It all began back in 1992, I was getting abdominal cramping and stabbing pains. Thought nothing much of it and put it down to my cycle.
By 1993 the pains were becoming more and more frequent and painful to the point I would be a crying heap on the floor.
Went to my GP and she said it was irritable bowel syndrome and suggested I drink Fybogel and wrote me out a prescription for it. I went to chemist straight away in high spirits and the lady on the counter said to just buy it "over the counter" as its a lot cheaper than paying the prescription charge! So I did that and went home.
Made up a glass of this gooey stuff and drank it! It was awful! Sort of Orange in flavour........but eeww gooeey and bitty! I thought to myself that I need it to stop these pains so I took a deep breath and drank the rest quickly!
I made up one of these drinks everyday and after a few months......no......I hadn't got used to it! The pains were still happening and with equal ferocity as before so off I toddled back to my GP. Again, she just said its IBS and perhaps I should just learn to live with it as there isn't anything that can be done for it!
With that I binned the remaining packet of Fybogel
Meanwhile I was still suffering these pains. I was at work one mid morning and I collapsed on the shop floor in agony! My friend Lisa rang my dad who came to get me and he took me to the local A&E. Together we hobbled in to the department and I sat down in the waiting area while dad went and registered me. Almost 4 hours later I was seen, but! In typical fashion, my pains had passed, the doctor examined me anyway and then he sent me away saying there was nothing wrong! So frustrating!
Still the pains continued, I carried on as normally as possible and even began to learn how not to react when the pains came so that people around me were not aware of it.
I kept going back to my GP and asking her to explore the problem as I didnt think it was IBS anymore but she refused and simply said that a lot of people live normal lives with IBS and that I shouldn't let it control me!
By 1995 I gave my GP another chance, I had been researching my symptoms and came up with only one possible diagnosis and for this to be confirmed I would need to be referred to a specialist. She flatly refused my request and said that self diagnosis was a very bad thing and will cause unnecessary worry and make my "IBS" worse! Well, I was livid! had spent the best part of 3 years in unbearable pain! She is supposed to care but she wouldn't help me!
When I left her room I went straight to the reception and made another appointment but with a different GP (GP2) in the surgery. The soonest appointment available was two weeks time so I took it.
It was a very long two weeks but before I knew it I was sat in the GP2's room telling her all about my symptoms and what I think it may be. She listened to every word I said without interrupting me
She didnt say anything when I finished and she wrote out some notes.
Next she said, "I will be referring you to gynaecology for an investigative appointment, you should get a letter from the hospital in a few weeks"
I was elated
finally, someone was taking me seriously! TO BE CONTINUED......
Taz
xxxx
,what about a complaint about the other GP just to let her know she is capable of making mistakes and not to be so complacent(might stop somone else having to go through what you have had to) 
I had a special needle thing attatched to the back of my hand and the anaesthetist began to administer the anaesthetic. Well, I felt it all cold going up my arm, then it felt like someone had wholloped me across the forehead with a baseball bat and I had the sensation of falling backwards............................................
