When have you gone to A and E and was it the right call?

[TheFrogsLegs]

So many threads on here are about people misusing A and E, which got me thinking.

I am now in my fifties and ended up in a and e as a child with appendicitis, but that was my only visit then.

My own children never had to visit a and e as kids - luck rather than stoicism - but as adults DS was in a bad car crash and another time had Quincy and felt his airway was closing. He got some tuts from the doctor for going to a and e for that one, but I backed his decision - airways closing are an emergency!

DD has been once for a dislocated joint.

I’ve been many times for dislocated joints, almost always in an ambulance as that was deemed the most appropriate way. I have always felt a bit embarassed as I was not ill, just unable to move without extreme pain.

DH has never been to a and e.

So, what about you? Have you been and were you judged by NHS staff over your attendance?

Last year I had a sudden bad stomach ache which turned out to be appendicitis.

The year before I had a fall, couldn't get up, phoned an ambulance. A&E nurse told it was probably a simple fracture, they'd pop a cast on and I'd go home. It turned out to be a complex multiple fracture/dislocation, I went home in a cast after 10 days and 2 surgeries.

DS - several times - looked to a casual observer like a baby with a cold but turned out to have bronchiolitis and real difficulty breathing every time.

DD - had a fall, hurt her mouth. Took her to a&e after not eating for 2 days and not really drinking, turned out she had concussion, dehydration, dangerously low blood sugars, and was admitted and kept on a drip for 2 days.

All of this in the last 2 years. Bored of hospitals 😂

On a daily basis- at least a third of presentations don't need to there (A&E worker) sometimes it's higher than this. Mainly
Paediatric presentations but with appropriate education the hope is that parents then feel more comfortable and confident managing minor ailments at home. As long as people aren't rude and accept they will have a (very) extended wait with their GP issues, then it's usually not a problem. The real issue is the lack of ability to see a GP in a timely manner.

My first time was for a suspected quinsy and I was kept in for three days! I called 999 as I woke up after 3 days of awful tonsillitis unable to breathe. I couldn’t even talk but thankfully the ambulance knew where to come. Time after that was about ten years later when I suddenly miscarried and started bleeding so heavily I couldn’t leave the loo. I called the non emergency number for advice and it’s lucky I did as they sent an ambulance and I would have bled out had I not been taken straight to hospital for an op and a large blood transfusion, and again a three day stay.

Both times I have to say I felt I had to be hugely apologetic for wasting everyone’s time but I was never made to feel I shouldn’t be there as both times I clearly needed to be. I can understand why people end up there though, getting a GP appointment locally has been noticeable more difficult in the last year and it’ll only get worse with all the new housing they’re building locally to me.

I have been to A&E a few times following seizures (I am now diagnosed with epilepsy and on medication). Most of the time I wasn't very aware of much, but DH once came with me when we were students and had been to a gig (stubbornly refuse to keep away from strobe lighting if it means I can never see a live band again), and he tells how the A&E staff absolutely refused to believe that I hadn't taken any illegal drugs and that wasn't the reason for the seizure. (in retrospect, I probably didn't need to go to A&E but it was the first time now DH had seen me have a seizure so he probably thought I did). I once went after an overdose of a variety of prescription and over the counter meds, and didn't feel judged for it.
I am a paediatric nurse so tend not to take DC to A&E if I can avoid it. A few times I have taken them to a GP who has sent us to A&E, so I felt that justified it. However, my DH is an absolute hypochondriac, who once made me take DC after she burnt her finger late at night touching a light bulb. He was convinced it was a really bad burn, but you could hardly see it. I judged myself for taking up A&E resources and probably the staff did too. Other times DC have been ill enough that they needed to be there and the staff are lovely there (I have worked with some of them)

Loads of times, always by ambulance, I have brittle asthma and have always been admitted so no, never been judged.
probably would be on here though

Loads. Few that I can think of were

Broken ankle and foot twice
Cauda equina
Pain relief for sciatica x 3
Abscess (infected)
Burn to hand and fingers

Oh and yes right call for all the above

Myself once after a motorbike accident, had broken 3 ribs.

Dad after he had a stroke

DD, she split her head open.

DD, fractured ankle.

Various with work (work in care).

Never been up to A&E without a good and proper reason.

I've got it wrong twice.

First time was when my 6 month old had an allergic reaction to egg, and we panicked and drove him to A&E and was told I was in the right place, but should have called an ambulance!

Second time was when the same child - ages 11 months - fell mouth first into the tv cabinet. He was screaming and there was blood EVERYWHERE. By the time I got him to A&E he was absolutely fine. Happily pottered around the children's section and watched peppa pig on the tv - whilst sporting a white dressing gown so gory he looked like an extra from a zombie apocalypse movie. But he was absolutely fine. The nurse said "mouths bleed". And sent us home 🙈

Oh actually three times with a broken back, got sent away with not much done firt two times, they tried to do it the third time, saying I had a small wedge fracture, I flatly refused to leave, they got a specialist who discovered I had 5 broken bones and had damaged a sixth, I was admitted for 9 days and had my back braced.
Total nightmare.

