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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dd injured - not happy with A&E.....

247 replies

whojamaflip · 04/10/2022 07:44

Posting here for traffic

Dd took a crashing fall from a height at sports training last night and has hurt her foot and unable to bear weight on it.

Went to A&E last night and they took X-rays and said her ankle was fine. They wouldn't listen to her when she repeatedly told them the pain was under her arch and across the top of her foot not in her ankle. Sent her home still unable to weight bear with no crutch's and a self care leaflet for ankle injuries.

Would ibu to take her to our local minor injuries unit today for a second opinion? She's on paracetamol and ibuprofen alternating every 2 hours and it's only just taking the edge of the pain. Foot is swollen along the outside and across the bridge and is very painful to the touch. She also has a high pain threshold so when she is crying in pain I sit up and take notice!

Dh reckons they will review her X-rays as a matter of course this morning and will ring if they've missed anything - is this right?

OP posts:
MyneighbourisTotoro · 04/10/2022 08:18

Anunusualfamily · 04/10/2022 08:15

@mountainsunsets terrible advice. The correct dose of ibuprofen for a child should only be taken 6-8 hourly.

Depends on the age of the child

Nottodaty · 04/10/2022 08:18

I tore ligaments in my foot - the pain was awful! I couldn’t move it or want anyone to touch it! Had to I’ve and elevate it. Then physiotherapy after once all healed.

l did wander if they read the X-ray correct initially as the the pain and massive lump! The X-ray was checked the following day and confirmed it wasn’t broken! But it may as well have been as I couldn’t put any weight on it for nearly 2-3 weeks and it was a nightmare to do anything!

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 04/10/2022 08:19

Surely they don't just x-ray the foot or ankle separately,the x-ray is of the whole ankle and foot?

NeedAHoliday2021 · 04/10/2022 08:19

@Anunusualfamily she’s 15? My 15 year old is bigger than me at 5foot7 inches tall.

SNWannabe · 04/10/2022 08:20

They will review the X-ray. My dd did similar and we got a call the next day to return for a moonboot and crutches as her ankle had a break that was picked up in the review.
Meanwhile rest, ice and elevation. Write down the pain killers and ensure she is not having any more than 4 doses of each IN 24 HOURS (which can mean some kind of painkiller every 2 hours but leaves you with no relief for a large period- usually overnight)

Noteverybodylives · 04/10/2022 08:21

Yes I would.

If she’s not too bad you can wait until later or tomorrow even but I would definitely get a second opinion.

It sounds as though there may not be a break but she could have tore a ligament which is apparently more painful than a break (I’ve heard).

Original poster
whojamaflip · 04/10/2022 08:22

Sorry should have said dd is 16.

She says when she was xrayed the red lines were on her ankle so from that would assume the foot hasn't been.

She had 2 doses of paracetamol and 2 doses of ibuprofen since 10pm last night so still within the daily recommended doses for both.

Thjnk I will take her in again this morning - I strapped her foot last night and dug out an old pair of crutches for her to use - we were sent home with no strapping and they watched her hop out of A&E Sad

OP posts:
GlorianaCervixia · 04/10/2022 08:23

Yes, take her for a second opinion.

Here is a good reference for ibuprofen dosing: www.nhs.uk/medicines/ibuprofen-for-children/how-and-when-to-give-ibuprofen-for-children/

Anunusualfamily · 04/10/2022 08:24

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor ankle and foot X-rays are separate series. You need different angles for them.

lovelilies · 04/10/2022 08:24

I'd take her for the actual foot X-raying.
I work in ED, with a minor injuries unit attached.

Wheresthebeach · 04/10/2022 08:25

Yes they review images - my DH got a call back over his hand after a bike accident (pot hole - he went flying). Initially sent home as only a sprain, then a rather urgent call to come back as quite a delicate bone was broken and they wanted to set it straight away.

If they only looked at the ankle take her back and get the foot looked at. As others are saying...make sure you aren't over doing the painkillers. Each has a maximum dose per 24 hours. My DD is recovering from a sports injury - ruptured ACL, torn MCL, fractured Knee - we have a pain killers and icing up on a white board so nobody makes any mistakes - its easy to over do the pain killers when they're in pain and you just want them to be okay.

WiseUpJanetWeiss · 04/10/2022 08:25

Regarding the dosing, read what it says on the pack and do that.

It will tell you the minimum interval between doses and the maximum total dose per 24 hours.

If you don't understand what it says on the pack, ask a pharmacist.

MajorCarolDanvers · 04/10/2022 08:26

whojamaflip · 04/10/2022 07:51

I always thought you could alternate ibuprofen and paracetamol every 2 hours?

Is there anything stronger I can buy otc as she been up all night with the pain?

Good to know they do review so fingers crossed if there is anything they will ring me. Thankyou

You can alternate but with a limit of 8 paracetamol and 6 ibuprofen in 24 hour period.

