To not want to go to A & E but I can't put weight on my leg!

[Ibelieveinwitches]

I brisk walk twice a day including a short jog too once. I've being doing this for months with no issue.
Today whilst walking normally, coming out of a shop, my ankle kind of went from underneath me. It initially felt like something needed to click back into place. I hobbled a bit and it kept happening until I couldn't weight bare at all. I had to hop back to the car where fortunately I wasn't driving. It hurts whilst resting from my Achilles tendon right up my calf. I literally cannot stand on it for more than a split second. What am I supposed to do?! I can't keep hopping!! Is A & E the only place I can get crutches?

You have somehow done something to your ankle. Get it checked. It is severe enough that you are struggling to weight bear and it is unstable.
I knew someone who didn’t get torn ankle ligaments immobilised and had problems for years.

You need to go to A&E.

I did something very, very similar when I was in school and almost 30 years on I'm still having issues. I'm not even 40 but it's weak and probably on the way to developing arthritis..........it aches constantly during the winter and gives out on ocassion. In the summer it aches and swells in the heat........looking back I should have had physio or had it strapped up at least but I didn't want to wait in A&E. So spent my Easter hols sat on my arse playing Nintendo until it was feeling better

Try phoning 111 as they can give out of hours gp appointments or minor injuries for things like this. I agree probably waste of a&e time really but 111 is good

Sorry OP didn't see about no local minor injuries. I think there will be people in both camps offering advice and experiences. If you still can't wb then go to a&e. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Most GPs, especially out of hours, do not have an x ray machine.
The OP needs somewhere with an x ray machine as there are no doctors yet able to see if a bone is broken or not without one.
A&E is not a waste of their time.

OP if there is damage you shouldn't be trying to keep weight bearing until you have had it seen!

Fed up with people telling others that they dont need to go to A&E....

This has nearly cost two people their lives on threads on here iv read....

Not saying this one is life or death, but noone has the right to tell another, Your wasting A&E time

They post live updates of A&E waiting times for many hospitals online you could Google it to see how busy they are. No one likes going to A&E but sounds like you need too.

I've just googled it. The wait is nearly 4 hours. I'm currently icing it and its elevated. Theres 100 people waiting to be seen!!

We are so lucky to have A&E here and it's there for things like this, if it's serious enough that it's almost impossible to bear weight on it then it needs looking at. If you feel guilty then remember you could end up taking up more resources in the longer run if you leave something that could have been helped at this point. Best get yourself seen to. Good luck!

I do feel for you OP, because this is the worst kind of thing you can go to a&e for- you need their facilities but you won’t be prioritised in any way (except maybe over those who want their blood pressure taken ) but that’s where the X-ray machines are so sadly you gotta go.

It would be really good if GPS could refer you straight to X-ray wouldn’t it? Sure they used to

Perhaps waiting for a bit then! I'd keep your weight off it though, don't want to make it worse.

Options:

1. Don't go, it will be fine
2. Don't go, you have broken damaged something that is now worse because you did go
3. Go, waste 4 hours of your time (not theirs) and it's nothing
4. Go and find out you've broken or damaged something and all is fine
5. Ask MN, fanny about a bit and do one of 1-4 anyway

Saves you reading the next 30 odd posts.

Because you didn't go - for option 2

This always happens when I try to be patronising.

I'd be straight off to hospital if I couldn't weight bare on my leg. Just hope it isn't a DVT. Doesn't sound like it but they can have different symptoms.

YABU to ask when you didn’t intend to go anyway. I get it, you’re a grown up and perfectly entitled to make your own decisions. If it’s soft tissue i.e. ligament damage then it might heal with rest and ice but it’s a bit of a nastier ligament issue, it could take longer to heal without medical attention. I am speaking from experience; I tore ligaments, decided against seeking treatment until weeks later when the damage took months to repair and I ended up needing surgery.

You should go to hospital, I broke my ankles when younger and could walk on them although incredible pain so doctors didn't X-ray till weeks later and saw they were broken. Since then they've always been trouble and regularly twist without warning.
Just take a book and wait to be seen

Obvs you need to go to A and E. Who can drive you there? Four hours is only four hours it’s not four days. Take a book, snack, drink, phone, headphones and charger and you’ll be grand. Let us know how you get on.

Nobody WANTS to sit for hours in A & E but you need to go and get checked. Have something to eat, pack some snacks, a book and a charged phone and GO NOW.

Busiest time in a and e is Mondays daytime, drops off evenings from 6pm onwards, much quieter from midnight. See here

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06964/SN06964.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj045LcgIbmAhUkkFwKHYtRBzAQFjALegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw2zB2aF4YHCsD_XuCQEbKpm&cshid=1574707405823" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06964/SN06964.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj045LcgIbmAhUkkFwKHYtRBzAQFjALegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw2zB2aF4YHCsD_XuCQEbKpm&cshid=1574707405823

If I were you I'd go later when it's a bit quieter.

tbh 4 hours doesn't seem too bad.
you will go through triage and xray whilst you wait.

*Options:

1. Don't go, it will be fine
2. Don't go, you have broken damaged something that is now worse because you did go
3. Go, waste 4 hours of your time (not theirs) and it's nothing
4. Go and find out you've broken or damaged something and all is fine
5. Ask MN, fanny about a bit and do one of 1-4 anyway*

Brilliant. This ^

There may be fewer people attending A&E in the early hours, but there will be correspondingly fewer staff on shift to see them. Hospitals try to match staffing to demand, hence why graphs like that exist Jelly.

The time you turn up is therefore fairly irrelevant. But it does sound like you should go OP.

When i know i need to go to A&E (Long term medical issue)
I try and go to about 3am... Its the quietest of times and normally on the ward by 6am ish

Im sorry but thats just not true notanotheralias

The A+E work in has just as many staff during the day time as it does during the night.

I've sat with my feet up for the last hour. It's no better. But the wait time is now 5.5 hours!! I cannot sit there for that long. I've no choice now but to wait until the morning or maybe 3am if I can't sleep! The pain has spread all over my calf above my ankle. Not excruciating but uncomfortable. I dont know if I'm been a bit paranoid but my foot feels a bit tingly. I can wiggle toes easy enough though and that stops it. Thanks for all the advice (even though I haven't yet followed it, I will go tomorrow unless it's improved of course)