To ask that Out of Hours GP does bloods tonight

[SnugNightsss]

We’ve got an appointment for my child this evening. I’m concerned it might be appendicitis. I have not had good experiences at the out of hours service locally. Those who’ve had children with appendicitis, how did they diagnose it? Should I ask that they take blood to check for infection markers? Anything else I should be aware of?

Shall I risk taking her now then? She has fallen asleep, I’m worried if I take her to A&E now we’ll be seen later than the 7.20 app we have for the GP next door. They’re so busy nowadays.

Yes you need to take her to A and E now !

Honestly her symptoms sound classic appendicitis. If she needs seeing sooner they will see her sooner.

Not to mention if you’d taken her earlier she’d have been seen by now.

If you go to the GP and then she needs seeing in the ED, you'll be arriving there and starting from scratch again. I'd definitely take her along now.

FGS you are asking for medical advice on MN when you think your child may have appendicitis
Beggars belief

Thanks. I’ll go now.

When I had appendicitis I vomited in the a&e waiting room.
I was in a lot of pain but it wasn't as localised as this (right side) until later on.
A consultant poked me a bit did a swift physical examination & said 'yep, appendicitis, off to surgery.'
I wouldn't hang about if I were you.

Even if you waited for your GP appointment with those symptoms you'll likely be told to go to a&e anyway, causing an unnecessary delay.

You need to take her to A&E now. I recently went to GP with stomach/abdominal pains and he sent me to A&E for bloods as they needed doing immediately. I had an infected gallbladder and had to have IV antibiotics a couple of times.

If you see the OOH doctor, he will probably send you to A&E and you will have wasted hours when you might have been seen.

Our OOH is next to A&E too. and A&E do prioritise depending on symptoms.

This is the reason why there shouldn’t be medical advice given on an internet forum! I hope you are gone to the A n E op!

If appendicitis is suspected you will be sent to a&e. When my ds had it, gp surgery listened to his symptoms over the phone and sent us straight to a&e. It was diagnosed by ultrasound following blood tests which showed infection markers.

What is the reason? She’d already sought medical advice, and she’s listened to the advice given here to go to a&e even though that’s not what she asked. I can’t see what harm this one has caused

OOH GP’s are unable to take blood- especially by tonight and I’m guessing as you live rurally there will be no urgent care team etc. OP suspected appendicitis NEEDS A&E you will wait, your dc potentially could become seriously ill and all they will do is direct you to AED anyway… please act promptly and take your child to be seen

If you seriously suspect appendicitis, A&N NOW. Don't faff around with out-of-hours GPs.

You can’t diagnose appendicitis with a blood test, it will show infection markers which may be raised. It’s diagnosed with clinical indicators such as pain, guarding, feeling the abdomen, an ultrasound often (not always) as well as bloods. Hopefully you’re in a&e now.

I hope she gets seen soon

Thanks all. We didn’t wait long & we’re in the kids room at A&E now. They’ve done obs and taken bloods. Nurse said she looks very unwell, and I agree. It was hard to wake her to get her in the car.

That sounds scary! Docs been & she’s tender over her appendix. He’s gone to check on the bloods & speak to Paeds. They’re really quiet the nurse said. The quietest they’ve been for weeks! Lots of families gone away as it’s first day of school hols & holiday makers maybe not arrived yet in big numbers.

Hi snugnightsss
Hopefully very soon your little girl is seen and diagnosed and things start to feel much better for her with the treatment plan
X

You've done the right thing going to A&E @SnugNightsss, hope she's feeling lots better soon!

I know you wanted to wait for the GP OOH appointment OP but if they’d have referred her to A&E you would have been back of the queue. You did the right thing going

Sounds like you have absolutely done the right thing. My experience with A&E (and I go a lot and dc have had lots of injuries over the years!) is that if you really need to be seen, you are seen quickly. I’ve never waited more than 30 minutes with a child (I only go when mine genuinely have an accident or emergency). There was a family who had been there 12 hours when I took dd in for a broken arm. They were there for a “sprained wrist” but child was bouncing around the waiting area eating McDonald’s and looking quite well! Dd was in x-ray 20 minutes after we walked through the door. They move quick when they need to.

Oh for pity’s sake. Now you’ve done it! Used the q word in a hospital! You can expect a majax any minute after that…

I had the same thought. The Q word is banned! Us healthcare professionals are very adamant about this…

My 5 year old, vomited and complained of tummy ache, fine the next day, by the Saturday she went downhill and vomited again and kept pulling her right leg up, out of hours examined and told me to take her to AnE, she wouldn’t walk or do the hop test and her infection marker was high on the blood test, though she didn’t have a temperature, went to AnE at 10pm was in theatre first thing next day, Surgeon said her appendix was on the turn and lucky we brought her in
I wasn’t actually going to take her to out of hours as she only vomited twice, it was her bringing her right leg up as if in pain that made me take her x

There is always a technician on overnight duty to service emergency testing. It’s a 24 hr service. But you are spot on re A&E