An Australian woman living with chronic back pain says she was labelled a "drug seeker" and told to "shut up" by hospital staff while in agony, only for surgeons to later discover severe bone spurs attached to her nerves. Amanda Young's harrowing experience at Townsville Hospital in March 2023 has left her with what she believes is permanent nerve damage, sparking a formal complaint and raising serious concerns about how patients in severe pain are treated.
A Cycle of Pain and Dismissal
Amanda Young, who has a history of bulging discs, called an ambulance in March 2023 when her back pain escalated dramatically. After being assessed, given medication, and sent home from Townsville Hospital, her pain persisted. Four hours later, she returned by ambulance, crying and screaming in agony. "I was told by the doctor there to shut up due to my symptoms and me being in pain, I couldn’t control it," Young recounted.
She begged for effective pain relief but was informed staff had "already done everything" for her, including upping doses of a nerve blocker that wasn't working. Young says she was treated as though she was seeking drugs and told "there was nothing wrong" with her. The situation deteriorated to the point where, unable to walk, she was denied a bedpan and forced to urinate off the side of the bed. After she began recording her interactions, staff told her it was illegal to film and ultimately "kicked her out," sending her home in a taxi.
The Long Road to Diagnosis and Surgery
Following advice from a Ryan's Rule advocate the next morning, Young returned to the hospital. Ryan's Rule is a three-step process allowing patients or families to escalate care when they feel unheard. This time, she was taken seriously, given appropriate medication, and consulted by a surgeon who believed her. However, it still took another full year before she finally underwent surgery.
The operation revealed the source of her excruciating pain: large bone spurs attached to the nerves in her back—a condition she says was not detected by an earlier MRI. The surgery took four hours longer than anticipated due to the severity. "I feel like now because I wasn’t essential, and they didn’t act quick enough, that I’ve been left with permanent nerve damage and constant cramps every single night," Young said.
Lasting Consequences and a Call to Action
Despite the surgical confirmation of a genuine physical condition, Young fears she is permanently labelled a "drug seeker" in her medical records, affecting future care. She is now speaking out, concerned for more vulnerable patients who may not self-advocate. "I’ve got a voice," she stated. "I can talk and advocate for myself, but it leaves me worried about the more vulnerable people that don’t know their rights."
She calls on hospitals to believe patients and review their histories, especially those known to the facility, rather than making assumptions. In a statement, the Townsville Hospital and Health Service said investigations found Young's concerns were not ignored and care was appropriate. The matter was reviewed by the independent Office of the Health Ombudsman, which concluded in January 2025 that the complaint had been managed appropriately. The hospital maintains she was clinically assessed and provided pain relief on each visit.
