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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To go to A&E? I’m desperate.

539 replies

Havanawinter · 26/09/2022 01:45

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.

OP posts:
StopDrivingIntoMyFence · 26/09/2022 09:31

This sounds horrendous. I hope you feel better soon.

Winter2020 · 26/09/2022 09:34

Hi OP,
I hope you are away seeking medical attention.

I have read the full thread and, although we don’t know that posters always are who they say they are, it is striking that the nurses and other medics are saying that you should go to the hospital. Listen to them. They know what they are talking about.

giraffesaregreat · 26/09/2022 09:35

Sounds very like salmonella. My boyfriend had it after eating a chicken sandwich and he was in agony. The GP sorted him out, including the salmonella testing. Local public health also got involved, to try to identify the source of the infection.

Maybe contact the GP? Surely you can't go and sit in A&E in this state.

Hope you feel better very soon.

BatteryPoweredMammy · 26/09/2022 09:36

Go to A&E and tell them your symptoms and insist on getting a stool sample analysed.

My normally very healthy niece died in her 30’s and it started with raging diarrhoea that her GP recommended Imodium for, despite it lasting days and even two trips to A&E who sent her home without properly checking her.

When she was finally admitted to hospital and put on IV antibiotics, it was far too late to undo the damage and it turned out she died from the e-coli bacteria.

KevinTheKoala · 26/09/2022 09:38

Acute bloody diarrhea is a medical emergency - GO TO A&E you need to be seen.

MissMaple82 · 26/09/2022 09:41

I recently had a severe bout of gastro. I eventually went to A&e and was told its gastro... that is all... stay home, drink liquids. If no change ring GP to try get antibiotics. I eventually ended up with them after having it for 2 weeks.

Samarie123 · 26/09/2022 09:43

This does not sound normal at all. The blood loss and fluid loss is concerning. Get seen ASAP.

MissMaple82 · 26/09/2022 09:43

Havanawinter · 26/09/2022 02:38

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.

You sound very much like I was. Ask GP to fo a stool sample. I had a severe bacteria that needed antibiotics, but they won't give them you until you've suffered for about a week

Overthebow · 26/09/2022 09:45

Op please go to A&E this does not sound normal!

MissMaple82 · 26/09/2022 09:45

I remember it now it was campylobactor from I'm guessing salmon. Will never eat salmon again, I was that ill. No sickness just the shits and also blood

BreatheAndFocus · 26/09/2022 09:45

I too hope you’ve gone to A&E and got some medical attention. You could easily be dehydrated after all that diarrhoea and with blood in it, you definitely need some medical input. A relative had salmonella from chicken and was in hospital a number of days. She made a full recovery but was very poorly initially.

I hope you get some medical help and are feeling a tiny bit better soon. xx

Motherofchickenslol · 26/09/2022 09:48

I had a very similar experience! It was Campylobacter food poisoning and I needed antibiotics to stop the diarrhoea. It was diagnosed by providing a stool sample after a week of constant stomach cramps and diarrhoea. I would contact the Drs.

serenghetti2011 · 26/09/2022 09:52

Of course op needs to go to hospital, what the feck are they there for otherwise? I had massive flank pain and was peeing blood eventually went as I had 2 babies at the time and had severe kidney stones was awful.

I regularly looked after children with gastro/noro etc on fluids etc some kids (and adults) can cope at home some cannot and dehydrate faster so require iv fluids. Salmonella is horrendous we had 3 kids in once very poorly. Given what op has said a&e is appropriate but probably not comfortable or nice for her I hope you are seen and feel better soon

serenghetti2011 · 26/09/2022 09:53

Of course op needs to go to hospital, what the feck are they there for otherwise? I had massive flank pain and was peeing blood eventually went as I had 2 babies at the time and had severe kidney stones was awful.

