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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To go to a&e so they can check this ?

28 replies

missybee7 · 28/06/2023 17:11

I had a headache this morning but it wasn’t horrendous . I assumed I had slept badly or was dehydrated . It wasn’t bad enough for me to think I needed to seek any sort of help with it . I tried to sleep it off and drink lots of water . I went for a sleep, woke up not too long ago and it’s excruciating and much worse . I’ve tried painkillers but nothing is touching it . I’ve had bad headaches before from stress and dehydration so it may just be that , but I also have had episodes of closed over glaucoma and had to be treated for that in hospital . I was told that anytime I had a headache I needed to be careful it wasnt a glaucoma attack . Usually I can tell the difference between a stress headache and a closed over glaucoma headache because the latter is much, much worse , but stress headaches can be very painful to and I can’t go to a&e everytime I get a headache either so it is a hard balance to get

it feels like the same kind of sore head I had when I had the closed over attacks , but I had a similar sore head a while ago and went to a&e and it turned out to be fine, just a tension headache IIRC . I actually posted on here after it as I was worried I had been a timewaster but it was an old account and I can’t remember the password etc . everyone said it wasn’t UR to go to a&e for this but I suppose now this is the 2nd time I’m a bit more unsure in case it turns out to be a tension headache again

Usually I would book an appointment at my opticians (boots) for them to check as they can tell if it’s closed over glaucoma again but it's too late now (it is 5) because I napped all day thinking it was just a stress or tension headache . If it had been this bad earlier today I would have gone straight to boots , but now it’s worse and the opticians are closing .

AIBU to go to a&e as they can tell if it’s a closed over glaucoma attack or just a stress headache ?

I don’t want to be a time waster but it’s getting worse and I’m concerned it’s a closed over attack again and if it is it needs to be treated immediately ( last time I had to go straight to hospital and they were waiting for me there so I know it’s serious) but I don’t want to waste a&e time for nothing … but for a quick 2 minute check they can check if it is closed over glaucoma or not , so AIBU to go so they can check especially since it is getting worse ?

OP posts:
HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas · 28/06/2023 17:14

Go, you have a good reason for needing to be seen. I’ve no idea how serious glaucoma attacks are but if they’ve said you need to be seen if you have a headache then go.

Babsexxx · 28/06/2023 17:14

No way go down! Yanbu! Get well soon!

CheshireCat1 · 28/06/2023 17:15

You should go and get yourself checked over

3luckystars · 28/06/2023 17:15

There is no other solution. Good luck.

BlissedOutCat · 28/06/2023 17:16

Do you have a 24hr eye hospital nearby?

PollyAmour · 28/06/2023 17:17

Get yourself to A&E and stop worrying about being a time waster. As a HCP, I'd rather you turn up unnecessarily than stay at home and become seriously unwell.

FadedRed · 28/06/2023 17:19

Given what could happen to your eyesight if this is glaucoma-related, no A&E HCP would think you were wasting their time getting this checked out. Please go.

underneaththeash · 28/06/2023 17:34

Are you getting any other symptoms like halos around lights, nausea or a distorted pupils or redness in the eyes? If you are, yes I'd go to A&E - but make sure it's one with an eye department.

Glaucoma headaches tend to be at the front of your head.
I probably would wait til tomorrow if you're not getting those other symptoms.

BTW - it's called closed angle (or angle closure) glaucoma.

blahblahblah1654 · 28/06/2023 17:40

Please go to a&e. You aren't wasting anyone's time. Hopefully it's just a standard headache!

Original poster
missybee7 · 28/06/2023 17:44

I managed to find a different opticians which has a late night and they’ve said to come down right now and they’ll check it ! Very lucky they’re fitting me in .. if they had not been able to I would have followed everyones advice here and gone to a&e … I agree with everyone that it is better to get it checked . Really hoping it is just another tension headache or dehydration and nothing worse , im on the way to the optician now

OP posts:
blahblahblah1654 · 28/06/2023 17:46

Ah that's great! Much better than waiting around all night in a&e anyway. Let us know how you get on.

Comtesse · 28/06/2023 17:46

Don’t be shy OP - it could be an important emergency - that’s just what a&e is there for

Original poster
missybee7 · 28/06/2023 17:48

underneaththeash · 28/06/2023 17:34

Are you getting any other symptoms like halos around lights, nausea or a distorted pupils or redness in the eyes? If you are, yes I'd go to A&E - but make sure it's one with an eye department.

Glaucoma headaches tend to be at the front of your head.
I probably would wait til tomorrow if you're not getting those other symptoms.

BTW - it's called closed angle (or angle closure) glaucoma.

Both of my eyes are bright red , I have not rubbed them but I was sleeping with the headache when it started so i could have just rubbed them during the sleep without realising and that’s why they are red ! The pain is under my fringe (hair) and in my eyes , it feels like my eyes are being squeezed … no I am not seeing anything round lights .. I feel nauseous but that could just be from the sore head and from sleeping and moping around the house and me routine being crap today- hoping it is just a tension headache and I am getting into a lather about nothing !

