To take dd to A&E or wait to see GP

[Dewdrops1]

Hi all?

I know you can’t diagnose on here but concerned I may be wasting A&Es precious resources instead of waiting to see GP tomorrow.

we’ve just come back from holiday in Europe. 2 days ago DD who is teenager woke with a big egg sized lump on one side of forehead. No injury. She said she did squeeze a spot gently but not sure if that did it. Nothing obvious seen other than swelling. Yesterday the lump went down but the swelling spread to center of forehead and in between eyes and top of nose. The swelling has ‘flattened’ out but over a larger area and makes her forehead look slightly distorted. There’s no redness but is slightly warm to touch and tender. Dd said it’s giving her a slight headache and uncomfortable feeling.

Im worried it could be some sort of infection and it’s going near her eyes, or could it be a bug bite and I’m overthinking. So would you take her to A&E or go to GP tomorrow? The swelling isn’t massive but never experienced swelling spreading on forehead like that before (moved away from original lump) so not sure if it’s something I need to be concerned about (also nothing similar on google).

thanks for your advice in advance 🙂

I'd be very interested in the diagnosis if you wouldnt mind sharing. My ds has similar on his forehead since a head injury

Finger’s crossed all goes well with the GP!

Please keep us updated 🤞

I think people who are conscientious enough to think of asking Mumsnet if they should go to A&E because they are worried but don't want to waste A&E resources should nearly always go to A&E.

just got back, GP saw us for 5 minutes and concluded it might have been a cyst that has ruptured and spread. She wasn’t overly concerned as it isn’t red or too hot to touch. She prescribed antibiotics’just in case’ 🤷🏻‍♀️

What did the doctor say it is for your son?

I went to Spain and came back with a spot that turned into cellulitis, a pop into A&E turned into spending Bank Holiday on an IV antibiotic drip which I wasn't expecting! I had left it a good few days. That is good you have precautionary antibiotics, that's the main thing.

We're waiting for blood test results, no diagnosis yet, which is why I was interested in seeing OPs outcome

That’s great news, OP.

Hope the antibiotics work their magic 🤞

Glad you've been seen. It's easy for people to be shouting a&e when they're not the one waiting to be seen for 12 hours. No wonder it's overrun

I am guessing if your daughter had a cyst that big that it burst and spread in that way under her skin she would have known about it. I am guessing she would have felt a lot of pain. I hope the doctor is right but I would keep an eye on her, and if she worsens, take her to A&E.

How does a cyst that size appear overnight ?

Good. Sounds like the NHS worked well today … maybe Labour have put a spell on it 😂

Glad your daughter has been seen and precautionary Anti-biotics have been prescribed, hope she is well soon

Id be very cynical about what the Dr said, I hope the antibiotics are strong enough. Did you tell them about possible puffy syndrome or whatever it was..?

I'm a paediatric nurse and I'd be down to A & E immediately if my son had that!
It definitely looks like cellulitis (could develop into orbital cellulitis) and may well need IV antibiotics.

@Bouncygirl.. Even if a doc saw it and said it'd ok?

It's worrying that this is close to the eyes as it could very quickly spread and develop into orbital cellulitis. That is an infection in the eye socket and is an emergency as infection can quickly spread up the optic nerve and into the brain.

DS had this a few years ago and he had to have an emergency operation. Go straight to A&E.

Yes especially a GP. I’d want a paediatric doctor to look at that asap.

My own GP diagnosed my severe uncontrolled epileptic seizures as panic attacks. GP’s are great for rashes and basic care but stuff like this I’ve found they always under diagnose.

OP if it hasn’t gone down tomorrow I urge you to take her to A&E. You need specialised drs who know what they’re talking about, not a oh it’s a cyst (it most likely is not)

If she has a temp overnight, it spreads or she becomes more unwell STRAIGHT to A&E if not call 999.

This is EXACTLY how my friend’s Osteomyelitis started, even down to a misdiagnosed ruptured cyst. It’s identical.

To be frank, she ended up critically ill in intensive care, developed sepsis, nearly died and still has related health problems. Don’t wait and see if it gets better. Take her to A&E

Yes op please be on the look out for signs of sepsis - that is a literal emergency and you cannot be complacent about seeking medical care. It’s life or death with sepsis.

I agree docs do make mistakes. But why would would any doc take a risk with it and they have given her antibiotics.

I wouldn't be leaving this.

Because it’s easy to dismiss something like this, even by a medical professional, when it isn’t hot and red which are basic (but not foolproof) infection indicators. If the doctor only looked at her for 5 minutes then they were probably simply looking for these indicators and simply dismissed them. Antibiotics are fine when given at the right time but this is relying on the OP or her DD to make that decision.

Antibiotic tablets aren't enough to treat cellulitis which this could be. Needs IV.

My DS woke up one morning with eyes swollen and popping out of socket like a frog. Also couldn't move his eye. GP sent us straight to specialist eye A&E who unfortunately dropped the ball and prescribed antibiotic tablets and sent him home. They did absolutely nothing. Next morning was screaming in pain, straight back to A&E. The infection was so bad that they had to drill into his eye socket and drain the pus to save the eye and because of serious risk of brain infection. Which kills. Then a week in hospital on IV antibiotics.

I hope it doesn't go like this for you but if there is any swelling of the eyes get STRAIGHT to A&E. Don't bother with this GP again.

Honestly so much scaremongering.

She has seen a Doctor. There are no signs of infection which as a nurse surely you know would be redness, hot to touch and a temp?

Everyone does not need to go to A&E. It's why there's 10hr plus waits because people flap and dash there willy nilly.