Page 3 | Would you go to A&E

Rosebel · 2023-02-12T16:01:35+00:00

DH wants me to go to A&E but I'm not sure. For around a week my legs have been painful. The pain was really bad this morning and reduced me to tears. Sitting hurts, walking hurts but I'm not sure it's actually an A&E thing. I can't take time off work for a doctors appointment so would have to wait until Friday to see a doctor but I'm in so much pain and can't get back any relief from it. Would you go to A&E?

lljkk · 12/02/2023 16:56

Wow... I hope the pain stops very soon, so you have had pain exactly like this before? Let us know how A&E goes. I hope you get seen before midnight.

Wishawisha · 12/02/2023 17:00

Wow what a drip feed.

But I’m also confused as to why you’d go to A&E now but didn’t even try to get a GP appointment given your history at the end of last week? Work is surely irrelevant in this case as if something is bad enough for A&E, you can’t possibly work.

Crumpetdisappointment · 12/02/2023 17:04

yes,
some people put far too much faith in the opinions of others
i hope you are in A & E

purpledalmation · 12/02/2023 17:05

Woman has random pains in legs. Could be due to anything or nothing.

Lots of advice given.

Woman then says she has had blood clots in her lungs which frequently start as blood clots in your legs.

Sometimes I feel like telling people to fuck off with the drip feeds.

MingeofDeath · 12/02/2023 17:05

I'll try to explain the process where I live. Please remember it depends on what is available. Some places have far more services than others. If I assessed a patient and thought they had a DVT I would want them to be assessed by a emergency treament centre within an hour, this could mean a telephone consultation with a GP. When assessed by a GP a patient can "bypass" the normal sitting in A&E situation and they can tell the patient "you need to got to X dept" as they have already been assessed by a GP so are further along the pipeline so to speak; the patient would not have to sit in A&E and wait to be seen by a Dr. so would receive treatment quicker.
I really can't emphasise enough that it all depends on service availability in an area.

giggly · 12/02/2023 17:08

Mabelface · 12/02/2023 16:04

Yes, go. If nothing else you'll get good pain relief. 111 would send an ambulance.

And this is why A&E have ridiculous waits. If op is well enough to go to work then it’s definitely neither an accident nor an emergency

lljkk · 12/02/2023 17:09

tbf, when people feel bad they can't think straight. They might forget that other health crisis because they simply don't want to remember anything about it. Like how it started... and just because you had something once doesn't make you an expert that recognises when it is happening again. I can forgive a dripfeed in this context.

I choose to waste my time on MN so my bad if I think my time was wasted on this thread... am actually avoiding floor cleaning & job hunting decisions right now.

Besides, I'm curious what OP tells us after they get seen in A&E.

Tilllly · 12/02/2023 17:16

Let us know how you get on

Ohdofuckofdear · 12/02/2023 17:23

Glad you're getting it checked out,hope A&E isn't too horrendous for you.

aibutohavethisusername · 12/02/2023 17:25

Let us know how you get on at A&E.

Againstmachine · 12/02/2023 17:26

Get yourself to A and E.

I'd usually say anyone who decides to ask mumsnet if they should go to a and e doesn't but with your drop feed history of clots you should.

Newnamefor23 · 12/02/2023 17:34

TomatoSandwiches · 12/02/2023 16:05

What on earth makes you think 111 would send an ambulance?

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I believe that if they think you need one, that if you need to go to hospital urgently, they will send one.

BigChesterDraws · 12/02/2023 17:37

A&E is not there for people to use because the GP opening hours don’t suit them. Take a sick day from work and go to the GP. Or take a day’s holiday if you don’t want to take a sick day. Or wait till Friday. If you can only go on Fridays, why didn’t you go 2 days ago?

Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy · 12/02/2023 17:46

Surely if you have blood clots in your lung your already on blood thinners which is the treatment.

TheAverageForumUser · 12/02/2023 17:48

You have had pulmonary embolisms (plural!) which started out as DVT? One heck of a drip feed! I’m currently recovering from surgery for massive bilateral pulmonary embolism (both lungs). Are you on apixaban? Clots are very unlikely to reform if you are. Mine also started as DVT. PE can kill, as you know. I’m extremely surprised that someone who has been though the horror of PE is even asking on here whether to go to A&E or not. How were your previous clots treated?

PE was the most terrifying experience of my life. Mine were so severe my husband was told I was unlikely to survive the night unless surgery was carried out immediately when they did the CT scan. I suffered heart damage and liver/kidney damage as a result of mine. I wouldn’t even be asking on here what I should do if I thought I had another clot. For more than 25% of people with PE their first and only symptom of PE is death. There’s no time to waste.

