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.

😭

Go to A&E.
The money side can be sorted afterwards.

Apply for this www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/

Get to hospital

Gosh you really need to get seen. Black stools can indicate blood (which will turn black whilst in the intestines) sending you best wishes.

I've had pancreatitis, writhing around in agony, constantly vomiting. I was in hospital for 3 days, on intravenous antibiotics and was very seriously ill. I would ask the hotel staff to call the doctor for you.

There's absolutely no way I would have been able to post on Mumsnet. I couldn't stand and was in and out of consciousness. I hope it's not pancreatitis. The black stools are very worrying. Please get seen ASAP and worry about the cost later

You don’t need to have received it either, once you’ve applied they can ring a phone line to get the details.

You sound coherent in your post, so could you just go and see a GP?

please do get medical care if you are very sick

When are you due back? Can you get an earlier flight back and go straight to a hospital? Like today?

Can you post where you are then someone might know the best hospital to go to.

Fly back today and go to hospital when you land

Sounds more like gastritis or biliary colic rather than pancreatitis, the black stools is the worrier, you really need to get seen.

Sorry but going to have to disagree with a couple of the previous comments..

Please don't contemplate flying with this as an ongoing problem without having taken medical opinion.

In the days of the EHIC in this situation you could phone the Overseas Healthcare Team at the NHS in this situation, they would verify your eligibility for an EHIC and liaise with the hospital.

This appears to be the same as with GHIC. www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/contact-us/overseas-healthcare-services-contact-us

However, you won't get hold of them today as they are only open Monday to Friday. I would seek medical attention today and try to sort it out tomorrow, or get your partner to sort it out. Remember that GHIC only covers STATE or PUBLIC healthcare and in many countries the private healthcare sector is much larger than it is here. If you seek treatment in a private healthcare clinic or hospital GHIC will never cover you, whatever the circumstances.

When are you due to fly back, OP?

I don't know if this is the same everywhere in Europe, but when I was admitted to hospital in France (although I fortunately did have medical insurance), my EHIC card hadn't arrived in time before we left. They just sent me the invoice at home and I was able to sort payment etc. once I'd got home and got the EHIC card (they required a co-payment and the insurance excess was about the same as just paying the remainder of the bill by the time they'd processed the EHIC card against it, so I just paid it).

If you don't have an EHIC or GHIC I'd apply for one now if you're able. I think even without one you can also apply for a refund on urgent medical care, although it's not a guarantee that you'll receive it - faq.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA-26741/en-us

Just echoing others that are you absolutely certain you don't have travel insurance attached as a benefit to something? Not meaning to be patronising, but it seems to be quite popular for companies to offer it as an incentive - I have it through both a bank account and an AMEX, as an example.

I really would get seen, though. There will be payment plan options etc. available if needed; and black stools aren't something to ignore (unless you're on iron tablets!) I certainly wouldn't fly in your current condition.

I’d apply for the card on the way to hospital. Black indicates bleeding x

You need to be seen, insurance or not.

Retired RN here OP. ( general medical, geriatrics, anaesthetics/recovery rooms, psych). Go to hospital now, love. You NEED TO BE SEEN AND ASSESSED BY A DOCTOR. In the meantime, DO NOT take any non steroidal anti-inflammatory ((a.k.a. NSAIDs) pain relief (ibuprofen, naproxen etc - or diarrhoea stopping meds. The anti inflammatory drugs can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, which as previous posters have said, you are already experiencing evidenced by your black stools. In Australia nurses are taught that it is unethical to diagnose - -"never diagnose" - and even if a thousand nurses here or in the middle of outback Australia 600 kilometres from the nearest doctor had a pretty darn good idea what could be wrong with you, we still always have to think 'legally I'm not qualified to diagnose 'and act accordingly. Regarding your understandable worry about potential cost, you are NOT a dill or a dumbass. We all, nurses and doctors included, think illness and accidents will never happen to us - it's a normal psychological defence mechanism that allows us to feel safe in the world every day. Regarding the cost, the most helpful info I could find just now is Mr. Rick Steves' article in The Seattle Times, August 1st, 2013 who said: [in Europe] "visit to the emergency room or clinic may be free, or they may charge a fee (usually nominal by our standards; more if a hospital stay or surgery is involved). If there’s a charge, you will likely have to pay out of pocket".
Right now OP, can't stress this strongly enough, please go and see a doctor at hospital closest to you right now. Best wishes and let us all know how you go! We're rooting for you OP! 🙂🦘🐨

Please go to A&E now. You are more important than the money. It really will not cost you an arm and a leg in France and you can sort the subsidised costs out later.

OP I had similar symptoms last year and it was massive blood loss. By the time I went to A&E I was close to collapse and needed three transfusions.

DO NOT BOARD A FLIGHT. As pp have said you need to go to hospital now.

Please go to a and e and worry about the cost later. I had something that sounds very similar a few years ago, although with less pain, I hesitated about going to a and e and almost bled to death when I got there.

Please get seen asap!

Where are you? I hope you feel better soon and get some proper medical advice.

OP, please listen to people and go to A&E now and don’t whatever you do, board a flight.

It really won’t be that extortionate in France, you can come up with a payment plan. Your life is more important than money, they’ll understand. Please get seen and do not take any anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen etc as a PP said. In fact, don’t take anything your husband gets, just get to the hospital now.

Just seeing a dr womt be that much in Europe if you go to the nearest public hospital

Can Someone at home call 111 on your behalf and ask for advice? Personally the black poo would make me want to be checked over by a doctor.

such bad luck, I’m sorry