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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to go to A&E!?

377 replies

hollowtree · 17/02/2018 20:23

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 Blush please tel me WWYD

OP posts:
Haggisfish · 18/02/2018 09:09

Oh I hope you’re feeling better, too, op.

SparklyMagpie · 18/02/2018 09:20

Hope you're ok OP xx

Original poster
hollowtree · 18/02/2018 11:42

Hi everyone, sorry for my crapness in updating. Things went from bad to worse. So 111 told me I would need to see an out of hours doctor within 12 hours and to sit and wait for a phone call with my appointment time and where to go (we have a few locally and I suppose 111 don't know themselves which is best?).

So I waited. And waited! By 4am I hadn't heard anything and was feeling a hundred times worse. But couldn't just get up and go in as I didn't know where they wanted me to go or what time, so I rang 111s return call service (you can select an option when you call up) and asked them if they'd forgotten me! To which they replied they are exceptionally busy and no out of hours appointments have come up yet at any local surgery but I am in the queue and to keep waiting.

So I did... and it got to half 8 in the morning. So by now it had been 12 hours since my original phone call in which I was advised to see a doctor within 12 hours - Waited... waited... waited... and finally came to A&E where I am now in a 4 hour waiting room queue for someone to please God help me.

I'm now all over the place wobbling and dizzy and a bout of vomiting has added nicely to the mix of death I am currently enjoying.

Thank you for all your lovely messages of support and kindness! Wish I had just come to A&E last night!! I will update as soon as I have been in. Wait time is probably more like 3 hours now as it has taken me an age to write this.

OP posts:
Original poster
hollowtree · 18/02/2018 11:43

Here's a screenshot of my most recent call to 111 which didn't even get answered- I hung up and got my DH to drive me to A&E! Gives you an idea how crazy busy they are

To want to go to A&E!?
OP posts:
JollyGiraffe · 18/02/2018 11:46

Shock you were waiting for them to answer for an hour?!

Glad you've made it to A and E, definitely the right place for you by the sounds of it.

Hope you're seen soon Flowers

zen1 · 18/02/2018 11:46

Glad you took matters into your own hands and went to A&E. It’s ridiculous having to wait that long for a call-back. Hope you get seen and treated soon Flowers

JaneEyre70 · 18/02/2018 11:47

It's frightening how stretched the system is OP when 111 doesn't get answered. Glad you're in the right place and hope you feel better soon Flowers

Borriblesrule · 18/02/2018 11:53

You are in the right place now , hope you don’t wait too long .

Xulishesthepilot · 18/02/2018 11:55

Jeez hollow that's awful! I hope you get seen and sorted soon.

Ginkypig · 18/02/2018 11:56

Hope you get seen quickly hollow.

Original poster
hollowtree · 18/02/2018 11:57

I know, an hour and 20 minutes and like I say they hadn't even answered at that point! I just hung up. You can see the service must be jammed up because A&E is packed with more than half the people standing. DH is with me even though he was supposed to be away for work today 😕 and the baby bless her. She has been so good!

I'm so glad I'm here but also can't wait to leave ☹

OP posts:
QOD · 18/02/2018 12:17

Wow op that’s ridiculous
Hope you’re sorted soon

trinity0097 · 18/02/2018 12:21

Hope you get sorted soon xxx

LanguidLobster · 18/02/2018 12:28

Oh god you must be shattered!

Bear with it, you need to be seen, poor live!

GrockleBocs · 18/02/2018 12:31

Oh hollow that's rubbish for you. I hope you get seen soon. Is DH telling them you're throwing up?

Aridane · 18/02/2018 12:38

Shit - 1 hour 20 mins and no one picked up

AboutAGallonofDietCoke · 18/02/2018 12:41

Have you been triaged?
As I said before I really don't like the sound of The symptoms...

Has anyone checked your heart rate and temperature?

Any heat / swelling from ear, neck, face?

I had a bad experience with my mum, who also had similar (but this was post operatively) so I'm a little wary of certain symptoms!

Glad you have someone with you.

Part of the issue is that you are one of the folks, like me and my mum, whom is unwilling to make a fuss & call an ambulance unless you're literally, very clearly dying.

This can be a really detrimental to you, it was to my mum.

Calling ambulances and ahead of you in the a&e queue will no doubt be a good proportion of fucking malingerers, it drives me nuts!

I watched 'inside the ambulance' the other day, great program, but the amount of wankers who have ambulances out for fuck all.
One had a cut to the thumb needing a few stitches and he had been on the phone to 999 making out his arm was severed (I've walked to a&e with worse!)

You are not making a fuss OP. You sound really unwell and you deserve to be treated as such. Please don't minimise to triage x

FaithEverPresent · 18/02/2018 12:44

That’s awful! Last time I was really ill (turned out to be a chest infection) I called 111. They couldn’t find me an appointment with OOH so they advised me to go straight to A&E. I actually got seen by a nurse practitioner and was in an out within an hour. I can’t believe they left you hanging.

I really hope you get seen soon. The vomiting can be a side-effect of severe dizziness. It’s similar to sea-sickness. Hope you’re sorted and home soon.

AboutAGallonofDietCoke · 18/02/2018 12:48

I won't tell you what went on with my mum, as it's bloody rare and May freak you out unnecessarily.

But please, make it clear to reception / triage if:

  • you have rapidly increasing pain, out of proportion to what you'd expect for an 'ear ache'
  • Running a fever
  • have a feeling of dread/impending doom/giving up
  • feel dizzy, light headed
  • vomit
  • heart rate is racing
  • are immunocompromised due to recent infection (any type, even sore throat), diabetes, alcoholism, cancer.
  • are taking an anti inflammatory drug like naproxen / ibuprofen
Applesandpears23 · 18/02/2018 12:50

I hope you get seen soon.

DrRanjsRightEyebrow · 18/02/2018 12:54

How are you doing now OP? I keep coming back to check on you. Have you been triaged yet?

gnarlington · 18/02/2018 12:57

Hope you are feeling better soon! That is shocking that you waited over an hours and they didn't answer!

Littlechocola · 18/02/2018 12:58

Hope you are ok op. You have done the right thing.

gnarlington · 18/02/2018 12:58

Over an hour!

AnnieAnoniMouse · 18/02/2018 12:59

Oh Hollow you really should have just gone to A&E. When you do get seen, do not get fobbed off. Do not just allow them to send you home to rest. I’m not going into scary details, but with your symptoms, it’s really important that you stay there until they work out what’s causing it.

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