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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be angry with this Dr in A&E??

86 replies

whenskiesaregrey · 14/11/2011 19:33

I am currently 5-6 weeks pregnant. Yesterday I started getting some pain down my right side, predominantly just below my right rib. I was a bit worried but tried not to let it bother me too much. I had a mmc in August, and don't know if I am just reading into things too much.

Today, at about 11am, I started getting sharp pains in my right shoulder. I was in work at the time about 150 miles from home, and wasn't sure what to do. So I rang NHS Direct, who weren't that helpful to be honest. I remember from when I was miscarrying (there was a period of about 7 days where no-one was sure whether I was miscarrying or the pregnancy was ectopic) the midwife told me, if I ever had any shoulder pain to admit myself to hospital straight away. Having googled this, I know that it can be a sign of some internal bleeding, or irritation. I was worried that I was so far away from home, with a 2 hour journey at least. I also have my 2 year old DS with me, who was being minded by my dad at the time. There is an A&E about 5 miles from where I was working, so after about an hour I decided to go along.

After waiting for about an hour and a half in A&E, a Dr took my blood pressure and pulse, and then walked off. The Dr then came back in and asked what the problem was, so I explained. He then walked off again. 20 minutes later a nurse came in and requested a urine sample. I asked the nurse would it be better if I left my bladder full incase they were going to scan me, and she said 'we won't scan you here love, we don't do gynae stuff'. I was then told to go back to the waiting area. At this point I was wondering what I was actually waiting for if they wouldn't scan me, or they didn't do 'gynae stuff'' I waited for another 45 mins, and another Dr then shouted me in and asked what the problem was, so I explained again. He asked me if I had injured my shoulder, and if I had full range of movement etc, which I do. He then paused and asked 'so, what is it you are here for'. So I said that I was concerned about the possibility of the pregnancy being ectopic and that I had previously been told to look out for shoulder pain. He chuckled and said if I wasn't being sick or bleeding (which I'm not) it won't be ectopic. He said he had never heard of shoulder pain as a symptom of an ectopic pregnancy. I said it was a midwife that had told me about it previously, so he said 'I'll ask if anyone else has ever heard of it'. He then stood on the other side of the curtain and shouting around the assessment area 'has anyone ever heard of shoulder pain being a symptom of an ectopic pregnancy?' to which I heard a few replied of no. He then returned to the cubicle, shrugged his shoulders, laughed and said 'you must have misunderstood what you read, this isn't ectopic'. At which point I picked my coat up and walked out.

AIBU to be upset at his attitude? And AIBU to go to A&E with shoulder pain at 6 weeks pregnant? Is he right and have I misunderstood? I was so annoyed when I left; I felt like he spoke to me like a child. I explained to him I had had a miscarriage in August, but he still treated me like a silly little girl. Am I just being hormonal?

Sorry for such a ramble, I just wanted to include as much detail as possible.

OP posts:
MrsJamesMartin · 14/11/2011 19:36

Shoulder tip pain is a sign of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, you are right.

He was being an arse and you YANBU

3littlefrogs · 14/11/2011 19:37

He was extremely rude and unprofessional.

The type of shoulder pain that indicates abdominal bleeding is very specific shoulder tip pain. Any doctor should have known this, and even if the pain you had was not typical, his behaviour was appalling.

I am sorry you experienced that, and I hope you are feeling better.

TheMonster · 14/11/2011 19:37

I would have been upset at him shouting out like that.

whenskiesaregrey · 14/11/2011 19:38

I am still having the pain now, 8 hours later. Would something more serious have happened by now, or do I still need to be worried.

I rang my husband crying on the phone, fuming. I'm glad that it seems like I wasn't over-reacting.

OP posts:
Shakey1500 · 14/11/2011 19:38

Yanbu, it is indeed a symptom. Are you home now?

shaz298 · 14/11/2011 19:39

Yes you are right to be angy. I just googled and found this www.patient.co.uk/health/Ectopic-Pregnancy.htm. Seems the info you had was right.

How are you now? x

Combinearvester · 14/11/2011 19:40

He shouldn't have shouted round and then laughed at you. Shoulder tip pain is a symptom of ectopic pregnancy but there is usually accompanying abdominal pain and often bleeding.

By the time my friend who had an ectopic pregnancy got shoulder tip pain she had been in (abdominal) pain and bleeding for some time and the tube had ruptured.

You will understandably be more anxious following your previous miscarriage and would be better off not googling isolated symptoms but ringing midwife if you have one. The baby charity Tommies used to have an 'ask a midwife' helpline if you don't yet have a midwife's number to call.

