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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To please ask what you would do? A/E

213 replies

Lamplightlady4 · 12/05/2022 15:54

I’m an adult but hate wasting anyones time so I’m asking mumsnet for their opinions. AIBU for considering a and e?

I’ve had an ear infection for eight weeks: my ear is incredibly swollen, leaking pus and blood daily and smells like fish. (sorry TMI).

In the past 6 weeks I’ve has 5 doses of antibiotics, and steroid drops and it’s remained the same. My ear is still as it was eight weeks ago.

My GP has done an urgent referral to ENT but this is nine weeks away even as urgent referral.
I went to my GP a few days ago and was given another set of antibiotics and sent on my way.

But the issue is I’m getting even more poorly over the past day, my glands in my mouth have now swollen, saliva glands and it’s hard to swallow, my ear is still swollen and red and bleeding, and I’m shivering and clammy, waking up with wet hair and a wet back with sweat. I’ve also slept 15 hours but I can barely keep my eyes open at work. I don’t have a temp however.

im just a loss of what to do, I’m feeling so unwell within myself I can hardly function and do my normal activities but I cannot bear a 6th sent of antibiotics, and without a temp, I doubt they’ll do anything:

Does anyone have any advice? Even ibuprofen isn’t touching the sides.’

OP posts:
Wordwatcher · 14/05/2022 12:12

Lamplightlady4 · 14/05/2022 11:39

Hello everyone. Thanks for your comments, I’m in hospital now. They did a CT scan and found that I had mastoiditis and it was on the brink of becoming meningitis and entering the brain.

A/E was really diabolical however, despite a high temp once I got there, feeling faint and the sepsis risk, I still waited for 5 and a half hours to see a doctor, but there had been one woman waiting almost 12 who I felt so sorry for.

I do worry how the NHS will continue at this rate. There was someone screaming on the floor for hours with gallstones, and was told the wait for the bed was 12 hours in a chair. Devastating.

Hi - just read your post and update and wanted to send good wishes, your experience sounds horrendous. I hope you get better soon. Rosie

Seymour5 · 14/05/2022 12:19

At least now you should get the right treatment OP. I hope you feel much better soon.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 14/05/2022 12:38

so sorry but glad you are under some sort of treatment

Onceuponatimethen · 14/05/2022 12:45

I’m so sorry op. I have been thinking of you ever since reading your posts yesterday. Thank goodness you got some help Flowers
get well soon

godmum56 · 14/05/2022 12:48

Lamplightlady4 · 14/05/2022 11:39

Hello everyone. Thanks for your comments, I’m in hospital now. They did a CT scan and found that I had mastoiditis and it was on the brink of becoming meningitis and entering the brain.

A/E was really diabolical however, despite a high temp once I got there, feeling faint and the sepsis risk, I still waited for 5 and a half hours to see a doctor, but there had been one woman waiting almost 12 who I felt so sorry for.

I do worry how the NHS will continue at this rate. There was someone screaming on the floor for hours with gallstones, and was told the wait for the bed was 12 hours in a chair. Devastating.

A and E locally has been like that for more than 10 years to my knowledge.

Scianel · 14/05/2022 13:40

I hope you start to feel much better soon. What a horrible experience all round, so sorry for you, I'm glad you're finally getting the appropriate treatment.

DaleTrimont · 14/05/2022 13:46

So glad you have been seen and scanned OP. Can’t believe that your GP didn’t send you earlier !

LadyLolaRuben · 14/05/2022 13:49

Glad you're diagnosed and hopefully on the mend shortly. Well done for getting to A&E

Unwaxedlemons · 14/05/2022 13:50

So glad you are in hospital now. What shocking treatment, hope you start to feel better soon

Myshitisreal · 14/05/2022 14:24

Oh my gosh I've been checking back to see if you posted. I'm so glad you're being looked after and you went. 😳

