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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To go to A&E with this?

85 replies

dipitydoyou · 28/11/2013 15:06

Sorry if this is long winded but just that really. I know its AIBU and it should be in general health, but more traffic so please go easy on me.

I have been suffering for months with back ache, crippling pain on the right hand side of my abdomen and pelvic pain so sharp it takes my breath away always about two weeks before my period. Have been getting heavier and heavier periods (really large clots etc sorry tmi) and bloating.

Had an internal yesterday in which the lovely GP I saw seems to be pretty certain its Endrometreosis (sp?) and is arranging a scan for me to confirm.

GP commented on how bloated I was and I said I always got bloating just before my period. I woke up today and without exaggeration I look six months pregnant. (I'm definitley not) and I am in so much pain with my pelvis it has physically knocked me off my feet all day sick.

Rang GP who tried to arrange for an emergency scan at gynae this afternoon and couldn't but said they would see me if the problems persisted and I went to A&E. I feel incredibly stupid going with 'period pains' I always think of A&E as being somewhere you go with fallen off limbs and real life and death stuff.

I would feel like I'm wasting someones time but my DM is sat with me in tears insisting I go, my aunt died of Ovarian Cancer this year and she is incredibly worried (and is therefore worrying me)

Would you go?

tia

OP posts:

VioletPlum · 28/11/2013 16:41

I think you should go too. I had an endometrioma on my right ovary and it was agony, to the point that I couldn't leave the house for one week each month. GP dismissed it as IBS - it was the size of an orange by the time I had it removed.

HairyBeaver · 28/11/2013 16:49

I would!!

Last Monday I was rushed into hospital at 4am via ambalance as I had pain like yours but I was screaming in agony (been diagnosed with UTI infection on the Friday before and I was 10 weeks pregnant)

Anyway, after 15 hours on morphine and various scans seems I had a ovarian cyst (10cms big) and my ovary had twisted 8 times so ended up being rushed to theatre and having 3 failed key hole incisions had to be cut open like a C section

Luckily my baby's a fighter and is fine (was warned a chance of miscarriage)

Anyway, I didn't want to go to A&E as thought it was only an infection and I thought they'd be angry at me

Moral of the story is you can never be too careful! Especially with abdominal pain.

Good luck

fluffyraggies · 28/11/2013 16:53

I think you should go. (I hope you've already gone)

To be in intollerable pain, without knowing the cause is an emergency in my opinion. You'll wait your turn like everyone there. Be seen by triage, and be treated. 50% of the other people waiting in there are probably in there for much less urgent reasons. Last time i went to A&E 3 of the 4 folk waiting were there for a stubbed toe, a bee sting and an eyelash in the eye.

LaGuardia · 28/11/2013 16:55

5% of all A&E 'admissions' are people with abdominal pain. Most of them are diagnosed with constipation. First world problem.

HairyBeaver · 28/11/2013 16:55

Should say "have" a cyst. It's still there as they can't remove till I'm 14+ weeks pregnant

Jemma1111 · 28/11/2013 16:58

You won't regret it if you go but you could regret it if you don't

Go to a & e

quietbatperson · 28/11/2013 17:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lotsofcheese · 28/11/2013 17:31

In this situation I'd be asking to speak to the on-call GP in the surgery, or asking OOH for advice (we have NHS 24 in Scotland).

LifeHuh · 28/11/2013 17:32

Yes - all those people saying endometriosis is not an emergency,we do not know OP has endometriosis,neither does she,neither does her GP.So this is severe pain,getting worse,with no diagnosis.

I can't see a GP would try to arrange an emergency scan,and then tell OP A& E would have to see her if the pain persisted if she did not mean "If it keeps on ,go to A&E."

Go to A&E ,OP - this isn't just needing your toenails cut! And while you don't want to go unnecessarily,sometimes you need to be seen - it isn't a waste of doctors time to investigate someone in severe pain who doesn't know why.

Mouthfulofquiz · 28/11/2013 17:35

But I would kind of think that if the pain has been there got weeks, what is making it an emergency now??

Mouthfulofquiz · 28/11/2013 17:35

Sorry, that should read ''FOR weeks'. That makes more sense!

Mouthfulofquiz · 28/11/2013 17:36

Quietbatperson - great name! Love that episode.

But if the doctor was concerned that a two week wait was too long then he or she would have sent the op to hospital straight away. Going to the emergency department isn't the only way to access urgent care.

wishful75 · 28/11/2013 17:39

I would most certainly go. My mum was back and forwards to the GP's for many weeks a few years ago for chest pain and shortness of breath. The GP said it was something she would just have to learn to live with at her age - didn't even take her BP. I took her to A&E as it got to the point she couldn't breath. One look at her and they diagnosed heart failure immediately and 6 weeks in hospital followed. They actually said to us that it was ridiculous that she was at the point she was without any medical intervention.

GP's cock up all the time. With your symptoms, pain and family history don't even think twice. Move your backside down to casualty!

