Sick abroad with no insurance. Please be nice, I know I'm a dumbass

[ABroadAbroadandill]

Am on a European citibreak with DP. Arrived on Friday. I felt ill on the plane and again in the taxi. That night I woke up with excruciating upper abdo pain (in waves, almost like contractions) and worst black liquid shits of all time. Am alternating between freezing and boiling.

No nausea or vomiting. No back pain.

Haven't eaten since Friday. Still shitting through the eye of a needle.

DP has gone out to get diaoralyte, immodium and the strongest pain relief you can buy otc here.

I would've gone to urgent care if I had had insurance but just can't afford a big bill or risk them admitting me and missing my flight.

Does it sound like pancreatitis?

I had a bit of a binge Thursday night as was end of work before our holiday and also the eurovision semi final. 1 bottle of wine and a large gin. I don't drink regularly. I eat low carb/low fat and am a bit overweight but working on losing it.

I know I'm an idiot for forgoing insurance. Believe me, will never do it again.

😭

Do you have an EHIC/ GHIC card? If so you’re entitled to whatever the local healthcare arrangements are.

Do you have a GHIC (the replacement for the EHIC, following Brexit)? It entitles you to reduced cost care in many European countries.

It would be helpful if we knew what country you're in.

Imodium might not be a great idea depending on what going on. You really need to be seen - is there no one you can borrow money from if worse comes to worse?

The black stools is alarming. You need to be seen urgently as you might have an internal bleed.

You’re not the first and you won’t be the last. What country are you in?

If your shit is black, it's possible that you are bleeding internally. Blood turns black in the intestines.

You really can't ignore this, and yes, in some circumstances Imodium can be positively harmful as it shuts down the system.

If you happen to be in France go straight to A&E. Don’t worry about the money side, they’ll sort it out later and will honour the GHIC thing even if you don’t have your card on you.

Actually wherever you are you need to go to A&E now. Don’t panic about the money. The GHIC card is not magic, it just proves you have rights to state healthcare in whichever European country you live in normally. This is definitely a treat first, sort the money later situation.

Silly question but are you absolutely sure you don’t have insurance? Perhaps with a bank account or maybe if you paid for your flights with a credit card? One of the benefits of mine is travel insurance, you pay and they reimburse you.

You need to see someone. And suck up the costs if you’re not insured.

GHIC/EHIC card just proves you have rights to state subsidized healthcare in your home European country, which means the country you get sick in knows your care will be covered by the agreement that exists between European countries and even post-Brexit UK to let citizens access emergency healthcare in Europe at no cost or at reduced cost.

What country are you in?

If you're in Europe it won't be bankrupting. Going to America without health insurance would be stupid. In Europe you'll be OK. Go to hospital

What happens if you havecto go to hospital otally depends what country, but in any country you should be able to get free basic advice from a pharmacy and there are loads of levels of sick that don't require admission to hospital. In france an initial consultation with a doctor would only be €22 even if to the uninsured

Are you a UK citizen? Some of the phrasing in your OP sounds American and advice for what to do really does depend on where home is as well as where you currently are.

As others have said, attend the ED for this - now, it could be an internal bleed, potentially from some heavy drinking, potentially from anything, who knows. Actual black stools are melaena which is something that requires an immediate investigation and irrespective of insurance etc your health and wellbeing is priority right now.

Definitely do not take any immodium or anything else to stop the diarrhoea, and certainly take nothing except paracetamol because any NSAID like meds eg aspirin or ibuprofen will cause gastric irrigation and could make the situation worse.

Irritation, not irrigation...

Go to hospital straight away. It sounds serious.

If you don't have the GHIC card yet, there are ways you can still get the treatment that GHIC would cover.

Sounds quite scary for you. Hope you are ok

As has been said it might be worth checking if you have insurance through you bank account.
I hope you have gone to the hospital and are on the mend.

It must be so scary OP, please get seen to.

Yeah it does sound like pancreatitis sorry. I had it once for an unknown reason, hadn't even been drinking. It was just like you describe. I went to hospital and got treatment and it never happened again. But you have to go. You have to get the enzymes under control or they can damage your organs. You'll have to worry about the bill later.

Hope you can sort something and feel better soon.

Do not take the ibuprofen or any NSAID painkillers (eg ibuprofen, naproxen).

I’m sorry OP but you MUST get medical attention.

Sorry, meant Imodium.

In France, I have seen the receptionist at the emergency room suggest someone apply for GHIC when they get home and send the details to the hospital when they get them.

Sounds like the first time I had gallstones they took my gallbladder out the next day!
Worse than childbirth.