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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?

63 replies

QuestionableMouse · 01/08/2016 05:45

I've been getting horrible headaches and pain in my neck for almost two months now. Have also been getting pain/pressure in one side of my face (same as the above). I've seen three different GPs and none of them have done anything to find out what is causing it. I've had six appointments. I'm worried, I'm exhausted and I can't cope with it much longer. Aibu to go to A&E? (There's only
one other doc in my surgery and I refuse to see him because of the way he speaks to people.

OP posts:

Whatthefreakinwhatnow · 01/08/2016 05:57

Do you have a walk in centre anywhere near you?

Sirzy · 01/08/2016 05:58

You need to revisit your GP and insist on a referral to a specialist if your worried. If necessary take someone with you to act as an advocate for you and help push. If they won't then talk to the practice manager.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 01/08/2016 06:01

This doesn't sound like an emergency. A&E isn't a second opinion service. I agree you should push for investigations with your existing GP.

McBassyPants · 01/08/2016 06:09

No please don't go to a+e. It's not an acute problem. You need to press your GP.

A+E is for accidents and emergencies

YoungGirlGrowingOld · 01/08/2016 06:12

Yes, not an accident or an emergency. Have you tried migraine treatment? Your symptoms sound like my migraines - of course I was convinced it was a brain tumour (!) but I got instant relief as soon as I was prescribed triptans. See the GP again. Best to see the same GP so you have some continuity (and they get the message). Insist on a referral and don't move until you get one.

YoungGirlGrowingOld · 01/08/2016 06:13

(You will probably also find A&E very frustrating because you will wait for hours, then be given paracetamol and told to see your GP!)

Scarydinosaurs · 01/08/2016 06:15

Definitely go back to your GP, you can't use A and E for this.

Original poster

QuestionableMouse · 01/08/2016 06:22

Believe me if I thought I was getting anywhere with the doctors I wouldn't even think of A&E. I'm not. I took someone with me last time and the doc fobbed me off.

Not a migraine. I suffer with those and this is totally different.

OP posts:

Sirzy · 01/08/2016 06:27

Then complain to the practise manager, or change GP. But it's still not an a and e issue.

Keep a diary of the problem and when its occurring.

Muskateersmummy · 01/08/2016 06:31

Keep seeing your GP, keep a diary of the symptoms and make a pest of yourself until you get the referal. Don't go to a and e. Services there are stretched and this is not what the department is for. If you have no luck with your practice you could look to register at a different one

Merimum · 01/08/2016 06:32

Has anyone mentioned trigeminal neuralgia to you?

friggingnora · 01/08/2016 06:33

Agree with those who say insist on a referral. You need to be clear about what you're asking for.
And the person you take with you needs to be ready and willing to push back against any fobbing off.

Go on, we're behind you. Make one more appointment with the GP.

Original poster

QuestionableMouse · 01/08/2016 06:41

Merimum, no one has said anything that could be causing this. I was told it was my sinuses and to use a rinse that did nothing to help.

I feel like I have glass inside of my head and painkillers only help so much. My neck is really sore but only on one side, right down into my collar bone. Basically everything from my temple down to my collarbone on the right hurts but I've been saying this for weeks and no one is helping me.

It's getting to the point where I'm scared to do anything in case I make it worse. I'm awake now because I'm so bloody uncomfortable I can't sleep. I'm can't go on like this much longer.

OP posts:

waitingforsomething · 01/08/2016 06:46

Complain to your practise manager, see your GP again and get a referral to ENT. Don't go to A&E. It sounds awful and I feel for you but it isn't an accident or an emergency and that service should not be helping you.

IceMaiden73 · 01/08/2016 06:46

Have you seen a physio?

Original poster

QuestionableMouse · 01/08/2016 06:50

No. I can't afford to see one privately and can't get a referral. It doesn't feel like muscle or joint pain though.

OP posts:

bigarse1 · 01/08/2016 06:57

I know it sounds daft but have you considered getting your teeth checked? I had very similar to this and was back and forth to gp who looked at sinuses, back problems etc but asked me to get checked with the dentist. I did and all looked fine until they did an x-ray. something to do with the nerves etc but had given me horrendous headache and neck ache and funnily enough my tooth didn't hurt. ended up with root canal treatment and it sorted it.might be worth a try?

Original poster

QuestionableMouse · 01/08/2016 06:59

That's a good thought actually. Will make a dentist appointment and one for the GP. I need something doing.

OP posts:

bleedingnora · 01/08/2016 07:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

zen1 · 01/08/2016 07:00

Here are the NICE guidelines on the diagnosis and management of headaches, including guidance on when to refer. You could have a look through and see if there is anything you think your GPs are not following and then bring it to their attention.

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg150/chapter/recommendations

snowgirl29 · 01/08/2016 07:02

OP I have recently spent a week in hospital via Resus due to a bad asthma attack caused by a virus that turned into a chest infection. Even on the HDU ward they were that busy and shorthanded that they were all busy with another patient when I fell ill again in the night (thankfully the nurse was on it until a Doc was free).

Before hand, my last admission was through A & E too, the lady in the next bed that night told me there was over 126 people in the A&E department that night. You will more than likely be made to wait hours and then sent home with paracetamol and told to get back to the GP anyway.

I do sympathise with you as headaches can be debilitating (I suffer from Hydrocephalous) but PPs are right. You need to get back in with your GPs and be assertive and insist on a referral. My neurologist has put me on triptans which have helped tremendously. I could barely function some days beforehand.

pullthecracker · 01/08/2016 07:12

I'm having exactly the same at the moment, literally rocking with the pain. My dr told me to see a dentist, saw one the other day who said it might be infection or sinuses, going to try and see another dentist this week (big step as have major phobia) but I'm starting to think that's the problem, even though I have no toothache.

seaviewplease · 01/08/2016 07:20

I have this too. I have MS though and loads of MS sufferers have something like this so there is lots of info for us and related symptoms.
Not for a minute saying you have MS!!

There is something called trigeminal neuralgia. Could be spelt wrong there....Reluctantly saying that as don't want to be clever clogs on a mum's Internet forum but might be worth reading about and mentioning to the GP.

carabos · 01/08/2016 07:25

I had similar. It went on for 6 months. In a nutshell, it was impacted wisdom teeth. I had five teeth removed and voila!

carabos · 01/08/2016 07:26

Yes seaview - neuralgia. That's what I had.

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