Nursemumma92 · 12/02/2023 17:52

Newnamefor23 · 12/02/2023 17:34

I believe that if they think you need one, that if you need to go to hospital urgently, they will send one.

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They absolutely wouldn't in this instance if the patient has someone who could transport them in. Ambulances are for emergencies and whilst this needs urgent assessment due to history of pulmonary embolism, it has been ongoing for a number of days and the OP has been able to work so not ambulance worthy.

YerAWizardHarry · 12/02/2023 17:53

MingeofDeath · 12/02/2023 16:41

@TheShellBeach

DVT normally develop in one leg only, it would be extremely unusal for her to develop bilateral DVTs. Symptoms include pain, swelling, redness and hardness in the calf. A stabbing pain in the upper back/chest especially on inhalation/coughing, shortness of breath and coughing up blood.
I am a HCP for a 111 provider. Given the posters histrory she should get this looked into further but it is not appropriate for A&E. If 111 can get OP an appt she probably will be assessed quicker than waiting in A&E. Obviously it all depends on sevice availability in the OP's area

I’ve phoned 111 twice since my intensive PEs and both times as soon as I’ve mentioned my past medical history I’ve been sent to A&E as a matter of urgency and seen within less than 30mins of walking in the building..

Dibbydoos · 12/02/2023 18:08

Pain this bad is not normal, OP. You must take time off work to see a doc or have a call with a doctor.

I would call 111 and ask if the emergency doc could speak to you so you can at least get pain meds

Good luck x.

TheShellBeach · 12/02/2023 18:21

MingeofDeath · 12/02/2023 16:41

@TheShellBeach

DVT normally develop in one leg only, it would be extremely unusal for her to develop bilateral DVTs. Symptoms include pain, swelling, redness and hardness in the calf. A stabbing pain in the upper back/chest especially on inhalation/coughing, shortness of breath and coughing up blood.
I am a HCP for a 111 provider. Given the posters histrory she should get this looked into further but it is not appropriate for A&E. If 111 can get OP an appt she probably will be assessed quicker than waiting in A&E. Obviously it all depends on sevice availability in the OP's area

I know all this, thanks.
I'm a nurse.
With OP's history, A & E is the best place for her.

MingeofDeath · 12/02/2023 18:23

@YerAWizardHarry

Your experience does not invalidate what I have posted. Running to A&E isn't always the answer, there are quicker ways to get treatment. Again, a lot depends on service availability where you live.

Dente · 12/02/2023 18:26

I don’t understand this ? If you are not fit to work then take the day off and seek medical attention. If the place you are working can’t open that really isn’t your problem. Even if it is your business and you are the manager. You have to be sensible.

Coffeellama · 12/02/2023 18:27

Rosebel · 12/02/2023 16:13

I'm going to call 111. Work are short staffed next week due to half term and it's a job where a certain number of staff need to be in or they can't open.
I absolutely won't be doing a lot and DH will have to drive me but I do need to be "in numbers".
I have blood clots on my lungs and it started with leg pain so I do worry.

This is bonkers OP, previous history of blood clots and planning to go into work despite not being able to walk. Why do you want to risk death or serious illness for a job? Really glad you got advised to go to a&e, I hope it’s nothing serious. I think you need to re look at your boundaries surrounding your job though, this attitude isn’t right or healthy.

ItchyBillco · 12/02/2023 18:31

QueenoftheNimbleFlyingCat · 12/02/2023 16:54

So someone with potential DVT would not be sent to A&E? Does an emergency treatment centre have the same facilities as A&E so if it did turn out to be DVT and an emergency they would get treated there?

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Well, I don’t know about Minge’s area but when I had a suspected DVT in pregnancy I was sent to A&E. They gave me lots of tests and when satisfied I wasn’t in imminent danger, I went home and came back the next day for a scan.

Namechanger355 · 12/02/2023 18:38

Nursemumma92 · 12/02/2023 17:52

They absolutely wouldn't in this instance if the patient has someone who could transport them in. Ambulances are for emergencies and whilst this needs urgent assessment due to history of pulmonary embolism, it has been ongoing for a number of days and the OP has been able to work so not ambulance worthy.

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This is true based on recent experience concerning sepsis risk. they will send an ambulance in certain situations to check vitals

but if the person is mobile they will call for a taxi and then go onto their next job

IWineAndDontDine · 12/02/2023 19:15

MelaniesFlowers · 12/02/2023 16:08

Nope. You need to see a GP.

You can’t just rock up to A&E because you “can’t” take time off work when you absolutely can.

I agree with this. Its not flexible general practice to suit your needs. It's accident and emergency. I used to get this all the time when working at a gp. People being annoyed we couldn't offer them an appointment to suit them even though it's "urgent". Not so urgent they would miss a couple of hours of work