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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WIBU to go to A&E?

283 replies

halloumi1 · 18/02/2023 10:46

Hi,

I woke up in the early hours a couple of days ago (2 week old newborn!) with a sharp pain in my shoulder when I rolled onto that side. It seemed manageable throughout the day though.
Yesterday, I woke up in excruciating pain with it - my DH had to manoeuvre me out of bed as even sitting up was sickeningly painful. All day I had horrendous pain in that shoulder which was also in my chest when I tried to take anything other than a shallow breath. It was there constantly even when I was just sitting. It started going across my back too and is like a shooting, stabbing pain.
It brought me to tears many a time and physically stopped me from eating or moving at times as swallowing seemed to make it worse. I’ve given birth twice with no pain relief and that was nothing compared to this.

Any sneezes, sniffs etc caused an extra stab of pain and it was impossible for me to hold my newborn as it felt like my chest was going to cave in and I panicked feeling like I couldn’t breathe. She’s been really unsettled from last night into this morning and it’s incredibly distressing because I physically can’t do anything to comfort her. DH is trying but he’s just getting increasingly frustrated - there’s lots of swearing and he’s saying he can’t look after me or get on with anything else he needs to and voicing his frustration that I need to do something.

I’ve tried strong painkillers but nothing makes any difference. I can’t get comfortable in any position and today it’s still no better. It feels like it’s moving into the side of my breast now as well and painful to stand up straight.
I did ring 111 yesterday, explained how painful it was but they just told me they were referring me to a pharmacy and put it down as referral for shoulder pain. The pharmacy rang me and just told me there’s nothing they can do as they can’t give me anything stronger than what I’ve already had.

I’m well aware the NHS is under strain and don’t want to be one of those people that just waste everyone’s time when there’s people that seriously need them. I don’t understand what they could do for me or what’s causing this but at the same time, can’t continue in this pain.
We have a walk in centre near us but there’s no facilities there so I don’t know what they could do. I physically can’t move or care for my 2 children (have a 2 year old too) without excruciating pain and can’t go on feeling like this. WIBU to go and sit in A&E to try and get seen?

OP posts:
PinkyFlamingo · 18/02/2023 21:13

Hope you feel better soon, nooone should ever worry about going to A and E, no matter how bad waiting times are.

Whiskeypowers · 18/02/2023 21:15

Thank goodness you went to A&E

Hope you are feeling much better soon

Henddraig · 18/02/2023 21:22

Glad you got it checked out. I had a PE after my c-section, and though it was really scary at the time, and I had to have six months of blood thinners, it hasn’t affected me long term. Just to let you know, there’s light at the end. All the best OP

Lemonspy · 18/02/2023 21:28

Really hope you feel better soon OP

Ostryga · 18/02/2023 21:29

MissMaple82 · 18/02/2023 19:45

Why? Sounds like a pulled muscle to me

Show quote history

Well thank god you don’t work in a hospital (I hope!) because you would have ruined a lot of people’s lives.

Also just FYI you’re not so important you don’t have to read the full thread. Even just skimming op’s posts would have taken you 2 minutes and you wouldn’t have wasted time posting something so useless.

WineCap · 18/02/2023 21:35

I hope your DH is being more kind to you now! I can't believe he got frustrated with YOU for being poorly, especially so soon after having a baby.

Good luck OP. I hope you feel better soon.

whynotwhatknot · 18/02/2023 21:50

what thing does dh hav to be getting on with-he sounds pathetic

hope youre feeling better

Twentyfirstcenturymumma · 18/02/2023 21:54

GirlOfTudor · 18/02/2023 20:19

I hope you're doing okay and I'm so glad you went to a&e!

If anyone else is reading this thread and is unsure about whether to go to a&e themselves... Remember to base your decision on how YOU feel and not how strained the NHS is. If you feel you need urgent care immediately, just go. Especially if you've had a baby extremely recently. It puts you in a higher risk category. The hospital will triage you accordingly.

Exactly. Sensible post and very good advice generally

WeAreTheHeroes · 18/02/2023 21:57

Ostryga · 18/02/2023 18:52

Thank god you went in. Hope you’re feeling better asap.

I would query going home with just a blood thinner injection, the risk of stroke is huge even with medication so it would be best if you can stay in just in case. They will want to turf you out due to lacking beds so you may need to be quite assertive. And better to be safe than sorry.

I had a similar experience to the OP in December. They will have her bloods back and in particular her D-dimer results. I was injected with blood thinners and sent home at 11.30 at night with a 9am appointment the next morning for a battery of further tests which included a chest x-ray and a CT scan. I'm pretty sure the medical professionals know what they're doing.

OP - hope all goes well tomorrow.

piedbeauty · 18/02/2023 21:58

So glad you have been seen. I hope you feel better soon.

By the way, your h is useless. Swearing and unable to cope? Saying you should be taking over and looking after things as you usually do?? Pathetic. He needs to be able to cope.

Andanotherone01 · 18/02/2023 21:59

I’m so glad you went to A&E. I had a PE in late pregnancy with my first DD. It was a terrifying time and I had to stay in hospital for over a week. After that I was sent home and had to have injections for the remainder of my pregnancy. DD was born two weeks later and I started on Warfarin for 6 months. The Warfarin was a mission has I had to go to the clinic in the hospital once a week (and had just had a C section). I was absolutely fine after though and no long term affects. Had second DD with no problems at all (but had to inject blood thinners for duration of the pregnancy).
The consultant told me that in pregnancy the blood obviously clots but sometimes it clots too much and causes a PE.
Look after yourself and you’ll be as right as rain, soon enough.

