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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:
Shell4429 · 05/10/2022 18:34

ColinRobinsonsfamiliar · 04/10/2022 07:47

Firstly are you absolutely sure she should be having paracetamol and Brufen every 2 hours? That does not seem to be recommended. Brufen is 8 hourly and paracetamol is 4 hourly with a maximum 24 hour dosage.

Secondly your partner is right, they will review X-ray today, if anything seen they will call back.

You can take alternating doses as she said every two hours. Ibuprofen is four hourly not eight. So you take one drug and take the other one two hours later.

linsey2581 · 05/10/2022 18:38

For those of you saying that’s too many painkillers. You can safely take paracetamol and then 2 hours later you can take ibuprofen and then 2 hours later you can take paracetamol again. Only do this for for a maximum of 24 hours.

Overnightoats1 · 05/10/2022 18:40

This happened to me a few weeks ago - took my son to A&E early on a Sunday morning with a very painful thumb and hand after a football save the day before . It was very swollen and bruised when he woke up the next day. A&E doc looked at the x rays and said it's not a fracture and to carry on as normal. On the Wednesday evening I had a call from the hospital to say a radiologist had reviews his x ray and he did have a fracture that required a brace.. poor boy had spent 3 days at school without any protection on his broken thumb.. the A&E doc that misdiagnosed called me on the Friday eve to check in that we had now had the correct treatment. Was definitely reassuring to know that the x Rays do get reviewed though .. I'd say if she is still in a lot of pain - take her back to A&E

Nocutenamesleft · 05/10/2022 18:43

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

It’s every 3 hours. Purely because as someone said you can only have ibuprofen 3 times a day and paracetamol 4 times a day

meaning during 24 hours you can only have it every 3 hours.

Fanakerpan · 05/10/2022 18:44

Please do NOT take paracetamol 2 hourly, it should be taken 6 hourly and can be alternated with ibuprofen which should be taken 8 hourly, an example
2 tabs paracetamol 0600, 1200, 1800 and 12midnight
Ibuprofen 0800, 1400, 2200
This regime gives 24hr cover from a pain reliever (paracetamol} and an anti-inflammatory (ibuprofen) which also relieves pain, both of these drugs are dangerous if taken in excessive doses, both drugs should only be taken for short periods of time.

pollymere · 05/10/2022 18:46

Ok...I've broken one foot in three places and the other fractured a bone. Both were missed by the original x-rayer. As was my dislocated thumb. On one foot, it was the second set of x-rays and me asking about the line I could see on my x-ray that made them realise I had actually fractured it. I would give if five days and if it's no better or if there is a sharp pain when you touch under the foot now, go back and get their FOOT x-rayed. They usually only x-ray the ankle or the foot. Could be a fractured talus. If it is just ligament damage you'll want physio anyway so you don't ruin the gymnastics. If you need stronger meds, ask in a Tesco Pharmacy for co-codamol. It's paracetamol with codeine.

EndlessMagpies · 05/10/2022 18:46

@whojamaflip If she's still having pain in a few days, go back and ask them to check for an avulsion fracture. They don't always show up on x-rays, and I know from bitter experience that a scan will find it when you finally get one (long story and dc's career ruined) so don't let them fob her off if she's still in pain.

CammyJo · 05/10/2022 18:47

We have done this for years with our children and grandchildren for severe pain. Dr. recommended. Emphasis on severe. Here is an excerpt from website.. link below

If one medication does not seem to work sufficiently to reduce fever or pain in children age 12 and under, the key is to alternate between acetaminophen and ibuprofen: administer one medication at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m., and the other at 12 p.m., 4 p.m., and 8 p.m.

www.texasmedclinic.com/combining-tylenol-and-advil-to-reduce-fever-and-pain-in-children-and-adults/#:~:text=If%20one%20medication%20does%20not,4%20p.m.%2C%20and%208%20p.m.

Nannygoat151 · 05/10/2022 18:56

Yes you can alternate if the pain is that bad. Even with very young children I’ve been told to do that. Secondly I think from what I know it is highly unlikely they will review the x Ray , they simply do t have time sadly . I’d go back to a walk in for a second opinion

dadb · 05/10/2022 18:58

They are usually re-evaluate by a senior radiographer and as it's their speciality they do quite often pick up small things doctors miss.

