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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What counts as an emergency for A&E?

34 replies

Robinbuildsbears · 23/06/2023 16:22

A few months ago I went to a&e with HG, being dehydrated having not been able to keep water down for 3 days. I had called 111 and based on my symptoms was told to visit a&e. They were lovely and gave me IV fluids and antisickness, as well as a prescription for antisickness tablets.

I mentioned this a few days ago when I went into hospital again, and the nurse made it very clear that that wasn't an emergency, and that I should have gone through my GP instead of coming to the hospital. She seemed to think that all GPs do same day appointments if you call at the right time. I told her that wasn't the case with mine, but she still insisted that I should have gone through my GP. I'm not sure how seeing a GP would have helped me rehydrate.

Does 3 days worth of dehydration count as something to visit a&e for? Or should I have attempted to see my GP (eventually) about it?

OP posts:
SisterDonnarix · 23/06/2023 16:24

HG is absolutely an emergency. More appropriate to go to Gynae assessment unit if your hospital has one, but A&E if it doesn't.

DismantledKing · 23/06/2023 16:26

If you needed IV fluids, then it was very wise to go to A&E

Plottingspringescape · 23/06/2023 16:26

Well given it sounds like A&E treated you rather than telling you to go and see your GP they clearly didn't think it was a waste of their time.

TakeMe2Insanity · 23/06/2023 16:26

Our A and E would refer you to the EPU in the hospital.

Littlegoth · 23/06/2023 16:26

I called maternity triage for something similar and was advised to go to A&E right away. Ended up with a gastric bleed.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 23/06/2023 16:28

I'd say anything that, if left untreated, could result in loss of life/serious illness/injury.

In your case, your inability to keep water down for 3 days is serious enough that it could cause fainting and therefore injury to you and your unborn baby (as well as other issued with dehydration).

Akire · 23/06/2023 16:28

It was a medical emergency as without having fluids you could have passed out or hurt the baby. Yes idea world you might have seen GP got drugs and they worked very fast enabling you to eat and drink that day. But we all know that’s highly unlikely to happen and an IV is quick and fast solution to make you feel well enough to take meds going forward. Some medically staff are just like that to be honest.

LennyBalls · 23/06/2023 16:29

My 18 year old had a vomiting bug about six months ago. He had to have two lots of IV fluid to rehydrate him. People said that a vomiting bug is not an emergency but the doctor at A&E said thank goodness I brought him in as he was at a very dangerous level of dehydration.

Doggymummar · 23/06/2023 16:30

I thought Aand E was for if you are dying or extreme bleeding heart attack etc

Butterfly44 · 23/06/2023 16:31

You needed IV fluids, a GP would not do that - they'd send you into hospital straight away so you did the right thing.

WeWereInParis · 23/06/2023 16:32

Maternity triage might be a better place. You might be seen quicker for a start. My waters broke early with DD2 and I had to stay in 2 nights. There were three other women in the room with me and two were in with HG and had come through maternity triage. I imagine it was a more pleasant environment that a&e as well.

But I don't think a&e is the wrong place to go either.

TitsonaFishRidingaBicycle · 23/06/2023 16:33

Ours would send to GP or if no appts one of the other gps in the practice group.
If no GP appts at all then next would be walk in urgent care,

GP or UC might result in a referral to a and e but more likely a referral to EPU which means being seen faster.

DismantledKing · 23/06/2023 16:33

Doggymummar · 23/06/2023 16:30

I thought Aand E was for if you are dying or extreme bleeding heart attack etc

That’s more the criteria for calling an ambulance.

Spidey66 · 23/06/2023 16:33

Who knows what an emergency is though? I think what op was suffering does sound like a medical emergency which could have affected both her and her unborn baby. Wasn't Kate Middleton hospitalised with that during at least one of her pregnancies so she could have IV fluids?

