To please ask what you would do? A/E

[Lamplightlady4]

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.’

Glad you went to A&E and are being seen to

So glad you are being treated Op - sounds like you were a whisper away from a life threatening situation. Hope A and E improves <hollow laugh>

Its so good to know you are in hospital now getting the right treatment, the problem lies in having 5 courses of antibiotics in 6 weeks, you should have been seen by a specialist before it got bad enough to have to go to a&e,,

Wishing you well and hope you have a speedy recovery @Lamplightlady4.

I know you won't even want to think about this at the moment but when you're feeling well enough again I would take this up with your GP.

I hope you start to feel better now that you're getting the right medical attention. Can I suggest that you log a complaint (a very serious one at that) with whichever medical body you need to (someone will probably be along shortly with advise as to which one) about the treatment, or more importantly the lack of appropriate treatment you received from your GP? That was a very very serious mistake that they made and they need to know that it was very very serious too.

Your GP needs a very firm complaint shoved up his nose, that's utterly awful, thank god you went to A and E. I'm horrified at the state of the NHS , how much worse can it get ?

Glad you went, glad you got treated. Hope you are better soon, OP.

Hope you're feeling better, op, what à nightmare xx

Yes. A decade or so of conservative government results in exactly that. Around 15 years ago 98% of people were seen, treated and either admitted or discharged within 4 hours.

@Lamplightlady4 I had similar symptoms with my ear and it turned out I had cholesteatoma- it's not a tumour even though it sounds like one! It's basically a collection of gunk that grows in the ear and can (as seems to happen in your case) cause mastoiditis and meningitis. I had surgery several years ago to remove mine and it was a reasonably comfortable recovery. The most uncomfortable bit was when the nerves in my scalp started to realise they'd been interfered with, which I wasn't expecting. My ear barely hurt at all after the surgery- I'd had much worse ear infections. The damage from the cholesteatoma caused one of the tiny bones in my ear to disintegrate so I'm one bone shorter than everyone else! My hearing wasn't too badly affected, but they can reconstruct with prosthetic bones if needs be.

Lots of people don't even know they have cholesteatoma until they are in a situation like yours, and they can be very tricky for a GP to spot, especially as they only tend to look in your ears when they're already inflamed with an ear infection. Some people are born with them too!

I just thought I'd share in case you needed surgery and weren't sure what to expect. I hope you feel better soon.

I’m so glad to scroll to your last post op to see that you’ve been seen and they’re looking after you

i spent 8.5 hours in A&E yesterday

the sister told us that despite the lack of staff for one reason or another (covid/brexit etc) and elevated patient numbers, the staffing levels drop of an evening reflecting how things used to be. So patients are coming in, not being seen for ages, knocking on to the evening shifts which also are busier but there are fewer staff to see them. It’s a mess.

that said… there was a guy there with a little one, she’d fallen from the high chair because she was standing up. He was texting his mates to say he wouldn’t make something or other because of it. She’s standing up on the chair next to him. Eating, drinking, no sign of distress whatsoever. No bumps, nothing. She didn’t need to be there. Clearly dad had no common sense

quite a few people discharged themselves, we were tempted but we’d already had an x ray so knew ds had a break. I needed to see if it was bad and to make sure someone can fix it properly

hope you’re on the mend ❤️‍🩹

MzHz one of my DTs fell doing a similar thing to the toddler you saw (she climbed on to the table while my back was briefly turned and fell off.) She fell unconscious for a few seconds and the NHS advice was to take her to a&e. She was completely fine when we were there, talking, smiling, drinking, walking. I’m sure people thought I had no common sense but the doctor we saw said it was the right thing to do. She was absolutely fine but if, for example, she had suffered a haemorrhage at home I’m sure I would I would have been asked why we didn’t seek medical assistance.

I think there is an additional pressure at weekends and overnight. Many out of hours services are depleted meaning 111 frequently sends children to a&e. When we are advocating for our children we have a lower threshold for getting them seen by a doctor than perhaps we would have for ourselves. I don’t think it’s fair to blame concerned parents for long waiting times that are a result of systematic underfunding, staff shortages and Covid backlogs.

Glad you went to A&E and are having it seen to.

When you get out, please please please formally complain about your GP surgery. They should not have allowed you to get to this point.

I hope you are starting to feel better OP, IV antibiotics usually start working quite quickly so hopefully things are looking up. Ear pain is dreadful, you have my sympathy.

My daughter was so poorly with an uncontrolled ear infection I discovered just how awful they can be. (Life threatening) The infection can get into your brain. Go now. You are obvs v poorly. Not wasting anyone’s time. My DD was admitted for iV antibiotics, brain scan etc.

Glad you got a diagnoses.

Did the original GP do a swab to determine the bacteria before they referred to ENT?

Sorry. Just read end of your post Thank goodness you went & were treated. I too learned the hard way (my DD) just how awful an ear infection can become. Take time to heal fully. Best Wishes.

Please head to a&e. My husband went up to hospital following a few courses of antibiotics for a infection recently and ended up in hospital for a week with blood poisoning. I dropped him off expecting to pick him up a few hours later and within that time he took a turn for the worse. On the mend at home now thankfully. blood poisoning can come on so quickly!

She’s been.

I would make a conmplaint about your gp when youre better-thats not good enough

people are just going to die arent they its horrendous

Hi OP! You are showing some signs of potential sepsis. Increased somnolence and a low temperature are 2 such signs. You have nothing to lose by going to ED. It maybe entirely possible that you have a foreign object inside the ear canal which may be causing the recurrent infections. Get yourself checked out and I hope you feel better soon!!! Xxx

Hi Op
Just read your update. Really pleased you have a diagnosis and getting appropriate treatment. Hope you are feeling better and stronger today and every new day! Xxx

So glad you went and hope you feel better soon

That’s so scary OP. I’m so glad you were seen, sounds like it could have been incredibly serious.

I agree with you re the NHS. It has been getting steadily worse for a long time but the after effects of covid seem to have crippled it.

Hi glad your getting help now and hope you feel better soon