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

You can have private scans and I thought they've classified it is non urgent - go away for GP referral?

If shes on the 2 week pathway won't she be under a specific consultant rather than the GP?

Honestly I'm not sure as there's not been a consultant involved, just the A&E Dr

How do you know she is not having a life threatening emergency? Play with words all you like . If you go in an ambulance then you go automatically to an NHS A and E. Anyhow I have stated the facts about A and E in the NHS.

I have been on this and you don't know who it will be until you get there for your referral appointment.

NHS envy of the world

She was referred last week. The scan will be very soon. A private scan at this stage will not necessarily be any quicker.

OP just to warn you that if it is cancer, it is a series of pathways. Her losing weight will make them concerned that is the cause, but it may not be.

@Thereisnolight Might be better for you to stick to Scrabble rather than playing "competitive not going to A&E" You do realise the NHS is a service not a church right?

I have to say both my DH and myself have received excellent treatment from the NHS in the last month. My Dh couldn't get a GP apt but was sent to the NHS Acute Unit where he was diagnosed with a chest infection and treated. He has had the faecal test unit in the post and processed. I have had a "turn up and wait" x ray with a wait of 15 mins after a phone apt with my doctor and test uploaded to my NHS app by the end of the day. I had a consult with a specialist on a Saturday too - first referred in late Oct and scanned Dec. I do realise it's not the same everywhere but there are many people doing good stuff in the NHS.

And if it is cancer, you need to stay in the NHS. She would need the multi disciplinary care they provide.

It could be costcochondritis, severe pain around the lower ribs, its not life threatening but feels like it

I really wouldn’t really on that having been passed to GP … did you mention onwards referral to the GP when they phoned?

Wow, that sounds dreadful OP, your poor Mum. I'm not in the UK but my Dad was taken to hospital last week as he was delirious. They kept him in, couldn't find the source of his infection and on Saturday did an abdominal scan as that was the only part of him they hadn't scanned. They found he had advanced cancer (a shock to the hospital and me) and is now receiving end of life care. I can't believe that they just sent your Mum home without even bothering to actually find out what is wrong with her, especially when she is in such pain.

I'm not a doctor but sounds similar to when my mum had gallstones. Worse pain she's ever felt and worse than labour she said

The Two Week Pathway is a GP INITIATED process. A and E cannot do them.

"Your General Practitioner (GP) or dentist may refer you to us for an urgent appointment within two weeks of their assessment of you. Depending on your symptoms, this appointment may be to attend an outpatient clinic, a diagnostic test (such as an X-ray, CT scan or endoscopy) or a combination of both a clinic appointment and diagnostic test.

The Two-Week Wait appointment system was introduced so that anyone with symptoms that might indicate cancer could be seen by a specialist as quickly as possible. Attending this appointment within two weeks is vitally important and will allow you to benefit from:

Early reassurance that cancer has not been diagnosed or
an early diagnosis and earlier access to treatment."

Your poor mum. She's been failed here. No one has given her decent pain relief. No one seems to be investigating why she's actually in pain.

Could be gallstones. My mum had it she was in unbearable pain. She went to A and E 3 times. Eventually she had her gallbladder removed, but it got to the point where it was infected and had to have intravenous antibiotics before they'd operate. One doctor said until he had it himself he didn't appreciate just how painful it is

OP’s mum is not having a life threatening emergency

Nobody actually knows if she is or she isn't. She had abnormal bloods when she was seen last, the pain has got worse. If there is a blockage of some sort causing the pain, it can become a life threatening emergency.

My first thought was pancreatitis. Has she been sick at all (sorry I can’t remember if you have said if she has).

I have no idea what this means.

I have a lot of experience of both private and NHS systems. Private is absolutely an option if the NHS is not coping and you can afford it (obviously many can’t). Not sure why all the wilful disbelief.

@Fearsheisdying just in case it's helpful, I was diagnosed with possible cancer by A&E. The referral was not done by the GP - A&E processed the referral to the right department under the 2 week rule (although it took more like 3 weeks for a call, and about 3.5 weeks for an appt).

It's a really difficult time because there's nobody to talk to - you can't talk to A&E about it, the GP doesn't really know anything, and there's no consultant until you have the appt with whichever dept you've been referred to.

I don't know if that's the way it works where you are, but that was the process with my local hospital.

What helped me was realising McMillan have people located at my hospital. I managed to get hold of them - they could see all my records and could tell me when the MDT meets (the team which reviews the incoming cancer referrals), and which day my case was likely to be reviewed (MDT meets 1/week). That was a huge relief - might be worth investigating if they have a similar service where you are?

You mum has had four days of pain so severe her painkillers aren't touching it (painkillers the hospital wouldn't prescribed on top of so presumably high strength). Now she is on morphine without anyone having carried out a proper investigation of the cause of the pain. If she doesn't sleep much better tonight and/or there is no information on a consultant appointment tomorrow I would take her back to A&E.

If she was currently having a life threatening emergency she would need an ambulance. Not a two-week wait.

I had gallstone pain - it was just below my ribs, right hand side.

It was AGONY - I've never experienced anything like it. Your mum could well have this.

I’d definitely go back to A&E.

@hattie43 I think “those who can” have already paid? 🙈 NHS has always been “free at the point of use” rather than just free. That said, I’m all for paying £20 for a GP appointment, assuming no NHS will lower the £1000+ I pay in tax/NI every month!