Last time for me was when one of the plates put in to fix my broken arm broke. They x-rayed me and put a cast on rhen had surgery a few weeks later. Time before when I broke said arm and had surgery to pur plates in to fix tge breaks.
Before that I fell down the stairs at 5am half asleep, NHS Direct (as was) advised to go to A&E to be checked out. Was prescribed diazepam and boy the bruising.
I think all these were necessary.
With DD she fell over the back of a sofa and had clearly hurt her arm-she wouldn't use it and it was swollen. Luckily nothing was broken. We had to take her when she was a bit under a year as she'd been vomiting. Again we were advised to go. They got us to keep giving small amounts of Diarolyte until she'd peed.

I went to a local A&E one weekend with terrible sinus pain, luckily they had a separate bit with a GP on hand who gave me a prescription.
I've also been at 11pm at night due to constant pain from undiagnosed crohns and it was a cry for help after many GP appointments, that was a waste of time as the doctor contradicted himself in regard to CRP levels and IBS.
I've taken my son as a baby to A&E due to a mottled appearance and I was very worried as he was shaking too, totally okay but told by doctor not to worry about time wasting as babies are their bread and butter.
Years ago I had a reaction to medication and my eyes and lips swelled up and I had hives, out of hours GP (on phone) late at night told me to take antihistamines, great I think, where do I buy them at midnight? He obviously couldn't be bothered to come to visit me, so my dad took me to A&E (as we were worried about throat swelling up)where I was monitored and given antihistamines, turns out I was quite ill as I then had to go on steroids due to swelling not going down after a few days!

I've been for pnonumonia with asthma and went once with incredible stomach pain worse than labour turned out to be kidney stones and my kidney gave up working for a while was in for a week in two different hosps and two operations

Once when I had what turned out to be good poisoning, but I was worried the sickness was related to my gallbladder OP. I had only recently moved to the UK and didn't know about 111, or I would have called them. Another time when I fell over and hit my head. Had had a few glasses of wine (NOT the reason I fell!) and 111 told me to go in. Left after triage but before being seen as I felt sober and fine. Got flack on here both for going in and walking out

Took DS at 6 days old and he was in SCBU for 8 days

All three times for me were all broken bones two needing fairly swift operations

Been in three times with the kids, twice was right to and got admitted. third time was because there was no where else to go and I was worried but they couldn't find anything, they weren't angry and were happy to check it out as it looked really bad (face was very swollen)

Dd has started down the same route as me now and has been admitted 3 times in 3 months, also asthma, we have shit lungs in our family

I can't remember the last time I went to A&E. I went to minor injuries one Saturday afternoon because my hand swelled so badly that I couldn't get my rings off. By the time I got there my finger was blue so I bypassed the queue to have them cut off.

DS2 had to go because he dislocated and broke is shoulder playing rugby 6 years ago. He went a few times as a small child with asthma attacks.

DS1 was admitted with dehydration many times because he had Cyclical vominting Syndrome, and would vomit up to 40 times a day for a week, but we usually went straight to the children's ward, via our GP.

DS2 is now a staff nurse in A&E he tells me that the majority of patients he sees are really sick and need to be there if I ever ask.

Ds is now a frequent flier there.

The first time I took him when he was 8 weeks old I fully expected to be sent away as a neurotic mother - 2 weeks later and a stay in ITU later he left with lifelong complications.

Ha! Food poisoning obviously! There was nothing good about it.

Retrospectively I should have gone in when I had gallstones and couldn't keep anything down. Was in agony and dehydrated but kept being told I had Noro

I've been a couple of times for sports injuries, always warranted. I have never been in an ambulance in the UK. I never went to A&E as a child that I remember.

Outside of the UK, I collapsed in the street with pneumonia I didn't know I had and, after an ambulance ride I don't remember, ended up in acute care in Australia.

My child has never been to A&E - she is 10.

My DS is sadly a frequent visitor - he has a heart defect so whenever he gets ill, the GP always cautions us that if he worsens we need to go to A&E.

I would say all my trips have been due to the doctors surgery being closed, when you are in pain you can't see an end to it.

Come to think of it I've been in twice with tachycardia too, I've now been diagnosed with SVT and am waiting for heart surgery.
I do know I've always made the right call since I've always been admitted.

Me, once when I'd crushed my wrist and forearm. I remember the nurse specialist looking at the xray and saying 'I can't tell you exactly what is wrong, but its all very wrong' - 7 broken bones, severed nerve, and weird wrist dislocation. 3 surgeries to stabilise it and it left me disabled.

DS - has only been to minor injuries after splitting his chin on holiday

DH - an abscess that the GP had drained started bleeding and wouldn't stop despite everything. Went to A&E after an hour of it soaking towels, and when they couldn't stop it he went to surgery immediatly

I have been 3 times in the last 6 years all by emergency ambulance. First time was heart attack second was gall bladder and last was kidney stone. All required immediately surgery . I have nothing but admiration and thanks for A&E.