to go to A+E for a scan?

[ruledbyheart]

Basically been bleeding (menstrally?) for 5 months and I've lost weight and I'm extremly tired, been to the doctors, the doctor I saw put through an URGENT refferal to hospital for an ultrasound as I keep getting sever pain in right ovary and she seemed very concerned and said appointment would be in a few days at most.

Rang the hospital today as I haven't heard anything and the soonest they can fit me in is october 17th, so I phoned doctor to get transferred to another hospital (I was asked which one I preferred in the first place) and she is on holiday until the end of next week so cant do it.

WIBU to go to the hospital complaining of the pain to get a scan done?
I'm very concerned now and I'm worrying myself sick over it?

But it's not really an emergency.

Persistent vaginal bleeding like a period is a problem, but not an emergency and going to A&E won't necessarily achieve anything. Depending on the A&E they may not have the expertise to carry out gynae scanning and assessment - where I used to work we couldn't do any gynae emergency as staff didn't have access to the appropriate scanner or the experience to carry out the assessment. It was all done on the gynae assessment unit by gynaecolocy doctors; patients were referred by their GPs.

I appreciate the OP is fed up, worried, tired (probably anaemic due to the persistent bleeding) and desperate but pitching up in A&E isn't the way to go.

OP - call the surgery back and tell them you need to speak to the GP urgently to expedite your referral, and if they can't do a telephone consultation then you need an appointment and you are prepared to go and sit in the waiting room until they can see you if necessary.

Gwendoline it's not a choice of go to A&E or do nothing - there are a few other options in the middle which are actually more likely to have a productive outcome.

No, not do nothing, just not waste time doing something pointless! I think Sidge's suggestion has been the most sensible so far. Sometimes shouting the loudest gets you what you want, but only if you're shouting at the right people!

They won't scan in A and E no of course not - but they will call the gynae team to assess OP and if they feel necessary they will send her to gynae scan dept.

Also some gynae assessment units have a walk in service where you need to take a letter from GP - could you see if your hosp has one of these and get a letter to take first thing in am. I am spoilt though I work in a big foundation trust teaching hosp and my local hospital although a different trust is the same.

OH goodness!
I really hate to do this!

A gynaecological emergency is any of the following
cervical shock, (you would be horribly unwell if you had this) normally caused by miscarriage or passing blood clots

Ectopic pregnancy, has your gp ruled this out? Normally presents between 6/7 weeks so after 5 months hugely unlikely.
Severe haemorrhage, not constant bleeding for 5 months

Ovarian torsion, presents as an acute episode of unbearable pain

Ruptured ovarian cyst, acute pain and peritonitis (severe pain across the whole abdomen made worse by any movement)

Exacerbation of pelvic inflammatory disease, unlikely with your negative screen for infection.

If you don't have any of these, a+e can not provide good follow up care or investigation for ongoing problems. Sorry, that is just how they work.

So, please. Speak to your Gp today and explain how you are feeling. He has refereed for a scan, but it might be quicker to see a gynae consultant. - they sometimes have one stop clinics where the do your scan and appointment on the day
If your pain becomes too severe to cope or your bleeding gets worse then go to a+e and be prepared to be admitted to gynae.

Otherwise push for a sooner scan and urgent outpatient gynae referral.

Ponstan may help with bleeding and pain too

gluttom, not necessarily. Where I work, the gynae team would not agree to accept an A&E referral on the OP's history. They wouldn't see her. The only way our gynae team would see this lady via A&E is if the GP had called them and asked if they would accept the patient as an emergency referral to be seen in A&E, OR if she presented with emergency symptoms and all the usual investigations had been carried out first by an A&E doc. To me, all roads appear to lead back to the GP, frustrating and worrying though this is for the OP.

A lovely person on MN (I'm useless with names) suggested to me to attend the family planning clinic because my GP is useless I was seen by a superb nurse who referred me to Obs and Gyny, got my scan tomorrow, turnaround time of 10 days.

