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 :(

Well i was told "read the thread!" (I think ! means shouting?), that I was "arguing" (God knows what) & snapped at with 'Why the hell did I spend yrs at medical school' as though I was outrageous to ask any questions.

lesson to self, don't bother with MN

ljkk I really appreciate all the comments on the thread, and trust me yesterday I was wondering what a&e could do for me that nurse.practitioner couldn't too so I understand whwhere youre coming from, it was the fact that she didn't mention the lump that made me want to come in and get double checked.

ljkk this isn't the time or place to be debating role of A&E in medical care.

Jorah you said you'd described your pain as a 5 but if you are honeset it's a 7 or 8. Please please be honest when you are seen. It will help them greatly to know exactly what and how you are feeling.

I'm not a medic but if you have a hard lump in your stomach along with all the other signs, i'm certain that any good GP would have sent you packing to A&E for further investigation. And actual GPs, surgeons on here say this is what needs doing. You have done exactly the right thing with the symptoms you have. Do NOT for one second feel guilty, bad, a time waster or downplay the severity of things. Good luck.

You're definitely in the right place Jorah.

If it were down to some of us on MN, without the lovely HCPs who posted, you'd have been diagnosed with an alien, and told to throw yourself into a vat of molten lead before it spawned (Ok, I never pretended to be a doctor) so really I think their suggestion of A&E is a better idea

Alien feels like a pretty accurate diagnosis at the momen!! :( better prepare everyone in the waiting room for some John Hurt-esque dramatics.

Fingers crossed it's nothing sinister and you get called through soon.
In the meantime enjoy a bit of people watching, sorry you're on your own. You're a lot braver than I am, I don't think I could stick at a&e on my own.

You poor love. it is v boring sitting in a waiting area. I have everything crossed that you are seen before long.

I've very relieved you're there, but I do wish you'd not downplayed the pain, because that will affect how long you'll have to wait. You may have been seen by now if you'd been honest and said the pain is 8.

Pyjama lot gave up and went home. Everyone else seems surprisingly calm and normal and I've finally cooled down a little bit.

So pleased you have gone - hope you get seen soon x

Let us know how you get on, I'm glad you went to A&E, I was worried!

This is getting worse :(

So pleased you are there, jorah, but please please do not minimise your symptoms - HCPs can only go by what you tell them.

Also have to stick up for triage nurses here - some individuals can be arsey and/or not very good at their job, as can some doctors, surgeons, plumbers, teachers, any professional group, in fact, but it's not a prerequisite for the job!

If there is a long wait and you are in a lot of pain and sweating, I think you should let someone know.

What is getting worse? Your pain or the people in A & E? If you feel worse tell someone.

Think they're seeing everyone in minors... I hate minors, I only ever hear them tell people theyre overreacting :(

If it's getting worse, don't be afraid to tell someone that. They made an assessment on where they put you in the list based on what the triage nurse saw when you came in. They may need to change that but they won't know unless you tell somebody.

Just tell them what you want them to do. Tell them you are concerned about a perforated ulcer, you would like a chest x ray to rule this out, an amylase blood test to rule out gastritis and also what on earth is the lump, if they can take a look please.

They should be able to get you one of those at least. I would probably make it clear I wasn't going home unless this had been done tbh.

Use the higher numbers!

I also find I'm so eager for nothing to be wrong that I jump on anything an HCP says suggesting its nothing, and agree. Please try to avoid this too!

Put away your embarassment and reticence (I know it's hard!) and make a fuss of yourself until they properly check you out.

And if there is nothing a doctor can offer that a nurse can't, then why the hell did I spend 5 years at medical school?

This. What wildfire said. With bells on.

Lljkk given that 2 surgeons, a gp, and numerous other health care professionals on this thread have advised the op to go to a and e, and no medically trained posters have told her she shouldn't bother, I'm not entirely sure what you're trying to achieve by arguing against that . That's not me being arsey, although I'm aware it reads that way. I presume you are not medically trained as you'd almost certainly have mentioned that, so your sense of self belief that you know better than all of us who are is quite frankly astonishing.

Of course if she turns out to have a uti and gastritis you can feel smug that you were right and we all know nothing . In fact, that won't change the fact that her symptoms were concerning and we were still right that she needed to get checked out!

Op I'm relieved you are in a and e and I hope you don't have to long to wait.

Many cross posts... Op if you're feeling worse definitely tell them.

(psippsina amylase doesn't rule out gastritis, it is for pancreatitis)

Tell them exactly how painful. Dont let them brush you off.

Oh God sorry that was a massive mistake. I can't believe I put gastritis! So sorry.

Jorah, what she said, not what I said - I must be half asleep.

Nosy woman come in and started asking everyone whats wrong with them.

Would it be wrong of me to bring out the Alien chest-bursting monster excuse?

No in fact I think you have no choice. And please record her response.

I find that vomiting in the waiting area has a spectacularly positive effect on reducing one's waiting time, if you can manage that? Or just a little retch?

If you can vomit on nosy woman, so much the better.