Really don’t know what to do if unwell

[Reallydontknow22]

If you’re really pretty unwell and google (I know, never google) indicates that you should be seen by someone ASAP, but there’s just no one available - what the hell do you actually do?

There isn’t a functioning healthcare system and it’s scary

There’s a lot of things that are utterly awful to wait with for 24 hours that don’t in anyway qualify for A&E. Off the top of my head, an ear infection that causes a burst eardrum which can leave you unable to open your mouth properly and needs antibiotics and proper painkillers. Had that a few years ago - once antibiotics hit start working it clears up fast but until then you’re eating foods that don’t require chewing.

This attitude of “well if it’s not bad enough for A&E stop whining” normalises shitty care and makes it seem as though the current situation is ok. It’s not. It might be where we are right now but it is not okay and complaining about it is in fact the right thing to do.

You wait, wait for 111 to call back or call your GP and ask for a call back today / tomorrow.
mid you’re not well enough to wait 6-8 hours or so for a call back then attend a walk in or A&E where you will wait 6-8 hours but will be safer if you deteriorate / collapse while waiting.
(6-8 hours obviously depends a lot on where you are but is ballpark correct where I am!).
Though you mention a call out - if you’re housebound and need to be seen today I’d try and contact your local GP surgery. Even when under huge pressure most manage to triage their acute visit requests on the day.

DD was poorly overnight, I agree 111 is useless, it said there was a technical issue and they would only deal with urgent cases! Surely those should be going to hospital. That said, we got through the night, phoned GP and have an appointment for 20 minutes time so can't fault the GP system here.

I suppose ideally I need proper tests but if it’s not deemed an emergency it won’t happen!

111 is fine, it might take a while to get through but they do answer, they do callback and they have the ability to make appointments at walk in centres if you need to see someone and can't get a GP appt

Well yeah they do need to prioritise emergencies first. That's fair enough, if you or a family member was dying but they were too busy seeing to non emergencies you'd be pretty pissed off. 111 will direct you accordingly.

I have been trying to work out the same OP. Our Dr's surgery offers no appts over the phone anymore - it's all done by e-consult. I don't understand what you are supposed to do if you are very sick and in need of urgent advice, presumably go to A&E which seems ridiculous if you're not talking about an accident or a life-threatening emergency.

I've tried to call the surgery to ask how you get an urgent appointment now - but each time I call there are about 30 people in the queue.

I don't think it is unreasonable to be VERY concerned about how Dr's surgeries operate now. The NHS appears to be fxxxed and I'm seriously considering registering with a private GP.

When you say you couldn't get to the GP even if you got an appt is that because of distance or are you completely immobile due to your illness? Could anyone give you a lift and help you if you do need to be seen?

The likelihood of a house call is tiny, and you haven't said anything to suggest you need an ambulance.

@Swg ‘This attitude of “well if it’s not bad enough for A&E stop whining” normalises shitty care and makes it seem as though the current situation is ok. It’s not. It might be where we are right now but it is not okay and complaining about it is in fact the right thing to do.’

Thats not what I said at all though. OP has already said she is getting a call, which is from a doctor or occasionally another trained prescriber.
If OP can’t wait a couple of hours for that (and it would be a few hours until an emergency GP appointment too) or she gets worse she can go to A&E if she feels that is her only option.
But she called 111, got through find and has been given a dr appointment… I don’t see how that’s a failing system as OP keeps saying.

I’m a nurse, could you explain your symptoms here & we could give you some advice if A&E would be appropriate? Completely understand if you don’t want to though!

What exactly did 111 say? They seldom leave you without instructions.

Have you done all that they said, taken whatever over the counter remedies they suggested and gone back to bed, fluids, stayed warm etc?

It is more that I am worried about the symptoms I have (and google agrees that the symptoms require ‘urgent’ medical attention - obviously urgent is one of those adjectives which can mean different things) but if no one actually sees me or does tests, if it’s just a list of generic questions, it inevitably sounds not that bad!

