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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be panicking re. call back to a&e?

313 replies

Finsmum86 · 18/04/2018 23:32

So took my 3 year old to a&e two nights ago as she managed to get hold of button batteries from a supposedly (!) secure location in our house and I couldn't be 100% sure she hadn't put one in her mouth and they can be very dangerous. I was almost certain she hadn't but better to be safe than sorry of course.

No battery showed up on the x ray so all fine.

Got a call this evening asking me to bring her back in to a&e tomorrow morning and I have spent the rest of tonight an anxious mess. The person on the phone couldn't offer any information about what it's regarding.

Anyone have any experiences of being called back to a&e after an x-ray? I'm assuming it's not battery related as I think they would have had us back in straight away and the doctor said when we were originally at the hospital that they are pretty easy to spot. But sounds like something semi urgent if they want her in at such short notice?

I don't think I will sleep tonight. No point to this post really and apologies for posting in AIBU but appreciate the traffic in case anyone has had a similar situation or knowledge.

OP posts:
HalloweenDuck · 18/04/2018 23:34

That does sound very strange?
Did they say where to go or who to ask for etc?

Bippitybopityboo · 18/04/2018 23:37

Aw gosh that's quite unfair of them to not give you more info and leave you worried!
No advice but hope all is ok OP Flowers

CantRememberHoliday · 18/04/2018 23:38

Hope everything’s okay, OP

frasier · 18/04/2018 23:38

Gosh I’m sorry this is happening. I presume your DD seems ok as you didn’t mention any I’ll effects in your post.

Maybe it is standard to do a follow up in things like this?

frasier · 18/04/2018 23:39

*ill effects

What did they actually say on the phone?

MyKingdomForBrie · 18/04/2018 23:39

If it was worryingly urgent they would have said ‘now’ not tomorrow. I would call back and express how concerned you are, not fair to leave you wondering.

Lifeaback · 18/04/2018 23:43

First of all as hard as it is try to calm down and stop thinking about it as worrying will do no good. If it was anything majorly serious or life threatening they would be asking you to come in straight away rather than the morning.

If it was something sinister I think they would have flagged it with your GP or referred to the appropriate department, rather than asking you to come back to a&e? Unfortunately at busy times (evenings, weekends) the staff carrying out 'low risk' x-rays are juniors and it could be possible that the x-ray looked okay to them so they passed this information onto the consultant, who may have had a brief look over it before signing it off and letting it go. Hopefully what has happened is they've since decided that maybe the picture wasn't as clear as it could have been and want another one just to be extra sure.

You'd be surprised how many things get missed on x-rays! We're all human and sometimes things don't appear as they do in textbook cases so get overlooked. Fingers crossed for you tommorow, let us know how you get on x

Fruitcorner123 · 18/04/2018 23:43

No experience of this but I did take my DD in for the same thing. I thought she had swallowed a cell battery.

They didn't call me back in so am guessing the recall is about something else they have found on x ray. What kind of things can they find in x rays other than broken bones?

LostPlatypus · 18/04/2018 23:43

I can totally understand you being worried OP. I hope your little one is okay.

The only experience I have (which is very little) is that when I've had x-rays at A & E in the past (which has been a few times as I'm fairly clumsy), they've always said that the x-ray gets reviewed by a senior radiologist/doctor so I might get a call if they see something that was missed on the initial x-ray. Obviously, that makes sense in the context I've visited in where I've potentially broken a bone but not so much in your case.

Atticusss · 18/04/2018 23:46

If it was something sinister I feel like they'd contact your GP, not ask you to go to the A&E department. Perhaps they have lost he X-ray and need another for records or something?

Original poster
Finsmum86 · 18/04/2018 23:47

She's in good health and I have no other concerns so it's even more confusing. The person on the phone used the phrase ' to have another look at her,' and told me to ask for a certain doctor. They didn't even tell me what time, just to go in the morning - what time would anyone suggest I go? Just because obviously this specific doctor isn't at the hospital 24 hours a day and I have no idea when his shifts start and finish. So many questions I should have asked but I went into a panic when I got the call so only question I asked was regarding what it was about which the person couldn't answer.
I rang my HV on the off chance that there might be something on the system but there wasn't. She then said 'Oh it sounds like they might have potentially picked up something else.'

