To feel really stupid being in A&E right now?

[Offandonagain]

I’ve had really severe abdominal cramps and sharp pains that have doubled me over and got progressively worse over the past week.

It started near my belly button but the main pain is now in my lower right side. I feel like I’ve got a stitch/labour pains/trapped wind all at once! Intensified every few minutes.

It hurts when I walk, stand mainly. But the pain is agonising when I stand up from sitting. It comes and goes in pain strength but it always there.

I’ve come to A&E as it’s just not going away but I feel like they’re dismissing me and not taking it seriously, which makes me question whether it is serious at all. Triage said it’s probably a uti and why haven’t i been to gp. But I’m worried if it’s something such as appendicitis then it needs looking at straight away surely?

Stay in A &E, do not leave.

I had very very similar symptoms, ended up in theatre next day, it was an ovarian cyst the size of a pool ball on the verge of bursting.

Fingers crossed it isn’t this or anything worse. You’re there now, let the staff do their thing and sort you out.
Good Luck and 💐

I was sent to A&E by my GP last year with increasingly bad gut pains (over a few days), they thought it was appendicitis - turns out I had diverticulitis and I needed a week in hospital with a shed load of IV antibiotics and pain relief.

If this pain is out of the blue and not normal for you, please stay and get CT scanned / bloods done to check for infection / inflammation. That’s the standard protocol for this sort of pain.

I had this exact same thing

was also made to feel silly as appendicitis is more common for people under 30, and mostly men

so as a middle aged woman it was unlikely to be that

i spent a night on a trolley in the corridor

was assessed in the morning, by which time I was feeling fine

still don’t know what it was but felt right silly. Vowed to only ever go to A&E again if I literally have to be carried in

good luck, hope yours is something nothing-y too

Ha - good point! I assumed it was down my throat, but was under GA by that point (in case they found anything sinister). They got my appendix out by keyhole surgery, so that would suggest you're right!

OP don't feel stupid being here. You are in the right place and ignore the idiotic comments. My DSis was in excruciating pain in A&E and self-doubting as she was told it was probably a stomach bug and unlikely to be anything serious. She was practically rolling on the floor in pain. At first A&E weren't going to refer on to the surgical team but thankfully did at her insistence. The pace then changed and she ended up having immediate emergency gallbladder removal surgery. Hersurgeon said afterwards that the gallbladder they removed was showing serious signs of disintegration. DSis recovered fully but had she left A&E, it could have been a life-threatening peritonitis situation. Please stay and insist on the correct investigations.

Thanks everyone. I’ve had bloods and urine sample taken. I’m not pregnant so not an ectopic.

The pain killer have eased the pain that I’m sitting here questioning myself even more.

Any chance of gall stones OP?

I had on/off pain but it was so intense it felt like contractions.

I doubled over at uni and they ended up calling an ambulance for me. Don't feel silly, it could be nothing or something and you are in the right place to find out.

Hope you get some answers and relief soon x

Stay and don’t minimise the pain.

Again… read. She did.

Hang in there OP. Get seen and don’t minimise your pain.

you have had bloods and urine already?
that is very positive

There are hospitals in France

Yes. She went to one. She struggled with the language barrier.

What other 'medical avenues' do you suggest she explore?

@PonyTime please climb back under your bridge.

My DS attended A&E in a European country and was turned away as the GHIC (Ehic) card didn’t cover it anymore and he’d have had to pay for X-ray. It wasn’t life threatening, he’d have hopefully been treated then.

I had this and did seek advice from my GP. Told it was everything settling down after a m/c two months before. Then probable UTI. I was struggling to walk and stand and hunched over -bad pain.
Then the GP put me in for a scan saying it was probably an ovarian cyst. 4 hours later I was in A&E -and I wasn't screaming -I was in so much pain I just simply wanted to die. I just didn't care.

They took some bloods -by then I didn't recognise my sister who came to visit me as she was a surgeon in the same hospital. She asked the Head of Surgery to do a 'look see' -I had a burst gangrenous appendix. I was 6 hours in surgery. My parents were told I probably wouldn't make it.

She did say further up

I would have done but I’ve been in France. I tried to go to a french hospital a couple of days ago but struggled with the language barrier and me feeling quite vulnerable.

I have been on the ferry and train from dover all day today, then broke down in tears when I got here just out of relief.

So she hasn't really had chance to see the GP since arriving back on British soil. Don't judge.

Hope you get seen properly soon. ideally you would have seen a gp but I’m fairly sure mine would have sent me to a&e instead of agreeing to actually see me. Is her standard response.

Please stay and make sure you are seen.

I have been trying to get an appointment for a kidney infection from my Gp for 10 days. Finally had a telephone appointment where they didn't even suggest bringing in a sample. They just faxed a script through.
trying to get a GP appointment won't help when they don't even see people.

9 minutes ago you posted that you felt daft and thought the nurse had dismissed you.

and 9 mins later…. Bloods and urine sample done?

Please stay, I had exactly the same pain, went to A&e at the hospital I work at (in theatres) and the doctors told me it was 'womens pains' even though I hadn't had a period in about 6 years due to implants.
The next day my partner found me collapsed of the bathroom floor with my appendix completely ruptured I was in hdu for a week.
So to the idiots keep saying it's not for A&e it actually does warrant being seen, the gp would 100% have sent her to A&e.
Also these posts can be so dangerous. If I'd have posted on here and got comment after comment telling me not to go to A&e, I could have well died. So you should really think about it before you post saying not too!!

Sounds like appendicitis. When my son had it apparently the tell tale sign is pain when standing straight.

Actively trying in the French hospital for one

Most will have translators, medical staff who know English and in the rare situation you're in a hospital in a small town that doesn't have any English speaking members of staff the British embassy can support with translation for medical purposes

But no

This was not serious enough to actually make an effort in France for days but all of a sudden it's too much and requires A&E

I'm not surprised they aren't enthusiastic at triage

I hope you get seen soon OP. x

I've been to a&e twice with really bad stomach pains. The first time I had a ruptured Fallopian tube from an ectopic pregnancy. The second time I had a ruptured bowel from diverticulitis.

Both times I was told it was a UTI by triage, both times I collapsed and had to go into emergency surgery. DO NOT LEAVE!

you dont expect an enthusiastic greeting in A & E surely?

What is your problem, why are you so against OP seeking help when she's in so much pain. Just stop