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Original poster

Slept for 18 hours yesterday because I couldn’t wake up - GP or A&E?

852 replies

Headproblems · 13/05/2023 15:50

Just looking for some advice because I know the NHS is massively overstretched at the moment and I don’t want to waste resources if this is just a GP thing.

Basically for the past few months I have been experiencing lots of headaches and some dizziness and oversleeping. It hasn’t been consistent so I’ve never really got it checked out because it’s never been enough to cause huge issues.

However this week, every day I have been struggling to wake up and until at least 10am I have been in and out of sleep feeling completely without control, no matter how hard I’ve been trying to stay awake I fall straight back to sleep within minutes and have to force myself to stay awake.

In the middle of this week I walked upstairs and my ears went fuzzy and my head started spinning, it was really scary because for about 3 minutes my ears went in waves and I could barely hear, like I was under water.

I’ve tried earlier nights but nothing has been helping. I have my own business and it’s affecting my work, being unable to concentrate and missing meetings.

Yesterday I slept for 18 hours throughout the day, it was impossible to wake up I was so drowsy, at one point I thought I was awake and I was talking to my partner about ingredients (?) but I was still asleep and apparently all he could hear was muffles, and it got to a point where my head started waving and it felt like I was falling every time I shut my eyes, this lasted for about 10 minutes.

I awoke at 8pm and went back to sleep at 1am, and this morning couldn’t wake up until 11am and had to literally force myself into a cold shower to wake up.

I managed to get up and ready, have come downstairs and I am so dizzy I feel like I’m going to pass out (I haven’t), and my head feels like there is pressure around my temples.

I’ve not taken any new medication and the medication I do take I have been taking the same for about 8 years now, no changes that I can think of in diet, I do feel dehydrated from all the sleep though.

I’m unsure whether to call 111 because I’m feeling shaky and dizzy but not sure if it would be better to wait it out until Monday for an emergency GP appointment.

But not being able to wake up is scaring me and frustrating me, I don’t want to be sleeping the days away, I physically just cannot wake up no matter how hard I try.

Please if anyone can give me some advice or has experienced this before I would really appreciate it

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy · 14/05/2023 09:32

bd67thSaysReinstateLangCleg · 14/05/2023 09:29

The OP phoned 111 and 111 sent her to A&E. She's done nothing wrong.

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I'm not saying she did anything wrong going to A&E I'm saying why did she wait for 2 months and then decide on a Saturday she wanted help and then get annoyed at an emergency dr for being dismissive

Hesma · 14/05/2023 09:32

111… they will advise re A&E if needed

bellac11 · 14/05/2023 09:36

bd67thSaysReinstateLangCleg · 14/05/2023 09:29

The OP phoned 111 and 111 sent her to A&E. She's done nothing wrong.

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I think since 111 came into being, A+E presentations have gone through the roof, they will send you there most of the time.

BananaCocktails · 14/05/2023 09:36

This is something that will require investigations and tests ..accident and emergency is for accident and emergencies This does not sound like an emergency. But Is concerning-you do need an urgent GP appointment

MeinKraft · 14/05/2023 09:42

@Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy to be fair people often panic when they post on MN and get a few 'A&E NOW my sisters friend had this and died overnight of [XYZ rare condition]' and that's not her fault and not the fault of the posters trying to raise awareness of rare diseases either, it's just the way it is. The important thing is she's ok and will hopefully get help from the GP now.

Mirabai · 14/05/2023 09:44

BananaCocktails · 14/05/2023 09:36

This is something that will require investigations and tests ..accident and emergency is for accident and emergencies This does not sound like an emergency. But Is concerning-you do need an urgent GP appointment

For the sake of argument - if OP had gone to A&E with her exhaustion, dizziness, fast heart rate and it turned out to be severe anaemia it would have required immediate treatment.

A&E is to evaluate whether something is an emergency - it’s not always possible to tell on the symptoms, which is what doctors are for.

Peanuts2000 · 14/05/2023 09:57

OP Im glad you went to A and E as a heart rate of 140 at rest is very worrying. Sounds like your blood pressure was okay though, I would have thought tbey would have kept you in to monitor this.
Keep pushing for the investigations hope you get answers soon.

Delphigirl · 14/05/2023 09:58

Make sure someone takes bloods and checks for glandular fever (fits with sleepiness and infection markers) and also your thyroid levels (TSH, T3 and T4) as well as the usual iron, FBC etc.

Oftenaddled · 14/05/2023 11:13

Mirabai · 14/05/2023 09:44

For the sake of argument - if OP had gone to A&E with her exhaustion, dizziness, fast heart rate and it turned out to be severe anaemia it would have required immediate treatment.

A&E is to evaluate whether something is an emergency - it’s not always possible to tell on the symptoms, which is what doctors are for.

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Exactly. When 111 send you to A&E they are not saying this is a life-threatening emergency. They are saying you may need urgent care, and we need A&E to investigate.

They're not a guessing service who guessed wrong if you're sent home. Their job is to signpost you to the right investigation.

No GP, 111 operator, or individual can make a diagnosis without certain tests. There is no clear dividing line as to who needs to be in hospital in the moment until such tests are done. The clearest available is referral by medic or call handler - OP followed advice.

People here talk a lot of nonsense.

Hope things inprove for you soon, OP.

Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy · 14/05/2023 13:09

MeinKraft · 14/05/2023 09:42

@Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy to be fair people often panic when they post on MN and get a few 'A&E NOW my sisters friend had this and died overnight of [XYZ rare condition]' and that's not her fault and not the fault of the posters trying to raise awareness of rare diseases either, it's just the way it is. The important thing is she's ok and will hopefully get help from the GP now.

