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 are ambulances, you’re getting one...you’re just having to wait because it’s just not critical.

They prioritise emergency ambulances for things that may kill someone if they wait, and if it’s something that needs attention but is unlikely to be affected by a wait then you wait - that’s how it’s always worked.

Eh, why was my comment deleted? I was agreeing with SnowyPheasants' post which is still up.

This happened to us last night and it was terrifying.

DH got this incredible pain in his abdomen/chest, came on within minutes and he was moaning, writhing on the floor, begging me for help. Called an ambulance and they said 'is he awake? is he breathing? we wouldn't send an ambulance for that, ring 111'. Rang 111, took five minutes to get through the pre recorded messages and then nobody answered. Utterly terrifying. Thankfully we had some liquid morphine in the medicine cabinet from a previous surgery ages ago so he took that and it was enough for him to make it downstairs to the car and I drove him to hospital myself.

Honestly terrifying to think someone can be in that much pain having a medical emergency and they just say 'nope, not sending an ambulance for that, ring 111' and then 111 aren't there. Just terrifying. My heart is racing just typing. He's okay today, we were there five hours and they did scans and he needs further investigations but fucking hell, it could have been a heart attack. Pure negligence.

If we hadn't had pain relief in the house I don't honestly know what we'd have done because they wouldn't send an ambulance and 111 just didn't respond. He couldn't move, he couldn't get downstairs. If we hadn't had pain relief, what the fuck do you actually do? I'm fucking furious

I don’t really understand what you expect? Long gone are the days where a doctor would come to your house and check you over, there just isn’t enough doctors to do that. You won’t go to A&E because you don’t feel well enough to stand, and you can’t go and see your GP so the options are calling an ambulance or you stay in bed and hope it passes and you don’t die?

There are services out there, we have A&E, you could get a taxi there and someone could help you to the taxi (call a friend or neighbour to help), most people in A&E are unwell, that’s why they are there. We have GP surgeries but GP’s no longer do home visits, they just don’t have the time.

If you are as unwell as you say and can’t stand then calling an ambulance maybe your only option.

As you won’t share your symptoms it’s hard for us to know if it’s a medical emergency or not. 111 obviously don’t think it’s an emergency or they would have sent an ambulance?

OP - have you considered ringing 111 back and updating them? If you are alone in the house, with no friends/family able to get you to A&E and are fainting when you stand up they normally would send an ambulance - I know because the same thing happened to me a week ago.

I had a number of other symptoms including struggling to breathe - it was, as I suspected, a flare up of a chronic illness I have and I ended up staying in hospital for a week, and got all the support I needed until I was safe to come home.

The system is under huge pressure but it isn't broken, if you really need care you will get it, it just might not be as smooth or as painless as you'd like. I waited 3+ hours for an ambulance (which I thought was pretty good, although I do live near two major London hospitals which probably helped) but once I got there, even by ambulance, there was no bed and I wasn't assessed by a doctor for 4 hours.

I get feeling like you can't wait in A&E but you may just have to, even if it's in a separate bit for people bought in by ambulance. I was in agony sitting down but told it wasn't safe to stand and I couldn't lie on the floor, I sympathise with you deeply, I cried when I finally saw a doctor and got an injection of morphine for the pain (unable to keep any fluids down at all). I'm not trying to scare you off in anyway, if you need to be there you need to be there, I just personally find it helpful to mentally prepare.

I think if you really feel so unwell you can't get to A&E yourself and you don't want to wait for a call back you'll need to call 111 again and try to explain further, and you're best to get on with it as the process will take hours whichever way it happens unfortunately.

Benefit of A&E as PP said is if you deteriorate quickly, you're already there. I know you're concerned re a taxi, although to be honest I would have tried to have take one had I not been vomiting continuously and have a history of seizures as well as just fainting, so that may be a factor for you, but do you have a nice local firm where you can speak someone and explain? Could the driver park up and assist you down any steps and into the taxi and walk you into A&E the other side? Presumable only a few steps each way with someone to lean on? You may find it quicker.

Hope you feel better whatever you choose to do.

Wishing you well OP, hope you’re being looked after now.

