To walk out of hospital

[Cally62]

Was in A&E on Monday because I thought I had a diverticulitis flare up and I hadn’t had a poo for 9 days. Had bloods taken and spent the day on a trolley. Bloods came back ok but CRP was slightly raised. Was given an enema and eventually got home at 7pm where I literally exploded.
Job done or so I thought.
Received a call from A&E consultant yesterday morning who said bloods weren’t ok and needed to come back in and have them taken again.
so been here since yesterday mid morning. Had bloods taken at 4.30pm results back at 7pm. Liver function was raised on Monday but had gone down slightly yesterday.
I was admitted to EAU and told I needed a scan.
I haven’t had any to eat, I’m fucking hungry for something warm and nourishing, tired and bloody cold. There’s no heating.
Thing is I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in April which is controlled by diet. Without any food I feel like shit and have a horrible headache.
Ive asked 5 times if my blood sugars can be checked and nothing.
It was so grim here last night that I said I was going home and even took my cannula out.
Consultant thinks it’s my gallbladder and scan could be today or tomorrow.
I’m supposed to be going on holiday on Saturday.
Partner is at work. He said he’d phone the ward and tell them to feed me. I told him he couldn’t do that. Although there’s not much he could do being here he could support me and at least feed me.
All I want to do is to go home.

I’m sorry this is long and I’m just moaning.

Oh that all sounds horrible. Can your partner bring in some warmer clothes for you? Are you in a ward bed or just sitting? I have no advice and hope you get some answers soon. I don't blame you for feeling like walking out. I guess you feel it is a waste of time as nothing is happening.
I would think they could discharge you to come back for ultrasound.

Why aren't you eating? Are they keeping you nil by mouth in case you need an op? If so, tell them you will be eating as clearly they are not going to do an op today if they aren't going to give you a scan today..

Hello @Cally62

I hope they get to the bottom of it and you start to feel better soon.

If I was in your position, I would not walk out. If you get worse while you're on your holiday, it's very unlikely your insurance company will cover any treatment/expenses (they will find out that you visited hospital the week before your trip, and that you left without a diagnosis/treatment).

As mentioned already, definitely double check why you're being kept nil by mouth, that doesn't sound right at all (waiting for a scan).

If a friend/family member can't get to you soon with warmer clothes, please ask a HCA or even one of the porters for a blanket. I was recently an emergency admission through A&E and these guys did their utmost to keep me comfortable until I was taken to theatre.

Good luck & I hope you can enjoy your holiday

Are you not allowed to eat, because of the scan, or is it that there's nothing suitable for you because of your diabetes? If you're allowed to eat then is there a shop or cafe in the hospital you can walk to? You should be able to take the drip or whatever you're connected to with you.

Do you have kit to test your own blood sugar, even at home, could your partner bring it to you?

I think you need to ring the bell and say to the HCA I am diabetic, and I need to check my blood sugar - now. Go to the desk if necessary and stand there until they do it.

If you're nil by mouth that's more difficult, as sometimes they squeeze scans in at the end of the day after the outpatient clinics (I recently had a ct scan at 10pm!) so they might be hoping you'll have a scan today despite what the Dr said. You could ask them to call the scan dept and ask when they are likely to see you and how long before that you need to be NBM, and is it OK for you to eat now.

But you're an adult? Ask for food or go to a canteen and buy some? Ask for blankets or get someone to bring them in/clothes/dressing gown. They can't babysit you but they can explain themselves I.e you can't eat because you might need an operation. Have you read your notes? They're usually at the end of your bed. Do they know you have diabetes? Can't you check your levels yourself?

You should be able to leave your bed when the drs aren't doing their rounds? You could pop to the canteen and get yourself a cuppa and some hot coke. It will be better than the hospital meals anyway and at least you will feel a bit better

What is hot coke? As in coco cola warmed up? Sounds intriguing.

Just be aware if it is your gall bladder you need to take care of what you eat as well as for the diabetes. Type 2 is diff to type 1 in that you can fast but you do feel crappy - I just go to sleep if I can.

I would ask them to look at your case and make a decision re food and eating so that you can manage your own health. Honestly they just generally don't have time to think about it and the food they do serve is bloody awful whatever is wrong with you.

Whoops! Hot food

I feel very sorry for you op as all of that sounds really miserable.

Trust me though, with the NHS so stretched nowadays, they don’t call you back without a good reason.

Something will be happening in the background but they are hopeless at communications!

