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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Was I an a&e timewaster?? What should I have done??

123 replies

Applecrumblelipgloss · 14/06/2022 11:46

if I am in the wrong for going to a&e then I’ll definitely accept it, I just need to know what to do in future if it happens again!

I was recently on holidays with my boyfriend and had a reaction to something. I’ve got no history of allergies and I’ve never had anything like this before. My entire face swelled up like a balloon. It started on the Thursday with my forehead going from normal to being extremely puffy over about an hour or so- I could press it with my finger and it left a big dent about an inch deep! I went to sleep and woke up on the Friday with my entire face massively puffed up and swollen. It was horrific looking. I was coming home the next day anyway (on the saturday) and I guessed it wasn’t urgent like anaphylaxis as it was swelling over hours rather than minutes and I otherwise felt fine, and I went to a pharmacy who gave me topical aloe Vera and some antihistamines.

I landed back home the next day and by now my face was even worse. It was so swollen that one of my eyes was pretty much closed over, with the other eye getting worse too. The gp was obviously closed and I was starting to worry as it wasn’t getting better and I didn’t want both my eyes to close over or my mouth or throat to swell as the swelling was spreading and worsening so we went to the pharmacy who said go to a&e and don’t wait for the GP to open

When I got to a&e and saw the doctor she was so dismissive and it was obvious she thought I was a time waster. She said there was nothing wrong with me and it swelled over days not hours so wasn’t an accident or emergency and it was a gp matter. She said keep taking antihistamines gave me some antibiotics and said it could be a bite or might have been a sunburn reaction as I was mildly sunburned. She said go home and it would just go down over the next week. She was clearly annoyed at me for going as it wasn’t an urgent thing and had happened over 1-3 days so not really an emergency which I understand but my eye was pretty much swollen over now and the other eye was going the same way. I was also worried about my throat swelling as rest of my face was still getting worse and was huge at this point and she said that won’t happen. She kept sighing at me and I overheard her saying I shouldn’t be there and I went home as soon as I got my prescription

Thankfully it did go down but my face took 7 days to return to normal again. Since then it happened again and I just ignored for a week or two until it went down as I’m not sure what to do and i didn’t want to go back unnecessarily and waste their time when I’m not actually unwell and it’s just swelling, but getting a GP appointment is impossible and I’m worried about the swelling being worse next time

Was I wasting A&e time for going for this? What should I do if it happens again? Has anyone else had this happen to them? I’m going on holidays with my boyfriend this summer and dreading incase this happens again or that its worse next time😩

OP posts:
Quincythequince · 14/06/2022 11:47

You were not a time-waster, no.

Quincythequince · 14/06/2022 11:48

TBF a non- emergency call would have been better. But it’s not like you were sat there with a graze or anything else minor

OpportunityKnocks · 14/06/2022 11:49

This was a 111 call, now a&e

PurassicJark · 14/06/2022 11:50

Hmm I don't think you were no, and as you still don't know what it is, I wouldn't be going abroad until I knew what it was. Keep pestering your GP, you need help with this.

mrsjackrussell · 14/06/2022 11:51

No you weren't a time waster at all. The Dr was very rude. I would have gone also. Ex nurse here.

Nc58985 · 14/06/2022 11:51

Tbf I probably would have gone to A&E too in this situation especially if it was starting to affect my vision. I’m sorry you’re experiencing this and hope you find out why soon.

riesenrad · 14/06/2022 11:51

I don't think you were wasting time.

Anyway, what's the point of saying you should have gone to a GP? Maybe in three weeks' time...if you are lucky.

Antarcticant · 14/06/2022 11:51

Willing to bet that if you'd phoned 111 they'd have sent you to A&E.

HouseHelp23 · 14/06/2022 11:53

You were advised by a HCP to attend A&E, which you did. Don't give it another thought. It's disappointing that they aren't trying to identify the cause. In the meantime, make sure you always have SPF and antihistamines. Some are better than others, which did you take?

shreddednips · 14/06/2022 11:54

I would have also gone to A&E. my mum went with a similar reaction and was given medication through a drip, and the doctors said she was right to go in. That sounds scary, I hope you're on the mend now.

