Michaela Smith, 42, who lives near Bury St Edmunds, was left feeling uncared for at West Suffolk Hospital after being hospitalised with pneumonia, which she believes was triggered by an infusion of an immunosuppressant drug.
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust stated that Vedolizumab – the drug in question – is a gut-specific treatment and is not generally considered to be associated with community-acquired pneumonia.
Michaela Smith, 42, suffers from an inflammatory bowel disease (Image: Contributed)
Ms Smith, who lives with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), coeliac disease, and other health conditions, said: “I just feel like I’m not listened to. Nobody cares.
“I’ve put in numerous complaints.
“I just don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”
On July 17, 2026, doctors at West Suffolk Hospital postponed her medication due to a suspected viral infection.
However, on August 1, despite a raised C-reactive protein (CRP) level – a blood marker that can indicate inflammation or infection – she was given the infusion.
Two days later, Ms Smith became seriously unwell and was later diagnosed with pneumonia, which she believes was linked to the infusion.
She said: “I believe that if my immune infusion wasn’t given to me, this would not have landed me in the hospital as ill as I am.”
Ms Smith was left with pneumonia which she links to the treatment she was given (Image: Contributed)
Ms Smith was hospitalised for six days and said she continues to experience breathlessness, fatigue, and mobility issues.
She also claims her long-standing requests for surgery instead of medication have been denied.
A spokesman for West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust said: “We thank Ms Smith for raising concerns directly with our patient advice and liaison service (PALS).
“We have investigated these and shared our initial response with her.
“She remains under our care and her team are carefully monitoring and reviewing her individual circumstances to support her ongoing treatment and care plan.”