Woman alleges she was made to fast for about 3 days at CGH, claims ‘they ignored cries for help and even turned off bed call button’

Singapore ― A woman took to social media to write about the traumatic experience she had at Changi General Hospital (CGH).

In a post to Facebook page Complaint Singapore, one Ms Tan said that she was warded at CGH for pancreatitis and “Their advice was to fast for 2 to 3 days and meanwhile they put me on a drip”. She added that though she expected the drip she was given to be glucose or one with nutrients, she was given Sodium Chloride, which is generally used for the treatment of fluid loss and to restore sodium chloride balance.

In her post on Sunday (Sept 26), she felt worse each day despite being out on painkillers and opioids. “My heart rate also went up increasingly from day 1 to day 5, even going as high as 170bpm at rest on day 5. Even as the pain was dulled by the meds I couldn’t sleep well as my heart was always racing”, she wrote. A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute.

Ms Tan wrote: “I would report my heart palpitations to the nurses but they all said I was anxious and overreacting. They ignored my cries for help and even turned off the help button for my bed”.

She said that when doctors ordered a blood test, it was then found that her body was in starvation mode and that she had a very low blood sugar level, which she understood from online sources that it contributed to her heart palpitations.

“On day 6 when my mri (sic) scan came back OK, the pancreas was just inflamed and there was no need for surgery, I insisted on being discharged. I had to sign a discharge against medical advice form, which I readily did because what healthcare were they giving me anyway, I came in with one condition but ended up with two”, Ms Tan wrote.

Responding to other netizens in the comments, Ms Tan added that she visited CGH’s A&E ward twice and a week apart before she was warded. “The first time they took a blood test but didn’t include the testing for pancreatitis. The second time then they tested for it. Since they were taking blood already I do not understand why they did not test for pancreas inflammation the first time. I could have had an earlier diagnosis and get treatment earlier. My condition worsened over the week”, she wrote.

TISG has reached out to both Ms Tan and to CGH for comment and clarification. /TISG