Page 18 | A&E or wait to see the Gp??

ohnoohnoo · 2022-06-14T03:42:38+00:00

Have posted a few times about this issue, I should probably change my username as my details are now probably quite outing but I've kept it the same so people can see the previous issues! Short version of backstory is that DD (5) has been poorly every few days since Feb which was when she got admitted in to hospital with stomach pains and vomiting. Eventually needed a drip and was told it was some sort of gastroenteritis. Since then she has been on antibiotics almost constantly for different things, tonsillitis, urine infections etc. She can't seem to go more than 5ish days without coming down with something else. Things ramped up 3 weeks ago when she got another urine infection. Temp went to the highest it had ever been (41+), got put on antibiotics and after a couple of days seemed to be getting better. However she then developed severe diarrhoea, going up to 15 times a day and it was just fluid, sometimes had blood in it. That has continued and is still going on. Gp agreed to do a stool sample and also referred for bloods to see if there is a reason she keeps getting poorly. Stool sample has come back negative for c diff, gastroenteritis and anything else they tested for. She is booked in to the hospital for bloods tomorrow. Here's where I'm not sure what to do. I picked her up from school yesterday and as soon as we got home she started screaming and crying saying her stomach hurt again, she was literally lying in the foetal position and said she couldn't move. Gave her some calpol and rang Gp to let them know it was happening again. They have booked us in for a face to face appt this morning. Since then she has developed a really high fever and is still crying with stomach pain. Should I wait and take her to the Gp this morning or should I just take her up to A&E so they can see how bad she is getting and hopefully find the cause quicker? I don't want to waste anybody's time but I'm also at the end of my tether and just want somebody to help her.

Wheresthebeach · 05/09/2022 17:30

Good news about the GP moving things along finally. Sounds like you’re having an awful time.

WestIsWest · 05/09/2022 20:04

That’s great OP. There’s a couple of really good GP’s at our practice and I consider us very lucky, my Mum’s practice has really gone down the pan in recent years and you read so many horror stories on here about crap GP’s.

Original poster

ohnoohnoo · 05/09/2022 20:12

WestIsWest · 05/09/2022 20:04

That’s great OP. There’s a couple of really good GP’s at our practice and I consider us very lucky, my Mum’s practice has really gone down the pan in recent years and you read so many horror stories on here about crap GP’s.

I know a lot of people say it but I genuinely do feel like you just need to get that one person who does listen and actually care and they can make all the difference. I can't even count the amount of drs we have seen since February when this started and this is the only one who has twice made a difference. I said to my DH I think I'm going to get a little box of chocs and take them in to the surgery for him tomorrow because I can't even describe how grateful I am after all the fighting we've had to do

OP posts:

WestIsWest · 05/09/2022 20:31

I think that’s a great idea OP, I’d also do him a card explaining how much it means to you all that he’s helped. When I wrote an email to the practice manager praising some of the staff, one of the GP’s thanked me the next time I spoke to her. She said especially since Covid all they get is people complaining endlessly, usually about things they can’t do anything about.

Lilgamesh2 · 05/09/2022 20:36

ohnoohnoo · 05/09/2022 16:16

I've just had the news we've been waiting for!!! We've been moved on to the urgent list and she's got an appt with the consultant at the end of sept!! I know it will still probably be a wait from then to get them out but at least we are finally being listened to and seen urgently.

So happy to hear this!

Please keep up the probiotics and severely limit sugar intake. Gut health can take a long time to recover and they say 70% -80% of the immune system is in the gut, so you need to do this to stop her getting sick. Incorporating Fermented foods into meals can help too.

Original poster

ohnoohnoo · 05/09/2022 20:41

WestIsWest · 05/09/2022 20:31

I think that’s a great idea OP, I’d also do him a card explaining how much it means to you all that he’s helped. When I wrote an email to the practice manager praising some of the staff, one of the GP’s thanked me the next time I spoke to her. She said especially since Covid all they get is people complaining endlessly, usually about things they can’t do anything about.

Yes I will definitely do that. I know it must be hard for a lot of them because they must get so many complaints or people not being very nice. It's hard when you are a parent really fighting for your child because you don't want to be rude or unreasonable to anybody but you just desperately want somebody to listen to you. I'll be forever grateful that he just took the time and really felt the urgency that we did about how much she has been suffering.
I'm also really grateful for everybody on this thread who has given me some great advice and helped us get to this point.

Hopefully people won't get bored of my updates as I will still update and let people know what happens from her next appointment. I'm hoping it might help anybody else who ends up in this situation

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UrsulaPandress · 05/09/2022 20:44

Our old GP preferred whisky.

WestIsWest · 05/09/2022 21:14

UrsulaPandress · 05/09/2022 20:44

Our old GP preferred whisky.

