"Endoscopy, Torbay Hospital. January 2016"

Upon arrival I was greeted by reception, who sorted my paperwork, informed me of which Doctor would be looking after me and indicated the waiting room immediately to my left.

Even though I'd been told there was a delay of 30 minutes, a nurse soon came and took me through to the consulting room where they registered my obs. The nurse was kind and talked me through my procedure of a GI endoscopy. Having had one 6 months before, I knew what to expect, and although still nervous, I was confident.

The consulting Doctor soon arrived, shook my hand and seemed very nice, again I was talked through the procedure, and again still nervous but confident I followed the Doctor into the treatment room, I positioned myself on the trolley and the nurse attached me to machines for registering my obs, also an oxygen tube placed in one of my nostrils.

The Doctor placed a cannula in my right hand, it was extremely painful and was rough to say the least, pressing on it causing further pain! They then retrieved the sedative in two syringes, putting the first in my cannula and placing the palm of his hand over the top and rammed it down to the point I shouted out in pain, they then repeated this action with the second! Again I cried out in pain, at this time they never made any eye contact or attempt to apologise to me or reassure me, I could feel my confidence draining. Next came to inserting the camera through my mouth into my throat, I felt this was a rough action performed by the Doctor and that was the last thing I remembered before being woken in the recovery room. When I came home, I was extremely weak and my throat was very painful, I took myself to bed where I slept for almost 6 hours! An absolute stark contrast to my June appointment where a different Doctor performed my endoscopy and was kind considerate and efficient, my throat was not painful and I managed with a short rest on my sofa. Both times I had sedation, but both totally different management techniques by the Doctors, I know which Doctor I would prefer! Thank God I didn't have this Doctor first, it would certainly put me off ever coming back! All in all this treatment was traumatic for me, and I'm disappointed by this. I'm hoping for other patients this Doctor was just having a bad day!