I find it a bit odd that you won't share symptoms, OP. Cancer doesn't appear overnight, OP. You would have had other symptoms the last week or two, not all of a sudden this catastrophic "need an ambulance" kind of situation. did you not go to the GP before now.

Everyone should plan for what happens if they become ill to the extent they think they need urgent care. Everyone should have an oximeter, blood pressure guage and a thermometer in the house so you can do basic checks on yourself, and can report highly abnormal findings when the ring 999. That will tell you your oxygen levels, heart rate, blood pressure and temp, which are all things an ambulance crew would check for anyway.

My advice is to take control of your own healthcare as much as you can. If you suspect something seriously bad, like acute leukaemia but your GP (who maybe doesn't know you and know what's normal for you when you report that something isn't right) can't arrange a blood test quick enough then have money put aside for a private blood test.

Have money put aside for a taxi to take you to A&E.

Have at least one person on standby who could accompany you to A&E either in their own car or a taxi.

Do not ring an ambulance if you can get to A&E under your own steam. I was really annoyed when a friend who was staying with me a few years back insisted I call an ambulance for abdo pain. I drive, we are 15 mins drive from A&E. But no, she insisted it must be an ambulance. It turned out to be wind from probably a bug or something. I was apologising to the ambulance crew. I was 6 months pregnant and had a toddler so had to organise care for him next day, but the fuss that was made was really disappointing. She even made a fuss getting blood tests in the hospital.

Everyone should try and be sensible when the NHS is in crisis and try to do as much as you can for yourself.

Sorry to be clear, when my friend was in hospital, and I was 6 months pregnant and with a toddler, I had to follow in the ambulance at night, was there hours. My husband was with our toddler, but I was so exhausted early morning next day when I drove my friend home that I had to have someone mind my toddler so I could get some sleep, because we'd been awake most of the night.

Hey, just for the record private GPs do make house calls, they are usually extremely quick and responsive. But also extremely expensive.
however if you can afford it I would say it’s definitely worth it if you cannot access help any other way and are genuinely concerned about your immediate health.

Sorry @Reallydontknow22 but I just re-read your OP, and the way you have worded it sounds very much like you helped this couple out because you and your husband like people to feel grateful to you, and they have not shown you anywhere near enough gratitude. So you did more and more for them, but still nope, no undying gratitude to you! Unfortunately it seems unlikely that they will even leave you anything in their will.

Maybe I am being mean to you, and you are a lovely couple who really were doing all those things out of the kindness of your hearts, but if so, can I point out a couple of points to you please, your across the road from you neighbours (with two classic cars and lots of money) didn't actually initially approach you and ask you for any help, and why would they as they apparently have plenty of money just lying around, so could afford to pay for any help they needed?

Maybe they even felt that you two were lonely, so would call in to you some evenings to keep you company, or to thank you for your considerations by giving you some of their time. To many people time is their most valuble asset, so to share it with very intense new neighbours who seem to need to be extremely helpful, might have been a big thing for them. How long have they lived in that cul-de-sac OP, and how long have you and your partner lived there?

But what really ruffled my feathers Reallydon't, was you saying in your OP how very kind and amazing you and your Italian husband have been to them, but that they haven't reciprocated it? In my world OP, really kind, thoughtful and generous with their time people, don't do it for the gratitude, or for any reciprocation that they might get from the recipients, and they don't brag about it to anyone, not even anonymously. It wasn't even as if you needed any advice about who could look after your rabbits, as from your later posts it became obvious that you had already booked a place for them in a rabbit hotel before you even posted your indignant thread here. I wonder if your neighbours were to post about you and your husband on here how their version of events would differ from yours?

Sorry OP, my above post has posted on completely the wrong thread. I have no idea how that happened!

Ah, so I seem to have posted to the correct OP, just on the wrong thread! But I never left your other thread, so I still have no idea how that happened!

111 and treat the symptoms while waiting for call back.
If a child is Ill and it involves high temperature, poor breathing, poor colour, rash — in fact anything that suggests hospital treatment necessary rather than home care , I’d go straight to A&E by car, taxi, friend transport.

It is very concerning.

i called 999 recently for an elderly relative with signs of a stroke. Was told ambulance was needed but the wait was too long - better to drive her straight to A&E. Very worrying for those who don’t have someone with them.

and driving isn’t ideal as it doesn’t help the long wait in A&E but I still think/hope truly life-threatening / non-stable patient situations would be bumped to front of the wait.

