After many years of investigations into my abdominal pain, I have now been diagnosed as suffering from Crohn's disease, which I understand to be inflammation of my digestive tract. The investigations into my pain have resulted in a number of gynaecological laparoscopies and a hysterectomy 2 years ago. I believe that if I had been properly investigated in the first place I would not have needed all these operations and would not have suffered the pain for so many years. Although I have 2 children, I am with a new partner and would liked to have had children with him, which I have now been denied. What should I do?
There are many causes of abdominal pain and it can be difficult to identify the source of the problem. Your GP referred you to a Gynaecologist for investigation and you do not say whether the investigation revealed any problem. As the pain persisted, you were referred again and ultimately a hysterectomy was carried out. Presumably this did not resolve the pain and so you were referred to a Gastro Enterologist who diagnosed Crohn’s Disease. I assume you are now being treated for this and the pain has subsided or reduced.
If the gynaecological investigations did not reveal any problems, then it would be reasonable to look for other sources of the pain and, as ultimately happened, you were referred to another specialty. The question then arises whether you should have been referred earlier – before the hysterectomy was carried out. In order to answer this, a thorough examination of you GP and Hospital records will be necessary.
If it can be shown that you should have had other investigations, (before the hysterectomy was carried out) your case may well succeed and you would be compensated for the lost opportunity to have children with your new partner.
I would urge you to seek advice as quickly as possible.
