Severe pain a and e or not

[Paddington23]

Got endometriosis had op and on treatment that’s not really working. past month or so I’ve been in really bad pain past week it’s been so bad that every 20 mins or so it cripples me I have to stand or sit completely un able to move. The pain shoots across my womb and both ovaries. I had an internal scan last weekend came back normal. It’s crippling me and I can’t do anything I’m dreading work tomorrow but I can’t call in sick as to many sick days I don’t no what to do the pain is so bad

Just going to cry it out with my heat pack

OP it could be an issue with round ligaments or a hernia. You need to go to a&e and push for diagnostic investigations not just pain relief. The way you're describing it sounds very similar to both.

Also a&e is there for this reason 🙄 you're not wasting anyones time.

My son works in A&E and has been telling me some very loose details of how busy it is atm. One of the questions I always ask is "do the patients need to be there or are they time wasters?" Every reply I've had, without fail, is "mum, they're really sick." In his dept they'd not leave a serious case to treat someone with a sore ear and I find it hard to believe anyone would. The very nature of A&E is that a nurse or a doctor could be treating someone with something not life threatening one minute then doing CPR the next.

Of course my son wouldn’t leave someone really sick to treat a sore ear but they still have to be examined at some point - time wasters are not turned away without being looked. A quick look and then on his way. And then a cardiac arrest came in - the type of patient who should go to a&e unlike the OP. There are too many post on MN asking the same question - all they need to do is think what is the dept called and they will get their answer.

@Seniorcitizen1 it clearly could be an emergency. The op had surgery, is struggling and is in great pain. When people are in pain and are frightened it is difficult to think straight and take decisions. Telling a stranger on the internet not to go to A&E on the basis of second hand info from your son about a non-relevant earache case and your own non-medical PhD is not just absurd but downright nasty.

Op, at the very least call NHS 24 and ask for medical advice. You’re absolutely not wasting anyone’s time.

Agreed - so why do people come on here and ask that question? The OP has proved my point as she has had the pain since Friday and isn’t dead. Not an A&E case - 111 and then examination by a GP out of hours on Friday!!!

@SeniorCitizen I worked as a frontline HCP for 25 years in a specialitybwell known for severe pain. I also had a friend who suffered from severe endometriosis. One evening we were out and her period started. I have literally never seen anyone have the colour drain away and become so ill so fast barring cardiac arrest.

Her partner had to get her into ancan and straight to A&E for pain relief and I don’t mean a couple of paracetamol. If you’ve seen someone in that much agony you might appreciate that is is an emergency.

OP I hope you get some assistance from your GP and get some longer term relief from this horrible condition.

The OP has proved my point as she has had the pain since Friday and isn’t dead.

You really don't have a bloody clue

This is exactly what 111 is for, it sounds like you’re going to struggle overnight so it’s appropriate to call an out of hours service tonight.

The nhs website says that A&E is for life threatening emergencies. Other minor injuries can be treated by minor injury units ir by calling 111 if outside GP hours. The advice doesn’t say anywhere “come down anyway and we will see you” or “ go on an online forum and seek advice from complete strangers who may or may not be medically trained but are unlikely to be able to offer you real advice down the internet”. There was a post a few weeks ago from a mother whose partner who had dropped her baby on its head - same question as from OP. The clue is in the title - people need to use common sense. The OP should have called 111 on Friday not wait 2 days and seek advice on MN

Yes, and sepsis after surgery is life threatening. I wish people would use some common sense and let A&E triage them.

Seniorcitizen1 As you say, A&E is for life threatening emergencies. The problem is that the average non-medically trained member of the public does not always recognise life threatening emergencies.

In fact, medically trained and fully qualified professionals do not always recognise medical emergencies without thorough assessment and investigation.

My FIL mistook his heart attack for a chest infection and drove many miles across the country before seeking help - MIL, who was with him, is a nurse.

When my DH had a bleed on the brain, the paramedics who came out weren't sure he even needed to go to hospital.

Life threatening emergencies don't always come with a huge sign telling you what they are.

Exactly - so why didn’t OP call 111 on Friday to discuss and probably be seen by a medic rather than wait until today and come on here?

A&E is not a triage service - 111 should be first port of call for non-life threatening emergencies when GPs are closed

Lets apply common sense for once

Yes maybe I shouldn’t go to a and e but I’m in a group of people with condition so many don’t go to a and e and ended up with a burst ovary just posted on here for some re assurance. Not being able to move and crying in pain after taking maximum amount of codine clearly something is wrong maybe not an emergency but something that should be looked at sooner rather than later

Ring 111. Senior citizen is not a doctor. You could have complications due to treatment. If it’s worse than ever before and unbearable, no harm ringing 111.

You should go to a&e if you’re in that much pain. Don’t listen to the others!

Seniorcitizen, you need to get off this thread. You could be putting the OP’s life at risk with your nonsense inappropriate bullying. You clearly know nothing about endometriosis. I have a close relative who’s a radiographer, but I don’t think that means I can take xrays over the Internet.

OP ring 111 at the very least

I don't think seniorcitizen should really be advising someone definetely not to go to a&e as someone behind a screen that knows nothing of what could be going on with op.

I have advised 111 like virtually all of rhe early posters

OP, you really need to ring 111

I have been 3 times over the past month with severe pain. The first time I was sent by the gp. I was admitted for a week.
2nd I went back to A&E. They reluctantly let me go but with instructions to take it easy and come back if I had and a long list of symptoms.
3rd time less than a week later. Within 2 hours of walking through the A&E doors, I was admitted and another week stay.

Each time I had pain for a few days hoping it would subside. There was nothing else wrong with me as far as I could tell. But I was severely anaemic (I had 7 transfusions over the past month), fever, water retention even though I was dehydrated, and have had an infection that won't fuck off.

All because of complications related to adenomyosis which is very similar to endometriosis. But until I had a scan in a&e, urine and my blood taken this would have remained unknown. I was just in absolute agony and the dihydrocodeine and paracetamol weren't doing anything.

You didn't just advise 111 Senior you said it wasn't a life threatening emergency. You simply do not know that.

Ring 111 OP

U2 in my first post I said OP should “contact NHS24 or whatever it is called” - please don’t misrepresent me. OP should seek medical advice - not from MN - but not from A&E as first port of call