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.

My bowel obstruction for some reason did not show up on the CT scan and they refused to do a second scan. It wasn't until i was going down hill rapidly, vommiting increased, stomach sounded like an engine that they decided to show a more 'senior' person my scan and was rushed to theatre, i had just about 6hrs left for the obstruction to burst, according to them.

Like OP i had previously been to A&E 4 times, each time i was sent back home with drugs to use for constipation. It was on the 4th visit someone said to refuse being discharged that I was finally admitted, followed by the scans.

I worked a full day (in a GP Surgery, no less!) 90 minutes before I was admitted to hospital the first time I had SEPSIS, so I wouldn't bank on you not having it based on being able to struggle through the school run.

The second time I had SEPSIS I collapsed at home, which left lasting trauma for our DDs, who were 11 and 13 at the time.

As mentioned upthread, once you've had SEPSIS once, you are at a higher risk of having it again. Particularly with your new symptoms, I would be back at A&E, but if you won't do that, at the very least you must call 111. Imagine how scary it would be for your DC if you collapsed (or worse) at home in front of them?

I hope you get the treatment you need and are feeling much better very soon.

Nah sorry, you should never have been sent home.
with new chest pain you must seek medical advice. I don’t care if the drs roll their eyes or say you’re wasting time or money or whatever, this is an emergency and you need to insist on a second opinion. Not okay.

@ really concerned you are not updating. Really hoping you suddenly felt better but failing that that you have been seen and another set of bloods done.

Nope
not yet

i paid to go privately
for everything incl the surgery
I wasn’t operated to wait any longer after 6 months of being fobbed off

funnily enough I got a call for my first eve nhs colonoscopy 5 weeks after I had surgery. I told them I no longer needed it, and they should know as due to complications I was in their ICU
still nothing 😆

I may do later
just regaining my strength now

PALS can actually be useful - the one local to me produced useful action when we needed their help.

Are you ok OP?

You sound like how I felt before I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Unintended weight loss, loose stools with blood, chest pain, headaches. I managed to collect my child too. I had sepsis with my first flare. You feel really dragged down and each day becomes more of a struggle. I was sent home from a&e also and had been to the doc countless times. If you are still getting worse I would go back to a&e because if you present again with the same symptoms they will investigate further. If it is Crohn's disease, getting diagnosed sooner rather than later is important because it's the flares that cause the damage and the first flare (before you get put on medication) is usually the worst. Ensure or complan would be very beneficial in the meantime and meditation believe it or not! Linda Hall does a good one for chronic illness, helps your body heal and get your thoughts in order

I contacted PALS at a hospital after their A&E missed the fact that I was having a heart attack and sent me home. They got straight back to me and an enquiry was started - they sent me all the papers at the end of this. They had reviewed and updated their protocols and started new training around heart episodes, using my case an example of poor practice from which they could learn.

I also contacted them when a consultant cardiologist shouted at me on the ward. The head of cardiology services rang me back within the hour as soon as PALs relayed my complaint to her. She clearly knew this guy of old and said she would organise to talk with him about the incident; and she also informed the cardiology department that I was not to be given appointments with him.

So sometimes they do take effective action ...

Really good to know this. Glad you are OK.

OP are you ok ?

Hope OP is ok 🙏

Hopefully she’s in hospital. She sounded extremely unwell..

I know - I am genuinely really concerned about her.

And disgusted at the “care” she has received.

Me too. I keep checking back every day, hoping for a positive update. Really hope that she's OK.

Hi, sorry for worrying you. It turned out to be sepsis. DH persuaded me back into hospital as I deteriorated and I was quite quickly seen and admitted this time round. Thank you for your support and well wishes, hopefully on the mend now and be discharged soon!

Oh thank goodness was you’ve been admitted and are in the right place! I was thinking back to a few weeks ago I was in exactly the same place but I also refused to do anything (sorry@ohfourfoxachewho forcefully made persuaded me to actually go to hospital). It’s so scary how often this is misdiagnosed or misguidance happens.

wishing you heaps better soon, it’s good to hear from you OP 💐

So pleased to hear from you @Whatsthematterwiththebatinthecave and that you are now on the mend, but I do hope you complain about all the carry on before they realised you had Sepsis. Could have turned out differently - and badly.

I am so so glad you went back and that you are now receiving treatment.

I wish you a swift recovery.

So relieved you're getting treated OP! Hope you're soon on the mend, and I agree with @Silvers11 - definitely complain when you're feeling up to it!

@Whatsthematterwiththebatinthecave oh thank goodness you went back!
Glad you are being treated.

Glad you’re getting the care you need finally

'm so pleased to see this, thanks for coming back to update us. I'm really glad to hear that you went back to the hospital, and are receiving treatment. I hope you feel better soon. I, too, think that a formal complaint is in order. It could have ended very differently, thank goodness it didn't.

Oh gosh, I’m glad they took you seriously when you returned!

So glad to read this update.
It explains so many deaths from sepsis when you imagine them coming across such incompetent staff as OP did.
Get well soon.