To go to A&E? I’m desperate.

[Havanawinter]

Early hours of Saturday morning (48 hours ago) I woke with the worst stomach cramps. I’ve been pooing liquid ever since, over 50 times a day. I can’t keep anything in. I haven’t been sick but I feel sick. It’s getting no better, the stomach cramps are indescribable, I can’t even lie down they’re so awful. I feel like death and I’m scared of dehydration. Do I call 111? Go to A&E? DH meant to be away in London for work tomorrow and I have 2 young kids by myself. I need help.

Please call. If you lose liquid that much you might need something to help retain more fluids or replace them. If you seriously have diarrhea that much you should get some advice.

Just lost my post!

www.nhs.uk/conditions/diarrhoea-and-vomiting/

Severe pain is a justifiable reason for seeking emergency help.

The fact is, while a lot of pp are assuming you have a virus, lots of things could be causing your symptoms some of which could need hospital treatment.

50 incidences of severe diarrhoea in 24 hours is pretty extreme for a bug in my opinion!

Do you think it's food poisoning from Fri? Sounds like a possibility!

Is your tummy distended (bloated)?

Yeah bless ya, you need to see a doctor. Could just be a nasty bout of norovirus but it could also be something a bit worse that needs treatment. At the very least, you need help to stay hydrated and some good meds to stop the diarrhoea.

It really has been 50 times at least. I haven’t gone more than 20 minutes without a bowel movement in 48 hours. Since I posted this thread I’ve ran to the loo 3 times. I have read the useful info about salmonella and have all the symptoms including blood in my stool. The pain is just indescribable. Sorry for being a broken record.

Hinealt, op? Not a medic but sounds much more like food poisoning than a virus! In which case, if you have no luck with 111 I'd honestly consider a&e.

In my non medical-expert opinion, you'd start doing better just for being on a drip and they'd be able to test for salmonella/ start treatment.

*honestly,op

I wouldn't even wait for 111 (I may be biased but my experiences with them have not been great)

Get yourself sorted and head to A&E. Take a charger for your phone, spare pants/pads/trousers, a drink and get yourself there. Ask your husband to go in and explain to them you have what you think is salmonella and they should be able to keep you separate from other patients.

I really hope you're feeling better soon!

Tbf if you don't want to wait for 111 to call back and feeling desperate, go anyway.

At that frequency, plus blood in stool, I think you’d best get checked out. I’m so sorry you’re going through this. It sounds dreadful.

Please don't follow the advice upthread to drink tons of water. When you're in the state you are you risk flushing out much needed electrolytes.

Small frequent sips better. Ideally use dioralyte. Failing that a sugary drink in small sips and salted crisps for salts.

My DSis had very similar to you recently and went to A&E. She had a very very long wait and they didn't do anything and obviously the wait was miserable and every time she went to the loo she was worried she'd miss her turn.

Given that you ate out recently and had chicken I'd err on the side of thinking food poisoning for now and wait it out a few more hours before putting yourself through the A&E ordeal.

I once had severe diarrhea for ten days (cryptosporidium). If you're sensible about rehydration then dehydration shouldn't be a concern just yet but if you stop passing urine you must be seen.

Agreed, the more op describes, the more I think she needs to be seen promptly and a drip alone would make the world of difference!

Just to say (like a pp has) your symptoms could be a number of things but that level of pain sounds severe and you need some help with this. This is a link to diverticulitis. Could also be this to add to the other possibles? (Of which there are many - some serious, some less so)

www.nhs.uk/conditions/diverticular-disease-and-diverticulitis/

I had salmonella last year, it was honestly the most ill I've ever been in my life, after a day or 2 I was literally just pooing pure blood, ended up in hospital for 6 days. Is your Temp high?

I'd go & get seen if I was you, it's not wasting anyone's time if you're genuinely sick and concerned. Better to be on the safe side.

Hope you recover soon

Yeah, I agree. I'm basing my info on a horrific bout of salmonella my cousin had - she was extremely poorly and really should have been seen much earlier so she didn't get so unwell.

I'm sure @Havanawinter won't get to that stage but it's part of the reason I'm quick to encourage people to seek help.

And pass on either COVID or D&V?

Phone 111 at the least. And wake your husband up.

Tough. If OP is seriously ill and needs treatment then she needs to present at a hospital.

Oddly enough, hospitals have plans for patients with both of those things... 🙄🤔🤷🏻‍♀️

Lots of people with covid go to hospital

She had a very very long wait and they didn't do anything and obviously the wait was miserable and every time she went to the loo she was worried she'd miss her turn

Valid point, but if 111 keep her waiting several hours just to be assessed then it might be much of a muchness wherever she is and I'd stl err on being seen than waiting it out.

A final thought, different condition to you op but when I've spent nights in agony wondering whether to go to a&e or not, knowing I was dehydrated (and you will be by now) and feign desperate - going was always the right thing.

If you go, go prepared. Take change of clothes, charger, fluids, something to keep warm plus any medication you're prescribed.

Yes, sick people do often find themselves in hospital

My point is that the op isn't spreading Covid or a D&V bug by going to A&E as the hospital will have a plan to keep infections patients away from the others.

Bugs don't work that way...if they did every infection would be treated with enemas

stomach bugs/food poisoning does.

when you have toxic bacteria in the GI tract this is exactly the body’s reaction, to get rid as soon as possible.

immodium will keep those bacteria in the GI tract, multiplying away in the nice warm conditions.

keep rehydrated as best you can and ride it out. I’ve had salmonella and while it’s hell, I was much better at home with a toilet, pain relief and oral fluids. A&e would have been a nightmare.

I hope you get well soon op, how horrible to be feeling like that 😞💐

If you’ve not got premade oral rehydration solution - dioralyte is the “brand” in the UK - you can make your own: WikiHow (accurate, though, & crucially, gives metric measurements).

There is a Canadian recipe as in, from Quebec’s health department, not some random Canadian person where you combine 360 mL pure orange juice;
600 mL cooled boiled water; &
2.5 mL of salt which you might find more palatable.

(Just in case anyone still believes flat Coke works as ORS, it has too much sugar.)

Please do call 111 & get their advice OP. Keep drinking water; & if you can, get a pharmacy to deliver you some ORS, immodium & buscopan first thing.

It’s so miserable feeling/being unwell, especially in the middle of the night. I hope you feel better soon.