OP if you are worried that you can’t wait some hours on a doctor to call you back and you feel you require urgent medical attention then you need to attend A&E.

Our Gp has issued very clear instructions on what to do about a poorly child re: strep A, they have e-consult for most other things or a video consultation where necessary.

The system works. I think they are doing well in the circumstances.

Find a private GP service in your area. We pay £75, you get a 30 minute same day appointment with a GP and they prescribe if needed, plus it's about 5 minutes away from work. The only downside is that it's only really workable for urgent things and not routine/existing conditions but I'm sure that'll be an option at some point.

I've been trying to book a diabetic review with our surgery since August, can never get through on the phone and when you do, the diary is full and they tell you to try again in 3 weeks. Ridiculous. I haven't had my hba1c checked for over a year.

I really don’t think I can get there @luxxlisbon or sit there for hours. I really just can’t. Which sounds very pathetic but then I do feel rather pathetic!

@MintJulia I’m not criticising the individuals, they are brilliant. But as a system it isn’t working - there aren’t ambulances, there aren’t appointments, you’re left with 111 which is great if you just need a prescription but not if something is wrong and you don’t know what but you know you feel really unwell.

I did consider a private GP, but would they actually come out and try to work out what the problem might be?

I feel like since covid we've all forgotten that being ill occasionally is entirely normal and most of the time acute illnesses involving a temperature/ flu like symptoms/ D&V are self limiting and easily managed at home with paracetamol or other over the counter medicines.

It is horrible feeling ill, obviously, but most illnesses like the ones going round in winter do not need a doctor.

This isn't about normalising the terrible state of our health services, it's about normalising day to day illnesses to try and give the NHS some breathing space to treat people who do actually need a doctor.

I had to call 999 last week as we thought DH was having a heart attack, so did they based on their screening questions.

It was put down as a priority call and he still waited 4.5 hours for an ambulance.

Fortunately it wasn't a heart attack. If it was he'd probably be dead.

@Reallydontknow22 I really don’t think I can get there @luxxlisbon or sit there for hours. I really just can’t. Which sounds very pathetic but then I do feel rather pathetic!

If you genuinely think you need urgent medical attention then you need A&E. Can you find someone to drive you? Get a taxi?
Sitting on mumsnet won’t get you seen any quicker.
The dr from 111 is unlikely to do a house call and will be able to offer limited treatment and no tests even if they could.

I don’t understand why you are saying the system isn’t working? You called 111 they felt your symptoms didn’t point to A&E and arranged for a doctor to call you. That is the system working. You called, spoke to someone and got an appointment.
If you disagree and feel you need the hospital then you are obviously free to make your own call.

I recently had an out of hours phone call arranged through 111 for my DD, between the 111 call and the doctors appointment 2 hours later she got worse so I took her to A&E and she was admitted and able to get the treatment she needed.

If I was seriously unwell or the kids very unwell I'd go to A&E. I hate A&E so I use that as my personal bar. If I was happy to chance 6 hour plus with healthy under 30 with D&V then I'm ill enough to go. I haven't been to A&E for me or kids undirected by a health professional in over a decade.

No way on earth would I risk my or my kids lives waiting on the phone. Or waiting to see my gp. Also I'm cash poor, very poor but I'm seriously considering trying private health care for things that really worry me but my gp brushes off.

The thing is, you're saying you can't get to A&E and sit there waiting, but all 111 will do is send you there in several hours time anyway.

So to me, it makes more sense to go now - it's unlikely to be stupidly busy at 9am on a Tuesday.

Definitely @Notjusta and I have not personally seen the doctor (for me - have for DCs) for years, honestly. But I do know when I need further treatment/advice, too. Just as it’s stupid to blindly opine to go and see a doctor, equally, there are times when it’s the most sensible option.

I suppose I am saying the system is not working because I really do need to see somebody, and can’t.

Do you have an Urgent Care walk in near you?