I have a mirena coil and have awful blood loss resulting in black outs.

Hi OP, sorry, this sounds horribly worrying for you, and quite understand how you can suddenly get to the point where you just can't bear it anymore after coping with something for ages.
Little actual medical knowledge, but more experience than I'd like of dealing with docs/hospitals and my tuppence-worth is to keep pushing at the GPs. I was rushed to a&e with a large haemorrage during pregnancy a few years ago and they weren't able to offer me a scan until the following day (blood pressure is rising just thinking about it five years later, despite a happy outcome), so just wanted to give you a personal experience backing up what the medical people have been saying on here.
Hope you get the answers you need soon

When I was 16 weeks pregnant with DS1 - went to A and E in the middle of then night as had terrible back pain, high temp and feeling dizzy (kidney infection) so nothing related to baby but felt really upset and worried - was admitted to the admissions unit and drifting of to sleep when a dr woke me up -he was standing there with a scanning machine and i wanted to kiss him. Think it just depends on hospital.

Thanks for all your replies as it turns out I cant get to A+E anyway as my friend is too busy.
Guess I'll just have to wait 3 days and see a doctor and follow it up even if it takes another month, fingers crossed it isn't something serious.
Bit pissed off now as I'm in pain and cant do anything about it because no one is able to help me after 5months I have had enough I give up.

I went to a&e with severe unexplained lady pain and was taken to the gynae bit and scanned.

Sorry but I don't think A+E would be the right thing to do. Can you get the GP to chase it up with the consultant's secretary? If the doctor thinks you should have been seen within a few days they could maybe contact the hospital for you. Sadly though this is completely typical for NHS waiting times. An "urgent" referral can still have a waiting time of months in some departments.

Is there any chance you could get to your local sexual health clinic? They may be able to give you an emergency appt if you explain how much pain you're in.

Is it an accident? An emergency? I would badger the Hosp for a cancellation I really would A&E may just refer u to your gp if your no in pain and your observations and bloods are normal so could be a wasted journey all together? Good luck I hope it gets sorted for u but I don't think u will get any where at a&e sorry

Another doc here - I agree with pimso'clock unless pain is newly severe or bleeding heavy today this is not an accident or emergency. It would be appropriate to go back to gp who can chase up the scan, refer to a gynae clinic or to have an emergency gynae same day review if required. To be seen by an a+e junior doc would not be helpful. With this history they would be likely to organise an urgent outpatient scan exactly as the gp would do.

Not a job forA and E I'm afraid. I would get an appointment for today or tomorrow and badger your GP. I appreciate it is incredibly worrying but your GP can, and should, sort this out.

Let us know how you get on.

Ring the doctor's surgery first thing in the morning for emergency appts ime, they won't give them to you in advance that;'s probably why you have to wait 3 days for one.

Ring tomorrow morning at 8.30am and say you need to see a doctor. Good luck.

Going to A+E won't expedite things

Unless it's life threatening, they will "refer you to specialty" ie Gynae or back to your GP

the best way to expedite a scan is through your GP...ask him/her again to order it as an emergency if you have been waiting this long

you poor thing
just another to say badger your GP
xxx

You need to be seen if not for anything else for pain relief.
OOH GP may be a good one for that.... you need to get the pain under control.

YABU, its not an emergency and they won't help you access the service any quicker unless it becomes one. What they will do is send a letter back to your gp asking them to ref you to gynae so all in all a complete waste of everyones time. That said if it develops into an emergency please feel free to go.

I would call my GP back and explain and see what he can do.

Featherbag ? actually, I live in central London and my local A+E has a scanning dept. You are referring to ?your? hospital?s facilities as if this is the case nationwide ? how is that relevant / helpful ?!

OP, do either of the hospitals have an emergency gynae unit?

At A&E they ask you, have you had an accident or is it an emergency? if the answer to both is no, the right place is not A&E