to ask if this is an OOH job?

[jorahmormont]

Long story short, months of agonising stomach pain. Back and forth to doctors constantly, told they suspect an ulcer. Been taking tablets so now I get say a week pain free followed by a week in agony.
Doctor told me to book a h.pylori blood test. Can't get through to the phlebotomy service, have been trying for 4 weeks now. Just started a new job and in the middle of training so can't take time off anyway.

Yesterday the pain was so bad all day I felt constantly sick, it was right up in my shoulder as well as my stomach, dizzy, unable to focus, everything. Got worse when I got home from work, couldn't regulate my temperature, had a fever and was in so much pain. My stomach has swollen and it feels like there's a solid lump when im standing up, its literally rock solid. Today I feel marginally better but I'm still stuck in bed, temperature is fairly high and I am in pain. My heart is still skipping beats and jumping all over the place.

I don't know if out of hours could do anything for me. DP is adamant I don't need it but the pain has never left me like this before.

WIBU to go to out of hours? They'll be so busy this weekend :(

Are they rushing bloods?

Don't seem to be.

Can hear a little kid screaming down the corridor. I miss my baby :(

I bet you do, but you don't want her there with you. Hopefully it's nothing and you'll be home soon, if not can OH bring her up to see you if they admit you?

She's only little so im not sure theyd let her in if they did admit me. Right now id just like to know whats Happening!

Did you have an xray?

So far had bloods and a wee test and not seen the doctor since!

Glad you are being checked over thoroughly Jorah, I hope you are home soon and feeling much better.

They'll let her visit.

Think I've been forgotten....

Nah, they're off huddling somewhere plotting what to do with you next!

Bloods are clear I think... She said theyre chasing some up.

Bloods take an hour to an hour and a half in most places I've worked. They're possibly waiting for the results before reviewing you again. When you next see someone ask if you're getting an xray. If not there is no harm asking why not. It might be totally appropriate based on their actual assessment rather than my armchair doctoring having not seen you but unless there was a clear explanation for the shoulder pain when they checked you over, or when they examined you your tummy was totally soft and not tender, I'd expect them to arrange this.

Hope you get some answers soon OP.

Ask what they think it might be, and what can explain all your symptoms.

Been sent home with instructions to get to the doctor on Tuesday and request to be sent for endoscopy. They're confident its an ulcer but doesn't seem to have perforated. Was kind of ushered out before I could ask anything else. No UTI showed up today either!!

That doesn't really explain a lot! Hope you get home ok and feel better, don't be afraid to go back if you start feeling dreadful again.

How's the pain? Have you been given anything to alleviate that?

What did they say about the lump?

Bit dissapointing but glad to hear it's nothing acutely serious

She shrugged her shoulders about the lump and said she didn't know.

The temptation to use my savings to go private is overwhelming.

That's not particularly reassuring tbh. Just keep an eye on yourself, I'm not a doctor, I work with a lot of them and nurses, and I can't imagine any medic I know releasing you because they didn't know what was wrong!

They were dead busy.

Would they have done the h pylori test there? The GP told me that would take 2 weeks for results but if they said my bloods are clear does that mean they've ruled it out?

Vivian it's actually not uncommon to discharge people without a definite diagnosis. The purpose of a and e is to make sure there isn't a life or health threatening cause for your symptoms requiring admission and if not to refer you to the gp for further tests. And actually a significant proportion of abdominal patients who have abdominal pain sufficient to need admission leave without a definite diagnosis also. Either because whatever caused the pain recovers before tests can be done or because whatever it is doesn't show up on routine (and sometimes more invasive) tests.

Hope you feel better soon op and make sure you get back to the gp on Tuesday. Or back to a and e if it gets worse before then. If all your blood tests are normal that's reassuring although doesn't rule out everything.

I thought they tested for h pylori by a stool sample or by a breath test not by bloods as bloods weren't a reliable way of testing for it but I might be wrong.

Cross posted. Doubt they did the h pylori test