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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To go to a&e with stomach pains?

50 replies

Ffswhatnoww · 29/07/2020 12:16

So this started Saturday night, was snacking on some peanut when my stomach started to hurt, couple inches above belly button. It was bad but manageable and lasted about 4 hours. Sunday night same thing happened after tea. Took buscopan which didn’t help but pain subsided after few hours. Thought I had a weird bug although I haven’t had any vomiting or diarrhoea.

Then last night i was in absolute agony, only thing that helped was lying in a ball. Took some buscopan and paracetamol which didn’t help at all. The pain is like waves over my mid abdo, spreading around into both sides, gradually building up then easing slightly. This lasted around 4 hours then started again while lying in bed on my back.
Have tried to make an appointment with GP but they haven’t got anything until Friday and I know if this pain strikes again before then I won’t be able to cope as it’s terrible.

OP posts:
rhowton · 29/07/2020 12:17

Sounds like hailstones, maybe?? I went to a&e with the pain I was in and was told to go away, I refused and they gave me an ultrasound and it was full of stones.

Orangeblossom78 · 29/07/2020 12:19

apparently we are being told to ring ahead to go to A and E...111

WorraLiberty · 29/07/2020 12:19

I think you should follow whatever advice they gave when you rang 111

I expect it would be better informed than a lot of opinions on a chat forum.

Good luck OP.

Orangeblossom78 · 29/07/2020 12:20

I would ring GP and ask for urgent same day ring back, some hospitals now have urgent clinics where they can scan etc and even do day surgery...good luck

Original poster
Ffswhatnoww · 29/07/2020 12:21

I haven’t rang 111.. just my Gp to try get an appointment

OP posts:
randomsabreuse · 29/07/2020 12:22

I'd go for 111. Just about to go home after seeing 111 GP on Sunday night with roll on the floor swearing abdo pains. Hoiked my appendix out yesterday after scans to eliminate womanly issues and it was inflamed...

FatherBrownsBicycle · 29/07/2020 12:22

Couple of inches above belly button-have you tried indigestion remedies? Not being flippant as it can be agonising but easily resolved.

Alfiemoon1 · 29/07/2020 12:26

Ring 111 agree try indigestion tablets in the meantime

Original poster
Ffswhatnoww · 29/07/2020 12:30

I will ring 111 if it starts up again, and I’ll try something for indigestion/trapped wind. Thank you for your advice ☺️

OP posts:
Thymeout · 29/07/2020 12:40

Couple of inches above belly button could be your transverse colon. That's the part that joins the one that goes up your left side and down your right.

Acute pain could be an obstruction, which does need emergency action. Try 111 and A&E if it gets worse.

MsEllany · 29/07/2020 12:40

I would try your GP again. I had similar a couple of times, first time i was pregnant and second time not. Doctor diagnosed virus in my gut, but nothing much he could do other than offer buscopan.

Regulus · 29/07/2020 12:42

A and E is not there just because you can't get a doctors appointment.

IncrediblySadToo · 29/07/2020 12:47

@Regulus

A and E is not there just because you can't get a doctors appointment.
Oh give over FGS

It's there for when you're in pain. She should go if she's in pain again.

Stomach pain is another Covid symptom, so I wouldn't just turn up but you definitely need to get help if you get the pain again.

As it's so intermittent it probably is something trapped etc.

81Byerley · 29/07/2020 12:48

It sounds like gallstones...it's very painful. It is made worse by eating fatty food, so I would avoid that if possible.

Itsseweasy · 29/07/2020 12:51

Sorry for TMI but could it be constipation? I’ve had exactly the pain you described and it turned out to be a bit of a “blockage” 😅
You haven’t mentioned whether everything is moving along as it should?

GetOffYourHighHorse · 29/07/2020 12:52

This is why a&e is like a gp's waiting room.

Ring 111, that is what it is for.

Hamm87 · 29/07/2020 12:53

Sounds like gallstones you need to change what you eat to stop attacks and go they will refer you

PopsicleHustler · 29/07/2020 12:56

My friend had gallstones
She had to take gas and air , the pain was that bad.
Them blamed a restaurant I used to go to that we would frequent that the food is too oily

Spidey66 · 29/07/2020 12:59

I'm being investigated for possible gallstones atm (had bloods etc waiting on MRI appointment.) I've had several attacks of severe stomach pains over the past year or so which sounds like yours. The last episode was so severe, my husband rang 999 convinced it was appendicitis. I'm a NHS nurse and he's a retired NHS HCA, neither of us are ones for misusing NHS resources. I was so off my head with the pain, if you told me chopping off my right hand would ease the pain, I would have asked for a saw, which was why I didn't challenge him ringing 999. However there was a wait for an ambulance and a paramedic rang back about 45mins later to triage, and by then it had eased off and I said to cancel.

I then googled the symptoms (I know!) and spoke to my GP who agreed it sounds like possibly gallstones. She did say though if I have another episode to go to A&E, though I think I'd just take an Uber next time.

Unless you've been in that level of pain, it's hard to imagine. I was screaming and crying. OK I've never been through childbirth but tbh I would have put it at that kind of pain. I'm 54 and never had such severe pain.

Apart from gallstones, severe stomach pain could be appendicitis, ectopic, acute pancreatitis, all of which are medical emergencies, it wasn't like a tummy bug pain, it was much. much worse.

pussycatinboots · 29/07/2020 13:02

111 said my DHs heart attack was indigestion.
I took him to A&E.
He is still here to tell the tale - which he would not have been if he'd listened to 111 instead of me.

OP
If you are in real painful pain, go to A&E. They would much rather treat a "time waster" with indigestion than you end up in real trouble IYSWIM.

Readytogogogo · 29/07/2020 13:04

If you are in agony with abdominal pain then that is exactly what the emergency department is for. At the very least you would need an x-ray.

randomsabreuse · 29/07/2020 13:06

For me appendicitis was like childbirth but without the urge to push. Buscopan and Rennie did nothing (funny that). Denial does funny things to you... I actually sent DH out to buy stuff rather than think about phoning 111! Was pretty well convinced they'd find I was constipated, but got referred straight to general surgery ward!

justasking111 · 29/07/2020 13:08

Could you be pregnant,?

Spidey66 · 29/07/2020 13:12

I thought of pregnancy too (not for me, ive had a hysterectomy and im 54!) But an ectopic is i understand really painful and needs urgent medical attention.

OohThatCat · 29/07/2020 13:13

Try 111 - relative of mine had similar, pain that started then went away, then a few weeks later came back and was worse and really painful. They were told to go to A&E by 111 in case it was appendicitis, turned out to be diverticulitis (no idea if spelt correctly!) which is like an inflammatory thing with the lining of intestine. Comes and goes as certain foods or irritants can give it flare ups. Can be treated with antibiotics but if really painful requires a trip to hospital to be put on fluid antibiotics