion. They were definitely displaying symptoms of a concussion and it was now three days later. I compromised with my friend and offered to take them to urgent care - better to be safe than sorry I thought. I drove my friend to urgent care and by this point they were struggling to stay awake/walk and could barely speak.

Once seen in urgent care the outcome was that my friend should go to emergency straight away and via ambulance. This was definitely something they didn’t want, but myself and the doctor insisted. An ambulance was called and we waited. Roughly 30 or so minutes later the ambulance arrived and I drove to the hospital separately. So far my friend had been treated with respect and care… so I thought emergency would be okay.

I was finally able to see them in the emergency ward at Sir Charles Gairdner, they were waiting for a CT scan. My friend didn’t look great but was a little more collected and able to hold conversation. The doctor had told them the scan would most likely come back with nothing but they should get one anyways due to the strange symptoms they were displaying. We both waited for a while and any nurses that came to check in on my friend were incredibly lovely and for that I am very grateful.

Finally, my friend was taken for the CT scan and I happily waited. After 15 or so minutes they quickly brought my friend back in and they looked really unwell. They mentioned that my friend had an episode so I stood back and let them do what they needed to. The nurse started to organise an ECG test, then suddenly the doctor stormed in and ordered the nurse to stop. Until this point I felt that my friend was in safe and caring hands.

All of this was leading up to one of the most horrible medical experiences I have witnessed. With my friend laying there basically unconscious, I believe the doctor began belittling and gaslighting them. They said the CT scan came back normal (this is great news obviously) but they continued… apparently the doctor had told my friend that they knew this would be the case and that’s why the doctor told my friend they shouldn’t be getting one? The doctor then proceeded to say that my friend was perfectly healthy and the doctor had no idea why they were displaying such strange behaviour. I felt all of this was said with a condescending tone and with an indication that my friend was making it all up — my friend has a diagnosis from a cardiologist for their POTS so this is actually very real.

I could see that the nurses face was blank and in shock – I recall they didn’t utter a word. In my opinion, this doctor was rude and incredibly intimidating and I felt I knew neither myself, the nurse or my friend could say anything against their accusations… it seemed their mind was made up.

The doctor continued that there is no reason why my friend can’t easily be able to stand up and walk straight out of this hospital; all the tests are coming back normal, which means this is all in your head, you’re creating this, making this happen. I recall the doctor kept going and going, berating my friend with all these questions and statements when they were in no way able to even comprehend or respond. I could see the tears well up in my friend’s eyes and I knew I had to get them out of there. The doctor left leaving us in silence, the nurse left. The two of us burst into tears and I held my friend as my heart broke for them. What my friend was afraid would happen did and worse than ever before. I was so angry but I knew we had to leave. I grabbed all of my friend’s stuff and helped put their clothes back on whilst thei limp body could barely move - any prior assistance or help was gone.

The nurse came back in and suddenly said that they were going to do the ECG scan anyway? Eventually the doctor came back in and mentioned that the ECG came back with an abnormality and that my friend should see their cardiologist, but then that was it. I had to carry/hold/drag my basically unconscious friend by myself through emergency whilst we were both sobbing. The nurses looked with utter confusion. Eventually when my friend nearly fell to the ground the nurses rushed over and brought a wheelchair for them. They were all so kind and genuinely wanted to help. They apologised and I could see they had so much empathy for us both. As I understand it, they had no choice in the matter and were following orders from the doctor. I believe they could clearly see how wrong this was. We were sent on our way.

All the care my friend received that day was incredible, from urgent care to paramedics to nurses. But ultimately that one doctor ripped my friend to shreds and I know it will take a long time for them to mentally and physically recover from such a traumatic experience.

I am so shocked that any human being can be treated this way and I now understand why my friend was so fearful of emergency. I am saddened for anyone who has to go through something like this. I understand how the medical system works and I know that those beds are needed for those in a desperate condition but I feel this was just cruel, disgusting and honestly just inhumane. Sir Charlie Gardiner medical, please do some training on chronic health. When 12.6 million Australians seemingly suffer from some form of chronic health condition I would seriously think things like this wouldn’t happen.