Been told not to attend A&E by gp receptionist..

[shallwego]

Hello,

Following from another thread of mine, regarding painful ovulation (will summarise below)

• Been TTC for almost 3 years

• Had bloods taken by GP (day 21 bloods) and was advised at the time that this would show endometriosis or PCOS issues

• Had a GP appt yesterday to get the ball rolling with fertility help, mentioned that I get very painful ovulation, and she advised that endo / PCOS wouldn't in fact show in bloods, only a physical examination would determine this.

When I'm in / around ovulation, I get EXTREME crippling cramps in one side of my ovaries / lower abdomen, radiating across my pelvis. They're so awful I often feel like I'm going to split in half. When I sit and then stand again, I can barely stand up straight. It's crippling and lasts a LOT longer than the seconds / sometimes hours that others explain and experience during this time of the month. We're talking days. Sometimes 2/3.. and the pain is MUCH worse than my period pain.

I phoned the GP reception today, as I'm having a really hard time with the pain today. They've advised that nobody can see me there until 2nd week of January; and so I must get on with it until then. Fine, but pain killers are literally not touching the pain and I don't know what to do with myself. I'm at work and can't even stand straight. It's like someone's sawing me in half from hip-hip..

So I asked the receptionist if she would recommend I attend A&E for guidance in the meantime.
She almost screamed 'NO' at me. That they're under pressure (which I'm fully aware of and understand completely) but I honestly don't know what to do with myself 😞

So my question is.. would I be unreasonable to attend A&E after work? I just want help and answers. I'm so scared and in so much pain.

@niugboo

Are you serious?!!
I rang the doctor while WFH to ask for an appointment today to be seen. They said there are no appointments, and I asked what they recommend I do in that case. Go to A&E? to which she said no.

She doesn't know the levels of pain I'm in, and neither do you! Just because I'm able to (VERY uncomfortably) sit at my desk at home where im able to get up when I need to, doesn't mean im not in high levels of pain.

Did you read the full thread? She's working from home, very different to travelling to an office.

I also wouldn't say I'm merrily posting on mumsnet, either. I have been seen now thankfully.

I sincerely hope that you don't ever have to experience this kind of pain. And if you do, make sure you don't go to A&E. apparently it doesn't warrant it.

If you have nothing further to say, please kindly leave my thread alone. You're doing nothing but intending to upset.

I hope you get answers soon @shallwego. There seems to be a spate of nasty posts directed at people who dare to even consider A&E.

I can assure you I have felt pain like it. I have a history of severe illness and have been blue lighted in in agony and severe blood loss more than once. I would never dream of popping along to A&E after finishing up work. Ever.

@PinkSparklyPussyCat shes working. She’s ringing the doctor. She’s posting on mumsnet. This is not a new or acute issue. It in no way warrants a visit to A&E.

I do experience pain. I'm experiencing pain right now. It's been going on for over a month and getting worse with more parts of my body being affected. I've woken up crying for the last 3 days. It took over three weeks to get a GP appt, and then 2 to get some blood tests back. I'm now pestering for the x Ray I was promised.

We all feel it.

It's awful.

But wasting doctors time in A&E wouldn't help me, it just makes everything a bit shitter for everyone else.

As I said before, I do feel for you pain. It must be horrible.

But A and E is not there for when your GP cant see you.

I'm so glad they've seen you

And many people have been taken to A&E. unfortunately. And I am sorry you have been, too.

But you have no right to tell me how to navigate my pain. You also have no right to tell me I should or shouldn't go after work. I've explained all my reasonings.

Oh silly me, I didn't know that abdominal pain meant you couldn't post on MN. Jesus Christ 🙄

If you're at work, and you can wait until after work, then in fairness it is not an emergency.
(Home or office based work)

I'm not going to keep explaining my reasons as to why I've worked today. For one last time; I do a non-strenuous job where I am able to sit down, therefore i can manage the pain a little better. I've managed to just about get through the majority of today with hot water bottles and pain killers (which haven't touched it) until I was able to be seen today. Where I've been given strong pain relief.

I'm so sorry that this seems to upset people.

And for what it's worth, I finished up early to go to the doctors appointment.

You haven’t had an accident and it isn’t an emergency. Is there a gynae assessment unit at your local hospital? You can self-refer.

Ignore the twits OP. They don’t own A&E, they don’t get to decide who is or isn’t worthy ffs and you certainly don’t owe them an explanation.

I hope you can get the scans quickly and that the cocodamol helps the pain. Do check out endometriosis UK, it’s a resource for suspected endometriosis sufferers as well. The cyst may be a simple cyst but there’s also a type of cyst specific to endometriosis called an endometrioma, which may be what the doctor could feel.

You literally posted on mumsnet asking people!

Your managing to go to work and then saying you're in crippling agony ! The 2 dont actually go together

FFS. Extreme pain absolutely is an emergency. If it was a ruptured cyst it could potentially be fatal (ruptured endometriomas or haemmorhagic cysts can be extremely dangerous), and if it was an ovarian torsion that would be an emergency as well. In any of these scenarios trying to get a GP appointment would be wasting precious time. Please educate yourself before you spout this shit.

Have you actually read the thread or did you just come here to be goady? The OP was at home.

Some of you are bloody dangerous. You act like A&E is some holy building that mere mortals shouldn't set foot in.

Being at work or typing on a phone doesn't mean someone doesn't warrant urgent medical attention - many a person has died of a heart attack whilst stoically carrying on.

Glad you saw your GP, OP.

Some of you are bloody dangerous. You act like A&E is some holy building that mere mortals shouldn't set foot in.

Exactly. Utterly ridiculous.

This is good advice, because 111 will give you a reference number to quote when you get to A&E, denoting that you’ve been referred by them.

YABU for asking a GP receptionist on her opinion about whether you should go to A and E. Obviously she can’t and shouldn’t advise you about that I’m not sure why you asked her.
She was also BU for indeed responding and thinking she could advise you on that…

Please read my entire thread.
I've worked from home today. 'Worked' being an exaggeration. I've managed to sit for small periods of time at my desk to get some emails done.

Hi @shallwego I'm glad you've been seen by your GP and there is a plan.

I collapsed at home a few weeks back, from pain related to a persistent as yet unidentified issue and my friends rushed me to A&E. I then promptly collapsed again in the reception area from the agonising pain.

When an A&E doctor finally saw me, they gave me two paracetamol and told me to go home as the hospital was not the place for a diagnosis. My GP just ignores me and puts the pain down to stress, but I'm stressed because I'm in AGONY!! I too managed to wfh at a desk job right up until the point I collapsed.

So I would say, in my experience, even if you'd gone to A&E it would have been a pointless exercise. Hospitals are just too overwhelmed now. I'm waiting for an ultrasound and being told it wont be till at least sept 2023 😞 so I have no choice but to try to live and cope with a pain that at least 3 times a week has me blacked out on the floor, often all alone or just with my children. But the NHS whilst they may care, cant help me quicker.

Jesus - can you only go to a&e when you already dead these days?