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.

Gosh you sound in so much pain. .
I suggest booking with another GP.....you don't have to see your named GP.
He sounds useless and it's obviously extremely debilitating.
I'd call tomorrow as soon as the phone line opens and ask to see another GP.....ask friends or family who they recommend and who is the most compassionate.
Get them to give you an emergency referral and tell them just how bad it is and how it's effecting your ability to cope with every day life.

When you are in a lot of pain going to hospital in a car may not be feasible. A paramedic will check blood pressure etc and can administer immediate pain relief. I think the OP would have been fine to do this. It's exactly what the ambulance service is for.

I wouldn't go to a&e,
I have extremely bad back pain which when I first went to the doctors nearly a year ago I was told to take paracetamol, I went back and forth for months until they relented and referred me to the pain clinic.
That's when I got help, had an appointment, MRI and follow up within a month. I am know I now have to have an operation to have 6 parts of bone a muscle removed. I am also on morphine, gabapentin, cocodamol, tramadol and naproxen.
When I went back to my first doctor after the results she apologised and said she hadn't believed me, because I am only 27!,
The best thing to do is push for the pain management clinic, I do understand even with the pain killers I am taking I am in major pain until my op on the 16th June (was meant to be before but I got in a car accident), that it is such hard work to get through a day, I have 7 children as well.
Nothing started happening until my pain clinic appointment.

Go to A&E!

I used to work on an orthopaedics ward. We often had patients admitted via A&E due to severe chronic back pain, often unexplained. Once admitted they had extensive tests (including MRI if appropriate) and proper pain relief, physio, OT etc. Some stayed in 24 hours, others for a week or two until the cause was discovered and/or their pain was under control.

Please go and get help, they will take you seriously.

I'd go and cry.

I'm glad you've posted tigerpath. I can't believe how many people have told the op that she will be just sent home with a bunch of pills. She needs to be examined and it sounds as though it's getting worse. Wishing you the best op. I think some people would have expected your Mum or partner to get you to hospital in a wheelbarrow if you didn't have a car.

Go to A&E

But my question is this, is it just a normal physio you've seen? Has the GP tried referring you to a Musculo-Skeletal Physio?

I only ask because i've been having issues with my lower lumbar spine for the past year, its causing issues into my right hip and down my leg. The normal physio pinpointed my pumbar spine being the source of the problem.

I've had x-rays, physio...nothing is helping.. I'm in so much bloody pain, nothing like yours but its enough that some days i'm struggling to walk even 50 meters without stabbing pain in my back and hip. Hurts to sleep on, hurts to sit...etc

I've been sent to the Musculo-Skeletal Physio, i have my appt on Tuesday, apparently they're really good, so i have my fingers crossed!

A+E would not send you home with just a bunch of pills if you are in severe pain. At the very least they would make sure you were comfortable before sending you home. Now they may send you home with pills after that, but this is once you feel OK again.

As for the ambulance..I have been told repeatedly (by both A+E staff and ambulance drivers) while I am apologizing for wasting their time that I am NOT wasting their time. Chronic pain, you cannot imagine what its like until you have to go through it. I blackout when its at its worst and have been stuck in the middle of a busy front street in the fetal position, on the floor...and had to be picked up by an ambulance as I could not move at all. I don't drive, nor does my partner. My partner has to stay with the kids when I have to go to hospital, I could get a taxi but don't really relish the thought of passing out in a car with an unknown person, nor them not knowing what to do if I get to the point where I either cannot stay still or cannot move and am screaming in pain. Because of this, and a few other reasons, I am repeatedly reassured that an ambulance is sometimes necessary. I don't call 999 though. Its always 111, and THEY suggest an ambulance to me based on the level of pain. Until you have actually experiences such levels of pain...especially if its been going on for hours, I kinda disagree with sneering at others in the same situation tbh

It depends which a&e you get I think
I was taken in on gas and air. Left for 4hrs with no pain relief and sent home without pain relief
Got stuck in bed the next morning and needed gas and air again...

111 send an ambulance if your cat sneezes. I'm not sneering at anyone, and obviously if you're on the floor, unable to move because of pain, or unconscious then an ambulance would be entirely appropriate. The OP sounds at the end of her tether but still physically able to get herself to hospital. There's a difference.