OP posts:
Original poster
missybee7 · 28/06/2023 17:52

With all the busyness at a&e I didnt want to add to it and make it worse for something i could manage at home ! I can see absolutely fine as proven by my typing on this so me thinks it’s just a tension sore here and I will just need some cold lucozade and a chilled night !

this website and it’s you all are really superb . I will update when I am out of the opticians !

OP posts:
Liamgallaghersparka · 28/06/2023 17:56

YANBU, get yourself there and feel better soon 💐

gogomoto · 28/06/2023 17:56

For future reference I would see if you have eye a&e within a reasonable distance - they are specialist so not busy (still a wait but pleasant surroundings, even during covid they let partners in!)

underneaththeash · 28/06/2023 18:23

missybee7 · 28/06/2023 17:48

Both of my eyes are bright red , I have not rubbed them but I was sleeping with the headache when it started so i could have just rubbed them during the sleep without realising and that’s why they are red ! The pain is under my fringe (hair) and in my eyes , it feels like my eyes are being squeezed … no I am not seeing anything round lights .. I feel nauseous but that could just be from the sore head and from sleeping and moping around the house and me routine being crap today- hoping it is just a tension headache and I am getting into a lather about nothing !

Show quote history

Yes, you need to go to A&E then.

tt9 · 28/06/2023 18:31

missybee7 · 28/06/2023 17:11

I had a headache this morning but it wasn’t horrendous . I assumed I had slept badly or was dehydrated . It wasn’t bad enough for me to think I needed to seek any sort of help with it . I tried to sleep it off and drink lots of water . I went for a sleep, woke up not too long ago and it’s excruciating and much worse . I’ve tried painkillers but nothing is touching it . I’ve had bad headaches before from stress and dehydration so it may just be that , but I also have had episodes of closed over glaucoma and had to be treated for that in hospital . I was told that anytime I had a headache I needed to be careful it wasnt a glaucoma attack . Usually I can tell the difference between a stress headache and a closed over glaucoma headache because the latter is much, much worse , but stress headaches can be very painful to and I can’t go to a&e everytime I get a headache either so it is a hard balance to get

it feels like the same kind of sore head I had when I had the closed over attacks , but I had a similar sore head a while ago and went to a&e and it turned out to be fine, just a tension headache IIRC . I actually posted on here after it as I was worried I had been a timewaster but it was an old account and I can’t remember the password etc . everyone said it wasn’t UR to go to a&e for this but I suppose now this is the 2nd time I’m a bit more unsure in case it turns out to be a tension headache again

Usually I would book an appointment at my opticians (boots) for them to check as they can tell if it’s closed over glaucoma again but it's too late now (it is 5) because I napped all day thinking it was just a stress or tension headache . If it had been this bad earlier today I would have gone straight to boots , but now it’s worse and the opticians are closing .

AIBU to go to a&e as they can tell if it’s a closed over glaucoma attack or just a stress headache ?

I don’t want to be a time waster but it’s getting worse and I’m concerned it’s a closed over attack again and if it is it needs to be treated immediately ( last time I had to go straight to hospital and they were waiting for me there so I know it’s serious) but I don’t want to waste a&e time for nothing … but for a quick 2 minute check they can check if it is closed over glaucoma or not , so AIBU to go so they can check especially since it is getting worse ?

might be worth checking if you have an urgent care centre nearby as they are usually open late and have walk in appointments.

JeminaSunshine · 28/06/2023 18:39

Hope it's just a minor thing.

Pottedpalm · 28/06/2023 18:45

@tt9 Why did you feel the need to quote the original ( long) post?

Original poster
missybee7 · 28/06/2023 19:13

Apologies a very quick post - one of my eyes is closed over after all and the other is almost closed over but not yet .. they are calling a different hospital to the one I was going to go to as it has an out of hours eye appointment / a&e so I won’t have to wait at a&e luckily . we did some tests (that awful air test !) and I saw the opticians face and I new it was bad news

OP posts:
Inkypot · 28/06/2023 19:17

Hope everything goes ok at the hospital @missybee7 Sorry to read that it's what you suspected, but you have 100% done the right thing by being checked over.
Good luck xx

Greenishpurpleblue · 28/06/2023 19:22

So glad you got seen today in that case. Fingers crossed everything goes OK for you now

ItWillBeDone · 28/06/2023 19:56

Lots of luck to you, hope they can treat you speedily

piedbeauty · 28/06/2023 20:31

Do you mean acute angle closure glaucoma? In that case, that's an emergency.

I have this and I've had laser surgery to make a hole in each eye to let the fluid drain out so the pressure doesn't build up. Is that an option for you?

Wishing you all the best for a quick recovery.

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