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Original poster

Anyone around... scared

786 replies

DarkSuitsSadSongs · 07/08/2025 22:46

I'm home alone with my 12 year old twins as my husband is working away and not due back until tomorrow evening. He's about 6 hours away.

Over the last few days I've had a painful boil under my boob. I saw the GP today as it doubled in size overnight. There is a red circle around it. She prescribed doxycycline (2 a day) and said to phone back if it gets worse.

I've been getting more and more unwell. My left arm has started tingling, I'm sweating with cold hands and feet, the pain is indescribable and I'm exhausted. I slept for 6 hours this afternoon and I'm still utterly exhausted and all my joints hurt.

I've had to phone my father in law who is an hour away to come through to sit with the twins. I'm on hold to 111 but a 45 minute wait to call answer as a minimum they said.

I'm not sure whether just to call a taxi when FIL gets here to go straight to accident and emergency.

I'm a little freaked out at how unwell I feel.

OP posts:
Original poster
DarkSuitsSadSongs · 08/08/2025 08:25

A Dr just came to see me. My bloods indicate an infection but he agrees with the A&E doctors assessment that sepsis is unlikely. However the abscess needs to be drained. I'm type 2 diabetic and on mounjaro so he is concerned that the absorption of the oral antibiotics could be slowed so he's keen it's just surgically drained as quickly as possible.

There's a bit of a debate on how I get transferred. Normally they use ambulances but that's a massive wait (around 6 hours) so my friend has agreed to drive me so father in law doesn't need to drag the kids out. The Dr has gone off to ponder whether he's happy to discharge me to make my own way there.

He was funny and said I had an honest face so probably would turn up at the bigger hospital but he needs to be comfortable discharging me with an active infection.

OP posts:
Jorgua · 08/08/2025 08:26

taxidriver · 08/08/2025 08:09

i wouldnt waste your energy complaining op, keep positive

People don't complain to be dicks, they do it for the benefit of the next person. It can be a positive thing if it's seen that way.

27TimesAway · 08/08/2025 08:32

I am so so pleased you are being seen and will be treated OP. Thanks

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Jackooo · 08/08/2025 08:32

Why don't they use taxi s to transfer you in that case.
Is the journey far?

Lennonjingles · 08/08/2025 08:32

Glad you are being seen. I had an abscess was sent to A&E by the walk in centre. I had it drained and packed under local anesthetic, the person that did it asked if I minded some students come and watch as it’s very important that they get some hands on experience, so in that respect I’m glad I went, it was definitely a needed visit to A&E.

Original poster
DarkSuitsSadSongs · 08/08/2025 08:33

I'm in Scotland so I don't think we have PALS here.

I told the A&E Dr last night and he said I was right to stay. My observations were in the bounds of being just short of normal (temp 37.8, HR 80 something) but cellulitis is an evil beast that can turn very quickly so it always needs to be monitored closely.

OP posts:
ReadingSoManyThreads · 08/08/2025 08:35

A triage nurse tried to send my husband home after I'd spent 9 days begging him to let me take him to A&E. I just KNEW he had a fracture. Eventually, he gave in, and asked me to take him. I wasn't allowed in because of covid, but when I dropped him off, I calmly but firmly told him to not leave without an X-ray.

Triage nurse told him it couldn't possibly be fractured because he wasn't "screaming out in pain". He politely said, "I don't mean to tell you how to do your job, but my wife told me I'm not to leave without an X-ray". She wasn't happy but arranged it.

My DH hadn't even left the X-ray room when several doctors rushed in, they were all amazed how he wasn't in agony as he had multiple severe fractures. He needed to get into surgery ASAP.

I'm not one for "I told you so's", but I'd love to have been there and seen that bloody nurse.

OP, I'm so glad reading this thread this morning that you went to A&E and STAYED. Well done and I really hope you start to get better ASAP xx

NorthLion · 08/08/2025 08:36

well done for staying and sticking with it. You must be so tired. Look after yourself xx

Original poster
DarkSuitsSadSongs · 08/08/2025 08:42

I managed to have another look at it in the toilet and it's so gross.

All of the underneath of my breast is a reddish purple. My whole breast hurts. So if I touch the top it hurts as well. The lump is huge with no sign of a head on it.

It's a constant throbbing and burning pain bit every now and again I get a shooting pain that feels like a shock through it.

Sadly I'm a 34G so the weight of that pushing down is just horrendous. The ward nurses are trying to see if they can dress it in a way that lifts it up off the skin of my upper tummy

OP posts:
MrsPerfect12 · 08/08/2025 08:47

I’m glad you’ve been taken in.
That sounds so painful. Hopefully you can be drained today and feel the relief. Good luck

ChersHandbag · 08/08/2025 08:49

I’ve had one of those OP. The relief when they drain it is indescribable.

LakieLady · 08/08/2025 08:50

Thank goodness you went, OP. It sounds horrendous and it was clear from your posts how unwell you were feeling.

And I really agree with this;

..."tell the doctor how the triage nurse assessed you as low priority, said it looked like a boil not an abcess, the antibiotics needed more time to work and advised you were likely to wait 4 hours and that while you're welcome to wait, in your position she'd leave and seek a GP appointment."

It's important that staff know when they've fucked up, so that they're more likely to take something like this more seriously in future. They need to learn that infections are not to be taken lightly.

hopspot · 08/08/2025 08:54

LakieLady · 08/08/2025 08:50

Thank goodness you went, OP. It sounds horrendous and it was clear from your posts how unwell you were feeling.

And I really agree with this;

..."tell the doctor how the triage nurse assessed you as low priority, said it looked like a boil not an abcess, the antibiotics needed more time to work and advised you were likely to wait 4 hours and that while you're welcome to wait, in your position she'd leave and seek a GP appointment."

