“Felt like I was dying”: Redbank Plains man says his post-Covid symptoms were misdiagnosed as anxiety attack at QEII Hospital

A Redbank Plains resident claims a Brisbane hospital misdiagnosed his symptoms of gastroparesis as an anxiety attack in what was “one of the most terrifying moments” of his life.

A Redbank Plains man claims a Brisbane hospital misdiagnosed his post-Covid symptoms as an anxiety attack, despite blood reports indicating otherwise.

Zackari Low said after testing positive for Covid in early May, he only experienced mild symptoms at first.

He returned to work after testing negative again but couldn’t eat or drink properly in the following weeks.

Later in the month, he started waking up during the night shaking. He said this happened on multiple consecutive nights, but he thought it was an anxiety-related issue at first.

“I didn’t chalk it up to much until that Saturday when I woke up and I couldn’t stop shaking,” Mr Low recounted.

“Nothing I could do would stop it, and it was pretty much full body.”

Zackari Low, a Redbank Plains resident who shared his negative experiences at the QEII Hospital.

He called an ambulance, and the paramedics said they believed his symptoms were anxiety-related and offered to take him to the mental health unit at the Ipswich Hospital.

Mr Low declined, as he believed it was more than anxiety at this stage and went to his GP instead, who agreed that something else was wrong and gave him a hospital referral.

He chose to go to the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital (QEII) in Coopers Plains, and said he experienced increased difficulty and shaking while he sat in the waiting room.

He said the shaking eventually became so severe he required a wheelchair, but that the hospital staff didn’t assist him.

“No one came out at all … It was pretty obvious that something was wrong because I was shaking,” he recounted.

“I ended up having to crawl to the wheelchair because I collapsed trying to make my way to it.”

Mr Low said his vision started to fade at that point, but he remembers eventually being pushed through to the emergency area.

“I couldn’t control my body at all and my hands started locking up,” he recounted.

“I tried to tell the nurse that was taking me there that something was wrong, and she just kept saying that it’s a panic attack and you just need to calm down.”

Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital Coopers Plains Pic: Phil Norrish

Eventually Mr Low was seen by a doctor, who ran blood tests.

The doctor was also made aware Mr Low recently had Covid and experienced difficulty eating and drinking in the following weeks.

After examining Mr Low’s blood tests, the doctor told him that his phosphate was low, but it was just an anxiety attack — likely brought on by hyperventilation — and gave him valium.

Mr Low said he wasn’t satisfied that it had just been an anxiety attack, and took his blood test results to the Ipswich Hospital that same day.

The staff at the Ipswich Hospital said his potassium and phosphate were low, and that he was malnourished and dehydrated.

“They were rather concerned and curious as to why I hadn’t received any care,” said Mr Low.

The Ipswich Hospital staff gave him fluids, along with potassium and phosphate orally, and Mr Low said this provided almost immediate relief from his symptoms.

He said that there was generally a “massive change in condition just by being given the things that were low on that blood report”.

The Ipswich Hospital staff ultimately diagnosed him with gastroparesis as a result of having Covid — which would have slowed his intestines and affected his ability to absorb nutrients.

They said the symptoms may have also contributed to his increasing anxiety.

Mr Low said they gave him advice on how to refine his diet and that he was now in a healthy physical condition — but that “psychologically the event has been complicated”.

“I honestly felt like I was dying,” he recounted.

“It was genuinely one of the most terrifying moments of my life.”

Mr Low said he’s attempted to pursue complaints against QEII by contacting the Queensland Ombudsman, his local MP, and the hospital directly.

He said the hospital has since informed him that they will not be looking into his complaint further.

A QEII spokesman said “QEII Hospital can confirm that we have investigated and responded to a complaint about care provided in the Emergency Department, but we are unable to comment about specific cases”.

“QEII Emergency Department prioritises treatment to resolve presenting symptoms with appropriate interventions, medications, discharge communication, follow up investigations, or admission if required.

“Patient care and safety is our priority which includes the safety of staff and other patients in the Emergency Department.”

Mr Low said he has “absolutely lost confidence in anyone on the official side of things helping [him] any further”.

He said he did want to thank his local MP, Lance McCallum, who passed on his information to the Minister of Health’s office.

“They’re the only ones that actually made me feel like they were actually wanting to listen and try to help,” he said.

The Minister for Health’s office, however, advised him to speak to the Queensland Ombudsman — who he said there has been little progress with.

Mr Low ultimately said he didn’t want anyone to have to go through a similar experience to his own, and is doubtful that there will be any further progress in his complaint.