In my experience, unless you have neurological signs, you'll be sent home, possibly with different painkillers and told to go back to the GP and wait for the pain clinic referral. The pain clinic should organise an MRI to check that there is nothing that needs an operation (very rare in bank pain) and then work with the patient and other HCPs such as physios to try and manage the pain better and improve function and quality of life. This takes time and just doesn't happen in an inpatient setting.

You poor, poor thing.

Google 'cauda equina'

Do you have any of those symptoms, particularly 'saddle numbness' (numb arse, basically) or any sort of continence issues? If so, tell them IMMEDIATELY.

Sparechange is so right. I'm on day 5 after surgery to shave my bulging disc. Every time I kept being told how dangerous it was if you have numbness around your back passage or incontinence. my symptoms were like yours and I had an op 4 weeks after mri.

I have had a couple of pms that have made me realise that I do have something that can be classed as a continence issue. In the morning I can't wee properly. I can't get it to come out. Sorry I thought that continence issues just mean wetting yourself not having trouble going.

I'm waiting in a and e, very uncomfortable and not sure whats going to happen.

I suggested a taxi, probably quicker access to treatment than the wait for an ambulance.

BTW it can be very difficult to get one. Here in not-London a 111 call by an elderly relative led to advice from them to call an ambulance. She did and it was refused, so we provided transport; otherwise it would have been a taxi.

not as urgent as the OP but only following instructions! As I said, not-London and this area can and does run out of ambulances. The OP (whom I hope is now being treated) may be in the same kind of place.

My sympathies to all who are suffering here; chronic pain isn't life-threatening and so goes down the list of our badly overstretched NHS.

You are in absolutely the right place given that you are having continence issues too. Fingers crossed that you are seen soon. Make sure you lead with continence issues when they ask about your symptoms. Good luck.

You are in the right place if you are having continence issues. I was told earlier this week by the Dr at the walk in dealing with my back spasms that if I was having trouble with emptying my bladder or bowels or alternatively loosing control of them then it is an A&E issue as it can be a sign that important nerves are being compressed.

Good luck with getting sorted. You should be asking for a neurosurgical opinion and try to not go anywhere until you have one.

I'm so shocked at your GP. To let this go on so long without a scan or other diagnosis is absolutely shocking.

You're in the right place. I really hope they can sort it for you. I have had to call a doctor to the house twice because I was completely unable to move. Back pain is unbearable.

Yes, tell them about struggling to empty your bladder. Could be unrelated but could be a sign of a more serious nerve problem caused by spinal issues. It's something ive been told to be aware of. Be warned the Dr might stick a finger up your bum!

Do NOT be brave. You need to show people your pain and fear, and that you're going through an emergency NOW, not a bit of a problem that needs sorting by your GP. Horrible, agonising pain that you cannot live through now. Keep saying you cannot cope, you cannot bear this pain right now. Tell them you feel faint with the pain, you can't be a mummy and it's terrible right now (you get the whole now ness thing right?!)

Good luck. I hope you get someone with some compassion left. Xxxx

Welsh. I agree, in this instance an ambulance is completely inappropriate. Hope op gets sorted out.

Im going to inbox you xx

I sobbed and I shouted and lost all control. It didn't get me anywhere. I was sent away with diclofenac suppositories and diazepam. I came out and completely broke down. I made a complete fool of myself in the waiting room. My mum then went postal. She completely lost it and complained big time that they can't leave me like this. We were sent back into the doctor and he did a referral to orthopaedics. They don't know how long it will take but at least it is something. I have to wait for pain management and that referral.

The xray shows curve in my spine is wrong due to the muscles spasming but they can't see anything else. I tested positive for sciatica when he tested my legs. So now I have the nerve at the front trapped (femoral nerve) and the sciatic nerve too which explains the leg pain. I told them about the wee problems and he wasn't interested. Told me to go back if I start to piss and shit myself.

He 100% thinks that the discs are the problem but again they don't seem to want to do much about it.

I am now driving around trying to find somewhere that stocks diclofenac suppositories. Stupidly we didn't stop at the hospital pharmacy.

Phone is going to die, my post is probably not clear sorry. Will write a clearer post later. Thank you for all the support.