To take DH to A&E

[DontGoIntoTheLongGrass]

I'll try to make this quick as I have a habit of rambling on.
Basically dh wants to be tested for a genetic condition which his dad has which fuses the spine. He has every symptom. Dh is at the point now where he cannot move for the pain and he is getting no sleep because of it. He is on strong meds but they do nothing. An x-ray is required for diagnosis but the doctors will not refer him for one. They give him more pain meds which dont touch the pain.
Aibu to take DH to a&e to try get the x-ray next time he wakes up in the night screaming in pain? Sorry if this is a stupid question but I know the consensus on mn over wasting the doctors time at a&e. I'm just struggling to see my DH in so much agony every day.

I saw someone with a severed ACL and massive swelling being told "no, don't go to A&E with a sore knee"

Change GP. It's ridiculous that your GP is treating your dh with painkillers instead of wanting to get a diagnosis for him. Ask to see another GP. Do they know about his family history?

Do they do diagnostics in A&E? Surely they'll just treat the pain and then refer to your GP for further tests?

Yep - unless there has been a cause of sudden onset of pain - such as a fall etc they will - with the aid of current medical notes, diagnose the condition as chronic, dose you up, and discharge you to the care of your GP.

@BeyondThePage That's what I thought. I feel for OP's DH but I can't see that A&E is going to help. I went in with severe chest pain (111 called the ambulance for me) and once they'd established it wasn't my heart they dosed me up on painkillers and released me. No further tests or suggestions. I went through my GP and did in fact need immediate surgery and it was an acute condition, but I still don't think it would have been appropriate for A&E to start running tests once they'd established I wasn't about to keel over!

Yes Peachgreen thats exactly what will happen.
Stop the pain in the moment and refer back to GP with a recomendation .

The presentation at A&E would at least yield some better pain relief, the ruling out of anything really dangerous and an incentive for the GP to grant the referral

Take him to a minor injury unit, there will be less waiting than A&E and they will be able to X-ray.

Change your GP - you may need to go to a different surgery altogether.

Go together to the appointment, and explain very clearly that you want a diagnostic test for this condition and that you're not leaving without one, or without a very coherent explanation of why he can't have one.

you know that his unexplained pain is not an emergency exactly how?

Because it hasn't appeared recently. It's an ongoing issue, not an emergency one.

But one that should be investigated, undoubtedly.

I'd see another doctor or change surgeries.

@peachgreen

Do they do diagnostics in A&E? Surely they'll just treat the pain and then refer to your GP for further tests?

I had a ultrasound there the second time I'd gone to A&E with abdominal pain. They did an x-ray as well.

@Lweji

Because it hasn't appeared recently. It's an ongoing issue, not an emergency one.

So I shouldn't have gone to A&E with severe abdominal pain the second time given that I was ok the first time? That was an ongoing issue. As it turned out - after that second visit! - the pain was caused by an ovarian torsion that then sorted it self out - if it hadn't I'd have needed emergency surgery. As it was I needed morphine for the pain.

So I shouldn't have gone to A&E with severe abdominal pain the second time given that I was ok the first time? That was an ongoing issue.

Not really an ongoing issue, no.

A&E can send people for x-ray.

I have to agree that if he is in so much pain A&E might be the answer - my DH spent a day in agonising pain and was refusing to do anything about it Dr phobia). One phone call to 111 and I was told to wait for a 30 min ambulance or go the 20 min drive to hospital (which I elected for). Had I waited till the next morning to see how he was as he wanted, he would have died from the massive infection caused by his burst appendix - so the consultant told him

MN only has two attitudes towards A&E: you must only go if you feel like you're in a dark tunnel and going towards the light.

Or, your kid licked a toilet seat yesterday and is fine but why why do you want your child to die OP, why?

Go to A&E, change your GP and make a complaint.

My friends husband was fobbed off time and again by his GP, despite experiencing symptoms similar to his father, who died of prostrate cancer.

By the time he got his diagnosis, it was too late.

Of course they can do x-rays in A&E but not to determine whether or not someone has ankylosing spondylitis. You simply don't diagnose AS based on an x-ray.

@Iwouldratherbemuckingout Make a complaint about what? That the GP hasn't sent the OP's DH for a completely inappropriate investigation?

The dr recommended MIL be taken to A&E when she was very unwell as he couldn't do anything for her

After a long wait she was admitted on the 2/3 times she went and eventually diagnosed

@mirime But abdominal pain can be caused by acute issues that need to be sorted out immediately, so that's a bit different. Chronic back pain is different. I'm not trying to be horrible because I don't believe in NOT going to A&E under any circumstances etc, I just don't think OP will get what she needs from A&E.

Your GP can and should be referring your DH for an x-ray. Its a simple process and low cost.

Going to A and E for back pain that has been occurring for a long time will probably be looked on by the HCPs in A and E as a bit of a waste of time.

(I have done night shifts and when patients come for x-ray for a problem that has been going on for weeks or months, then it really is tough not to roll eyes and think GP).

However If the pain is excruciating then of course they can give painkillers and this is absolutely what the NHS is for. But ultimately your GP needs to look into this to stop these excruciating episodes. As this is not an acute incident and has been going on some time.

P.s. A and E won't test for a genetic condition. They might refer him on to a specialist. But it isn't really what A and E should be used for. Your GP is, so try and swap GPs?

Best of luck

@Lilonetwo "Its a simple process and low cost" but almost certainly pointless.

johnhunter
Well. I'm not a doctor, only a radiographer, so I can only be accurate in stating that the process is simple and low cost on the NHS.

The OP seems to think the genetic condition can be diagnosed from an X-ray. I don't know if this is correct or not.

@peachgreen Tue 30-Jan-18 15:22:26

@mirime But abdominal pain can be caused by acute issues that need to be sorted out immediately, so that's a bit different.

People have pointed out that back pain can be caused by acute issues as well. If nothing else, if he's waking up in that much pain, A&E can give some decent pain relief - which is all I ended up having the first time when they kept me in two nights. Also, a letter or two from A&E might push his GP into ordering some investigations into the cause.

@Lweji It was ongoing for ten months until I finally had an operation to remove the damn thing.

I would change GPs. In the meantime, if he wakes up screaming in pain, definitely take him to A&E. They will decide whether he needs an X ray. Does he think he might ankylosing spondylitis?