To take DP to A&E with fever after surgery?

[Sleep193]

DP had surgery under GA yesterday morning to remove impacted wisdom teeth, some bone and a cyst.

Aside from the expected pain and swelling he has been alright but this afternoon has been sick and feels (and looks) terrible. Feels cold and wants to be wrapped up but temp fluctuating between 37.8/9 and 38, although he has taken ibuprofen/paracetamol which may be reducing this?

The discharge notes mention a temperature of 38° or above going to A&E or OoO GP, however I’ve spoken to 111 who, after 3 hours of waiting dismissed it as a “dental issue” and we received a call back from a nurse repeating that pain after extraction was completely normal 🙃

If there’s an infection (which seems quite possible?) is he going to have sepsis by the morning if we don’t do anything about it (only half joking... 🙈). Clearly I don’t want to waste resources and he doesn’t want to do anything less than leave the sofa.

So AIBU to follow the literal notes and take him to A&E or can I have a large wine and try for a GP appointment first thing tomorrow?

If he's got a fever and unwell with it - A&E entirely appropriate

The temperature and pain are not normal.

Please go A&E ASAP. You are not wasting resources.

Yes take him. A friend developed meningitis following removal of a molar which became infected. Did he have covering antibiotics after the extraction?

Of course he should go if he has a fever.

Follow the fucking discharge notes! You have been told what to do - do it.

Yep, I'd absolutely take him. Hope he's okay 😊

All if the above, trip to A&E

Take him.

Go.

You've literally been told what to do,

"The discharge notes mention a temperature of 38° or above going to A&E"

Why waste time with 111 and Mumsnet?

Sepsis risk, get to a&e ASAP!

Well you can either listen to advice from randoms on the internet or follow the explicit post-operative instructions from the surgical team.

Sounds like sepsis risk to me. Particularly feeling cold but has fever.

Yes I would go to A&E, not worth messing around with personally

Absolutely. Go now.

Go now!!! I had post op sepsis, 5 hours after being discharged I was seriously ill it all happened so fast. Fingers crossed it a localised infection but don't take the risk, the hospital will want to see him either way.

These are the symptoms I had when I had sepsis.

Go to A&E and specifically ask every person who examines him "could it be sepsis?", don't be dismissed until they properly consider it. I was told by various staff that I was just tired, that I had a bug, that I was having side effects from my pain meds (I'd had surgery), and that it was side effects from the GA before anyone actually twigged that it might be sepsis - projectile vomiting brown bile all over the bed, the floor, and the registrar while having a conversation with someone not even in the room possibly helped but by that stage I was far more unwell than I would have been had it been picked up earlier.

Squeaky wheel gets the grease, go be a squeaky wheel.

Hope he's ok Op.

I arrived in A and E with peritonsillar abscesses on the order of my GP. I was feeling cold but didn’t realize I had a temp until the doc checked. I was pumped full of antibiotics as infection had begun. They will take your DP seriously.

Absolutely take him, hope he's ok

Definitely go.

Hope he’s okay.

Echoing everyone else. A&E.
I was discharged with antibiotics after my oral surgery. Four teeth removed under G&A, two of which were wisdom teeth.

Thank you so much for the responses. We are here now and will hopefully have more success than with 111! Very relieved that he will be seen.

Straight to a&e as potential signs of sepsis

Hope you get seen quickly.