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AIBU?

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Original poster

how do i get to A&E?

318 replies

hurtmyankle · 09/03/2018 16:08

not AIBU but posting for traffic

I've fallen over about half an hour ago and heard my ankle crunch, can't put weight on it and in a lot of pain, taken paracetamol and got it raised but really am in unbelievable pain and think I need to go to A&E, my DP says i've just fallen over and i'm being silly but i'm not so He's gone to work.

I can't get a taxi and have no family here to call to drive me so how do I get to A&E? If I ring 111 can they arrange transport? The hospital is only a 2 minute drive from me but I can't walk Confused what is the best thing to do?
Sorry for asking here but my DP is useless and my family are all away

OP posts:
Flisspaps · 09/03/2018 17:12

When I've done first aid training previously, the advice has always been to call an ambulance for a suspected broken bone as you cannot see what is going on under the skin and without proper support you risk making a bad situation worse.

kinorsam · 09/03/2018 17:13

Ambulances are not just for life-threatening emergencies. They are also for people who are injured in an accident and in a lot of pain, where trying to get to hospital under their own steam could cause further damage. A potentially broken ankle falls into that category IMO.

In any case, most of the time they send a paramedic in a car these days.

ShmooBooMoo · 09/03/2018 17:14

With ambulances under such pressure nowadays, your DH will likely be home before they get to you, I'd imagine.

helpfulperson · 09/03/2018 17:14

This is why the ambulance service triage calls. If she phones she won't be a top priority as she is still breathing etc but she will get added to their 'needs to be seen' list, It might be an hour or two but she will be ok (albeit in pain) for that time. An ambulance is fine for a broken ankle - unlike an arm, wrist etc it would be virtually impossible to stablilise it so getting a lift/taxi etc risks additional damage.

turnipfarmers · 09/03/2018 17:15

It looks much like my ankle did a few months ago and I went to A&E where they x-rayed it.

cavatron · 09/03/2018 17:16

Keep us posted OP. Lovely of your friend to come to your rescue.

Natsku · 09/03/2018 17:17

Glad you got a lift OP and hope you feel better soon. Fingers crossed it's not broken.

I remember when I had my first UTI, when I was at Uni, was in agony as I couldn't wee at all so I called NHS direct as it was then and they told me to go to minor injuries and (after I mentioned I wasn't sure how I'd get there) said that if I couldn't afford a taxi then I should call an ambulance (I didn't, got a friend to come with me and split the cost of the taxi)

somersetsoul · 09/03/2018 17:17

I hope you're ok op 💐 I know someone who was hit by a car on her way to work, she carried on walking to work because of shock! She'd actually broken her leg, I still don't know how she carried on 😔

SluttyButty · 09/03/2018 17:18

I actually can’t believe what User said! My son broke his arm badly, utter agony yet strangely his legs worked just fine.

Don’t worry people, the solution to the A&E crisis has been found, X-ray vision screening at the entrance, just think how quickly they’d move patients through.

And actually some taxi drivers refuse to take women in labour to hospital. I had to lie and say I was going for a check up and the huge bag I was carrying was the normal bag I took everywhere 😂

Op I hope you get some relief soon, some lovely gas and air whilst they fiddle with it.

WaxOnFeckOff · 09/03/2018 17:20

I was always told at 1st aid training, broken upper limb then transport by car, broken lower limb then it's an ambulance you need.

Alternatively call your DP and tell him to get his arse home and take you in.

Alabama3 · 09/03/2018 17:22

how are you op?

@SpiceRack

k2p2k2tog · 09/03/2018 17:22

pm me and I will paypal you a fiver

That didn't take long, did it?