Ratatatatatouille · 18/02/2023 22:06

Jolly good job you went!

lljkk · 18/02/2023 22:26

Thanks 4 update. Hope you R soon sorted.

Ostryga · 18/02/2023 22:33

WeAreTheHeroes · 18/02/2023 21:57

I had a similar experience to the OP in December. They will have her bloods back and in particular her D-dimer results. I was injected with blood thinners and sent home at 11.30 at night with a 9am appointment the next morning for a battery of further tests which included a chest x-ray and a CT scan. I'm pretty sure the medical professionals know what they're doing.

OP - hope all goes well tomorrow.

Show quote history

No I agree! However I was sent home after a suspected brain bleed that has left me with a lot of debilitating physical and mental issues and am very pro not leaving hospital if you can help it after a ‘suspected’ something.

Original poster
halloumi1 · 18/02/2023 22:38

Thank you all for your kind messages and some did make me laugh!

I was given the blood thinning injection and the nurse told me I could go home. On the way home I then got a call from a Dr who wanted me back for a CT scan.
After being cannulated by a trainee which hurt like anything (!), had the scan and have been waiting for the results.
I have a minor chest infection and blood clot so I’ve been discharged with antibiotics and a prescription for medication for the blood clot and that I need to follow up with my GP for more medication on Monday - they’ve sent a letter already they tell me.
So yes, quite serious so thank you for everyone who raised PE with me as I’d not even considered that and thought it might just be a trapped nerve, hence worrying about being a time waster.
To the pulled muscle comment - erm no!

OP posts:
NewNovember · 18/02/2023 22:40

Glad you went I don't know what 111 were thinking with your symptoms!

Singularity82 · 18/02/2023 22:41

So glad you’re all sorted, OP. Get well soon 💐

Beseen22 · 18/02/2023 22:46

I saved this thread to check later as I had strong suspicions it was a PE, 2w post partum, sharp shoulder/chest pain and shortness of breath. So glad you got checked out, hope you get some support from your DH. Have you to be on an anticoagulant for life now?

Original poster
halloumi1 · 18/02/2023 22:52

@Singularity82 Thank you, lots of rest needed I think!

@Beseen22 Thank you. The Dr hasn’t told me, just that I will need to get further medication from my GP so I will ask them when I contact them on Monday. I’m just at an out of hours pharmacy now picking up the blood clot medication. My maternal grandad had to be on Warfarin for life after a DVT and then further PE.

OP posts:
OntarioBagnet · 18/02/2023 22:57

halloumi1 · 18/02/2023 22:52

@Singularity82 Thank you, lots of rest needed I think!

@Beseen22 Thank you. The Dr hasn’t told me, just that I will need to get further medication from my GP so I will ask them when I contact them on Monday. I’m just at an out of hours pharmacy now picking up the blood clot medication. My maternal grandad had to be on Warfarin for life after a DVT and then further PE.

The chances are you won’t need to be on blood thinners for life as due to being post partum it will probably be classed as a provoked rather than an unprovoked clot.

Dd was told by her haematologist that only unprovoked clots need blood thinners for life. Hope that’s the case for you. It took about 3 months for Dd to see the haematologist.

Rockschooldropout · 18/02/2023 23:18

I’ve just seen this thread and I’m so glad you went to an and e .. I had a PE 18 years ago six weeks after giving birth . You’ll be on anti coagulants for up to six months after a PE (I’m guessing Apixaban or Rivaroxaban ) It will be classed as provoked after giving birth . I then developed further dvts .. years later and in 2019 was placed on Rivaroxaban for life . (Turns out I have a clotting disorder and just generally a rubbish vascular system !)
You should be sent an appointment with the anti coagulation team within the next three weeks .. it’s frightening but the good thing is you are now getting the treatment but with a PE it’s really important to rest .. so your DH needs to be more supportive , I hope he feels guilty right now !

MadamLeota · 18/02/2023 23:26

iamyourequal · 18/02/2023 20:01

@MissMaple82 I am guessing you must be a troll as nobody could be as staggeringly stupid as your post suggests.

Well they clearly aren’t miss marple are they?

Glad you are on the mend OP.

SlightlyJaded · 19/02/2023 00:06

Glad you went OP - right call (a really bad miss by 111 given your new baby status).

Shoulder pain was also my first indicator for an out the blue heart attack aged 50 with no underlying health problems at all. And as others have pointed out, shoulder pain can be a sign of Ectopic pregnancy. In other words, shoulder pain should not be ignored.

Hope you're feeling better soon OP. The blood thinners get to work pretty quickly, but you'll bruise like buggery whilst your on them.

chelle0 · 19/02/2023 01:05

I hope your husband has apologised for being a prized prick, what an arsehole. Hope you feel better soon Flowers

DesertRose64 · 19/02/2023 01:22

Op, thank goodness you went to A&E.

Regarding Warfarin, I was on it recently following surgery and somewhere along the line I missed the information regarding its contraindications with a lot of everyday food items. Please make sure you are made familiar with what to avoid for the time being.