McConkeysPlate · 14/05/2022 14:29

I am so glad you have been seen. And hope you will be feeling better soon x

doadeer · 14/05/2022 14:31

A&e 100% crikey that sounds awful

UnshakenNeedsStirring · 14/05/2022 14:39

I had something similar, it took 3 hospital visits, 5 different antibiotics, 2 swabs and it took 10 weeks to heal. Absolutely awful

vdbfamily · 14/05/2022 14:44

Glad you know what you are dealing with now. The problem with needs in hospitals is not anNHS issue. It is likely that up to 50% of the beds are occupied by patients who do not need to be in hospital. They will be waiting for care packages, rehab beds, care home beds, or may have been exposed to someone with Covid so staying in until quarantine over if any vulnerable adults at home etc.
THE NHS would function okay if community services were fit for purpose!

mariayougottaseeher · 14/05/2022 14:45

So pleased you went @Lamplightlady4 and are being cared for. That's awful about the situation in A&E...I'm friends with several doctors and they all say the NHS is on its knees. So sad.

Waiting for 12 hours with gallstones sounds horrendous. Whereabouts are you in the UK? My sister recently broke her leg (at my house!) and although we were told it would be at least 45 minutes for an ambulance, once we were there she was seen quickly. We're in London and I wonder if things are worse outside of the big cities....?

WilsonMilson · 14/05/2022 14:51

Holy shit, that’s serious. Please go immediately to A&E. The infection is getting worse and anything in your head is serious as it’s so close to your brain and can easily become sepsis or meningitis. You need to go NOW.

WilsonMilson · 14/05/2022 14:52

Should have read to the end of the thread - glad you’re being seen and getting the care you need.

IcakethereforeIam · 14/05/2022 14:55

Thank you so much for the update. Thinking of us while you're going through this! I hope your mending continues apace. All the best.

LakieLady · 14/05/2022 15:27

So glad you went to the hospital, OP, and hope things are improving now.

The NHS is reeling from the combined effects of austerity and staff shortages. So many good staff have left because of the stress and pressure that patients are really suffering.

@mariayougottaseeher , a 45 min wait for an ambulance, while too long, sounds pretty good to me. A woman who broke her leg in an accident a few miles from me was told the wait would be 10 hours. Fortunately, she fell not far from an RNLI station and got treatment from the lifeboat's first aid person, got put on a stretcher and she was taken to A&E by car.

And when my MIL was ill in December, NHS111 sent a "medical technician" out to see her. He decided she she had pneumonia and/or pleurisy and ordered an ambulance to take her in. She ended up waiting 9 hours for it. A&E was so busy that the ambulances were queuing outside for hours before their patients could be booked in. There were more ambulances queuing outside the hospital than there were on the roads.

They took her to a hospital in the next trust area, because the wait to get into thier local A&E had gone up to 12 hours.

BoredZelda · 14/05/2022 15:36

A&E won’t mess around with potential sepsis.

Correct. And despite the fact it is mentioned on any A&E thread, sepsis is not as common as that.

Leftbutcameback · 14/05/2022 16:28

I was worried about you, so pleased you are getting the help you need. Sorry to hear you had to wait so long, fingers crossed you feel better soon.

alreadytaken · 14/05/2022 16:45

We have not properly funded the NHS for years. The government is restricting training places for young doctors, even for those wishing to train in emergency medicine, so the hospitals instead have to employ people on locum rates, those are considerably more expensive. Staff who are fed up of being treated like dirt by their employer are choosing not to work long hours as a locum. Australia and New Zealand have reopened borders so now they have an opportunity to go elsewhere.

Write to your MP, ask why the number of specialty training posts are not being increased. Maybe then we'll be able to keep more doctors.

Social care is a major problem, it isnt the only one.

Flambola · 14/05/2022 16:51

I’m glad you went to A&E - I was about to tell you to go! I’ve had similar problems from ear infections (incl many hospital admissions) which has now caused me a myriad of health problems so I don’t take them lightly.

frugalkitty · 14/05/2022 17:16

Glad you've been seen OP, and I hope you're better soon. Good job you went when you did.

ChiswickFlo · 14/05/2022 17:18

BoredZelda · 14/05/2022 15:36

A&E won’t mess around with potential sepsis.

Correct. And despite the fact it is mentioned on any A&E thread, sepsis is not as common as that.

Bollocks

My mum has had sepsis twice in the past 6 months

Despite that, she still waited 20 hours on a hard chair without any treatment/fluids until she was admitted for 6 days with diverticular sepsis.

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