LadyPenelope68 · 09/03/2018 17:23

If it’s that bad and you can’t afford a taxi, then you need to get your husband to come home and take you. You can’t use an ambulance just because you can’t afford a taxi for something like this.

enterthedragon · 09/03/2018 17:23

User149etc I walked around with a so called sprained ankle for 6 weeks before it was correctly diagnosed by an orthopedic consultant, the day I did it I went to a walk in centre and it was xrayed (non weight bearing) nothing showed up so I was sent home with a diagnosis of a sprain. Over the following weeks I went to the GP no less than 5 times, I was sent to physio, still nobody could figure out why I was in so much pain, the physiotherapist eventually referred me to another physiotherapist who specialises in foot trauma, she asked a couple of questions and then said "to me this is a no brainer" and referred me to the orthopaedic consultant who confirmed that I had non displaced fractures, comminuted fractures, ligament damage and nerve damage. I had to have surgery to put plates and pins and a screw through 4 bones, I also needed bone grafts. I was off work for 2years in total (all because I tripped over)

I was in excruciating pain for those 6 weeks and in severe pain for the next 18 months but I was still able to type.

k2p2k2tog · 09/03/2018 17:24

Also there's no such thing as a "free" taxi service. It all comes out of the NHS budget, not some magic money tree.

Bambamber · 09/03/2018 17:24

Yes how dare you go to ACCIDENT and emergency when you've had an ACCIDENT Hmm

I'm glad you've found a solution and I hope it's not too long a wait for you

LondonJax · 09/03/2018 17:25

User I'm sorry but you're really giving dangerous advice with the 'put your feet up and ice it' message.

My friend's little girl (aged 3) fell off a trampoline and was taken to A&E where her leg was x-rayed (top half - that's an important point). She was sent home and the following day was dancing around on it. My friend noticed that her foot was being held in an odd position so they took her back to A&E. The break was below the knee. The x-ray had been taken 'knee and up'... so wasn't spotted. She was in plaster for weeks.

Not everyone is in complete and utter pain with a break.

Even my GP insisted on an x-ray when I went to him with a bad ankle after a fall and he saw my foot in person, not trying to diagnose over the web! Turned out to be badly sprained but he wanted to be sure and he's qualified to make the judgement.

I hope you get the foot sorted out. Broken or not, take care and rest up - and make your partner do a bit of running around in return for the attitude you got from him.

blastomama · 09/03/2018 17:25

That didn't take long, did it?

I dont get the problem?

saoirse31 · 09/03/2018 17:26

Some of responses are completely nasty op , ignore. Some are completely stupid and incorrect too, eg no you aren't always in agonizing pain from broken bones. Hope its not broken, and you're home soon. Hope some posters manage to develop some empathy.

mikeyssister · 09/03/2018 17:28

Sorry, I forget that people don't know there's no 111 in Ireland.

I rang them because I went from contractions 20 mins apart to 5 mins apart extremely quickly and DH was panicking because the hospital is a 45 minute drive away, and GP said to ring them.

I didn't ask for an ambulance I asked for their advice, once they realised that this was my third child they decided to send an ambulance because the route we would take (motorway) was totally blocked due to an accident and the other routes were extremely busy. The route they took to the hospital was extremely convuluted because of the traffic but it had bus lanes.

Original poster
hurtmyankle · 09/03/2018 17:29

i've just had an x-ray and am waiting to see someone now. thanks for all the kind messages hoping i'm okay!

OP posts:
QualityDogWrangler2 · 09/03/2018 17:30

Pleased you were looked after, I wouldn’t mind a friend, an aquaintenance in need, school mum or neighbour asking me for a lift to hospital if they needed it.

carryondoctor · 09/03/2018 17:31

Blastomama - because whilst I am sure the OP is genuine, lots of people aren't. And if they all post on here looking for PayPal donations.... you can see the problem then, no?

Hope it's nothing serious, OP

ShmooBooMoo · 09/03/2018 17:33

Glad you got sorted, OP. Your colleague sounds lovely. Hope it's a bad sprain, nothing more...and you'll be feeling better soon.

ShmooBooMoo · 09/03/2018 17:34

Carryondoctor OP uploaded a photo of her very swollen ankle (in case you missed it).

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