I was in a&e a few weeks back with a broken arm. In the next bed I overheard someone being assessed for what appeared to be a viral infection. It didn't appear serious to me, but when my mum was receiving chemotherapy, we had to take her to a&e for similar because the chemotherapy can destroy the white blood cells used for fighting infections. Other drugs can do similar eg clozaril for schizophrenia. Or he may have had brittle asthma or something, so without knowing the facts, I can't judge.

DemonicCaveMaggot · 23/06/2023 16:36

If 111 told you to go to A and E you go to A and E. If they thought you should go to a GP or minor injuries unit they would have told you that. I don't know what the nurse expected you to do - ignore the advice from 111 when you called them for advice?

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 23/06/2023 16:43

DemonicCaveMaggot · 23/06/2023 16:36

If 111 told you to go to A and E you go to A and E. If they thought you should go to a GP or minor injuries unit they would have told you that. I don't know what the nurse expected you to do - ignore the advice from 111 when you called them for advice?

TBF, 111 tell you to go to A&E no matter what in my experience.

cadetmumstress · 23/06/2023 16:45

In an ideal world, no you wouldn't go to A&E with HG. Your lovely GP would see you and refer you straight to the gynae ward for fluid / meds.
Alas, that doesn't happen because a) it's impossible to get a GP appointment and b) quite often GPs are unsympathetic to the plight of a HG sufferer and won't accept how ill you could be.
I was sent home from GP with HG having been told off for not drinking enough. I collapsed when we got home so DH drove me to A&E. Once they'd run some tests, they discovered that my potassium levels were so low, I needed treatment immediately as my heart was at risk. If I'd gone home and stayed there, I'd have been dead by teatime.
So yeah, go to A&E.

LetMeGoogleThat · 23/06/2023 16:48

But you didn't make the decision to turn up at A&E. You called 111, were assessed, and advised to do so.

You did the right thing, and she shouldn't be passing casual judgement.

Nottodaty · 23/06/2023 16:49

I’ve had HG and usually referred to EPU via call to the GP a fair few times (I had it the whole pregnancy) Except the weekend when EPU wasn’t available with my second pregnancy and I was advised to go to a&e at the weekend and urine checked which showed quite quickly I needed fluids!

Good luck with rest of pregnancy HG is horrible!

wildfirewonder · 23/06/2023 17:05

Doggymummar · 23/06/2023 16:30

I thought Aand E was for if you are dying or extreme bleeding heart attack etc

It is also for broken bones, head injuries, eye injuries, cuts that require stitches, as well as unexplained things that could be life threatening e.g symptoms of appendicitis or ectopic pregnancy.

It is not only for the most serious things, it is also for 'things that will become more serious if not treated quickly'.

ActDottie · 23/06/2023 17:29

HG is definitely an emergency

Im 10 weeks and had awful sickness. In my first midwife appointment she said to me if it gets really bad to go to A&E for a drip and intravenous antisickness.

Fortunately I’ve only have about five days where I’ve not been able to keep any food or liquids down but they weren’t consecutive days.

Last Friday was a particular low point for me in which I told my husband to take me to a&e in the morning if my sickness had t improved - fortunately it did and I didn’t have to go but a&e is absolutely there for bad HG.

FeeFiFoFumble · 23/06/2023 17:31

I had similar and was sent by GP (in person appointment and everything) to A&E as GP can't administer IV and I wasn't far enough along for MAU.

FeeFiFoFumble · 23/06/2023 17:32

*I don't think I meant MAU... I meant whatever the emergency pregnancy unit is called :)

Bromptotoo · 23/06/2023 17:36

A quick google as I wasn't sure I understood what HG was says it often needs hospital treatment. If you're suffering with it outwith GP hours and/or cannot get hold of a GP then A&E is where you need to go.

Local A&E has a triage system at the door so those who don't need it get sent on elsewhere.

CharlotteFlax · 23/06/2023 17:40

And if you'd seen your GP first they'd have sent you to hospital, probably via A&E.

Was the nurse newly qualified I wonder or has never worked in ED before..?!

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