Shall I just go to A&E…

[Igo]

I have been having upper right abdomen pain since Saturday (currently a full ache) temp around 40.4 comes down to 39.2 with some tablets, I feel sick and woozy had horrific bowel movement

pain come and goes in waves when it’s bad I can’t move, hurts to breathe, can’t stomach food cause immense pain…been taking tramadol and it’s not touching it!

pain got really really bad yesterday each wave lasted around 2 hours, dh phoned 111…after 9 hours they still hadn’t called back, phoned again at 6…was phoned back at 10pm asking me to go to urgent care for an appointment at 10.30pm which was impossible as I live an hour away…they then told me they had no other appointments and was told to call my Gp or go to a&e if it got worse

doped up on tramadol again and got about 4 hours sleep

attempted to contact my Gp 33 times…finally spoke to a receptionist and all she would offer me was an appointment in 7-10 days

phoned 111 to be told to contact my Gp as they were open

literally it’s my last resort do I just turn up? Pain has been ramping up again for the last 15 mins I can’t keep shoving tramadol down my throat but I don’t want to be sat in a&e in agony while nothing happens and I’m left in a chair like last time

A&E absoloutley if tramadol isn't touching jt!

I also find the request from GP surgeries to use a pharmacy where possible very worrying. For minor ailments...yes.... but precious time wasted in a pharmacy consultation only to be told you still need to see a GP is maddening. I have had this happen on three separate occasions. I really hope OP that you are now being given the care and treatment you deserve. Wishing you a very speedy recovery.

I agree that pharmacies are only suitable for very minor ailments. Colds, simple skin rashes, etc. Apart from anything they do not have access to the patients medical records, and rarely have the time to do more than a few minutes advice before moving onto the next task. They always appear very over worked.

Sadly, I think the entire health system is overworked. 😥

Where is this Utopia?

London GP services are almost non-existent. They're still only doing telephone consultations.

I've been in the back of an ambulance for 6 hours outside A&E.

I can easily see a GP as well. It is about places where there are high GP vacancies. London is very badly affected by GP vacancies.

The population of London is 9 million. There are entire countries with half that population.

Glad you went OP. Hope you’re more comfortable now and on the right pain medication.

DH amazed me yesterday by not only getting through to our GP in under 20 tries at 8am but in gaining a phone consult before half nine. I fear he’s the exception though.

The North East- it isn't the same all over the area, but we're lucky with our particular practice.

Definitely go, my husband is an emergency surgeon and he would say to go .

Sorry just read the update, hope you’re ok !

Hope you're on the mend very soon

I was in holiday in Preston (well, outside it) but ended up in A&E and could not believe that I was literally seen within 30 minutes! I was in awe. In London, I'd have been at least 8 hours waiting to just have bloods taken. That was pre-covid. Things are even worse now in London. It's an absolute disaster.

I call it the fastest finger first test. 😂

Just a top tip for anyone planning to brave A&E or Walk in Centre. Take a picnic chair - I'm not even joking. I had a six hour wait to be seen and people were sitting on the floor because there were so many people and not enough chairs. It was absolutely disgusting. I managed to get a chair eventually after propping myself against a wall for three hours in awful pain, never seen anything like it. Hope you're being treated OP x

When I had a gallbladder flare up, I honestly thought I was dying the first time. I thought I was having a heart attack. It's terrible pain.

I’d call out of hours doctors after 6pm, personally. They’ll either see you if required or advise A&E

😂😂

Lol, I've never seen anyone bring a chair before that would be a new one!

Whilst waiting 6hours in A&E without a chair obviously isn't a laughing matter, having worked around A&E departments for several years a very high percentage of those patients almost certainly wont have needed to be there in the first place and just delay the emergencies from being identified. The number of people attending A&Es who are ultimately discharged without requiring any specialist tests or treatment is staggering. I say this because increasing the size of the waiting room isn't necessarily the answer (unless you are also increasing the number of staff and size of the department itself really).

I'm glad the OP has gone to A&E, from the brief description sounds like a possible cholecystitis (acute gall bladder infection/inflammation) which is a surgical emergency hence being admitted onto SAC.

Whilst I know at lot of people who know they're attending with a non-emergency will defend doing so as they feel they couldn't get a GP appointment this isn't helping. They often have the time to provide any treatment for the non-emergency. For example people often attend with back pain - To simplify it effectively in A&E they will consider whether there's any indication for caudia equina syndrome (a type of nerve compression), or whether the back pain could really be a heart problem etc, which if it's been going on for x weeks probably isn't. So knowing it's not an emergency will tell you to see GP to make sure it's not a cancer, or whether you need physio etc. Which is probably what you already knew and still need to make an appointment with the GP!

I work in primary care as well now, often seeing people in the urgent clinics for 6 month history of knee pain 4th presentation "I've had all the tests and they keep telling me I need to have physio and loose weight for it to improve, I don't want to do this and my knee still hurts when I walk...", "I've had a cough a sore throat for a few days can you check me out"...These fill about half the day and have all insisted to the receptionist that they absolutely must be seen that day.

Don't get me wrong, they're easy consults just takes a couple of mins to check for appropriate red flags in a low risk patient but the frustration is that these appointments could have gone to the patient worried about their unexplained weight loss, the recurrent headache, the new mole or lump that's been bothering them, the ?chest infection but coughed up a little blood, the feverish child that just doesn't seem quite right.

It’s been a long day.

I have had an ultrasound and CT scan.

the surgeon has seen me twice and I am being discharged home at some point today/tomorrow with lots of antibiotics and other random stuff and I will be added to the list for gallbladder removal (seems a long wait time)

I'm glad you were seen OP.
I had suspected gallstones about a month ago.
Was seen by 3 doctors and out of hours and like you given multiple different tablets and injections but was told they only remove gallbladders now if worst case scenario.
It was the most unwell I've ever been, but thankfully after about 3 weeks (and losing a stone due to vomiting and being unable to eat) I feel a bit better.
Still awaiting ultrasounds the doctor requested a month ago!!

Glad you’ve been seen OP.

I had my gallbladder out recently - I was told it would be months after I was put on the list but I called every few days asking if there was a cancellation and I had it done just a few weeks after being put on the list (I did get a cancellation slot).

They may have done it just to get rid of me 🙃but was worth the badgering just to get rid of the pain!

Glad you've been seen. Never ever hesitate to go back if you experience the same again

So glad to read that you have been seen and treatment started. A long day for you but fingers crossed you are home in your own bed tonight and comfortable. Take care.