Absolutely im surprised people are allowed to ask for medical advice on this app Its pretty dangerous

TheUnquestionedAnswer · 14/05/2023 14:52

Agree with all the other posters on here regarding the mners who come onto such threads just to rip the op to shreds. I feel really sorry for the op who followed the 111 guidance. Hope you don't turn out to have anything serious. Ignore the witch hunters !

Harkonen · 14/05/2023 14:55

I must say the frothing on here about using a & e is ridiculous and bordering on pathological.

Harkonen · 14/05/2023 15:00

Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy · 14/05/2023 13:09

Absolutely im surprised people are allowed to ask for medical advice on this app Its pretty dangerous

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Yeah particularly when they meet a bunch of wackos insisting the OP is responsible for the decline of the NHS if she dares go to a and e.

AlphabetSue · 14/05/2023 15:14

Harkonen · 14/05/2023 14:55

I must say the frothing on here about using a & e is ridiculous and bordering on pathological.

Agree.

Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy · 14/05/2023 15:25

Harkonen · 14/05/2023 15:00

Yeah particularly when they meet a bunch of wackos insisting the OP is responsible for the decline of the NHS if she dares go to a and e.

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But this is the problem people post on here asking whether they should go to a&e or not which to be fair if you have time to do that its probably not an emergency. Then loads of people reply with rare illnesses and horror stories of what happened to their brothers dad's cousins goldfish next door neighbours friend and scares the 💩 out of op then they waste a day in a&e, then they get upset because the emergency dr dismissed them and their in no better position then they started. People are repeatedly told what services to use and it doesn't sink in then they rely on non medically trained people on social media or 111 call handlers who are also not medically trained so send everyone to a&e through fear of being sued

Harkonen · 14/05/2023 15:28

But this is the problem people post on here asking whether they should go to a&e or not which to be fair if you have time to do that its probably not an emergency

Why do you think this?

Namechange8263628 · 14/05/2023 15:30

It's entirely possible to post online and still need emergency medical attention! People walk around with broken limbs for weeks at a time before getting help so why on earth can they not ask on an internet forum?

Harkonen · 14/05/2023 15:31

I remember starting a thread about thinking I'd broken my ankle a few years ago. Should I go to a and e? Got so many furious replies saying if I could type I was clearly not in that much pain! Went to a and e, they were brilliant and ankle was broken. Was just absolutely ridiculous. 'Call 111' - I mean of course they are going to recommend a and e if you have a suspected broken bone!

Namechange8263628 · 14/05/2023 15:33

The mentality around the NHS and seeking medical attention on here is insanity. Unless you have a GSW to the head you're abusing the system.

Newbutoldfather · 14/05/2023 15:35

I don’t know how people can say lapsing into unconsciousness is not worth A&E. I mean 111 sent her to A&E and , last she posted, they were testing for diabetes.

I wonder, when OP comes back, probably having been admitted, how many of the ’not A&E’ types will come back and admit to having been wrong.

I am wagering very few to none.

Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy · 14/05/2023 15:38

Harkonen · 14/05/2023 15:28

But this is the problem people post on here asking whether they should go to a&e or not which to be fair if you have time to do that its probably not an emergency

Why do you think this?

I honestly don't know why people can't grasp what an actual emergency is or feel the need to update their Facebook status in a&e or do a tiktok live in an emergency room. Or care about what a load of unqualified strangers think online. If you genuinely think you need to go to a&e then go but nothing good comes from reading a load of horror stories and getting yourself worked up beforehand. I would however say if your telling your story to an a&e dr and it starts with well for the past 2 months iv been feeling... then no they won't take you seriously

Harkonen · 14/05/2023 15:40

Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy · 14/05/2023 15:38

I honestly don't know why people can't grasp what an actual emergency is or feel the need to update their Facebook status in a&e or do a tiktok live in an emergency room. Or care about what a load of unqualified strangers think online. If you genuinely think you need to go to a&e then go but nothing good comes from reading a load of horror stories and getting yourself worked up beforehand. I would however say if your telling your story to an a&e dr and it starts with well for the past 2 months iv been feeling... then no they won't take you seriously

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Well, by that token noone should care what you think either, miss judgypants

Harkonen · 14/05/2023 15:41

Namechange8263628 · 14/05/2023 15:33

The mentality around the NHS and seeking medical attention on here is insanity. Unless you have a GSW to the head you're abusing the system.

There's a few issues on MN that feel like some weird hive mind experiment and this is one of them.

Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy · 14/05/2023 15:41

Newbutoldfather · 14/05/2023 15:35

I don’t know how people can say lapsing into unconsciousness is not worth A&E. I mean 111 sent her to A&E and , last she posted, they were testing for diabetes.

I wonder, when OP comes back, probably having been admitted, how many of the ’not A&E’ types will come back and admit to having been wrong.

I am wagering very few to none.

She updated last night she was discharged and told to go to her gp on Monday

Namechange8263628 · 14/05/2023 15:41

Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy · 14/05/2023 15:38

I honestly don't know why people can't grasp what an actual emergency is or feel the need to update their Facebook status in a&e or do a tiktok live in an emergency room. Or care about what a load of unqualified strangers think online. If you genuinely think you need to go to a&e then go but nothing good comes from reading a load of horror stories and getting yourself worked up beforehand. I would however say if your telling your story to an a&e dr and it starts with well for the past 2 months iv been feeling... then no they won't take you seriously

Show quote history

Because panic and anxiety sets in, especially if you're on your own. It's a bit like phoning your mum in an emergency