Please tell me I'm not sick enough for A&E again

[Minorityreports]

I just have norovirus or something but it has been going on for 5 days now with no signs of abating. I'm sleeping most of the time, when not vomiting or having diarrhoea. I've slept approx. 20 hours out of the past 24 and I'm still exhausted. Just sitting up is an effort. No pain apart from diarrhoea cramps and burning in my stomach when I drink anything.

I feel for you that there is really no one that you can call. Everyone should have at least someone.

‘You’re posting on mumsnet so you aren’t that ill’
3 weeks ago my mother was in a&e with what we thought was a bad UTI, posting on Facebook whilst we waited. Within 2 hours of that she was intubated and sedated in ITU. Some people manage to do things when they are extremely unwell so fuck off with that comment.

I am constantly amazed when people tell a poster with such confidence that 'all they need to do is...' and that they would be wasting A&E resources.

1. The OP has assumed she has norovirus. She doesn't know it, and there are lots of things that cause d&v (including sepsis).

2. She will be immunocompromised from the initial sepsis. From memory, they say it's about a year to recover full strength.

3. In ITU we get people with 'a bit of flu', 'a urine infection', 'a chest infection', 'a bit of D&V' or 'abdominal pain'. The name of the illness gives no indication of the severity and people can be literally at death's door with gastroenteritis.

4. The OP isn't keeping food down, has been vomiting and has now got diarrhoea. She could easily have a metabolic acidosis (or even alkalosis if her chloride levels are depleted).

5. Having vomiting and diarrhoea doesn't mean you are well hydrated. The body produces fluid as part of every day metabolism and if there isn't fluid in one area, it will just pull it from another area.

It is so unwise to make a judgement that someone is 'too well' for medical treatment from a Mumsnet post. One day, someone will die because of it, and I've told MNHQ this before.

Lougle

6. The OP has made reference to other unspecified underlying conditions which may impact how she copes with this illness.

Yes, Chaz, true. It's staggeringly irresponsible.

This is why another forum I go on doesn't allow medical posts. Armchair bloody "heros" who think they're saving the NHS by declaring people healthy enough to no go to hospital based on a few comments on a post.

Please talk to 111 again

Agree, this is not the place for medical advice.

Actually, this has really annoyed me. Even medical professionals can't tell who is deteriorating or has sepsis just by hearing about them. That's why every unwell patient that hits certain trigger points (in my Trust it's NEWS scoring) gets a form completed that says "Think Sepsis. Could this be Sepsis?" and they have to take a serum lactate level. Because lactate is the biggest indicator of sepsis.

You just can't know how someone is because they can type on a screen. Lots of our ITU patients are typing, talking, etc. They are no less ill because of it.

Grates on me, People have such an issue with people going to A&E, and they have no idea how ill the person is.

I remember following a post similar to this a little while ago, same kind of thing, poster was told, your not ill enough if ur posting on here, your symptoms dont warrant A&E.

Well that poster took that advice, and convinced herself she was ok....

Turns out she had sepsis, she was eventually luckily admitted into hospital where she was in intensive care for a long time, she nearly died.

I always think of her, i cant remember her user name.

And it always makes me angry that posters tell people they are fine when they haven't got a clue

I'd worry a lot about c diff given what the medical history is here. Go to A&E if you can.

C DIFF can be devestating

It fucking annoys me too.

I may be a bit quick to suggest medical advice but I've seen the consequences of not seeking help.

Sorry for derailing your thread a bit @op. Hope you're okay and please do seek more medical advice.

How are you doing, op?

Hope you're feeling better x

some people are so aggressive in how they speak to an ill person. this person is vulnerable, not only because of this illness, but recent sepsis and hosp admission, being alone and isolated, no-one to call on, having no gas= no heating/ hot water, and underlying medical condition. all this to me adds up to needing more care/ monitoring than is possible for an ill person to give themselves.

also the practicalities of loose bowels, contaminated surfaces, furniture, clothes. how to maintain hygiene to avoid re-infecting. need to fetch supplies, unable to leave house.
all very difficult. why are some people so snide in their comments.
OP please seek further help somehow. good luck. update us.

OP, please call an ambulance. Let the paramedics assess you and decide if you need further tests or treatment. I'm worried for you.

If you still aren't keeping anything down by now... ring 111 again and this time round, big up the underlying condition, the sepsis and... really drill into them you have NO care at all and no ability to GET anywhere.. and ask them to send an out of hours GP.

They CAN do that.. it won't be the first option offered to you, but they absolutely can do that, and that does appear to be the best option for you. That GP can then determine if you need to be hospitalised again or not.

I feel you on the vomiting/shitting/pissing yourself part... I pissed all over my sofa last week whilst projectile vomiting into a bowl. Such fun!

OP "Should I go to hospital with D&V"?
MN "Call 111, but probably not".
OP " But I have multiple issues".
MN "Then go".
OP "Don't wanna".
Me "Then don't".
You're an adult. Take responsibility for your own health and your own decisions. Drip feeding issues and having people beg you to take responsibility for your own health is crass. You know you- do what you feel is best whether that's go or not. No one else can make that decision or should have to. I hope regardless of what you choose to do you feel better soon.

How are you feeling this morning op?

I've just seen your post. I really hope you are inhospitable by now, lots of red flags there that you need a drip to rehydrate you. Moro is 48 hours, any longer suggests a nasty bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli etc, but much more concerning given that your just out of hospital with septis, been there, done that & this doesn't sound good at all. Get help!!

Explosive diarrhoea can actually be a symptom of severe dehydration, severe dehydration be deadly

Sounds absolutely awful op, I think you need to get checked out.
How are you this morning?

Unbelievably, I slept through the night and so far no shits or vomiting this morning. Fingers crossed the worst has passed!

So pleased to hear from you and great that you had a good sleep.
An old wives tale from Central Europe is that small amounts of grated apple is easiest to digest after D&V. No idea if there's any truth in it but it does work for me.

Glad to hear you feel a good bit better this morning. Get straight to the shop for sugar and mix yourself a rehydration drink, it'll help more than plain water.

V and d were my early indicators of septic shock! If I didn't get to hospital when I did I would have died!! I also didn't think I was Ill enough. HOw is bp, heart rate?