Would I be unreasonable to go to a&e?

[flanjabelle]

If I would, please please don't flame me as I am laying here in tears because I don't know how to cope anymore.

I have lower lumbar pain that has been becoming more and more severe over the last year. I have received appalling care including fuck ups meaning I have been discharged from physio accidentally, putting me back at the start of the process, only to be told physio won't help me anyway (after waiting for another referral and seeing them again). The gp fobbed me off for months before finally ordering an x ray and blood tests to look for rheumatoid arthritis and any other auto immune diseases that would be attacking the spinal area. I am waiting on the results.

Back to now. I have barely slept for two weeks due to the pain. I am on co-codamol 30/500 and gabapentin which do not take my pain away. I wake more than 20 times through the night, cannot get comfortable in any position. I am in constant pain through the day and am at the point of breaking down. I have a 2 year old. How the fuck am I supposed to parent like this?

My gp has fucked up again. He has told me that they have exhausted their options so I need to go to the pain management clinic, but then forgot to order the referral. I have asked again and again and today they have admitted that it was only just sent through.

I am at breaking point. I can't get out of pain. I can't sleep. I can't parent a toddler. It feels like someone is squeezing my spine with a vice. I don't know what to do.

If iabu to go to a and e, what am I supposed to do? I have coped and coped and I can't cope any more.

Sorry im trying to calm down and read everything but I'm missing bits. There is no other care centre. It is a&e, or out of hours gp, that's it here.

The pain in my hip and leg is awful and it's making me feel sick.

Unbelievably the gp I am seeing is the best one there. It's a terrible surgery and I have been trying to work out where to move to.

You poor thing.

FIRST:
You mentioned a DP and your mum. Can you call one of them and ask them to drop whatever they are doing and come and look after the toddler? (If you were my DP or DD I would do this, it is what mums and partners are for.)

NEXT:
Call 111. Tell them this and see what they say. It won't matter if you cry down the phone. But you need to keep asking for HELP.

My sister had this, and went to osteopath for a long time before she found she had an Ovarian Cyst the size of a grapefruit near her hip(which really was never going to be cured by pain relief or an osteopath/physio). Ask for a scan to check.

I haven't got any advice but didn't want to read and run. You poor thing. You've been so let down by the "services". I don't think A&E will be able to do much for you but I do understand how you may need to throw a massive wobbly to make anyone whose job it is to actually pay attention.

May I suggest you start with a strongly-worded letter of complaint to your GP's Practice Manager, detailing the continual fuck-ups.

Have you been given stronger anti inflammatory medication like naproxen? Your GP sounds rubbish. I am off work with low back pain and spasms. Mine is sacroiliac joint problems that started when I was pregnant years ago and flares up every so often. It kicked off horrible back spasms that needed diazepam to stop.
The NSAID do help. Volterol gel might help a bit too and can be bought over the counter.
Serious point - if you start to notice issues with continence either can go or can't hold on or notice numbness or altered sensations in your legs then do go straight to A&E as it can mean key nerves are being compressed.
Is there another GP you can see?

I have recent experiene of sciatica ( herniated disc causing nerve damage)

I had naproxen, zapain and diazapam for first week - I don't think you have got the right combo - but be careful as if it knocks you out and you have 2 yr old = problem.

I paid to see an osteopath - they don't need a gp diagnosis to work on you - they do a diagnosis themselves and they work on the basis of doing no damage so first appt is lots of exploratory stuff and then stuff to ease the pain & spasms gradually correcting over time. physio wouldn't be alot different to be honest. It does take time to resolve - I considermyslef lucky at 8 weeks and only a small amount of residual pain and discomfort. GP told me min 3 to 6 mths. There is lots osteos can hel with such as finding comfortable positions, teaching you how to lie down using cushions to support back etc.

I found hot best for hot water bottle rather than ice pack. And when I spoke to my GP he mentioned that thinking is changing to hot rather than cold at the moment but in fact both may help!!!

Its not an A&E issue - GP or out of hrs

Right. I'll call my mum. Dp is at work and can't leave until 4.30, hopefully my mum will be able to come.

Can I please get a clear yes or no to a&e? I feel as though I have exhausted all other options. Out of hours gp just told me to see my normal gp in the morning because they don't have my history so I feel 111 would be unhelpful as that is all they can offer and it wouldn't be until 6pm.

