To have cried at Dr not to send me home

[Whatsthematterwiththebatinthecave]

For 3 weeks I’ve had left flank pain that’s slowly been getting worse, coupled by loss of appetite and loss of weight for past 2 months (unintended). 3 days ago things really went down hill which ruined my work projects and the pain becoming so bad I started vomiting from the pain and passing out; this prompted me to see the GP who sent me straight to A&E.

29hrs later I’ve finally been told my blood test and urine test suggest something underlying but my CT scan came back clear so I can go come. He said maybe it’s an infection but my temperature isn’t that high.

I just burst into tears at the thought of going home in this pain with no meds to fix anything. He was taken back by my reaction and asked if I felt I needed to stay, I explained what’s been going on and he was surprised as he hadn’t realised how long it had been going on for (I had said on arrival and it was in my GP letter). I then begged to not be sent home and he has agreed but now I feel silly.

A&E. Now.

With your dad or DH to advocate for you. I hate saying 'you need a man', but medical misogyny is very real unfortunately. And you're also to ill to properly advocate for yourself - you need someone well to lend you their strength.

When you arrive tell them immediately about having been told yesterday it's suspected sepsis, about the worsening of symptoms overnight, about the duration of symptoms, and about the blood in your stool. I'm horrified that a doctor dismissed the last one on account of your age.

Insist on a Martha's law review. Demand answers and refuse to leave until you have one.

😲 I'm so sorry Pineapple. That's horrendous. :(

Absolutely go back to A&E OP. You are not wasting anyone’s time. Unfortunately you will need to be really clear that you are not willing to be sent home, I’ve had a similar situation following the birth of my second DC and it was hard but I did get to stay in the end and i’m so glad I did. This is not the moment for a stiff upper lip, you need to really let them know how hard this is for you and how worried you are. Also make sure you tell them that sepsis has been mentioned.

In the left flank?

OP please go back in. You have new symptoms so need reassessing. Sepsis mimicks flu symptoms and flu hasn't taken hold yet this year.

OP, you need to go to A&E somewhere and take someone to advocate for you. This is just awful.
I agree with pp mentioning misogyny. It is absolutely rife in the NHS.
When I was admitted, the sister on CCU actually said to me that a man with my symptoms would have got an ambulance immediately, whereas it was obvious that the call handler we got immediately decided I was a silly woman having a fit of the vapours.
It is disgusting.

If you can get an urgent appointment today to see a gp do that, then if they send you to a&e you should have a shorter wait. Also it's possible this pain is caused by the early menopause https://www.loyolamedicine.org/newsroom/blog-articles/menopause-related-musculoskeletal-pain

Cripes, sepsis - well done for sticking to your guns. Hope the antibiotics kick in very fast and start to feel better. Sending hugs.

Is there another hospital you could go to ? Could you take someone with you as you are far to ill and vulnerable to manage it on your own atm . Errors of judgement can be made especially if the original dr dismissed your symptoms .

how often have you had blood in your poo? is the A&E team aware of that and did they examine you rectally?

Your GP will send you to ED. You need A&E now. Or ASAP.

And I would insist on blood tests and basic obs at least. Infection markers in blood are quite a late stage marker of infection. They shouldn’t be relying on blood tests from a couple of days ago.

I honestly think you should go back to A&E, ASAP x

@PineappleCoconut same.
OP please mention bloody poo..

So sorry you are feeling so bad and have already run the gauntlet of a long A&E wait. If you were to call 111, I am fairly sure they would send you back to A&E and the call and information you gave would be logged before presented at the desk. Potentially at a different hospital if it's possible, and with someone with you.

I do hope you get sorted! I was incredibly lucky, Sussex hospital
.I had pain on and off,urine frequency got to every 15 minutes,pain bowel symptoms. Soon as I rang the GP surgery,bring in a urine sample, which was mad as I knew it would be . (Ex nurse, I kept quiet about that because often they will think you overreact) After 10 days, I dropped off to the local ED, a 9 hour stint, lovely staff,ed Dr, CT with contrast
Tumour on left kidney,(later found benign) Diverticulosis, mesenteric fat stranding and paniculitus probably caused by old abdominal surgery and a hiatus hernia..I couldn't fault them.
.

It could be which needs fluids, antibiotics, steroids and hospital treatment.

Go back to A and E immediately- a different hospital if necessary. Do not leave until you have an answer or feel well again.

I was sent away by one hospital who couldn’t even be arsed to do a blood test and then admitted by another hours later as my blood results from the test they did were so poor. I was given bag and bags of fluid.

The doctor I saw at the first hospital was a total cunt and I have made a formal complaint about him and his behaviour.

Flu doesn’t make you lose weight over 2 months unintentionally or vomit from pain.

GP at least today. Bloody hell this is rubbish for you.

Please go to A&E asap and bring someone with you to advocate for you. You are unwell and you need help.

OP I'd be demanding an endoscope to look at your bowels. Don't let them fob you off.

Please go back to A&E, and ask Dad or DH to mention PALs and Martha's Law if they still won't take you seriously

I'm so sorry that happened to your dad. The awful thing is it doesn't surprise me more, after years of seeing my late dad's, and now my mum's, symptoms repeatedly dismissed/trivialised. I know the NHS is under colossal pressure and most clinicians are doing the best they can, but this fobbing off seems to be on the rise. We should be able to trust the decisions made by those who treat us and our loved ones, and it's increasingly becoming the case that we can't.

You advocated for yourself. You did exactly the right thing! Don’t feel bad.

Do you suffer migraines op? If not I’d be calling an ambulance if you have lost the use of an eye.

could be covid