Housebuyingistheworstthing · 04/10/2022 08:27

I don’t understand why people jumped on and just assumed OP was overdosing her child? Why assume she’s incapable of reading a bottle of medicine the same as you?

Jumperoo56370000 · 04/10/2022 08:28

whojamaflip · 04/10/2022 07:51

I always thought you could alternate ibuprofen and paracetamol every 2 hours?

Is there anything stronger I can buy otc as she been up all night with the pain?

Good to know they do review so fingers crossed if there is anything they will ring me. Thankyou

Read the package and calculate the dose. You are at risk of poisoning your child.

MILLYmo0se · 04/10/2022 08:28

Afaik you can alternate ibuprofen and paracetamol every 4 hours, ie you are taking paracetamol or ibuprofen once every 8 hrs. If you are alternating every 2 hours thats a dose of each every 4 hours ie 6 doses in 24 hours which is too much.

Usernumber1squillion · 04/10/2022 08:28

We were always told you can give ibuprofen at 2 paracetamol at 4 ibuprofen at 6 paracetamol at 8. As long as you don't exceed the 24 dosage.
I'm talking about when they were quite little as well for fevers.
Plus I am sure op told the a&e about the painkillers she was giving and they would have told her to adjust if she needed too.

I wouldnt wait for them to hopefully review her xray. I would take her minor injury and explain that it's her foot not her ankle and that it's got worse overnight

Idolikeanicepieceofcake · 04/10/2022 08:29

It's true that ligament damage can be more painful and take longer to heal than a fracture and I would certainly go to the minor injury unit for a second opinion.
I would be concerned that she is having too much ibuprofen. It is licenced to be given every 6-8 hours and no more frequently than that and children have a lower dose than adults.

Hiphopopotamus · 04/10/2022 08:29

Are posters just not understanding the painkillers thing? Surely the OP means that her DD is having alternating paracetamol and ibuprofen every 2 hours, meaning that the paracetamol doses are 4 hours apart, as are the ibuprofen doses but her DD gets a painkiller every 2 hours. This is just standard practice surely when you have a painful injury with OTC meds

Hiphopopotamus · 04/10/2022 08:29

And the DD in question is 16, not 6 🙄

LovedFedAndNoonesDead · 04/10/2022 08:29

Paracetamol can be given every 4 hours but no more than 4 times in 24 hours. Ibuprofen is 3 times in 24 hours so shouldn’t be given any sooner than 6 hours after previous dose. You can buy paracetamol with low dose (8mg) codeine over the counter but it should be used very carefully as people can have bad reactions to codeine even in low doses. Please don’t give more than the listed maximum doses without direct medical supervision as liver damage can happen from relatively small but regular ‘overdoses’ of paracetamol.

When they did the X-rays did the do the foot as well as the ankle? If not I’d take her to the local walk in if it offers X-ray services (not all do) and explain that, although they crated her ankle they didn’t do her foot and that is where the pain is; also explain she is unable to bear weight on her foot - they may well re-X-ray her and look specifically at her foot or they may speak to the hospital she was seen at last night.

I had a relatively minor fall early last year and broke 2 bones in my foot, the pain was over the top of my foot and under the arch not in the ankle!! Because of the nature of the break I was put in a moon boot for 12 weeks and then had physio (as best they could due to Covid lockdowns) for a further 3 months!!

pollykitty · 04/10/2022 08:29

Ice and elevation will help the pain. Feet are complicated with tons of tiny bones, muscles, and tendons. It is entirely possibly she fractured her foot and they missed it. I broke tiny bones in my foot and walked around on it for 4 weeks until they found the fracture. It is also possible she has not, but has torn tendons/ligaments. This can be extremely painful. Did they give her a compression sock and crutches at least??

EllieRosesMammy · 04/10/2022 08:34

Hiphopopotamus · 04/10/2022 08:29

Are posters just not understanding the painkillers thing? Surely the OP means that her DD is having alternating paracetamol and ibuprofen every 2 hours, meaning that the paracetamol doses are 4 hours apart, as are the ibuprofen doses but her DD gets a painkiller every 2 hours. This is just standard practice surely when you have a painful injury with OTC meds

That's what I was thinking too. My mum is a registered nurse, she would reccomend alternating paracetomal and ibuprofen every 2 hours, as long as there is a minimum of 4 hours between dosages of each pain killer and not exceeding the reccomended limit for 24 hours (which I doubt OP will be as her daughter will be asleep overnight and not being woke up every 2 hours for painkillers). Seems no one can read the orginal post 🤦‍♀️

And OP yes you can absolutely take her to an urgent care centre for another opinion if you're concerned x

theemmadilemma · 04/10/2022 08:34

The alternating is fine as long as you don't go over the max dosage in 24 hrs. Her DD is an adult she obviously knew that.

Yes, go back. They can and do miss things. Had a friend left in agony in similar circumstances.

ArtofWater · 04/10/2022 08:35

Dosing guidance:
Paracetamol 4x a day, so every 6 hours.
Ibuprofen 3x a day, do every 8 hours.