It's important that staff know when they've fucked up, so that they're more likely to take something like this more seriously in future. They need to learn that infections are not to be taken lightly.

This is a great post.

Lifealwaysgetsbetter · 08/08/2025 08:57

DarkSuitsSadSongs · 08/08/2025 08:42

I managed to have another look at it in the toilet and it's so gross.

All of the underneath of my breast is a reddish purple. My whole breast hurts. So if I touch the top it hurts as well. The lump is huge with no sign of a head on it.

It's a constant throbbing and burning pain bit every now and again I get a shooting pain that feels like a shock through it.

Sadly I'm a 34G so the weight of that pushing down is just horrendous. The ward nurses are trying to see if they can dress it in a way that lifts it up off the skin of my upper tummy

Ouch… I knew someone who had a skin infection that turned v nasty and ended up needing stones of flesh removed. He was morbidly obese but the amount of flesh needing removed was unreal… you did the right thing going to hospital but always go to a decent sized one even if not as local. I’ve had sepsis a few times and I didn’t actually feel that unwell at first but as you say it can change v quickly. I’m glad you’re in hospital now. But next time (hopefully not), do call 999 as even waiting 45 mins for an ambulance means you aren’t hours in the waiting room. I took my husband with kidney stones and assumed he’d be taken straight in.. nope. Rolling around the waiting room and only the receptionist watching - and not reacting in the slightest. When asking for some help, they just replied “we are busy”… I now doubt if someone collapsed, that that would change things…. So now on its 999 or go to a large hospital if it’s hours for an ambulance!

Picklechicken · 08/08/2025 08:58

LakieLady · 08/08/2025 08:50

Thank goodness you went, OP. It sounds horrendous and it was clear from your posts how unwell you were feeling.

And I really agree with this;

..."tell the doctor how the triage nurse assessed you as low priority, said it looked like a boil not an abcess, the antibiotics needed more time to work and advised you were likely to wait 4 hours and that while you're welcome to wait, in your position she'd leave and seek a GP appointment."

It's important that staff know when they've fucked up, so that they're more likely to take something like this more seriously in future. They need to learn that infections are not to be taken lightly.

Absolutely this.

LakieLady · 08/08/2025 09:03

Jorgua · 08/08/2025 08:26

People don't complain to be dicks, they do it for the benefit of the next person. It can be a positive thing if it's seen that way.

Show quote history

Yes, it's often by raising issues like this that failures in practice can be addressed.

Victoriouslyvictorious · 08/08/2025 09:10

You poor thing, that all sounds horrible. I’m so glad you stayed and were admitted. I really hope you get better soon. 💐

taxidriver · 08/08/2025 09:12

but maybe if the op had gone to GP the GP may have referred her straight to the large hospital
which is where she needs to be
i had an abscess and this is what the GP did for me, they have the ability

L0bstersLass · 08/08/2025 09:12

Well done you for staying @DarkSuitsSadSongs! It must have been so tempting to go home to your own bed.
I hope that both the resolution and recovery are swift and pain-free.

ReadingSoManyThreads · 08/08/2025 09:20

@DarkSuitsSadSongs you should ask them to get your a stretcher or bed so that you can lay on your back to keep your breast off it. Sitting up will be the worst for it.

LauraKiora83 · 08/08/2025 09:21

Just seen this thread and am very keen to hear how you’re doing OP - really hope you were seen promptly and got some meds. Do let us know if it was in fact sepsis - I wasn’t aware of the symptoms so it’d be good to know what to look out for. Wishing you better.

Yetmorewifework · 08/08/2025 09:22

Well done for staying put, you clearly needed to, given you got admitted. We do have PALS in Scotland, also the different hospital boards have feedback that you can do online. The nurse who triaged you needs to know that they triaged incorrectly. Lessons learned etc.
Hope you're feeling better soon.

Original poster
DarkSuitsSadSongs · 08/08/2025 09:25

taxidriver · 08/08/2025 09:12

but maybe if the op had gone to GP the GP may have referred her straight to the large hospital
which is where she needs to be
i had an abscess and this is what the GP did for me, they have the ability

Edited

They probably would have.

By the time I became more unwell the GP was closed last night. The bigger hospital is 45 minutes away so in hindsight I probably could have gotten a taxi there last night.

The pain was just building ajd building last night and all I had in the house was paracetamol and ibuprofen. I can't take ibuprofen as I suffer rashes with it. The paracetamol wasn't touching it.

Surgery was far from my mind last night as the GP I saw yesterday afternoon said the antibiotics would take 2 days to work. I just wanted to rule out sepsis and relieve the pain a little.

OP posts:
Ophy83 · 08/08/2025 09:30

DarkSuitsSadSongs · 08/08/2025 08:33

I'm in Scotland so I don't think we have PALS here.

I told the A&E Dr last night and he said I was right to stay. My observations were in the bounds of being just short of normal (temp 37.8, HR 80 something) but cellulitis is an evil beast that can turn very quickly so it always needs to be monitored closely.

Your PALS equivalent is PASS (Patient Advice and Support Service)

I think I probably would complain about the triage nurse just to highlight the issue for future patient safety - from the timing of your posts, the information she gave you re waiting times was wrong and you must have been pretty unwell to be admitted. It worked out fine in your case as you ignored her, but someone else might have gone home.

HopingForTheBest25 · 08/08/2025 09:32

If you take yourself to the hospital, will you be admitted straight to the ward you need to be in for an immediate treatment or will you be bounced back to A&E at the new hospital? This would affect whether I took myself or had the smaller hospital make the transfer.