I regularly looked after children with gastro/noro etc on fluids etc some kids (and adults) can cope at home some cannot and dehydrate faster so require iv fluids. Salmonella is horrendous we had 3 kids in once very poorly. Given what op has said a&e is appropriate but probably not comfortable or nice for her I hope you are seen and feel better soon

serenghetti2011 · 26/09/2022 09:53

Of course op needs to go to hospital, what the feck are they there for otherwise? I had massive flank pain and was peeing blood eventually went as I had 2 babies at the time and had severe kidney stones was awful.

I regularly looked after children with gastro/noro etc on fluids etc some kids (and adults) can cope at home some cannot and dehydrate faster so require iv fluids. Salmonella is horrendous we had 3 kids in once very poorly. Given what op has said a&e is appropriate but probably not comfortable or nice for her I hope you are seen and feel better soon

CanaryShoulderedThorn · 26/09/2022 09:53

I had similar symptoms about 12 years ago, 111 sent a Dr out in the middle of the night and he called an ambulance which took me to A and E.
I was in hosp for 3 days.
Turned out to salmonella from an M&S chicken sandwich. Environmental health tested the sandwich wrapper.
Hope you feel better soon OP.

MadamMaltesers · 26/09/2022 10:00

Please go to a+e., It's always better to be on the safe side. Just over 10 years ago I went to a+e on a Sunday evening I had an upset stomach which was pretty uncomfortable. I just thought I can't sleep and I really need something to get me sleep tonight. Got to a+e at 7pm by 10pm I was semi unconscious on the a+e waiting room floor. By the time I got seen by a Dr he said that the triage nurse should have suspected what I had and that I could die. I was taken straight up for emergency surgery. Please go asap.

BobDear · 26/09/2022 10:06

I hope you are being seen

I agree it sounds like Salmonella - watched my mum with it and very similar symptoms including bloody poo. At this point, someone needs to check your salt/fluid levels so you really do need to be seen.

Sorry your H is being a twat

AtrociousCircumstance · 26/09/2022 10:08

Oh OP I feel so sorry for you 😔❤️ I hope you’ve gone to A&E and I don’t know how you’ll ever forgive that prick of a supposed husband.

Sending positive vibes x

Chouetted · 26/09/2022 10:12

ExDancer · 26/09/2022 09:28

Have you not even tried ringing your doctor? (I have speed read the posts but must have missed it, if you have).
Do not go to A&E the last things they need in a hospital are stomach infections.

Interesting that you say this on the same page where I shared my story about ending up in resus with a stomach infection.

Do you think they put people in resus because they don't want them in the main A&E

jkrowlingisright · 26/09/2022 10:13

The people telling you to drink water to avoid dehydration are right, but you should also add a pinch of salt in order to preserve your electrolyte levels.

Ymamiss · 26/09/2022 10:14

Get to A&E. could be Ecoli or similar - I had the same symptoms as you and ended up on life support with kidney failure.

10HailMarys · 26/09/2022 10:14

The fact that you've had severe stomach cramps and a fever as well as the diarrhoea definitely suggests food poisoning. These are the symptoms I had from campylobacter, for example. Not all food poisoning kicks in quickly, by the way - some do but some others (including campylobacter) have an incubation of a few days.

I hope you get a call back from 111 but you could also call your GP for advice; they may well suggest you provide a stool sample. In the meantime, your partner needs to get to a pharmacy pronto and buy some rehydration sachets for you.

You cannot look after your children in this state, clearly. Apart from anything, you could be carrying a really nasty food poisoning bug and you shouldn't therefore be doing things like preparing food for your kids. Your partner needs to step up here.

Dogtooth · 26/09/2022 10:17

You need medical attention.

It's inconceivable that your DH could think of going away and leaving you to deal with the kids. Prioritise your health.

HilarityEnsues · 26/09/2022 10:21

You should go into hospital with these symptoms. It is not your fault that A and E waiting times are so long there is plenty of time to share viruses, stomach bugs and all kinds in the waiting room- that is a failure of the system and the OP has every right to use the system if she is becoming very unwell. Putting lots of people together in a room including those with sharable illnesses (including Covid) is one of the biggest failure of our creaking health service.