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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:
mustbetheseasonofthewitch · 04/10/2022 08:37

Keep seeking answers. Ultrasound is needed for picking up ligament tears, etc.

MyneighbourisTotoro · 04/10/2022 08:38

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.

No she is alternating between them (one dose of paracetamol waiting two hours and then one dose of ibuprofen etc etc)

midgetastic · 04/10/2022 08:38

It is quite possible to be very painful completely unable to walk and swollen and no break so don't assume

Do painkillers but also

Ice pack ( frozen peas) for 10 mins every hour or better I think a cold hot cold cycle using ice pack and hot water bottle

Elevate the foot

Strap it up - compression

BonesOfWhatYouBelieve · 04/10/2022 08:39

I had something similar. I fell badly, went to A&E, who did an x ray of my ankle and sent me home. A few days later the bottom of my foot went bright purple and every time I stood up it was like standing on a blade. The GP sent me back to A&E to have the actual foot x-rayed.

It turned out it wasn't broken, but it was agony for ages.

Skatewing · 04/10/2022 08:39

Paracetamol is a painkiller (analgesic)
ibuprofen is an anti inflammatory (NSAID)

Be careful as anti inflammatories can cause stomach ulcers if the stomach is not lined/protected.

Housebuyingistheworstthing · 04/10/2022 08:41

Exactly! The OP has nothing to explain regarding the medication! How anyone could misunderstand the first post is beyond me and it’s not been 24 hours yet so max dose at this point isn’t even relevant but people can surely rest easy that a grown woman can read a packet?! I’m flummoxed here that people are tripping over themselves to correct something that doesn’t l even need touching on.

EssexSunshine · 04/10/2022 08:41

Yes take her.
when I was young I fell from a horse and landed on my arm and could barely lift it. My Mum took me to A and E and they wouldn’t X ray and told my Mum there was nothing wrong and to do daily exercises.
Well I couldn’t do the daily exercises even though my Mum tried to get me to do them as I was in so much pain, she tried to even help me do them. Eventually we went to do a different hospital where they X rayed and I had fractured my arm in 2 places!
If you feel there is something wrong, get it checked.

Blueuggboots · 04/10/2022 08:42

The max dosages are 4g of paracetamol in 24 hours and 1200mg of ibuprofen in 24 hours.
So 2 x500mg paracetamol 4 times a day and 400mg of ibuprofen (2 x 200mg or 1 x 400mg) theee times a day.

Atmywitsend29 · 04/10/2022 08:44

EllieRosesMammy · 04/10/2022 08:34

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

Show quote history

I worked 12 years in healthcare as an NA and Head of Care, and I completely agree.

Shocking how many posters immediately assume OP is somehow overdosing her (16yo!) DD or incapable of reading the dosage.

Tbh op I'd probably take her for a second opinion

Lindy2 · 04/10/2022 08:45

DD had a wrist xray on a Friday evening after a fall. We were told it was just bruised.

We had a call on the Monday morning, after the xray review, to go straight back to the hospital as it was a fracture.

They do review xrays but not necessarily straight away.

DD had done a swimming lesson on the Saturday and a dance class. Thankfully it was a tiny fracture and was sore but not very painful. It just needed a wrist splint. The doctor did say though that it was very clear on the xray and should not have been missed.

Your DD's injury sounds very painful. I would want a second opinion today as it has not eased at all overnight.

QuestionableMouse · 04/10/2022 08:46

Sounds just like how I was when I broke my foot! A second opinion can't hurt.

IrisVersicolor · 04/10/2022 08:48

Yes take her to minor injuries. My mum recently fractured her spine but it was missed initially as the first doctor only requested X-ray of her pelvis. And a friend of mine fractured a vertebrae in her neck and it was missed by A&E the first time so she and to go back and ask for another X-ray.

Mischance · 04/10/2022 08:49

This brings back bad memories!

I broke my foot and was in plaster for 8 weeks, then went back to have plaster off. After it was removed I could not weight bear and was in loads of pain. They dismissed this as being just discomfort from where the plaster had been - I insisted that it was not - I know broken bone pain as I have had several fractures.

Two weeks later - still unable to weight-bear - I had a private appointment and the consultant showed me a second broken bone that had not healed - I was in plaster for another 12 weeks and still it did not heal. And 12 years later it is still not right - I walk with a stick outdoors because it is so painful to "walk through" my foot when walking. I could have a foot fusion, but they have said that is no guarantee of improving it. There is a bit of my heelbone floating about.

So believe me I do understand the deep annoyance of docs simply not listening. I knew for sure something was wrong and they just dismissed me. Grrrr...!