😂

WestIsWest · 05/09/2022 21:15

I’m definitely interested in updates OP.

notangelinajolie · 05/09/2022 21:46

OP I could have written your story word for word.
My DD finally had her tonsils and adenoids removed when she was 6. She was 18 months old when her tonsils went septic the first time. It was a long tough fight to get the surgery.
This was over 20 years ago and gives me the rage that the NHS is still prolonging all this unnecessary suffering.

Keep fighting - I can’t begin to tell you the difference afterwards. It was like a miracle.

Please keep us updated 💐

UrsulaPandress · 05/09/2022 23:09

And there was me thinking it was a recent thing caused by the current NHS crisis.

Laiste · 06/09/2022 08:35

Yes pleased keep us updated OP.

So distressing to read about your poor DD. I'm so glad you're being listened to now.

I had a similar ''so grateful for the one GP who listened'' incident about 4 years ago. My 85 year old mother became ill with Campylobacter, (didn't know what it was at first obvs) and despite calling the GP 3 times, an ambulance call out and actually taking her to A&E myself in despair twice, no one listened to us. Three weeks of her being unable to keep food down. Three weeks of diarrhea incontinence. One nurse at A&E (around week 2) looked at her slumped in her wheelchair and told us to go home and just buy a bag of chips on the way because the carbs and salt would do her good 😳

You feel like you've slipped into an alternate universe and you're speaking a foreign language or something. I was close to actually abandoning her in A&E and going off grid for a few hours so that they could see how unwell she was for themselves! 😔

The fourth attempt at getting help from the GP - i spoke, in tears, to the female GP at our practice and she was horrified at the timeline and what we'd been going through.

She said she would call for an ambulance for us there and then, and she did, and my mum was admitted to hospital within 2 hours.

She was in hospital for 6 weeks. Barrier nursed for the first 2.

Original poster

ohnoohnoo · 18/09/2022 20:36

Back again.. another bout of tonsillitis has started this morning. So this is now the 13th. We've now been put on medication that is for six years and over because she's no longer responding to the medication for her age. Obviously this is a big worry because she's only the weight and size of a 4 year old as she's very small for her age, but we've been told this is the only option now. Only 10 more days to go until our appt with the consultant so hopefully we will get the news that we want!! Just want to keep updating incase anybody else ever needs this thread in the future.

OP posts:

UrsulaPandress · 18/09/2022 21:40

Poor love.

icelolly99 · 18/09/2022 21:53

Oh no. Poor child. Really hope you get the help she needs.... so hard to understand why they haven't whipped out those tonsils already!

Bizawit · 18/09/2022 22:39

This is absolutely horrifying! The poor child . Fgs why can’t they just remove her tonsils??

LongLostTeacher · 18/09/2022 22:44

I’ve just read all your posts OP and my heart goes out to you and your poor DD.

To anyone searching up or reading this thread who is in a similar position to you, I second finding a GP who will listen and be sympathetic and hanging on to them for all you’re worth. My DD had frequent bouts of tonsillitis from age 3-6, not as many as your DD though. Her bouts were accompanied by lots of vomiting and she would end up in hospital every time requiring a drip. It continued beyond her tonsillitis phase, which for her did end at age 6 without an op, but her extreme vomiting is still ongoing, she is now almost 10. If she gets a regular vomiting bug or she gets too excited or tired, her stomach just seems to go into overdrive and she can vomit, proper large amounts of fluid, over 20 times in a few hours (sorry for tmi).

We saw so many consultants, doctors, nurses and even family members in the medical profession who characterised this as normal childhood illness, but it certainly did not feel normal. I’m a teacher and have taught hundreds of children and have been involved with hundreds of families and have never heard of another child reacting like this to usual illness. Requiring hospitalisation every time you get a sickness bug is not normal! I finally got a phone appointment with a gp who really listened and agreed that it was not normal. He said it required investigation and made the referral. We had our consultant appointment last month and the consultant was lovely, listened and asked lots of questions to get the full picture. There is no diagnosis in DDs case, but we now have antiemetic medication at home to try to avoid a hospital trip, a route straight to hospital avoiding GP, 111 etc should we need it and an open discharge so we can go straight back to the consultant if we feel things are getting worse. Such a relief.

Best of luck with your appointment OP, I hope you get the result your daughter needs.

WestIsWest · 18/09/2022 22:59

ohnoohnoo · 18/09/2022 20:36

Back again.. another bout of tonsillitis has started this morning. So this is now the 13th. We've now been put on medication that is for six years and over because she's no longer responding to the medication for her age. Obviously this is a big worry because she's only the weight and size of a 4 year old as she's very small for her age, but we've been told this is the only option now. Only 10 more days to go until our appt with the consultant so hopefully we will get the news that we want!! Just want to keep updating incase anybody else ever needs this thread in the future.

I hope the new meds work this time OP. She must be so fed up by now, your poor DD.

WestIsWest · 18/09/2022 23:01

LongLostTeacher · 18/09/2022 22:44

I’ve just read all your posts OP and my heart goes out to you and your poor DD.