MsYamada · 14/06/2022 11:55

I don't think that was unreasonable at all. It was getting worse and GP wasn't an option. The pharmacist also said A&E. You could have rung 111 but I'd put money on them suggesting urgent care/A&E.

I'd try and get a non emergency appt with the GP since it's happened more than once.

janesmithsdog · 14/06/2022 11:58

I don’t think you were a timewaster, no.

Any major swelling that near eyes and airways that is continuing to deteriorate should be urgently reviewed, in my humble opiniom.

TabithaTittlemouse · 14/06/2022 11:59

You did the right thing. Go straight to a and e if it happens again.

Mybeautifulfriend22 · 14/06/2022 12:02

I had something similar, was an allergic reaction I think ( never happened again) but I went same day and it was a walk in centre but she said my throat was swollen and the fact I was already on antihistamine for hayfever probably helped it.
i was well treated and given an anti Histamine injection. Took a few days for the swelling to ease though even though it wasn’t Really bad.

katkit · 14/06/2022 12:06

she was wrong to give you a hard time, although if the dr had been open I’d have gone there first. I had exactly this once, from moisturiser. After a few days I went to the dr and was given steroid tablets. Hope you find the cause.

Coughee · 14/06/2022 12:06

Not a time waster in my opinion. You sought advice elsewhere first and then followed their advice. You'd have been crazy to ignore what a pharmacist was telling you.

ChubbyButt · 14/06/2022 12:08

Not a time waster. I was reading through thinking "you should've gone to a pharmacy"...but you did. And that professional advised you to go to A&E. Anyone who is advised by a professional to go to A&E is, categorically, not wasting A&E's time. The pharmacist's extensive training and experience (which 111 do not have) led them to advise A&E - you'd have been an idiot to ignore them.

Allergies aren't always consistent and can change very quickly - I'm shocked you didn't seek help sooner to be honest. The doctor was absolutely out-of-order - how many time on here has there been a thread where an A&E doctor dismissed people as wasting time and they died/became very ill/etc. That doctor is a liability and I'd be tempted to make a complaint to be honest.

Norgie · 14/06/2022 12:14

No, you weren't a time waster, any swelling of the face and neck should always be given immediate medical attention. The doctor was rude and out of order.
A doctor in casualty was once very rude to my then 19 yr old daughter, almost shouting that there was nothing wrong with her leg and stop wasting his time.
A trip to a different casualty showed her leg to be broken!

Workawayxx · 14/06/2022 12:14

Definitely not a time waster, that sounds really scary. Also, you had seen a medical professional who literally advised A&E!

OneTC · 14/06/2022 12:17

Meh I don't really ever go to hospital if I can help it but randomly swollen head would likely prompt me

nomistake · 14/06/2022 12:19

@OpportunityKnocks what do you think 111 would have told OP to do?? Go to A&E.

WifeMotherWorkRepeat · 14/06/2022 12:20

YANBU - You were not a time waster at all. Anaphylaxis or extreme urticaria (hives) can cause swelling in the throat. You did the right thing, don’t worry about being judged, it’s extremely frightening and important to get treatment.

viques · 14/06/2022 12:23

Have you worked out what caused the allergy ? Might be worth investigating, second time allergic reactions are usually much worse than the first one. Eg a first bee allergy sting may cause considerable local swelling and pain, a second one could upgrade to an anaphylactic reaction.

Annfr · 14/06/2022 12:23

I had a random allergic reaction to something and felt my tongue was swelling up and everywhere was itchy. I freaked out and called 111 and they said they were sending an AMBULANCE. Paramedic came and by then it had clamed down. He said I now looked fine but as it was so unexpected he said he'd like to take me to A&E for them to formally check me out. I was surprised but that's what he recommended so I don't think you were out of line.

I always call 111 though as they can get you quick appointments closer to home without waiting.

Annfr · 14/06/2022 12:24

(Ambulance in capitals was an accident... I wasn't being dramatic)

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