It’s really awful and I hate it but everyone is so busy you are kind of forced to be quite assertive to get answers. Can you ask whether they know you have diabetes and that you haven’t eaten? That doesn’t seem an unreasonable thing to check. Good luck.

I wouldn't leave either. Why can't your partner phone about feeding you?

Have you pressed your bell and explained you are cold and can heating be put on and you given an extra blanket. Is there a reason you can't ask for food/go and get food yourself?

You might have started a new trend though! Hot coke might be the new mulled wine.

Ah thank you for all your lovely replies.
Im not nil by mouth. Just haven’t been offered any food since I’ve been here.
Just been told it’s almost lunchtime so yay for that. Think I’ll make my way to the staff cafeteria and see if there’s any soup later. Don’t know why I didn’t think of that.

Warm coke… oooh I’m intrigued.

Press your buzzer and ask to speak to your designated staff nurse or the ward sister.
Calmly but extremely firmly explain you need a blanket, to check your blood sugars and eat (if you aren't nil by mouth)
Then ask to speak to a doctor and try to find out roughly when the scan will be
It is rubbish but the nurses are probably run ragged with everyone else on the ward so you do have to advocate for yourself a bit more

Hope you feel better soon x

I agree about reminding the nursing staff that you are diabetic. If your blood sugar is too low it's hard to think clearly - which is why you are not supposed to drive, so its hard for you to advocate for yourself.

They can't just leave you to let your blood sugar drop too low and you do need a blood test. They must have equipment for a quick test like that. That's probably why you are so cold.

Could your DH ring your GP for you and ask their advice? At our practice they have a chronic conditions phone number for urgent questions. Do you have a diabetic nurse at the GP's you see and could advise? They don't keep you in for no reason, so as pp said there is probably some behind the scenes investigations or wait lists for investigations going on.

If you can I'd get your DH or a friend to come in and help out either with getting hold of some blankets or find you something to eat, or advocate for you as its probably so busy, the staff need to be made aware (politely) that you are diabetic and have missed meals. DH or the person helping you can do the leg work - like getting some blankets and food you can eat, from the shop.

Also is the cold feeling cold feet? you might need to do a bit of walking about to keep your circulation going.
Best of luck OP hope you get some attention soon.

The staff canteen?.soup?!? There's usually shops and customer canteens in hospital just go and use one 😄 why are you waiting till later. You need to take some accountability for yourself unfortunately in hospital its every man/woman for themselves - the care is scarce these days.

Just go to a vending machine or cafe and get yourself some stuff until your family can bring you some comforts in

I don't think patients can just turn up to the staff cafeteria. I would just say I'm going for a walk and then go to the hospital shop/safe/local corner store. I don't understand why you haven't been offered anything, especially as you have diabetes. Did they not come round with a food trolley for breakfast? Anyone would feel like shit if they haven't eaten for 24 hours. I would also ask your partner to come in after work with a blanket and lots of safe snacks

I actually haven’t eaten properly since Sunday lunch. 🥲
Im beyond hangry

Is there a reason you haven't gone to the vending machine? Or a shop?

It can be hard when you've been admitted and are on a promise that "someone will be here soon to check you out" to make the call that you should just get up and sort yourself out (if you can) because you're worried that despite waiting 3 days they'll choose the 10 mins you're away from your bed to visit.

There comes a point when you need to take that risk!

So, get up, find a nurse and tell them which bed you've come from, that you are stepping out of the ward for 30 minutes to find yourself some food because they have neglected to feed you for 3 days.

Ask that they make aware any consultants who come round that you will be back very shortly, ask for a testing kit for your glucose levels and ask them to check you are on the list for dinner time this evening.

Yay. I’ve eaten.

Sausage with potatoes, carrots (was orange)and gravy.
Seriously wasn’t good but I whoofed it down and followed it with old school trifle.

No doubt will be hit with a fucking sugar high but hey ho it was good and it hit the spot.

My dd is actually a nurse here on another ward and she has been telling me lately to avoid going into hospital at all costs. I now know what she meant.

I did message her at stupid o’clock this morning knowing that she’d be getting ready to go to work. She slept in.

Shes just finished 5 weeks of night shifts on Monday morning and was back on days Tuesday.

Need to have a wee and hopefully a normal poo. Wee is similar in colour to the mushed carrots I had with lunch.

Are you really saying your partner or your daughter who works in the same hospital didn't bring you food or warm clothes for days? I'd be faulting them more than the overworked hospital!

Also, every hospital I have been in has a shop at the entrance that any one can use. Again, surely your daughter could have told you that.

Doesn't sound like she really even asked them. People are odd.