A mum claims she was 'humiliated' after being denied urgent MRI scan for allegedly being too overweight. Jackie Nulty, 33, says she needs the undergo the procedure to check for a 'possible brain tumour', reports Manchester Evening News.
The 33-year-old says her problems began earlier this year when she began suffering with excruciating migraines, dizziness and an inability to concentrate. She was then referred by her GP for a scan to check if her symptoms are due to a brain tumour or another sinister illness.
However, Jackie alleges that she has been passed around several NHS services for weeks and is still not any closer to actually undergoing the test. She said: "It's been seven weeks and I'm still no closer to getting an appointment or diagnosis.
"I am struggling to even look after my children. I am terrified I could have a tumour or dementia.
"My husband is really stressed out and worried and my symptoms are getting worse. Sometimes I even struggle to follow conversation."
The mother first visited her local doctors surgery on October 17 and claims she was informed that she required an urgent MRI scan to get to the root of her issues. Jackie added: "I’ve had migraines, dizziness and I’m feeling absolutely awful."
"I can’t walk for very long and I can’t concentrate. I was playing with my child’s train set and couldn’t even do that.
"The doctors said they would send me for a scan within two days. Two days later I didn’t get an appointment so phoned the doctors and they said it was a locum I spoke to and they followed the wrong procedures so I hadn’t been referred.
"They told me to go to A&E and ask for an MRI scan. When I got there they treated me like a time waster and said a normal doctor wouldn’t just send me to hospital for an MRI scan."
The 33-year-old says her size is due to 'emotional eating following a difficult childhood,' and claims she was told to go home and take paracetamol. The following day, she went back to her doctors but claims she was again told to visit A&E.
Jackie said: "I have been to A&E three times and waited eight hours each time and still didn’t get an MRI scan. My doctor suggested I go to Salford Royal Hospital but they told me they couldn’t give me one.
"They gave me a CT scan which was clear but said I’d still need an urgent MRI scan. On November 1, I was finally told I had been referred for an appointment at a local clinic on the 14th.
"They did a phone call first just to check I could have one. They were asking me what I weighed and when I told them they said it was over the limit for the community scanner and that I needed to have one at the hospital.
"I was so embarrassed and couldn’t believe my doctor didn’t know this before they referred me. I was just really humiliated."
Jackie then claims her GP then tried to refer her to Wythenshawe Hospital in the next step to solve her issues. However, the mother alleges that when she phoned them to ask about her appointment details, she was told they didn't offer MRI scans.
Jackie said: "I finally got another appointment on November 21 but it was back at the Ashton Community Clinic which I know I can’t go to. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry."
"I said to my GP do you just expect overweight people to die? I am not going to be able to lose four stone overnight and I don’t think I should have to. There are a lot of overweight people in this country and I want to give a voice to people like me."
The maximum weight limit for a conventional MRI scan is 25 stone before specialist bariatric equipment is required, according to the NHS. Manchester Evening News have approached Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board for comment on the situation.
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