OP posts:
NeverTwerkNaked · 18/04/2018 23:48

How frustrating to be left waiting till the morning! I am sure that is a good sign that it is nothing to be alarmed by, but nonetheless it would take a pretty amazing person not to spend the night worrying.
It doesn’t sound like they have handled it brilliantly.

Spam88 · 18/04/2018 23:49

It won't be a repeat X-ray for records, that would be in breach of legislation. It's a strange one OP 🤔 you'd assume something else has been spotted when a radiologist has reviewed the image, but would they actually call you back into A&E or would they refer you on 🤔 either way, it's not urgent so try not to worry (easier said than done I'm sure).

overduemamma · 18/04/2018 23:49

I'd be ringing back. That's unfair for them to leave you all night with no info x

Original poster
Finsmum86 · 18/04/2018 23:50

I didn't think about them needing another one due to the original one not being clear to be honest, as it was checked there and then but makes sense about a senior radiologist further reviewing things.
Fingers crossed it's that but you would think that would be communicated on the phone wouldn't you? Or not?

OP posts:
Fruitcorner123 · 18/04/2018 23:53

No idea of there is a fixed time they would start. I am guessing she/he should have told you that.

I think they work 12 he shifts in most hospitals. I have no idea If they are the same times everywhere but know a nurse who works 8 til 8.

I would aim for 8am. If the doctor starts later you can wait.

Or just ring them back now and ask your questions but I.don't know if you have a direct number.
lifeaback's idea seems to ring true.

If it was something dreadful I think they would have made a formal appointment with a consultant rather than an informal, "drop in tomorrow morning"

TipTopTat · 18/04/2018 23:55

How strange. Hope she's ok OP Confused

Gingernutsandtea · 18/04/2018 23:56

Did your dd have any blood tests taken OP?
I'm asking because my dd was called back to the hospital when she was two, she'd had pneumonia and the Doctor had come on her shift, looked at my dd's record and wasn't happy with her blood result.
I took her back the next day for another blood test (results were done quickly) and I was told everything had gone back to normal, her blood had altered because she was fighting infection, and she was fine.

hairymorag · 18/04/2018 23:57

It sounds like someone else has viewed the xray and spotted something. That happened with my DD with her wrist. She had to go back in the next day as a senior specialist spotted something she ended up in plaster for 12 weeks!. Good luck tomorrow I would be anxious too... Unfortunately the person that called you was likely to be a hospital clerk and not in a position to go into clinical details

DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops · 18/04/2018 23:59

Please don't panic. It must be so horrible for you but as a pp said, things do get missed on x-rays, lots of very simple, benign explanations.

I fell off a sofa when I was 3 and landed on my wrist and had to have it x-rayed. Fractured. DM then got a call a bit like yours, it turned out the fracture, on review, was more severe than thought. Hospital apologised, sorted it out. DM was convinced it was going to be a SS chat and was beside herself. I can barely remember it, I just remember the lovely radiographer x-rayed my toy dog for me. I know each case is different and my example is quite old but it turned out great. I hope your visit is routine. Flowers

Differentcorner · 18/04/2018 23:59

Have you had other trips to A@E with her? May be as simple as completion of some paperwork or assessment that was forgotten, or, that as you say XRay has been seen by someone else

twer · 19/04/2018 00:00

Maybe someone with a keener eye had a look and actually found the battery??

Fruitcorner123 · 19/04/2018 00:02

twer am fairly sure that would be considered an emergency and she would be rushed in.

frasier · 19/04/2018 00:03

I’m sure they would have said come in straight away if they had seen a battery.

Bettiedraper · 19/04/2018 00:03

What kind of things can they find in x rays other than broken bones?

Seriously?
Pneumonia, congestive heart failure, emphysema, lung mass or lung nodule, tuberculosis, fluid around the lung (pleural effusion), enlarged heart, dental abscesses, loose teeth, scoliosis, bone tumours, lung cancer, breast cancer, dysphagia, blood vessel problems, joint injuries…
etc.