To walk out of A&E

[Usernamqwerty]

I've been here since 18:00 with what started as suspected appendicitis (from a GP visit this afternoon). Surgeon examined me and said looks like a kidney infection. I had a CT scan nearly 4 hours ago and still waiting on a chair in the busy stuffy waiting area.

There are trolleys lining the corridors here. It's so busy. I asked the nurse when I might hear and she said the doctor will get to me when they can. I might be here all night, I have no idea!

I am shattered, hot and bored and I just want to go home 😭. What happens if I leave? Can I ask them to send my GP the scan report and antibiotics request?

To be honest if you are feeling well enough to go home I would imagine they would be delighted for you to leave. Do tell them you are going though. You can call the gp in the morning, i would not rely on them doing it for you. Obviously if things escalate in the night you can come back in.

Can I ask them to send my GP the scan report and antibiotics request

Yes, or they can call you back in if it's surgical. I wouldn't blame you one bit.

If you leave, and things escalate as a PP suggested, you can go back.

but you’ll start at the very beginning of the queue again.

Thank you! Tempting to leave... Might give it a few more minutes then ask them to call me if anything serious..

I wouldn't bet on the information being available for your GP. I've had it many times where patients have left A&E (or wards when they don't want to wait for take home prescriptions) to call us the next day but we have no results, no idea what antibiotics were planned. It can be a nightmare to sort out.

You are free to leave, and I don't blame you for feeling that way as I'd probably feel the same, but bear in mind it might take time for the info to get to the GP.

If you are well enough to leave, and feel that the risk is low enough then it’s reasonable to leave, but it suggests that you probably shouldn’t have gone there in the first place.

This isn't how it works. You'll be asked to sign a self discharge form and taken off the screen. It's not a remote service, and if you are well enough that you are leaving then you shouldn't expect the doctor to spend their time calling you. The GP won't get any info about visit for several days. I get that it's shit and the waiting times are insane but either leave (and expect not to get results until GP gets them which will be several days) or wait.

I wouldn’t leave, stick it out as long as you can. In my experience it’s such a hassle to sort things after. Do you have someone you could call to make the time go a bit quicker. I hope you get seen and treated soon.

Sorry to be brutal but if you’re feeling well enough to go home then you probably shouldn’t be in a&e (although I can totally understand why you went if your GP sent you there - a&e seems to be GP’s answer to everything these days!!).

My GP sent me here based on physical examination and symptoms.

Thank you

This is helpful - thank you.

You cant expect them to chase you up at home if they are this busy, you will go off screen and they won't call your GP. Your GP will get a discharge summary but it may just say self discharged and it will take a few days to get there

You can self discharge and go back if things worsen, but can't expect them to offer you an at home service

I left A&E earlier this year after some blood tests and they rang me at home a couple of hours later, I was amazed

😩 torn between needing my bed and feeling poorly 😭

Well then you should probably stay.

Why don’t you ask someone if you can go home and return tomorrow morn? They might agree it and if not at least you have clarity.

Just as well really or I'd possibly have died.

ny the time I got to hospital (a friend took me) the pain wasn't as bad as it had been during the day. I got there about 4.

it was a long wait & not much seemed to be happening, I was tempted to go home too, at around 11pm they found me a baked on a ward & I was just sorting myself out to try & get some sleep when a very bouncy surgeon appeared and said he thought it was my appendix causing the problem & he wanted to go in & remove it. I asked if we couldn't wait & be sure first, he said he'd rather just do it. I was a bit puzzled & confused, but by midnight I was downstairs in surgery.

just as well really, as he said it was about to burst & was very septic.

@Usernamqwerty

if you haven't left already, I'd suggest you don't.

Stick with it. I was in A&E for 11 hours last week.

Sorry you are feeling ill and stuck for hours in A and E, I totally get why you want to go home but would try and stick it out,you've come this far, your GP said you should go and I think you need a proper diagnosis and treatment plan before you leave or you may end up having to go back in and joining the back of the queue.
Also if it is your appendix and it ruptures it will be more serious and take longer to get better so I wouldn't risk it.
Definitely ask their advice before leaving. I hope there's someone with you for moral support and I hope you get seen soon and get well soon.

I had tummy pain a few weeks. And I mentioned to my Dr my previous medical history. He examined me and he had no concerns my gst was 15. So he saide for x-ray but was reassuring me. But in a e in Ireland they took bloods upon triaraged. After a few hrs of waiting though! But my bloods told us a different story . My gamma all livers bloods showed range over 500. Even the Dr said that he was shocked. So get your bloods and you can relax knowing that you did your best via the results

Thank you all. Trying to stick it out for now. My phone is very low on battery and nowhere to charge it 😩

I'd personally stick it out. It's shit you went in for a reason so you should try and stay to get it resolved.
Is there anyone else in the waiting room with a charger that you could ask to borrow? I've let people borrow mine before so I'm sure someone there would be happy to.

Still here... Managed to find a socket to charge my phone. I spoke to one of the nurses who spoke to a doctor and asked him to check the report. This was 45 minutes ago so who knows... I am struggling to stay awake but can't sleep in a chair 😭

They finally came to see me. It's an infection and just waiting for antibiotics. Thanks for your support. It's been a long hard evening and night...