The initial triage took 2 hours (thankfully she seemed more stable/conscious at this point after vomiting everywhere a couple of times). Another 8 hours to see a doctor…

I hope you feel better soon, OP. I'm sure you must be feeling really anxious.

I appreciate you want seeing quickly OP but if you are unwell and want checking out ref possible cancer symptoms then I would suggest to get online and do a same day paid for econsult(not that expensive) if you can't see your GP within 3 days. I've found them very good and thorough (last one I had was on for 25 mins) they can prescribe etc. i actually found them more thorough in what they checked out than the GP. They can also tell you if it's imperative to go to A&E.

@LadyGardenersQuestionTime

Did your friend call 111 or 999?

I hope your friend is ok.

Our A&E is also a minor injuries so I'd probably go there for DS. For me if it wasn't a broken bone, insane levels of pain or risk of death I'd wait for gp or call 111 for OOH.

All depends what is wrong with you, the kind of feeling really grotty (flu like symptoms, sore throat, exhausted etc) the dr cannot do anything for you anyway, self limiting illnesses assuming no underlying conditions should be dealt with by rest and otc medications. If you have something that actually requires intervention by a gp eg antibiotics, in my experience you get a timely appointment, same day or within 48 hours (recently i should add). If you have an illness that cannot wait, outside of gp opening hours then look up your nearest out of hours gp centre, this may not be that close if you don't live in a city but they are usually quicker than a&e. A&e is for accidents and emergencies, clue is in the name, so a child who is listless should be rushed there, but also injuries that require immediate attention eg for stitches, broken bones etc.

If you can get to hospital without calling an ambulance do so, we have set up a network of volunteer drivers here to take people in semi emergency, 8 miles to the a&e, even in rush hour traffic we can get people there faster than ambulances take to arrive!

I am based in Devon and can always get a GP appointment despite it being very stretched, especially if it involves DD who is under 5. She had strep 8 weeks ago and was seen within an hour of me calling due to her symptoms.

Our hospital on the other hand is so over run and people are dying waiting for ambulances. It is a scary time and I am really trying to not take my health for granted. I genuinely feel terrible for people who need urgent treatment at the moment in overwhelmed areas.

I think you, like many, are scare-mongering during what is a difficult but not totally imploded time for the NHS. You got to speak to a Doctor who agreed you were urgent and is arranging a transport to hospital where you will be assessed and treated.

Some people in some areas are finding it hard to get a GP appointment quickly which is bad. Some people in some areas are waiting a long time for an ambulance, also bad. Some waiting lists for some things are long... bad. However the idea that you could be totally without any form of medical care is just not the reality for most people in the UK. If I have a cold the pharmacist will sell me an OTC medicine. I can call my GP and get an appointment today or tomorrow if I am too sick for something I can buy but not broken or emergency enough for hospital. If I cut myself or break a bone I can go to the nearby Urgent care centre without an appointment and be seen today. My next door neighbor had an ambulance out recently for her little boy and it was quick and they treated him on scene. A&E is a few hours wait but it always has been. This is pretty normal for most and I've (or close family) tested most of these services recently and they are no better or worse than they always have been.

If I was feeling ill enough to warrant an ambulance I don't think I'd be up to furiously arguing with strangers on the internet about it, frankly. It doesn't sound like your illness requires an ambulance. Call a taxi if you can't drive yourself to A&E. Shuffle downstairs on your bum if you're fainting every time you stand up.

You've explained your symptoms to healthcare professionals who have listened, and told you that your symptoms don't constitute an emergency. I don't know what else you expect them to do, exactly. It's not their fault you've Googled your symptoms and come to your own conclusions.

I am also a little shocked you want an ambulance - do you not have friends who could take you to a and E? Or a walk in centre. In my mind, ambulance is for someone who needs to be at a hospital as they are in critical condition. Eg car crash, heart attack or elderly person who had a fall and has no one to help them. Someone who isn't able to type on mumsnet. I know that might sound harsh but services are stretched.

Also, for cancer symptoms you would be refered by GP on the two week wait if they feel it is likely cancer. Going to a and E in an ambulance is not the best route