'A mystery illness has ruined my sex life for almost three years'

Bianca Padurariu, a nanny from south-east London, says she first experienced a painful burning sensation every time she uses the toilet or attempts to be intimate with her partner in September 2021. Despite multiple GP visits ans rounds of antibiotics, Bianca's symptoms have persisted - but was unable to secure a hospital referral.

Taking matters into her own hands, Bianca paid £700 for a private gynaecologist consultation in September 2023. The consultation confirmed that she was suffering from a recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI).

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Armed with this diagnosis, she managed to secure an appointment with a urologist at Queen Mary's Hospital in south-west London. However, during a follow-up appointment, she claims the doctor suggested she use Google to find answers to her health concerns.

Frustrated with her ongoing health issues, Bianca lodged a complaint with the NHS Patient Advice and Liaison Service. She expressed her disappointment, stating that she sought professional advice rather than resorting to "panic" by searching for symptoms online.

She has now given up on receiving help from the NHS after years of effort and is actively fundraising to afford private treatment.

"Now I've lost all hope that the NHS will do anything about this," Bianca told PA Real Life. "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 OK."

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are incredibly prevalent, affecting roughly half of all women in the UK at some point, as per Kidney Research UK. Typically, symptoms abate within a week.

Concerns arose for Bianca in September 2021 when she noticed an unusual increase in her need to urinate. "Every time I drank a sip of water, five minutes later I needed the toilet," she recalled.

After waiting to see if the issue would resolve itself, she eventually booked a GP appointment. A urine test confirmed an infection, leading to a prescription of antibiotics for Bianca.

However, even after finishing the prescribed course, her bladder issues persisted, prompting another visit to her GP in Streatham Common.

Despite undergoing another urine test and receiving a different set of antibiotics, Bianca's condition remained unresolved.

"Again, nothing changed so I went back and asked for a referral," she 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'.

"I explained that was strange because I was still experiencing the same symptoms and that I would like to see a specialist. But they couldn't do that unless the test came back positive for infection."

Bianca lived with her troubling symptoms for two more years - and said she was going to the toilet 'between 10 and 15 times a day'.

"When I was peeing, it was burning a bit," she said. "But the main thing which really bothered me was having to go to the toilet every time I drank water.

"It also affected my sex life, because I could not have a normal sexual relationship without it hurting."

Bianca said her condition put a significant strain on her relationships. "I refused to have a sexual relationship with my boyfriend because it hurt," she said. "We would try to, but it was burning, so I would have to stop."

Feeling desperate and without options, Bianca opted to spend £700 for a private consultation with a gynaecologist in North London. The tests finally revealed that Bianca had a "recurrent urine infection" and early signs of endometriosis, a chronic condition known for causing intense pelvic pain, particularly during periods, intercourse, and while using the bathroom.

"She also found high levels of protein in my kidneys and said I should see a doctor immediately," said Bianca. However, she was unable to go back to the gynaecologist as it was too expensive. Instead, she requested they write to her GP so they could refer her to hospital.

In November 2023, Bianca visited a 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."

Bianca returned to the hospital on February 27 2024 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."

"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.

"She seemed really bothered that I kept asking questions," she said. "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'."

Visibly distraught, Bianca left the medical facility with no further understanding of her health situation.

Following her ordeal in February, she submitted a formal complaint through the Patient Advice and Liaison Service. She expressed, "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."

Currently, she has abstained from seeking solutions through the NHS and instead, is raising money for private treatment.

Bianca announced a fundraising drive on GoFundMe aimed at raising £8,000, although she confessed she does not know the exact amount her treatment will cost.

"I really appreciate anyone who shares my fundraiser or makes a donation, every little contribution helps," she admitted.

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 support Bianca by visiting www.gofundme.com/f/investigating-the-reason-behind-my-urinary-infection.