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 28/11/2013 17:41

To those saying endometriosis is not an emergency, please understand that it can be. I have been admitted to hospital (via a&e) three times for emergency surgery due to an endometrial cyst. I lost an ovary and a fallopian tube to endometriosis. Endometriosis can be a medical emergency and can require a&e.

Op, take the advice of your gp and the triage nurse up thread and go to a&e.

BadgersRetreat · 28/11/2013 17:43

I have taken a friend to A&E with same problem - poor girl was in agony. They were quite happy to see her eventually

Pogosticks · 28/11/2013 17:45

Flipping heck hairy beaver that sounds scary! Good luck for recovery and hope the rest of your pregnancy is healthy.

OP I hope you are at A&E now - get well soon.

HicDraconis · 28/11/2013 17:49

If you had a confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis (which you don't) then those suggesting A&E is inappropriate may have a point.

However you don't. You have a high index of suspicion but it can only be diagnosed at laparoscopy (looking inside with a camera). A scan (I'm assuming ultrasound) would help to rule out other causes for your pain which are potentially more serious than endo.

Please go to A&E. You aren't managing with simple analgesia and you do not know what the underlying issue is.

FWiW, even if you did have a confirmed diagnosis of endo, with the level of pain you're describing I would suggest A&E. Endo can lead to other problems which are agonising and require surgery to fix.

I'm an anaesthetist. I would say we have on average one emergency laparoscopy a day to diagnose severe abdo pain. Yes sometimes they're normal, in which case at least we can reassure the patient that nothing serious is going on.

CrohnicallySick · 28/11/2013 17:49

Whoever said 'pick your time', surely if you can pick your time to go it's neither an accident nor an emergency?

For what it's worth, I was admitted into hospital twice via a and e, once on a Friday night, once on a Saturday morning. There was no difference in waiting times. In fact, the Friday night admission was slightly quicker because my local hospital phoned ahead to the city and I was taken straight in there. The Saturday morning I waited at my local first, then had to go and wait again at the city.

Oh, and I was admitted for abdominal pain. It wasn't constipation.

elfycat · 28/11/2013 17:51

Another nurse and another vote for A&E.

It isn't endometriosis, it's suspected endometriosis and therefore could be anything else.

Even if you have diagnosis A it doesn't stop you having B as well. I've known people raced up to theatre (my speciality) with ruptured appendix or ovarian cysts because they put it down to another chronic abdominal condition and didn't get help sooner.

Your GP let you know it was OK for you to go.

QOD · 28/11/2013 18:00

Ring out of hours Dr as they're often based at or next to a and e?

COCKadoodledooo · 28/11/2013 18:03

Have you gone yet op? If your GP's advice was to do that, then that is what you should do.

I went to A&E (GP's advice) when I had a miscarriage last year. Many would say that was neither an accident or an emergency, but had I stayed at home I more than likely wouldn't be here now.

I hope you're in less pain and get a diagnosis soon op.

HairyBeaver · 28/11/2013 18:14

Thank you pogosticks! Yes it was a bit scary but I'm on the mend now and luckily have a fantastic Fiancé who hasn't let me off the sofa since

Looking forward to my 12 week scan on Tuesday for extra reassurance

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 28/11/2013 18:25

Get it checked at A&E.

The pain of endo can be awful and over the counter medication won't touch it. But you don't actually know that the cause of the pain is endo at the moment and so you could be ignoring something much more acute.

FlankShaftMcWap · 28/11/2013 18:33

I'm confused about why many people have posted saying abdominal pain isn't an emergency. Surely the emergency is rapid abdominal swelling to the point that OP looks 6 months pregnant? In conjunction with the long standing pain I'd say it's a pretty clear emergency actually, and the GP clearly thought so too.

Hope you have been checked over now OP.

Original poster

dipitydoyou · 28/11/2013 18:33

Hi all!

Thanks so much for all the replies and advice. Just got back now!

DH came back with the pg test which I did (I'm not pg) after having a sharp pain so bad I nearly fell off the loo mid wee I rang my GP back with the pg result and she said to go to A&E so I did.

Its not too far and was pretty quiet luckily, I saw a nurse first who was lovely because I kept saying "I probably shouldn't be here" and she said if your in pain yes you should. Which made me feel better about going.

When I saw a doc he basically said because the pain has a pattern ie always mid cycle over the past few months it was most certainly Gyanelogical (sp) and I would need a scan which they couldn't do without admitting me and although I was in pain he didn't think it was acute enough to be admitted. My BP seemed fine.

He said Endrometreosis sounded like a reasonable explanation for the pain but again with a laparoscopy? they won't know for sure. He gave me a perscription for better painkillers and said if they pain worsens overnight to go straight back.

I'm a bit I haven't found out what it is, I think in my head I imagined going them doing a scan and then ta-dah! A diagnosis. But I am also glad it's been checked and they don't think it's nothing serious - I hope, the scan will tell me more I guess. Rang my GP on my way back who is going to ring me tomorrow and try and get me a scan asap.

Going to go to bed now with some strong painkillers. I'm glad I went and will go back if it gets worse.

Thanks again for everyones advice

OP posts:

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