AIBU to go to A&E

[Sorespot]

Had terrible trouble with my labia minora for months, first a little ulcer which cleared up, then one inner labia (labius??) swelled up approx 50% and had a small hard lump in it, was given antibiotic cream and then Flucloxicillin by the GP, nothing worked, then a few days ago the small hard lump turned in to a large pea-sized tender lump! GP said it’s a cyst with fluid in it. Been doing hot compress since, it’s now burst itself in the night and is painful and bleeding 😓 and to make matters worse it’s only half drained, so the lump is still palpable and it might fill back up completely with pus! Going to ring GP at 8am for an emergency appointment but if they fob me off with ‘watch and wait’ etc what should I do? I’ve been in pain and discomfort for months and no one will help me properly 😓

TIA for any help.

Christ don't call 111 and say you're bleeding. They'll send an ambulance.

OP the GP is your best bet. And self care. Sorry.

Christ don't call 111 and say you're bleeding. They'll send an ambulance.

Not since COVID. My toddler recently fell and cut her head and they told me to care for it at home (in the end we took her to A and E anyway and she needed her head gluing).

[quote OverTheRainbow88]@TeaPiglet

Will I would disagree and say getting that sorted is an emergency.

Covid does not trump all other health problems.

I was discouraged to take my son to a&e recently by a GP on the phone, glad I did as he had an X-ray and a broken bone[/quote]
It's not an accident or an emergency and should be seen by her GP.

@WineInTheWillows ouch! I work for the ambulance service and I'm seriously baffled at that, a kid with a head injury probably deserves an ambulance rather than the advice you received. Are they ok now? We go to a lot of stuff which just triages wrong over the phone - a nose bleed, for example as the highest category as it's a haemorrhage.

Sounds painful. Have you had a salt water bath?
Do you really want to sit in A&E.... I’d be trying everything else first! Definitely ring the doctor, hope you get it sorted.

If gynae is needed then they definitely see on the day emergencies.

I had an abscess near my anus.

It popped and burst and GP sent me straight to surgical assessment unit and I had surgery within 5 hours. Mine was a fistula and that's something that'll need investigation due to the location of yours.

And I'll add the pain so unbearable I passed out from it.

@SakuraEdenSwan1

Yes, that was my first suggestion, but if that didn’t work then a&e or minor injuries unit

Op hope you get it sorted soon.

[quote sleepyshiftworker]@WineInTheWillows ouch! I work for the ambulance service and I'm seriously baffled at that, a kid with a head injury probably deserves an ambulance rather than the advice you received. Are they ok now? We go to a lot of stuff which just triages wrong over the phone - a nose bleed, for example as the highest category as it's a haemorrhage. [/quote]
She's fine now. I was very surprised they said to keep her at home- I called DH home from work prior to even ringing them because I was so convinced it'd be an A and E job. I think the call handler was quite surprised it came back as home care, too. She just said that's what the system had churned out as the answer 🤷. When DH took her in they literally glued it and sent them home with a leaflet- they were back within 90 minutes of leaving. The nurse did say we were right to bring her in though.

If it is something like bartholin cyst, you may need surgery for a drain to be put in...depending on its size.

Hope you start to seel better soon!

OP makena jug of salt water and when you pee you can pour jug over bits after while sat on toilet. Should help keep it clean.

@Einszwei

If it is something like bartholin cyst, you may need surgery for a drain to be put in...depending on its size.

Hope you start to seel better soon!

This was my first thought too.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

@EmpathyBypass

There are some absolute gems on here already this morning.

Hope you get it sorted OP - it sounds awful

This ! Can't believe some of the comments on here this morning . Are you only on here because you got no friends in real life ?

that..sounds dreadful. {adding to my curse list} seriously tho.i hope you get relief/treatment/better soonly.owch

OP I hope you get seen, I'd second the 111 route if you don't have luck with the GP.
I had awful stomach pains GP had diagnosed as gallbladder issues, then started being sick over the weekend. Phoned 111 for advice and they booked me an our of hours clinic which was next to the hospital, who then put me straight into A&E who then put me on the surgical assessment ward. Ended up being discharged 12 hours later after an x-ray and scan with nothing they could pinpoint so I felt like I had wasted everyone's time, but they wouldn't have gone through that process if they didn't think it was worthy of concern (they thought I might have a ruptured ulcer)
If you phone 111 they can make the appropriate decision where to send you.

I didn't take my teen child to a&e when he had a belly ache as I thought it would be dramatic to go for a stomach ache and he was actually really ill. I felt like the worlds shittest mum and they said I should just go next time. Never knew his pain tolerance was so good. I know hes a child so it's different but I would maybe go if your in alot of pain op...... you never know.

Spoke to GP, unfortunately not the one who saw me in person a few days ago, and also unfortunately not my preferred one 😕 as I thought she would, she’s prescribed me with yet more of the same antibiotics and told me to either call back in a week to confirm improvement, or call back if things get worse, eg I can’t wee because of the pain. When I told her that was already the case, she told me to do it in the bath. Super helpful. Apparently if it’s not better in a week they can take a swab and start investigating, but they can’t do that now because... 🤷‍♀️

Fed up and in pain 😞 why does the NHS always involve getting fobbed off for weeks and months on end before someone will take the time to investigate properly? My symptoms are plain as day and the prescribed treatment already failed. Bloody joke.

@Sorespot

I would go to a minor injury unit and ask to be treated.

Sorry the GP wasn’t more helpful

Can you afford a private consult? Around £250 where I am and they will often refer you back to the NHS for treatment.

Solved a lot of my skin issues very quickly!

That’s a disappointing response OP. Do you think you would feel happy to call back and ask to speak to a different doctor, one that might actually examine you?
I hope you manage to get it resolved soon, I had a bartholian (?) cyst years ago and got sent straight to a&e ans had surgery on it that afternoon. Extremely painful so I hope it gets better soon for you.

I second Ostryga.
Sounds so painful!

I would go to a&e. I have had past experience of this and advice from both GP and a&e have been is the antibiotics don't work, it gets larger or more painful then I have to go to a&e. Last time I was admitted for surgical intervention