"Crying out for help without being heard"

I am a 27-year-old woman with a long history of endometriosis and chronic bladder problems. I have been experiencing bladder symptoms since the age of 14 and, throughout my adult life, have repeatedly attended GP appointments, hospital clinics, and A&E admissions in search of help. I have undergone two surgeries for endometriosis and two bladder procedures in an attempt to identify the cause of my ongoing symptoms.

At present, my life has come to a complete standstill due to the severity of my bladder condition. My symptoms are so debilitating that I am unable to care for myself at a basic level, and I cannot work because of the constant and intense pain I experience daily. I have been under the care of the urology department at Raigmore and NHS Western Isles: however, the waiting times to be seen are unacceptable, even when I am classified as an urgent case.

I have felt forced to take the desperate step of involving my local MSP because I am at a complete loss as to what else I can do. For years, I have felt as though I have been crying out for help without being heard. My physical and mental health are now seriously deteriorating. I should not have to take such extreme measures to be taken seriously or to receive the timely and appropriate care that I desperately need.