Vapeyvapevape · 05/10/2022 19:05

A radiographer would normally red dot an X-ray if they saw a fracture (the doctors then call to ask where it is , if it's not obvious to them)

bouncydog · 05/10/2022 19:08

Ran into a glass door and taken to A&E. Xrayed told nothing broken. Went to private healthcare specialist following day who took one look and said broken! When he reviewed the X-ray break was easy for anyone without a medical background to see so sadly mistakes are made. Hope your daughter gets better soon.

Frazzled2207 · 05/10/2022 19:31

Not saying it’s this but ended up in a&e with my son and it was all very similar and ended up being tendonitis which is very painful but basically pretty minor. He wasn’t able to bear weight for about 3 days but then got gradually better.

JayPritchet · 05/10/2022 19:37

Well paracetamol should only be given 4 times in 24 hours so that's every 6 hours and ibuprofen 3 times in 24 hours so every 8 hours. Take her back if you think she needs it. And use ice.

IwantKandixxx · 05/10/2022 19:42

My daughter had a similar injury playing football, excruciating pain top of foot - ambulanced off with Gas & Air! After XRay we were told not broken etc so painkillers and rest.
But 2 WEEKS later we received a LETTER (not even a call!) saying that when senior consultant reviewed the XRay he actually saw a fracture!!!
Eventually healed itself but she never played football again because of the memory of that pain.
Definitely get 2nd opinion for your daughter x

Addictedtohotbaths · 05/10/2022 19:44

I had X-ray for foot injury, was told it was fine just soft tissue damage. 2 days later they called my mobile to say there had been a mistake and it was broken…

Cantthinkofanewnameatm · 05/10/2022 19:44

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

She needs her entire foot X-rayed. I had an injury and pain exactly as your DD describes. I had a small break in a bone on the outside side of my foot, below the toes, if that makes sense. My foot was Xrayed through the top of it with me putting it flat on the X-ray plate. Tiny break but foot was so swollen, and mega painful.

Branleuse · 05/10/2022 19:55

When i took my kid to A&e a couple of years ago for a suspected fracture, we were treated as if we were just being silly and probably just a normal sprain. They eventually Xrayed and said it was fine.
Got a call back about a week later saying that on review of the Xray, there was a clear fracture.

lljkk · 05/10/2022 20:16

I'm finding it funny PP are obsessed with xrays. Soft tissue injuries can be way worse (painful, debilitating) & take much longer to heal.

Justgorgeous · 05/10/2022 20:21

@friedbrainrightnow you aren’t wrong at all you absolutely can do that as long as you don’t exceed the maximum dose in 24 hours.

FeetupTvon · 05/10/2022 20:39

I broke my foot, X-ray showed it up clearly. Mine was badly bruised and very swollen.
All they could do was give me crutches and a boot, also strong painkillers. Definitely worth a second opinion.

EarringsandLipstick · 05/10/2022 20:47

The amount of posters utterly unable to a) read OP's posts & b) unable to understand that you do not have to take paracetamol or ibuprofen at exactly the same intervals (so you can take more during the day if you expect to be asleep at night) as long as you stay within the max dosage, is quite staggering.

So many posters confidently asserting that they are right ...

The guidance on packs of medication is clear - that's what to follow. And the OP was doing so.

Susieblue18 · 05/10/2022 20:47

Can you ask her how many X-rays were taken. If it was two it would just be her ankle and would be four for her foot and ankle.

MissCordeliaPreston · 05/10/2022 20:56

I only hop in and out of this site nowadays but I see the total missing of the point still happens.

OP, shoddy treatment from A&E. She should at least have been given crutches if she can't bear weight. I hope she has since got, or gets, the care she needs.

BlueMongoose · 05/10/2022 21:17

A horse I knew had a leg injury. The vet x-rayed from the bottom up and stopped when she found a very slight hairline fracture, advised rest. Things got no better, the owner wasn't satisfied, contacted another vet, who x-rayed again, found the hairline fracture, but continued the x-ray-ing up the leg, and found another, much worse one.
When there is an injury, they should at least check all areas that reasonably could be involved, if only to rule them out, nor should they stop when they find something that might explain it, when it could easily be more than one thing.