Mum with excruciating condition where her blood can flow BACKWARDS told next free NHS appointment is in 2024

A single mum whose blood sometimes flows “backwards” has been left in excruciating pain and living “penny to penny” – but the next available appointment for her suspected condition is not until 2024.

Lolita Vaciete, 33, called the NHS in tears and begged them to expedite her treatment but was told she would have to wait a year before she could see a blood specialist about her condition. A CT scan revealed she is likely to have pelvic congestion syndrome which makes everyday tasks like taking her eight-year-old son Jakob to school a logistical nightmare and means she runs the risk of passing out while on her period.

While waiting for her appointment, Lolita, who has worked as a gourmet chef for 15 years, has been prescribed “strong painkillers” to help cope with the agony, which she describes as like being “cut with a knife”. She was forced to take sick leave in March as she cannot stand up for more than a few hours at a time, and says the decision to postpone her treatment has “ruined her life” and that if her income continues to dwindle, she will be plunged into debt.

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Faced with no other option, Lolita is looking to raise money to afford private medical treatment as she fears Jakob is also suffering because of her condition. Pelvic congestion syndrome, while not life-threatening, is a long-term condition where veins in the lower abdomen stop working properly, allowing blood to back up, causing the veins to become congested.

Lolita said: “Taking care of my son is what keeps me going and helps me find the strength to continue doing stuff, even though I can’t physically. I feel like I’ve been locked in a box and told to just stay and wait.

“I don’t