I gave up waiting in A&E

[Saltandpepperchipss]

Been in terrible pain for 2 days I’m pretty sure it’s an ectopic pregnancy by going of my symptoms. Excruciating pain on one side, headaches and light bleeding.My local hospital is one of the worst and try not to use it if possible. I sat in A&E for 5 hours and eventually gave in. Tons of people coughing, rock hard chair when I’m in tons of pain isn’t nice. I couldn’t get up to go to the toilet because my seat would be taken.

I’m terrified something will happen to me over night. But at least I’m comfortable at home.

AIBU? Would you have waited? Some people had been there since 1 in the afternoon. I arrived at 5:30.

If my husband is away, we always try and text or call each other before the kids sleep. So I would say that’s normal and would also worry if I had not heard. There are trolls on Mumsnet, like on any site. I am sure they are the people who always advise people to dump their partners after the smallest of things and to break contact with their in laws because they have dared to do something to help etc. They are always looking for the negatives. I think it shows a healthy relationship that you are a couple who care about each other.

I would have waited, yes.

A relative gave up too. Probably allergic reaction to something. But it was affecting his eye. He gave up at 1.30am in the morning.
I couldnt blame him but thought he should have stayed. Likely to happen again is my guess.

Now read back 1 page. Sorry for what you are going through/went through.

I completely agree with voting wisely and that being the cause but each hospital have a complaints department to deal with things like this. It wasn’t the long wait. It was dangerous for her to be waiting

I can’t believe it’s come to the point of ‘competitive sitting’ at A&E. Just because some posters managed X hours, doesn’t mean you get to direct your anger at OP or even worse tell her she didn’t need it. She did.

You’re directing your frustration at the wrong person because god forbid, someone may deign to question or criticise the NHS. I’m glad you’ve been seen OP.

I'm sorry you had to drive in that condition, must have been very scary.
Very glad you've been seen and hugs over the ectopic. It's all a nightmare and you should have been prioritised.

The issue is that if you are serious enough for a and e you need to stay. If you are in discomfort and go home you either didn't need to be there or you are risking serious complications and potentially your life. You put yourself in a position more likely to need an ambulance, thus potentially affecting others too.

@Bloopsie

"if you can walk in you're not ill enough"

What absolute fucking bullshit, and one of the most utterly stupid things I've ever read. Of fucking course you can be severely ill and still be able to walk in.

It's not people not using it properly! It's because it's under funded and under staffed !

Really sorry to read this 💐💐

Read her actual post, and the correction of her typo before having a go at someone would you. How can you call it the most stupid thing you’ve ever read when you clearly have not read it?

I nearly left A&E last year when I had an ectopic. I just wasn't thinking straight. The staff offered me the option to leave when they admitted me but had no bed for me. They said if I left I had to sign a disclaimer to say I was discharging myself against medical advice. That jolted me into staying and DH also insisted.

The ectopic had been diagnosed the day before and I was admitted at midnight but there were no beds and I had to spend the night in A&E. I just wanted to go home and try and sleep. I stayed, had a follow up scan around 1pm and was in emergency surgery within the hour.

It was a horrid experience. I was able to walk throughout so a good job A&E didn't take the 'if you can walk into A&E you don't need to be there attitude'.

OP - I'm so sorry it is an ectopic. You're in the right place now. Please take care of yourself and when you're back home, the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust are great. They supported me afterwards and it was really helpful to have someone to talk to.

This 100%.

My bff had to go in following a bad chemo reaction and by this point hadn't had fluid in 48 hours. Sadly she was in pain as well. She sat in the waiting room on hard seats for 9 hours. All treatment was done in the waiting room and they ran drips in there. She was so ill her finger nails turned blue when they put up the first bag. If they are going to use waiting rooms as treatment rooms then at least get some comfy chairs even if it's just for the people needing drips. It's not asking too much is it?

YABU

I was in A&E Wednesday night, arrived 7pm and left 3am. If you want treatment it’s what you have to do.

Good god. What a disgusting post.

Speechless.

@Badgeringabout you obviously have no clue. An ectopic pregnancy can be deadly. Just because someone can walk in doesn't mean they don't need to be seen urgently. People with heart attacks often don't feel massive discomfort and can walk but I'd say that's pretty urgent too! Keep your comments to yourself.

When I had a ruptured ectopic I could hardly stand, I got to my Doctor's surgery and leaned against the reception desk, nearly passing out, white as a sheet, I couldn't sit down because of the pain. The Doctor immediately called an ambulance. I was taken to hospital and pretty much wheeled straight into surgery signing the consent forms as I was on the trolley. I very nearly died, I was bleeding freely inside, my blood pressure was unmeasurable and they used 8 pints of blood during the op. This is a very dangerous condition, run don't walk back to A&E, or call an ambulance.

Sorry that comment wasn't for @Badgeringabout. I can't tag the other poster now. Maybe they changed their name already!

Thanks blah I was a bit surprised at your post!

Unfortunately if they had comfy chairs, homeless people would go in and sit/sleep on them all day and night.

Well don't you look very silly now, because you were wrong. You have also been very unkind to the OP in the process.

I went to A&E with an elderly family friend via ambulance. He had an episode where he had no clue what was happening or going on, and didn’t know who I was (known him for 20 years!).

We waited for 13 hours. He kept trying to leave. I asked the nurses what to do, they told me if I went home he would be seen quicker, but if I did go home, they couldn’t stop him leaving. It’s absolutely appalling.

OP I do think you should go back, or even contact a local midwifery unit and ask for their help.

Yes and if this country wasn't such a mess we wouldn't have so many of them as well (homeless people). The health service is looking more and more like that of a third world country 😟