How can she be left like this? Take her back to A&E?

[Fearsheisdying]

Posting for traffic has honestly I'm terrified something is seriously wrong with my Mum and don't know what to do so please be nice.

Last week she started with some pain that she says feels like it's right at the very bottom of her ribs and radiating round the sides. She was in agony, basically screaming with pain so I took her to A&E on the advice of 111. All obs and ECG were normal but the blood tests were abnormal. They were going to do a CT scan but then decided as her obs were ok and they didn't think there was a bleed as no fall/injury, they were not going to do a CT scan there but would refer it to the GP to arrange BUT because of the blood test results and recent weightloss, they wanted it done urgently under the "2 week rule" and from his grave tone, I highly suspect he thinks it's cancer and serious. They couldn't/wouldn't give her anymore painkillers because of the painkillers she's on for severe arthritis but these are not touching the pain.

Fast forward to today, she has been in absolute agony since Thursday and seems worse today and can barely move. She's exhausted and crying/screaming in pain. My sister called 999 today but they said as not life threatening they won't send an ambulance but had to speak to GP within an hour. GP receptionist tried to say no appointments so we couldn't speak to GP but after I explained the issue (and she could hear my Mum crying out in pain) she finally agreed to pass a message to the GP so currently waiting to see if GP will call back today or not. Mum says if I take her back to A&E we'll be sat for hours again and nothing will be done but I can't just sit here and watch her in so much pain and do nothing.

What do I do?! Do I make her let me take her to A&E? Do we wait to see if the GP will call? Just feel so helpless

The A&E Dr said the GP needs to arrange for a CT to be done urgently under the 2 week cancer timescale - is that not the case?

GP has phoned and said she will prescribe Oralmorph as it's in Mum's notes for when her pain meds don't work for her arthritis (it's very severe), so she's sent it to the late night chemist and I'm just going to get that now. Advised if that doesn't help then back to A&E. Hopefully this might give her some respite from the pain

I don’t have any advice, but just to say that my gallstones attack had pain radiating from below my ribs, up my back and along my shoulder. It was absolutely excruciating.

I’d go to A and E. I hope your mum gets some pain relief soon.

If she has a gallstone stuck that can become an emergency. I really think she needs a scan asap.

No shoulder or upper back pain which is why I don't think it's gallstones. Pain is lower at the sides, I'd say probably level with kidneys but both sides. Could maybe be kidney stones?? No tenderness when being touched but not sure if kidney stones would cause tenderness?

Yes it does need to be done under the 2 week wait timescale, but your mum clearly can't be left 2 weeks in that much agony.

Hopefully the oramorph will help, but please please take her to a&e if it doesn't x

Your poor mum! I'd honestly just give her Oramorph and then go straight to A&E when the pain has eased a bit.
I hope you get seen to quickly xx

Kidney stones are agony so that is one possibility. Referrals on the 2 week pathway do generally start w the gp so get back onto them and insist. And make sure they use the urgent pathway, not the routine one.

If the gp won't play ball then I'd go back to a&e and dig my heels in (politely but implacably).

The public sleep walked into it, by voting in Tories again . They refused to listen to healthcare professionals warnings, the media didn’t do enough to get those warnings out.

The Government Poo pooed HCP’s warnings and minimised the problems - they continue to do so. Government also consistently under funded the NHS since they came into power -as the 2008 crash was apparently the fault of the public sector 🙄

Thats how we got here.

Her GP may be able to do an urgent referral to an assessment ward where she can have a CT scan etc.

good luck. Your poor mum.

Your poor dm.

If they pain relief doesn’t work please take her back to A&E. She shouldn’t be in this much pain and something needs to be done now.

I hope all works out op.

Hope the oramorph helps a little and that you can get her to A and E as definitely sounds like that's where she needs to be.
💐 For you and your mum.

Fast forward to today, she has been in absolute agony since Thursday and seems worse today and can barely move. She's exhausted and crying/screaming in pain

The pain hasn't resolved and is getting worse, I would take her back to A&E, they can re-check her bloods and obs. Can you grab the oromorph on the way ? Maybe take an overnight bag just incase.

Get some oramorph in her and see if it settles enough for her to have a sleep. Has she tried a hot water bottle? To help with the pain?

If it doesn't help or she gets worse, straight back to A&E.

My mum had inflammation of the diaphragm which is just where you describe your mum's pain. She said it was excruciating. Could you demand a course of antibiotics as a precaution, given they are being so slow to do more investigative tests?

Does it hurt more when she inhales or coughs or laughs (not that she'd be laughing much right now.)

Kidney Stones are agony I know from experience it came on suddenly whilst I was away ended up in a strange hospital

usually with organ issues I would have thought the pain is one side as I can't think of an organ other than the kidneys which is both sides - but if it is kidneys she would I am guessing have blood in her urine. You can get urine test kits on amazon to test for this or ask to drop off a sample at your drs and they can test.
Also - I am thinking inflammation in the muscles between the rib cage ie costochondritis - the muscles can go into spasm hence the severe pain. Do you know who would help with this? A sports massage person - maybe ring one locally who does home visits and ask if the pain you describe could be this and if they say yes set up an appt - or a physio. www.nhs.uk/conditions/costochondritis/

I don't think I'd be happy with just pain relief at this stage. I'd want to know what was causing it.

Diagnosis will not automatically be made after a scan, depending on its cause it may need further tests. What you need to push for is proper pain relief. Say she can't sleep and if she manages to drop off, the pain wakes her up.

If it's kidney stones or gallstones an antispasmodic drug like Buscopan will work better than any pain killers and can be bought over the counter, maybe worth a try?

Spinal issue causing muscle spasm?
Gall bladder?
Gastritis?
Pancreatitis?
Dissecting aneurysm?

Is she able to eat/drink?

Your poor mum. I hope they get to the bottom of it soon.

Wishing her well x

Call an ambulance

Is it in her ribs op? You mentioned she has arthritis. Is it RA? I've had an RA flare in my ribs before and I thought I was going to die.

A&E prescribed diazapam along with my normal painkillers and it helped a lot

Lots of people are guessing what it might be but they may all be wrong. Presumably the Dr who referred her for a scan will have a better idea of what it could be.
There is some scaremongering on this thread though.
Ring up the place she has been referred for a scan and say she can accept short notice cancellation slots.

@MissyB1 the public sleep walked into this due to gratitude and worship of a sub-optimal behemoth. The signs of decay have been present for decades but worship of a false idol has co tinued and tied the hands of successive governments - even labour.