She's dying isn't she?

Hopefully you will get your mum back to hospital - there is nothing immediately life threatening, but the UTI certainly needs treatment with antibiotics, that should see a great improvement in her mental state.

Hiatus hernias (I've got one, the joy) are normally first treated by lifestyle changes, diet / excise and acid reducing medications, if after a period that doesn't work they look at surgery - so that may be a longer journey to get resolved.

Correction to previous post, nursing times/ ai says cola isn't a good idea for hydration as too much sugar and caffeine. I'll delete earlier post

Hopefully you have gone to a&e. They can try broad spectrum antibiotics while waiting for a pathology report, if the gp has not already arranged a test. They can also get fluids into her.

Once you mum is feeling better ask for an ultrasound scan to check if fibroids are causing the UTI. If she has any vaginal bleeding make sure she also gets a CA125 blood test.

Her relatively young age and the fact from your post that she doesn't seem to have any serious underlying condtions are points in her favour. Lack of sleep, food, hydration and confusion from the UTI is causing her to make poor decisions, which going home from A&E was.

Please get her to go back and wait. At least if she deteriorates she is in the place where she'll get help quickly.

I doubt she is dying. You need to gather yourself. Get her some medical attention and get them to keep trying to treat the UTI.

My dh had a hiatus hernia and had the op to fix it. He was fine after. I hope she gets helps soon. Sounds very stressful for you all. And horrible for your poor mum.

My 88 year old Mum has a HH. Before diagnosis not eating or drinking made her really ill and weak. I know from having a child with anorexia what no sustenance can do to the brain. Rationality ceases to exist, all intake is being diverted to other organs. Once they had the vomiting under control she ate and was immediately much better. UTI is going to compound the issue.

My mum is too old/infirm to have an op for the HH but you're Mum probably isn't if she needs one. 2 years post diagnosis she has to watch what she eats and certain meds set it off but generally she's OK. Recently she was taking meds for another condition which triggered it, she seemed desperately ill but it was cause she wasn't eating, change of meds, food intake upped - miraculous change.

She needs to get sustenance in some form and you'll see a difference.

People talk about UTIs like any antibiotic will work against them. They WON'T.

UTI's, specially recurrent ones or in older people, specially if they have other health issues, need a pathology report for the GP to give the RIGHT antibiotic.

UTIs are the worst. She needs antibiotics for that asap and I don’t understand why they weren’t given. I’m pretty sure pharmacists can prescribe for UTIs these days so that should be easy to sort.

I know someone who’s currently having a dreadful time with a sliding hiatus hernia. She recently had a UTI as well, and the hernia is causing her severe pain when eating. She’s been vomiting and has developed aspiration pneumonia from food entering her lungs, along with ongoing problems with her oesophagus. Thankfully, the doctors have ruled out anything more serious, and she’s now waiting for surgery to repair the hernia. I just hope she doesn’t have to wait too long — she looks and feels absolutely awful.

So please don’t assume the worst! Her situation sounds very similar to my friend’s, but she needs treatment ASAP.

For fluids literally no more than a sip every 20 mins of rehydration solution. She may be able to keep tiny sips frequently down

So first things first, do some practical things.
Get her some incontinence underwear and get her into bed, keep her on bed rest, keep her fluids up.

Give the antibiotics a couple of days to work if she has just started them. The pain of uti is horrendous.

Can she tolerate ibuprofen? As that may help, co codamol 8/500 can be brought over the counter
Tomorrow morning a and e may be a bit calmer or Monday morning if the antibiotics start to work

She will need rehydration, have you got any sachets? Has she been able to keep down the anti biotics?

I'd advice calling 111 and ask about hospital at home treatment. Some areas are able to treat IV antibotics at home, or they may be able to send her to treatment centre which isn't A&E.

Good luck, UTIs are painful but are treatable.

I'm so sorry to read this OP.

A hiatus hernia is a 1 hour surgery, often leaving the same day without overnight hospital stay. A surgery that shouldn't take more a 3 months waiting period in a public hospital

An UTI is easily dealt with the right antibiotic after the GP takes a swab, sending the urine sample to pathology. Not all pathogens respond the same to antibiotics. Doctors need to get the pathology report before giving the right antibiotic.

Your mom is not dying but her health is being compromised by the shit going on with the NHS.

Has she been prescribed topical oestrogen? It can help with recurring utis in women.

According to our stats, we don’t live in a “good” area for A&E or gps, but our experience is always totally at odds to those reported on threads like these.

I often have to step in and assist my elderly parents advocating when they need something, and I genuinely never have any problems. GP receptionists listen, 111 are brilliant - for instance they’ve arranged out of hours appointments on several occasions and arranged an ambulance within minutes another time. My mum used the online system last week and had an appointment the following morning. When we go to A&E, which is rare frankly because I get ahead of dramas by making sure they have help before it escalates, we are comfortable, seated, seen and heard. 111 have arranged appointments which has helped, and ensures we only go if it’s a genuine emergency.

This year they’ve had an emergency X-ray referral on a bank holiday, weekly visits to a specialist clinic which have identified a potential problem quickly, eye operations and aftercare, many gp visits, monthly deliveries from their pharmacy and they’re using the APP now with my help, consultant appointments (which I attend, to the point I’m even mentioned in the letters issued afterwards which are very thorough).

Talking to elderly friends in the US who every year stress about their Medicare insurance policy changes, cost increases and cover, I’d take our nhs any day.

Situations like the OP, I’d be phoning 111 and following on from there.

I’m sorry Op. It really does sound serious. My grandfather died from a hernia but he was much older than your mother. She will need to see a doctor though. I hope everything turns out ok.

I was on iv in hospital for five days with a uti so yes they can be quite serious and dangerous if untreated. Phone 111 today if still concerned.

I hope your mum feels better soon. Try to get her to drink something at least

She wont die if you take her back to a&e. Take a cushion, take incontinence pads so she is less uncomfortable. Take a flask of cold liquid as cold things may cause less nausea. If you can get gaviscon see if she can keep that down. If you have any ginger biscuits she could try to nibble one but the vital things are fluids and antibiotics. Take a book if she can manage to read to keep her mind off feeling ill.

Even if she has to sit in a chair they can rig up IV antibiotics.

Phone 111 on the way there.

Take her back to a&e, the best time for a&e is morning when all the drunks & people from nights out have gone home. Go now.

My mum recently had an out of hours visit from 111 doctor. I was very surprised but she was poorly, on a Sunday, and called them. I had to take a sample in via her GP but he was helpful.

@McSteamyorMcdreamy how is she this morning, op? xx