To not take DS to A&E

[dghiggins]

DS is 18, he’s got anxiety but is on medication for it. He’s also got ASD.

Yesterday he was fine all day until about 5pm when he said he felt sick, he had a headache and his eyes hurt. He had calpol (won’t take tablets) which didn’t help and he said he felt weird and spaced out. He went to sleep at 8pm, woke up at midnight due to the fireworks. Had a drink and went back to sleep until 11am this morning. But still seemed really tired and went back to sleep for another 2.5 hours.

He said he still feels spaced out and sick, his stomach and head hurts and he's been sick once. He feels hot but I don't know his actual temperature

He hasn't eaten all day and hasn't drank much. He still seems tired after sleeping over 14 hours. He wants to me to take him somewhere but we don't have any walk in centres nearby and the GP aren't open. DP thinks I should take him to A&E to put his mind at rest that he's fine but I don't think they'll do anything.

AIBU?

Why not phone 111?

Does he realise that they will tell him to take paracetamol?

I think it’s pretty unreasonable to go to A&E to be honest. If anything I’d look for an open pharmacy and get advice there - but sounds as if he wouldn’t take the medication if they suggested any.

That is definitely not an A&E thing, you'll wait multiple hours to be told it's a virus.

It doesn’t sound like A&E at the moment, but may be appropriate if symptoms worsen. I’d try 111 in the mean time as they can make you an out of hours GP appointment.

It doesn't sound like the sort of thing which should be taking up A and E time to be honest. Let them concentrate on the life threatening stuff.

Unless there is other medical history that is significant. It doesn't sound like it needs a trip to a and e

Has he been taking his meds properly I know I can feel spaced out if a don't take mine for couple days

Sounds more like a virus and/or skipping meds and/or meals. If he's still not right midweek he should make a gp appointment

Definitely not A&E. He most likely has a virus. His body is fighting it therefore he is tired. He needs to drink fluids and rest. If he feels sick eating can wait, could he manage some broth?

I would drop him at A&E and collect him 14 hours later or whenever they see him

I would phone 111, see if you can get any advice or an out of hours GP appointment. There is a nasty sickness bug going around we’ve all just recovered from.

Oh bless him. Let him see you ring 111. He’s probably scared. I don’t think 16 hours on a chair in a&e will help him.

Campos will be a different dosage as it is for a child weight not adult. Contact a pharmacy and ask for advice on the correct dosage to give him.

Doesn't need to go....but if DP thinks you should take him why doesn't he go waste the NHS time himself rather than say you should?

He needs to sleep it off. Sounds similar to what's been going round my social circles.

All 3 of my kids have been like this since the day before Xmas eve. It’s a virus. What does he expect a & e to do? Keep an eye out for rashes etc, dose up on paracetamol and fluids

can he move his head up and down easily and without pain? my dc school had a couple of meningitis cases before the holidays and sleepiness and stiff neck were flagged as possible symptoms.

btw smelting tablets are a lot cheaper than liquid calpol in bottles.

Could it be a migraine? When you say his eyes hurt him, as someone who gets migraine with aura, sometimes my eyes can actually hurt me if I was to rub them. There would be an ache if I did.

I'd recommend taking a Nurofen (or Nurofen suspension if he doesn't like taking tablets, but I find the liqui-tabs really easy to take and they work really quickly) and giving it about 2 hrs before calling 111.

If you can go for a drive, could he sit in the back of the car with a basin/bag (that doesn't have holes in it) in case he felt like he was going to vomit and have the windows down to get some fresh air?

Calpol isn't strong enough for an adult, can you give him soluble paracetamol if he won't take tablets?

Keep a close eye on him and call 111 it could be A&E as he could have sepsis as has a headache and feels spaced out. Doesn’t sound like a virus that’s not serious as sleeping a lot. Mumsnet is not really the place to ask as you will get a lot of people who are not medical giving you advice which may be incorrect.

I agree call 111 with him, but not A&E.

Has he eaten?

Feeling a bit sick and headachey for 24 hours is absolutely not a reason to go to A&E. None of his symptoms are unusual or concerning. This is not an emergency.

How much Calpol is he taking? Because the dosage indicated on the bottle won’t be anywhere near enough for an adult. Even the dosage on the ‘Six Plus’ Calpol is for under 12s.

If he can’t swallow tablets, then buy soluble paracetamol tablets to dissolve in a drink, or ask a pharmacist for an adult-strength liquid paracetamol suspension. (Or at the very least, ask them to tell you how much Calpol would be a suitable dose for a grown man.)

He's just under the weather, it sounds like COVID to me. More pain relief (nurofen? Or see a pharmacist) and lots of rest and fluids. Unless he's underweight, you don't need to worry about him being off his food for a few days. My 2 year old recently had a cold (or could have been COVID) and she didn't eat much for a few days, pretty normal when you feel rough.

Give it a few more days and see how he feels. Hoping he feels better soon!

111 him but also, why is DP saying you should take him rather than you should take him?

Have you checked for a rash? Aversion to lights?

Six plus calpol is 250mg/in 5ml so adult dose is 20ml (assuming he weighs over 50kg as an 18yo male. If not it'd 10ml). You'll get through a bottle fairly quick.