To anyone searching up or reading this thread who is in a similar position to you, I second finding a GP who will listen and be sympathetic and hanging on to them for all you’re worth. My DD had frequent bouts of tonsillitis from age 3-6, not as many as your DD though. Her bouts were accompanied by lots of vomiting and she would end up in hospital every time requiring a drip. It continued beyond her tonsillitis phase, which for her did end at age 6 without an op, but her extreme vomiting is still ongoing, she is now almost 10. If she gets a regular vomiting bug or she gets too excited or tired, her stomach just seems to go into overdrive and she can vomit, proper large amounts of fluid, over 20 times in a few hours (sorry for tmi).

We saw so many consultants, doctors, nurses and even family members in the medical profession who characterised this as normal childhood illness, but it certainly did not feel normal. I’m a teacher and have taught hundreds of children and have been involved with hundreds of families and have never heard of another child reacting like this to usual illness. Requiring hospitalisation every time you get a sickness bug is not normal! I finally got a phone appointment with a gp who really listened and agreed that it was not normal. He said it required investigation and made the referral. We had our consultant appointment last month and the consultant was lovely, listened and asked lots of questions to get the full picture. There is no diagnosis in DDs case, but we now have antiemetic medication at home to try to avoid a hospital trip, a route straight to hospital avoiding GP, 111 etc should we need it and an open discharge so we can go straight back to the consultant if we feel things are getting worse. Such a relief.

Best of luck with your appointment OP, I hope you get the result your daughter needs.

This sounds awful and I agree not normal childhood illness at all. It’s so frustrating when medical professionals are being so dismissive, especially when it’s your child that’s ill.

SailingBuddy · 18/09/2022 23:09

Your poor DD. Fingers crossed the consultant is helpful

HappyMediocreTime · 18/09/2022 23:12

Really feel for you. My son had constant ear infections as a small toddler and we didn’t figure out the cause until we saw a consultant who said it was his adenoids. We were very lucky and referred to great ormond st to whip them out when he was 18months old.it changed everything. I hope you have a solution soon.

DressingGownSequins · 18/09/2022 23:41

This is horrific. Our NHS is truly in the shit isn't it.

Your poor dd

ButteredToast9 · 19/09/2022 00:24

No advice but following to see how your poor dd gets on. I've just read through all your posts and am so shocked at the level of care she's had, or lack of it anyway. It's so great that you've kept up with the updates on here, this will absolutely help someone in the future, and good on you for standing your ground with the doctors and fighting for your daughter - you sound like such a great mum. Big hugs and fingers crossed the consultants appointment goes well x

Original poster

ohnoohnoo · 19/09/2022 04:22

LongLostTeacher · 18/09/2022 22:44

I’ve just read all your posts OP and my heart goes out to you and your poor DD.

To anyone searching up or reading this thread who is in a similar position to you, I second finding a GP who will listen and be sympathetic and hanging on to them for all you’re worth. My DD had frequent bouts of tonsillitis from age 3-6, not as many as your DD though. Her bouts were accompanied by lots of vomiting and she would end up in hospital every time requiring a drip. It continued beyond her tonsillitis phase, which for her did end at age 6 without an op, but her extreme vomiting is still ongoing, she is now almost 10. If she gets a regular vomiting bug or she gets too excited or tired, her stomach just seems to go into overdrive and she can vomit, proper large amounts of fluid, over 20 times in a few hours (sorry for tmi).

We saw so many consultants, doctors, nurses and even family members in the medical profession who characterised this as normal childhood illness, but it certainly did not feel normal. I’m a teacher and have taught hundreds of children and have been involved with hundreds of families and have never heard of another child reacting like this to usual illness. Requiring hospitalisation every time you get a sickness bug is not normal! I finally got a phone appointment with a gp who really listened and agreed that it was not normal. He said it required investigation and made the referral. We had our consultant appointment last month and the consultant was lovely, listened and asked lots of questions to get the full picture. There is no diagnosis in DDs case, but we now have antiemetic medication at home to try to avoid a hospital trip, a route straight to hospital avoiding GP, 111 etc should we need it and an open discharge so we can go straight back to the consultant if we feel things are getting worse. Such a relief.

Best of luck with your appointment OP, I hope you get the result your daughter needs.

Oh no, your poor DD! Glad you have managed to get some medication for her now though and hopefully it will help reduce the time she needs in hospital! It's so frustrating to just constantly be dismissed isn't it! X

OP posts:

Original poster

ohnoohnoo · 19/09/2022 08:05

ButteredToast9 · 19/09/2022 00:24

No advice but following to see how your poor dd gets on. I've just read through all your posts and am so shocked at the level of care she's had, or lack of it anyway. It's so great that you've kept up with the updates on here, this will absolutely help someone in the future, and good on you for standing your ground with the doctors and fighting for your daughter - you sound like such a great mum. Big hugs and fingers crossed the consultants appointment goes well x

Thank you x

OP posts: