Former Glasgow student lost half her body weight after being misdiagnosed by NHS
‘It was soul-destroying…I felt trapped, humiliated, and completely unheard’
A former Glasgow student lost half her body weight after being misdiagnosed by the NHS.
Shannon Dunbar-Dawe has spoken out about her experience after a series of misdiagnoses led to her being sectioned under the Mental Health Act before finally being diagnosed with a rare and incurable condition.
The 30-year-old lost half her body weight after developing gastroparesis, a condition that causes the stomach’s nerves to malfunction, leaving it unable to digest food.
Shannon said her ordeal has left her feeling “failed” by the healthcare system, as her condition was initially dismissed as an eating disorder.
The former accountancy student began experiencing persistent nausea and severe discomfort in May 2022. Initially diagnosed with gastritis, Shannon’s symptoms worsened, causing her weight to plummet from 64kg (10 stone) to just 33kg (five stone two pounds) within months.
Despite repeated visits to hospitals, including Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, her condition remained undiagnosed. Doctors attributed her weight loss to an eating disorder and placed her under a mental health hold, during which she was monitored and force-fed food.
“It was soul-destroying,” Shannon said. “I loved food, and to be told I had an eating disorder when I didn’t was devastating. I felt trapped, humiliated, and completely unheard.”
Correct diagnosis came too late
A year after her symptoms began, Shannon sought help from a private gastroenterologist at Ross Hall Hospital. Within minutes, she was diagnosed with gastroparesis, a condition affecting only 14 in every 100,000 people in the UK.
By this stage, her stomach was completely paralysed, leaving her unable to digest even soft foods. For the past 11 months, Shannon had relied on tube feeding to survive. Initially fitted with a nasal feeding tube, she now uses a surgically implanted tube, which has malfunctioned multiple times, leaving her without essential nutrients for days.
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“Gastroparesis doesn’t kill you, but it robs you of your life,” Shannon said. “I’ve lost everything—the ability to eat, my independence, and even my hobbies like singing and playing guitar.”
Campaign for better care
Shannon has filed a formal complaint against NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, citing repeated failures in her care, including the initial misdiagnosis and ongoing issues with her feeding tube.
A spokesperson for the Health Board told STV: “This patient has shared her concerns through our complaints process. While we cannot comment on individual cases, we are sorry we were unable to meet her expectations. The patient’s concerns were taken seriously, and efforts were made to address the issues raised.”
Shannon is now raising £50,000 for a gastric pacemaker, a device designed to stimulate stomach muscle contractions and improve digestion. Although this treatment is available through NHS Scotland, it is typically reserved for diabetic patients, leaving Shannon to seek private funding.
“People like me are being left behind,” she said. “This device could give me my life back, but I have to fund it myself. It’s heartbreaking.”
She has now launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund the life-changing surgery. Those wishing to support her can donate via her online fundraising page.
Featured image via X