Christchurch woman awake 102 hours claims doctors dismissed physical symptoms
A 26-year-old Christchurch woman is seeking an apology after claiming healthcare providers dismissed her severe symptoms, including hallucinations and sleep deprivation. The patient alleges her condition worsened following the prescription of high-dose vitamin D and iron supplements.
Why it matters
The case highlights concerns regarding patient advocacy and the quality of care within the public health system, prompting an official response from Health New Zealand.
The Christchurch resident said she had not had significant sleeping problems previously. Photo / Getty Images
A woman who struggled to get meaningful sleep for four straight days claims her “terrifying” symptoms like a high heart rate and hallucinating shadows were dismissed.
Last month, Brooke, 26, who did not want her surname shared, told the Herald that as the days went on, she only managed between 30 minutes and an hour and a half of sleep.
“I was seeing people who were not there. I was screaming, crying and running inside because I genuinely believed someone was after me.”
The Christchurch resident, who said she had not had significant sleeping problems before, said she was not adequately listened to by healthcare providers and was seeking an apology. She was in the process of making a formal complaint.
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