An mri is approx £400, can you beg steal or borrow? Even if the gp agrees to refer you you could still be waiting weeks, this world at least get the ball rolling and speed up your treatment plan.

Go to a&e.

Yes I have tried naproxen. It stripped my stomach lining and didn't help. They decided it wasn't worth continuing as I ended up with bad stomach pain and no less back pain.

I borrowed money to see a orthopaedic guy, he wouldn't touch me without an mri but I just can't get the money. This was nearly a year ago. I have been begging for an mri on the NHS since then. I can't seem to say the right thing to get the help. It's like there is a set of phrases they need to hear to unlock the door. I can't get the help.

I have to get dd now, I can't get through to my mum.

OK, I know this sounds crazy but hear me out.

Have you had your hormonal levels checked recently? I had very similar symptoms to you, the worst being such awful back pain that I couldnt wear a bra or necklace without it being agony. Physio, osteo and a cocktail of drugs did nothing. Scans, MRIs and X-rays showed nothing and I was nearly written off as a hypochondriac. I lost all confidence and became very depressed with the pain (which later moved to my leg and then my ankle/foot).

To cut a long story short, a neurologist was the first to question my estrogen and progesterone levels and sent me to an endocrinologist. (GP rules it out due to my younger age at the time). It was found that my estrogen was at the level of a post menopausal woman (yet I still had periods). It wasnt permanently low, but was randomly fluctuating, causing water retention and niggling nerve endings. (I think a MC possibly set it all off).

Now I have HRT (the risks arent the same if you are younger) and feel a lot better. If you think it could be hormonal, regardless of whether you are near menopause or not, I suggest you look at the site 'menopause matters' (it covers PMS and peri menopause as well as menopause - lots of younger women use it).

I know that back pain isnt a 'typical' sign of a hormonal imbalances, and it could well be something different, but thought it is something you may not have considered?

Really hope you get some answers soon .

It sounds like an emergency to be if the pain today is so bad you cannot function and look after your dd. It's possible they won't help much, but they just might provide the answer you need. Although of course we shouldn't overburden a&e, you have been so let down by your doctor I would not think twice about this.

You need to stress the strength of the pain is making you unable to function. In some ways going alone would be better.

I am so sorry - you've tried all the different drugs and they aren't helping, we know about that in this house.

first, get your partner/mum to take over childcare. And I hate to say it, but on this occasion I think it has to be A and E because there is simply nothing else. You can't function which is my definition of needing urgent help. Be prepared for a long wait.

I wish you the best. Now please call the backup carer and then a taxi.

Are you being sick? Have you ever blacked out with the pain?

OP I personally would go to A&E just for painkillers that will work rather than investigative purposes. I've had to go to A&E for pain meds in the past they have never minded. No one should be in this amount of pain xx

Wish I knew what to say. You've put my own pain, interrupted sleep and GP moans into proportion as trivial compared with yours. You must be so desperate and exhausted.
Is there no other GP surgery you can go to in your area? You've been appallingly (mis)treated and deserve better.

I have a similar problem with naproxen so only take it in emergencies with omeparazole to protect with my stomach. I find the voltarol gel causes fewer gastric problems.

It might be that A&E is your only option but I don't know how much they can do.

I'm not being sick, I feel very sick because of the feeling of the bottom of my spine being held in a vice. I have gone to faint from the pain on two occasions over the last week.

I agree with posters above who say A&E seems the only possibility.

Personally I'd go to A&E. Obviously they won't be able to figure out what it is or fix it permanently, but they might be able to give you some better pain relief right now as you sound in a bad way.

They will take you seriously if you are in this much pain and distress.

Sending cyber support to you.

Another one here with chronic back pain, had it for years, but I can manage it successfully with osteopathy sessions. Need 2-3 sessions a year @ £35 each as this isn't available on the NHS in our area. Not sure whether this is something you could request from your GP? I do know someone in another area that got treatment on the NHS, however she was a practice nurse and in a different area so I don't know whether she had access to other ways of getting it free.

I really don't think there is anything A&E will be able to do. I wish there was.

Trying to get through to my mum still, she might have gone into work. I think I'm just going to have to cuddle dd on the sofa with a film then get dp to drive me to a&e when he finishes work. I am really trying not to cry now she is up. I don't want her to see me upset.

It's just been going on for so long and the pain has increased massively over the last two weeks. I'm just worn down.

Not sure on hormones, I have pcos. I'm on the mini pill. It's got worse since being on it but not sure if that's related at all.