Woman distraught when doctor 'tells her to use Google' to diagnose mystery pain

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A woman suffering from a mysterious infection broke down in tears after allegedly being told to find answers on Google.

Bianca Padurariu, 20, has suffered from a painful burning sensation every time she goes to the toilet or tries to have sex with her partner for almost three years. Desperate for answers, in September 2021, she started going to the toilet more frequently than usual so booked an appointment with her GP.

A urine test confirmed Bianca was suffering from a urinary tract infection (UTI) and she was given a course of antibiotics. Around half of women in the UK experience at least one UTI during their lifetime - but symptoms usually last less than a week and go away with antibiotics. However, Bianca's problems didn't subside.

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She returned to see her GP a few weeks later, but a second course of antibiotics did not solve the problem. "Again, nothing changed so I went back and asked for a referral," Bianca, from Crystal Palace, south-east London, said. "They said I would have to do another urine test first. When the test came back, they said, 'You're fine, nothing's wrong'."

The negative test results meant Bianca couldn't get referred to a specialist, despite her symptoms not going away. For the next two years, she lived with the pain and discomfort. "I was probably going to the toilet like 10 or 15 times a day," she said. "When I was peeing, it was burning a bit."

Bianca frustratingly found herself going to the toilet every time she drank a sip of water. "It also affected my sex life, because I could not have a normal sexual relationship without it hurting," she said. "I refused to have a sexual relationship with my boyfriend because it hurt. We would try to, but it was burning, so I would have to stop."

With nowhere to turn, she decided to pay £700 for a consultation with a private gynaecologist in north London. Tests showed Bianca had a recurrent urine infection and early signs of endometriosis, a long-term condition which can cause severe pain in the pelvis, especially during menstruation, intercourse and when going to the toilet.

"She also found high levels of protein in my kidneys and said I should see a doctor immediately," Bianca, who works as a nanny, said. It was too expensive for her to continue privately, so they offered to write to her GP explaining why she needed to be referred to a hospital.

In November 2023, Bianca visited an NHS urologist at Queen Mary's Hospital in Roehampton, south-west London. "The doctor just told me to drink lots of cranberry juice and water," she said. "So I did that, but it didn't get any better."

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In February of this year, Bianca returned to the hospital determined to get to the bottom of what was wrong with her. "She asked me, 'How have you been?' and I explained that I had followed what she said, but it did not get any better," Bianca explained.

"I asked if we could do more tests, but she said they couldn't really do that. She said they were here to offer me a plan that I could follow, and if you don't, fine, that's your problem." But Bianca said she continued pushing for answers, pointing out that she still experienced a burning feeling every time she peed.

It was then she claims she was told to use the world's most popular search engine instead. "She seemed really bothered that I kept asking questions," Bianca alleged. "Then she was like, 'Oh, have you heard of this thing called Google?' I said, 'Of course I've heard of Google', and she was like, 'Then you can find your answers there'."

Biana left the appointment in tears and is still none the wiser about the medical issue she faces. "Now I've lost all hope that the NHS will do anything about this," she said. "I'm not really sure what kind of infection I have at this point. It just didn't go away, so I'm wondering, is it something more complicated? It's quite sad really because I am not okay."

Bianca lodged a formal complaint with the Patient Advice and Liaison Service about her experience in February, saying: "I [was] there to speak to a professional regarding my problems. Google will never give me the right answer, it will just make me panic."

She has given up trying to find answers through the NHS and is now fundraising for private treatment on GoFundMe. "I really appreciate anyone who shares my fundraiser or makes a donation, every little contribution helps," she said.

A spokesperson for the hospital said: "Our staff strive to give expert and compassionate care at all times and we are truly sorry that Ms Padurariu is unhappy with her experience. We take all concerns very seriously and have discussed Ms Padurariu's experience with her and invited her to make a follow-up appointment."

You can donate to Bianca's GoFundMe page online.

Do you have a health story to share? Get in touch. Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.