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.

My heart rate is always high so I've an appointment with cardiology in January.
Don't know bp; couldn't find thermometer.
Breathing normal today.
Feel relatively ok so far actually. Fingers crossed.

Thanks for the nice posts. I know people like to get a resolution to these posts such as 'I'm at A&E now' etc. but I've done my time in hospital.

When I was admitted with sepsis (I knew as a was shaking uncontrollably and freezing), I had a temp of 40.4, bp 70/40, pulse 154. Basically very ill - I was admitted to resus. I also was struggling to breathe. Oxygen was 85

They looked after me very well though and recovered me fully (I hope). I was discharged with a week of antibiotics which I've finished, so I hope that has hit whatever it was. The discharge letter mentions the infection I had but I can't find the letter at the moment (place is in a state of chaos at the moment).

They did the tests immediately on admission of what infection I had and what antibiotics are resistant. So I'm sure I was given appropriate ones.

Blood cultures! That's what they did. Couldn't think of it when typing a minute ago.

Did you finish the antibiotics before the D&V started Minority

Glad to hear you're feeling better. 😀

I'm glad you are feeling better, but I know from experience that Septis & it's treatment hits your kidneys hard, plus D&V on top if that, makes it really important that you get your fluids back up to high & sort out your electrolytes, which needs to include potassium & magnesium I think too. Diaorlyte has everything you need, but unfortunately also has artificial sweeteners, which can cause diarrhoea on a sensitive stomach, so personally I would avoid it.

If you can get your hands on some coconut water, that's basically a natural electrolyte drink. I'd also recommend hibiscus tea with honey. I was given this when I took I'll with food poisoning in Egypt, it's amazing stuff fir bad starch upset

I totally get why you've had enough of hospitals, but stil be sensible & get checked out by a doctor, you've too much going in to take risks.

Your heart rate etc, & a few other comments made me wonder if you have POTs, if you haven't heard of it, check POTs UK

I should have added, if it is POTs, then you definitely need to get your fluids up & fast

How're your doing now, minority? Feeling better, we hope?

No vomiting today and the bowels are starting to grumble now but have been quiet all day. Heading to bed.

Hope this morning sees more improvement.

Coconut water has a laxative effect Rockin

Glad you're feeling better. Can't believe someone suggested drinking some chicken stock 🤢.

Def get yourself checked even if feeling better. If you just finished the antibiotics and got sick then may be need a longer course.

I've finished the antibiotics.

gin in large quantities, yes, but I was presuming the OP wouldn't be glugging litres & litres of it due to the state they've been in. A glass or too, or sipped, is going to have a lot more benefit than plain water.

I currently have ongoing gastric issues, that mean I'm getting D & sometimes D&V flare ups. I find coconut water helps me feel human again faster than anything else.

I do often drink a litre a day due to problems holding onto potassium causing high BP & headaches & panic attacks, it's an absolute godsend for that, brings my BP down & it's never given me the runs

Two, my autocorrect has gone extra nuts lately 😐

My BP is on the low side. It was 97/70 last night. Heart rate was ok in the 80's.

Coconut water wouldn't affect that, it only affects my BP as my high BP is due to an adrenal problem causing me to dump potassium out if my system. After the GP giving me potassium pills a few times & how good it made me feel, I realised I needed to take in more, plus I have B12 injections, which uses up the bodies potassium. If it's from a natural source such as CW, your body is unlikely to take up more than what it needs.

Is your BP normally low?? If not, that would worry me that yours is low now, as I know from experience that can be a sign your body is fighting something too hard, so could mean you need more antibiotics. You definitely need checking over by a doctor regardless though. Better safe than sorry.

If your BP is normally low, then with other things you've mentioned, I'm guessing you could have "Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia" (POTs) it does come under cardiology, though is a specialism, so unfortunately not many cardiologists actually know about it. It's not an actual heart defect, but a problem with the wiring, if that makes sense. It comes with a lot of other symptoms, that aren't linked to cardiology, so seeing a POTs aware doctor is important

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/3728182-AIBU-to-complain-and-what-should-I-expect-from-an-investigation

BTW this (linked thread) is why I was reluctant to go to A&E (apart from the ridiculous wait). The second hospital I was at costs £25 in a taxi both there and back, so no, I don't want to be rocking up to hospitals unless I'm on death's door.

Referred to cardiology as my heart rate for the past 8 months or so has been about 110 (resting heart rate). My other consultant referred me for thyroid bloods re same as she was concerned that could be the cause. Showed a slight anomaly. Have a thyroid US tomorrow actually.

I also have low potassium lol. I was on magnesium and potassium drips in one of the hospitals.

I also have low potassium lol. I was on magnesium and potassium drips in one of the hospitals.

Is that a general thing, or because your body was fighting septis??

Either way it sounds like you'd benefit from coconut water as it contains magnesium too.

& yes, I can totally understand why you don't want to go to the hospital after that fiasco not hard to believe as I've seen similar in our own medical ward when my daughter was ill, they are beyond useless & my arguing, had the main doctor threaten me with social services, something I realised he was using to shut up other parents too. We had no SS involvement ever, so it just made me see red & tear him down, but I could see it was very effective on the 2 other mums on the ward with arsehole exHs using SS as a tool to harass them. Turned out my daughters "IBS" was actually an intestinal blockage & colitis

I still think you need checking over by a doctor though, this is all very serious shit. I had no idea when I had Septis that it is so serious, but more die of it than survive, so your body has taken a massive battering & this on top is of concern

I'm impressed they are scanning your thyroid on a slightly out result, that's unusually thorough, which is good.

Just a thought, are you vegan at all??

The slightly off thyroid results alongside the tachycardia, liver etc makes me wonder about B12 deficiency which can be a cause.

You don't have to be vegan to be deficient though as there are lots of things that can mean your body can't process B12 properly. We have B12 injections for this reason

Nope - a complete carnivore lol.
My B vits ok, but I'm slightly anaemic from last bloods.