My dad is ill and I don’t know what to do

[SadGirlAutumn]

I live in Scotland for work and my parents live in Cornwall.

Two weeks ago my dad had a bit of an upset stomach. My mum brushed it off as nothing serious and bought him some Immodium. After 3 or 4 days, I called her to check how he was, he was still poorly so I asked if she'd rung the doctors. She said no.

About a week in, I said again, she should ring the doctors. Immodium was doing nothing. She said no, again, that it would work itself out.

After 10 days, she called the doctors who said he should have flat coke, some Immodium and it'll go away. He has done some tests at the doctors and they've basically shrugged, said it's not E-Coli. and to keep doing what he's doing. They said if it's anything, it's gastroenteritis but that makes 0 sense as my mum hasn't caught it.

It didn't so I came home last night to try and help out.

My dad hasn't eaten in 2 weeks. He's lost 40 pounds. Water makes him sick. He is going to the toilet at least 10 times an hour. The doctors don't want anything to do with him. He's being sick, nothing is coming up anymore because his system is totally empty. He can barely keep his eyes open. 111 has sent a doctor but it's "low priority" and they don't know what time they'll be here. He won't get in the car to go to hospital and between me and my mum we can't get him down, 111 said not to call 999 as he's already in the system.

I'm only 25. I'm so scared. I don’t know what I can do. He can't keep anything down and nobody wants to help us.

Just take him to an and e.

This.

No one can tell you not to ring 999. This is an emergency for you.

Low BP & dehydration combined is honestly horrible, it's so easily solved through fluids but makes them so unwell, it's terrifying

I've been following this thread and I'm pleased your dad is doing better.

Fwiw those suggesting that the title was inappropriate and exaggerating, my son (who was 2 at the time) had a cold/flu thing and vomiting, we could only get sips of water in him which then soon turned into literally non stop vomiting, and the outputs fast outweighed what was going in. Within one night he went from being angry at me for trying to get him to drink to unresponsive and unable to open his eyes. We took him to a&e (and waited, and waited) and he was kept in on a drip. The drip reversed him so, so quickly, although he was on strong antibiotics for a while after. Dehydration is no joke and presents some really scary symptoms. I thought my son was dying, it was terrifying. The nurses criticised me for not acting faster. I could not have acted faster!! Some people go down very quickly. And to criticise people when they're clearly very scared is uncalled for.

Wishing you and your family the very best OP. I hope you get answers.

The scary thing is he was on the rehydration sachets, they're supposed to prevent anything and he was so unwell, but within about 2 hours of being on this drip he's apparently back to himself, still poorly but a lot better. Obviously they have something magic in them, it's crazy how easily it's solved

I think drips are way more effective as they are going right in to where it's needed as opposed to waiting for absorption, which is outweighed by vomiting/diarrhea though? I'm not sure. I'm no doctor obviously!! I'm so pleased he's doing better. Such a scary thing to go through.

The magic bit is that they go straight into the body and not through the digestive system so they can't be passed out again.

Yeah I think it's something like this, also it's not going through his stomach and disturbing it. He's also had a solid stretch of sleep and stopped gagging/trying to vomit, which has helped a lot by the sounds of it!

So sorry to hear of this, my dh was very unwell but fortunately 111 in my area was excellent. First responders in 5 minutes, ambulance in 25 minutes. A&E admission - that took a long time with dh in ambulance for an hour plus.
Hope your dad is ok 💐

Eventually, but only after the doctor saw him (the doctor that was begrudgingly sent out as "low priority"), and not before making them feel like timewasters. Imagine if they'd listened!

I am frontline ED this is absolutely not true.

So not negligent then? Do you have any idea how many time wasters call 111? Do you have any appreciation of what would happen if an ambulance was sent out each time?

Obviously my dh was lucky!
However 2 weeks in AICU wasn’t the easiest scenario I’ve dealt with….

Very insensitive thread title, OP.

Very pointless comment.
The OP is worried about her father’s health and you are quibbling about her thread title. OK??

No it’s not.
At the time of writing her dad was extremely dehydrated and very ill.
She was also distraught that neither the GP nor 111 were taking her dad’s condition seriously.
Thanks to the great advice on here she advocated for her dad and he’s now getting the treatment he needs.
Correcting the dehydration is treating the symptom but the underlying cause has yet to be established.
Give the poor woman a break.

It does sound like gastroenteritis, leading to severe dehydration. Hence the rapid recovery when IV fluids rather than oral.

I had it as a child and remember it very well. Constant throwing up until only bile coming up several times, unable to keep even a sip of water down.

I remember the Doctor did come out to the house at night, but can't remember the medication if any. I don't think it went on for more than a couple of days though at the worst part (throwing up bile).

I can still remember how bitter it was and shuddering as I threw it up.

He's been told it's viral, I think it must have just taken hold and it's got him good with the dehydration now, fluids in and he's back to his normal self!

They're going to keep him in, on drips and keep checking his bloods, and he won't be discharged until they're totally happy with them.

Good thing is he's going to essentially have a full MOT when he's in there, which is reassuring

Excellent news OP, you must be very relieved

Pleased to hear you're getting somewhere OP. Please remember to look after yourself and your mum. This sort of stuff is incredibly wearing. Treat yourself to little things to keep yourselves going.

Op I’m glad your dad is doing so well. As someone who as also lost two parents to illness however I also found your choice of language and esp thread title to be quite distressing given that you quickly then went on to say how he was joking with staff etc.

perhaps you could ask mn to change the title or add a tw… and I’m not easily upset.

still not entirely happy with the "it's viral" line, as it does feel like that is trotted out to say "no antibiotics", but knowing he'll be having more tests is reassuring

As i've said, I made this thread when he was very unwell and i was very scared - the fluids perked him up but he was very, very poorly. like i said i didn't mean to upset anyone and the thread can be hidden if it's upsetting you

You need to change the thread title.