To want to go to A&E!?

[hollowtree]

My first AIBU so go a little easy- also feeling extremely sorry for myself!

For about 2 weeks I've been having chronic headaches (think can't drive/lights hurt) which I put down to sleep deprivation. On my worst days I used the codiene I was given after my EMCS! Naughty I know but when you have a small baby and no time for the bloody doctors you'll do anything.

Last few days been feeling a bit fluey- temperature, fatigue, aches and pains along with the usual cough/sore throat/stuffy nose.

Then, last night around 2am I woke up with this excruciating pain in my ear along with (what sounded to me like) a firework display in my head! Followed by fluid leaking out from my ear all over my pillow.

So I thought- happy days: must have been an ear infection/abscess which had sorted itself out and explains the headaches and temperature.

But the pain is getting worse. And I'm feeling so dizzy and just so so shit. My head is banging, my neck is aching and my body feels like it's giving up on me.

I sort of want to see if I need fixing, and getting through today has been a struggle let alone waiting all of tomorrow for an appointment on Monday 😓 WIBU to call 111 and ask if I should be worried or if I need to go to A&E?

I read a thread on here recently about wasting NHS resources and now feeling guilty please tel me WWYD

I think with any symptoms like that it's best to say do I have sepsis.. Triage means they assess you... Are you you critical.. In need of urgent attention or can you wait a bit longer. They should take your stats.. Heart rate, temp etc.

Eg I go in with dd and breathing issues and we are rushed straight in, they do her stats... And observe her then it's back home or admitted. When dd had got hold of her strong pain killer however.. We waited much longer to be seen and floppy sick babies were put in first (my dd seemed fine)..

She has an ear infection. Why is everyone panicking so much?!

Because the dr hasnt done a proper check on her. She could be brewing much worse and until the dr gets the full picture, they are only guessing it's JUST an ear infection

I went to a&e (in Singapore) as was running a very high temperature and hard been in a malaria zone a few weeks earlier. Bloods taken and was sent home to wait results. Only when I was supposed to go home but was holding onto to wall with dizziness did a nurse take my temperature. 41.5! Amazed that as that was my main symptom they didn't check it straight away.

(It was glandular fever by the way, very similar appearance so they routinely test for that at the same time as malaria)

The PP who suggested a pharmacist is a good one, although right now I’m not surprised you just want to go home!

Please share the sepsis checklist with your DH and don’t think twice about going back to A&E (maybe a different one?!) if you’re not feeling a LOT better after taking those ABs

DO NOT HESITATE TO GO BACK..

cornetto he's been fab thank you- yes he's keeping an eye and looking after the baby!

As a footnote to this whole thing: the last time I was in A&E I was 3 months pregnant and feeling sick as a dog. I had been for weeks but my GP (who I visited regularly) assured me that this was normal in the early stages of pregnancy. My DH dragged me to A&E early one morning and my urine dip showed 4 + ketones. I was admitted immediately to the John Radcliffe in Oxford and wasn't even allowed to go in my own car with DH- had to be taken by ambulance because I was critical. By that point my body have been in starvation for 4 days.

It's so obvious looking back but at the time I just thought: this is morning sickness, everybody gets it and I need to just get on with it.

I was in the JR for a week and would have been in longer had it not been my wedding that weekend! The staff tried really hard to get me out in time which I'm extremely grateful for.

But I think it goes to show how hit-and-miss treatment can be. Last time GP was hopeless and A&E were amazing. This time 111 have disappeared off the face of the Earth and A&E were too busy to be helpful. What can you do?

Thank goodness for Mumsnet!

Is there an urgent care centre or walk in near you?
I find 111 pretty useless tbh
I think if you feel worse then at least they will take your temp and heart rate!

What’s the point in going back or going to a walk in centre? oP has been waiting hours already. She’s been seen and has antibiotics. Why would you spend any more time waiting around for medical attention?

OP I would go home and rest, the antibiotics shouldn’t take too long to work

Like others have said, please don't hesitate to go back especially if you worsen again.

Dh was in hospital over summer for 2 weeks, gp sent him to a&e who just gave him stronger antibiotics and packed him off. He worsened and went back to a&e the day after on their instruction, they packed him off again. Several hours later he collapsed whilst sitting on the sofa. Fil grabbed him, bundled him into his car and took him back to a&e a third time. It was sepsis.

Hopefully that's not going to happen to you.

She has an ear infection. Why is everyone panicking so much

A complication from any infection (flu, ear infection, wound infection) is sepsis.

The fact that hollow has experienced ear infections/bursting before and is feeling progressively worse is enough to say she should be checked properly for sepsis. There's been a push for more awareness of it so it's pretty bad the hospital haven't followed what is likely to be their own protocol. Especially since there have been a couple of highly publicised deaths from sepsis linked to this flu outbreak.

I had an ear infection with burst eardrum last autumn and my symptoms very very similar with the headaches and dizzyness increasing getting worse in the 48-72 hours after the eardrum burst. The antibiotics helped but I needed an extended course to clear the infection entirely.

I said if she feels worse
Please be aware of sepis symptoms

cornetteninja I understand what you’re saying in theory but it’s really easy to type words on a screen- are you serious suggesting OP drive back and wait another 5 hours to get checked for sepsis?

As a PP said, OP can easily check her own temperature

Sounds like you had an untreated ear infection & your ear drum may have burst. Get to a doctor OP.

OP, take care.

Last year I had a burst ear drum and then developed labyrinthitis ( couldn't open my eyes without vomiting.) I was admitted to hospital, and then developed meningitis as it spread to the brain. They told DH it was 50/50 as to whether I would survive. I lost the hearing completely in my right ear permanently and it took me 6 months to recover.

I'm worried about you.

Oh just read down thread and see you have anti-Bs should sort you out. Get well soon op

are you serious suggesting OP drive back and wait another 5 hours to get checked for sepsis

If she feels worse? Yes absolutely.

As previous posters have pointed out temperature isn't the only symptom - not that it matters because none of the symptoms were ruled out in a&e anyway,

Final update today: first lot of ABs washed down with a fruit smoothie! Back in my PJs, wrapped up in bed with a hot water bottle on my ear.

The plan is to let the ABs do their thing and sleep it all off but I am also going to listen to my body and I've picked up a thermometer from Boots to keep an eye on my own temperature (which I am obviously doing wrong because it says 33°C - isn't that hypothermia!?). If by tomorrow I still feel like this I'll make a same day appointment at the GP.

Once again thank you so much everyone for all of your helpful advice and your lovely posts- they kept me going Xx

Good idea get it's just me being an idiot I assume!

According to thermometer DH is also suffering hypothermia! Clearly not the best thermometer in the World

I'd see your GP regardless, get DH to phone as soon as they are open in the morning. Hope you start to feel better soon.

My ds used to drop temperature to 34° when he was ill.

Mind you he's just one walking medical mystery!