Having said all that the doctor sounds like a big idiot and he definitely shouldn't have laughed at you.

How are you feeling now?

hiddenhome · 14/11/2011 19:40

You should make a formal complaint.

If this so called 'doctor' is supposed to be qualified and caring for sick people then he should at least have some knowledge of basic gynae/obstetric problems Hmm

Northernlurker · 14/11/2011 19:41

This is awful You were right to go to hospital and you are right about the pain. I would be tempted to go to another A&E tonight, give your symptoms and ask them to rule out ectopic. If they give you any flannel ask them to bleep gynae on call and then ask gynae if they can categorically rule out ectopic just by looking at you?

squeakytoy · 14/11/2011 19:41

I am not a doctor, even I know that one of the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy is shoulder pain. YANBU and I hope you are feeling ok now too.

susiedaisy · 14/11/2011 19:42

Right shoulder tip pain is indeed a sign of an ectopic pregnancy usually accompanied by ither symptons such as lower abdo pain and raised pulse, and sometimes pain down the right leg it was very poor of the doctor not to know this,Hmm we frequently have women blue lighted into gynae from a&e with those symptoms however one symptom on it's own doesn't immediately shout ectopic. Hope you feel betterSmile

whenskiesaregrey · 14/11/2011 19:43

Thank you everyone, that makes me feel a lot less irrational. The problem I have is that I am aware I am going to over analyse things at the moment, so I genuinely didn't know if I was overreacting. I am the world's worst at self-diagnosis!

I am home now. I was that tense on the drive home that I ache now. Do I still need to be worried?

OP posts:
piprabbit · 14/11/2011 19:43

My ectopic was painless and the only symptom was very slight spotting.

Unless that Dr brushes up on his training he is going to send someone very seriously poorly home.

hiddenhome · 14/11/2011 19:44

Are you sure he was actually a doctor? Perhaps they're allowing portering staff to conduct initial consultations Hmm The state of the NHS these days, I wouldn't be surprised.

Are they doing basic NVQs in medicine now? Grin

RomanKindle · 14/11/2011 19:45

I had shoulder tip pain and abdominal pain at the beginning of my pregnancy with ds. I took myself to a and e too as I've had a previous ectopic pregnancy and wasn't taking any risks. The pain turned out to be from a water infection.
I think shoulder pain is a late symptom but the doctor had no right to humiliate you like that. I would complain.

hiddenhome · 14/11/2011 19:45

Can you see your GP first thing tomorrow?

ggirl · 14/11/2011 19:47

Hid attitude towards you was very unprofessional despite his lack of acknowledgment of the shoulder pain significance.

ExquisiteCake · 14/11/2011 19:48

He was being an arse.

By the by, at 5 weeks they'll internally scan you anyway, and you need an empty bladder for this.

susiedaisy · 14/11/2011 19:48

Yes your right roman the shoulder tip pain is a later symptom of an ectopic, lots of ectopics are only detected by the women having a very early dating scan

Combinearvester · 14/11/2011 19:48

Whenskiesaregrey it is not be possible for anyone on the internet to tell you whether or not you are having an ectopic pregnancy; shoulder tip pain usually occurs when the tube had already ruptured; from what I understand from my friend's case usually you would not be well enough to drive as you would be feeling really faint / sick / dizzy / racing pulse and in considerable abdominal pain by the time this occurs.

From what you have posted it seems your symptoms have not worsened. However I would be extremely reluctant to say 'you are not having an ectopic pregnancy' and so should anyone else who is not a medical professional examining you.

Why not call your out of hours GP if you are still concerned.

hiddenhome · 14/11/2011 19:49

The entire set up sounds unprofessional Hmm

You really should complain. They're not there to treat people like fools.

Get yourself checked out tomorrow morning, unless you feel you're becoming worse, in which case, return to A&E and insist on seeing someone qualified sensible.

Towndon · 14/11/2011 19:49

YANBU. You should have had your symptoms assessed both seriously and confidentially.

susiedaisy · 14/11/2011 19:49

OP can you call into an early preg clinic in the morning for reassurance?

whenskiesaregrey · 14/11/2011 19:50

Hidden he introduced himself as a Dr.

I can go along to the GP in the morning. Am I right in thinking that if the shoulder pain is caused by bleeding then tomorrow would be too late? I have had the pain since 11am this morning, would I have been quite ill by now if it was as a result of bleeding?

OP posts:
whenskiesaregrey · 14/11/2011 19:54

Symptoms haven't worsened, so will go along to the GP tomorrow. I was due to go in and have my bloods taken for hcg levels anyway, so will make an appointment too.

Thank you all.

OP posts:
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