SimonaRazowska · 04/10/2022 08:51

Yes get it checked

When my dad fell down the stairs, the x rayed his ankle. Not broken, so sent home with nothing

Years later he was in a bad car accident and had his entire leg and foot x rayed. The doc said some really badly healed broken bones in his foot!

No wonder he was in pain for so long after falling down the stairs. Docs just missed it completely

(For those worried, my dad is 87 now and recovered and still walking ok Grin)

Hope your daughter recovers soon

friedbrainrightnow · 04/10/2022 08:53

@CrookCrane well you were wrong … many people confirming it is ok to alternate them.

LIZS · 04/10/2022 08:53

Even soft tissue injuries can be very painful. Go back in case they can relook once swelling has subsided a bit and there may be a tiny fracture.

FreezingThyme · 04/10/2022 08:55

If it’s not certain they’ve xrayed her foot then I’d definitely go back. If she explained the worst of the pain is in her foot and then only her ankle was xrayed then you’ve no idea whether there’s a break or not. I tore a ligament in my foot and the pain was much worse than when I broke my wrist so I agree that soft tissue injury can be incredibly painful but she sounds to be in a great deal of pain and the cause hasn’t been established. I hope she gets sorted soon. It sounds horrible.

Sunshineandbrighterdays · 04/10/2022 08:56

ArtofWater · 04/10/2022 08:35

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

Paracetamol is every 4 hours with a maximum of 4 doses per 24 hours.
Ibuprofen every 4-6 hours, maximum 3 doses per 24 hours.
Can be taken together, no problem.

henni85 · 04/10/2022 08:57

I’m probably going to get slapped down for this, but if she is in absolute agony you could give co-codamol 15/500 from the pharmacy. I was advised to give this to my 15 year old (at the time) son after dental surgery. Be really careful to give it very short term though. And yes, I would go to minor injuries. It may not be broken, but soft tissue injuries can be just as painful as a break

Octomore · 04/10/2022 08:58

The fact that it's agonising doesn't really tellyou anything- a bad sprain, or other soft tissue injury can be more painful, and harder to recover from than a break. If the xray was fine you need to see a good physio, not A&E.

endofthelinefinally · 04/10/2022 08:58

I had a bad fall onto my side and couldn't use my arm. I had awful pain all round my chest and shoulder. I went to the walk in and they refused to xray me because they "don't xray ribs".
I went back after a few days once I was able to think straight. My fractured clavicle has healed, but not in proper alignment and I still have pain in my shoulder years later.

Lulubo1 · 04/10/2022 08:59

I would recommend getting a second opinion. When I was 13 I fell over playing football and couldn't put weight on my foot either. My mum took me to A&E and I had my foot x-rayed. It showed no break so they sent me home saying it was a sprain and no boot/cast(took a week before I could walk on it again). For years I've suffered with a weak ankle that would randomly give way as I was walking and it would be painful in humid weather. I had enough by the time I was in my 20's and I went to get it looked at (I was living in Canada by this time). I had an MRI and they found a teeny tiny tear in my tendon that never healed properly. I had a ton of physio, but it's still not properly fixed. I was told if it was caught earlier, was given a boot/cast I wouldn't have the issues I have now. Please go get your DD a second opinion. I wish my mum had. I don't blame her though. I'm in my late 30's now and it still plays up

Octomore · 04/10/2022 08:59

LIZS · 04/10/2022 08:53

Even soft tissue injuries can be very painful. Go back in case they can relook once swelling has subsided a bit and there may be a tiny fracture.

The xray won't be affected by swelling though?

I'm of course assuming that they did do the appropriate xrays to be sure there is no break.

Eeksteek · 04/10/2022 09:00

I’m concerned about you ‘strapping’ her foot. What do you mean by that, and who advised it? Do you mean you have bandaged it? Or have you had a go with tape? I don’t think that’s something that should being done by a non-healthcare professional, frankly.

Original poster
whojamaflip · 04/10/2022 09:02

To clarify - she had paracetamol in A&E at 10pm, ibuprofen at 1am (in A&E), paracetamol at 3.30am when we got home and ibuprofen at 6.30 this morning when she rang me as the pain had woken her. I've explained she's allowed 2 more doses of paracetamol and 1 of ibuprofen between now and bedtime!

The doctor told us not to bother icing it!

It's definitely not the ankle as she can weight bear if she balances on her heel but putting the foot flat on the floor is agony which makes me think there's possibly a break in the foot. Pain isn't following the lines of the ligaments but is more on her arch and top of her foot when touched if that makes sense? No pain at the base of any of her toes though.

I think I will take her down to minor injuries this morning and see what they say.

OP posts: