A&E/out of hours?

[user275]

Can someone help me here?
I don't have enough medical knowledge to be pushy on this.

DP got severe toothache a few days ago, hasn't been able to sleep. It's been pretty bad.
Now all of a sudden about 10 minutes ago he's started throwing up blood. He's got pains in his neck and head that worsen when he lies down.

What's the best course of action? None of this sounds right to me yet he's adamant he doesn't need to see a doctor etc

Stop posting and do something

A&E it could be infection and throwing up blood is serious x

littlemeitslyn rtft. OP lasts posted at an hour and a half ago.

Thanks everyone.

Finally convinced DP to do whatever 111 advised expecting them to say A&E - even prepped him that he may be kept in.

They said to come up to the out of hours service. There wasn't even a doctor there, we were seen by an on-call nurse who said 'well, what do you want me to do for you?'.

She's prescribed him co-codamol (so he doesn't take any more ibuprofen) & a 'stomach protecting' tablet. They just said to go to A&E if there's any more blood!

Bit disappointed with the lack of thorough checking but my DP just thinks it's been confirmed that it wasn't as serious as I was making out

That much ibuprofen would be expected to cause stomach bleeding.

When you say vomiting blood, do you mean the vomit was blood streaked or he has vomited a large amount of blood?

@Jollitwiglet it was an average amount after he'd been throwing up for 1 minute before - not just streaks.

glad he got seen and has the stomach protecting tablet,
get him to write down the times of when he takes pain killers, a lesson we should all follow

No don't just turn up at A&E - it's SO irresponsible of everyone advising this! A&E is for emergencies!!! What don't people understand about that? Baffling. 111 will triage you if you need to speak to/ see a GP. Make sure you're clear ehen explaining the situation

Well done OP on getting him to medical attention. When the crisis has passed you really ought to let him know what stress it has caused you him being stubborn and unwilling to advocate for his own health when unwell, so that in the future it’s not all left to you to not only chase around seeking advice but also cajole him into seeing someone. It’s not on.

Follow the advice given by the nurse, take the medication, and see how things go. If it proceeds then do as she advised and go to A&E:

Thanks again everyone. Just going to see how it goes and been referred to an emergency dentist in the morning anyway.

@Lotus90

Let me out this in big letters. AN OVERDOSE IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY AND A&E IS EXACTLY THE RIGHT PLACE.

Unless you're an actual doctor who has seen someone in person, don't tell someone they shouldn't go to A&E for something like this.

Fucking hell, advice like this could kill someone.

FFS if puking blood isn't an emergency what is?

I'm sorry but vomiting blood knowing I'd overdosed on something would be a valid reason to visit a&o for me.

@Lotus90 I'd say vomiting blood is an emergency, so not sure why you think going to A and E is irresponsible. Irresponsible physiotherapist that I am, I phoned 999 when my stalker ex was vomiting blood on my driveway as he stalked me. He was admitted to hospital.

And what an irresponsible out of hours nurse to say 'go to A and E if there's any more blood'!

What next? 'You've only chopped off one foot, hop and phone 111 to be triaged.'

Lotus do you really expect us to believe you wouldn't go to A&E if you were throwing up blood and overdosing?!

’well, what do you want me to do for you?'

Uhuh. Sure she did. Because a nurse who had been told someone had vomited blood would just brush it off like that.

Lotus - I am a doctor. I have worked in A and E. in my opinion A and E was the right place for him to go. I agree with others that the concern is that the ibuprofen has caused gastritis and an upper GI bleed. Sometimes when someone vomits very hard you can tear the oesophagus and get bleeding when you vomit ( doesn’t sound like it in this case as husband Is reasonably ok). Vomiting blood should always be taken seriously.

I wouldn't trust 111 they're shit! I woke one morning to a swollen, purple leg, they told me to see my doctor who didn't open for three hours, I went to A & E anyway, turns out I had a massive blood clot. My friend who fell and grazed her knee rang them and they advised her to go to hospital. Absolute shower!

Surely if you're coughing up blood you go to hospital, I would

@MintyMabel you're right, I've lied about the outcome because that's so beneficial?

@Looobyloo why did your friend ring an urgent medical helpline if they’ve just grazed their knee. And 111 can’t see over the phone so they are not always accurate. I work for 111, and sometimes the outcome might not be appropriate but I would always ask for a second opinion.

There sometimes are emergencies that you might not understand are emergencies because you are not medically trained. If he was vomiting blood you can kind of see why they went to a&e. Since I've been a mum ive had to use a&e 4 times for my kids. Once when my DD had a temp. The receptionist might aswel of said to me for feck sake take her home and give her calpol. She tried to bully me to sod off. She was wrong. My daughter was on the ward for 7 hours whilst they debated sending her by ambulance to a peadatric hospital as she was too hot and her eyes were glazed.

I also took my son up in march when his breathing was on and off grunting. When I arrived at a&e anyone in that waiting room would of thought there's nothing wrong with that child. He was even trying to sit up to play. He was kept in for 4 days with the start of pnunomia.

We are not experts on here. If his tooth was bleeding then yes he needs a dentist. But how do you know it wasn't an infected wisdom tooth that had spread Into his body. It can happen. If you are worried I always say 111 or go to your a&e. Obviously not with alot of minor things but vomiting blood would worry me!!!

@butteflycookie because it was bruised as well but basically it was just a fall. I know they can't see down the phone but I woke one morning at 6am, my leg was swollen and purple, they asked if I'd injured it, I said no, does it hurt? yes! Ok, we suggest you see your doctor when they open. Yes because it normal to wake with a swollen leg in a morning!
Seriously I could have died. It was a massive blood clot, ankle to abdomen. I spent three days in ICU having thrombolysis to clear it. I'm still pissed off at them.

You must have forgotten to tell them he had overdosedv

Did you tell the nurse he had overdosed?

Crazy

Someone i know, had a tooth infection.
2 days later. A headache, then feeling abit poorly, then vomiting.... Sepsis, died the next day