To feel like a time waster? A&E related

[cocoloco12]

I woke up an hour ago in extreme severe pain (potentially gallbladder related from 2 prior episodes) and my husband contacted the out of hours GP. Between the triage call and the OOH GP ringing back I was sick and the pain cleared instantly.

Upon speaking to the GP they said it sounds like classic gallbladder / bilary colic (great) and the call handler had noted my squealing in the background of the triage call. The GP said they also work in A&E and would want to see me. Said need to have blood and xray then ultrasound as outpatient. My own GP did bloods a month ago but this Dr said it needs to be when the flare is occurring.

Essentially they have recommended me to go to A&E to have these done today, don't need to go right now but in the morning as the OOH service cannot do bloods or cray.

AIBU to feel like a total time waster going there? Essentially I will be showing up not in pain (hopefully) to request this?

Personally I wouldn't. I'd call the GP in the morning, get a same day blood test form and get them to do the ultrasound referral.

I’d go! My mum had this, always got better after being sick or eating- then one day she had an instance like you, they checked her gallbladder and it was riddled with stones, they removed it that day and it was black with infection and she was probably days from sepsis! It could be weeks for a referral, I’d take a book and your phone and go OP.

Call your gp - they can do the bloods and arrange an xray

Is this GP actually going to be there? If no I wouldn’t go because I can bet you the contents of my purse the other doctors will eye roll and tell you to make an appointment with the GP to arrange bloods / scans because you are currently ok and there is no active emergency for them to deal with

Just do as you've been told. You're not a time waster because a medical professional gave you the advice.

You'll potentially waste more resources trying to do it another way, plus miss your chance to get the bloods done at the right time.

Get up early and get there.

I has my gallbladder out in August, I only had 2 bad pain spells, but ultrasound showed a large gallstone, Consultant said that some get constant pain, whilst some only get a couple of warnings. My gallbladder was apparently in a very bad state and could have erupted at any time. I have a friend in hospital now, very ill, with pancreatitis, so definitely get to A&E and let them decide. Another friends Mum had bad pains Christmas Day, she went to hospital by ambulance, they kept her in and she had her gallbladder removed 3 days later.

I'd do what the GP says. The chances are they know a hell of a lot more about this than people on MN and it sounds like it could be dangerous to leave it.

See this is the problem, the doctor had said by the time I see GP the bloods/xray may not show whatever it needs to show and our out of hours service can't do bloods or xrays which is totally daft!
Oh how I wish I was one of the folk who don't think twice turning up for anything!!

I’ve suffered Gallstone attacks for years, and yea they are very painful. I’ve never seen a GP/been to the hospital, just dealt with it at home, and waited for it to pass

You could probably do with a scan. Personally I wouldn’t want to spend 12 hours sat on a chair in A&E, I would contact the GP on Monday, and ask for a referral.

@cocoloco12 A health professional asked you to go to A&E but you’re asking an unqualified public forum for their opinion?
You should not be made to feel ashamed of using the health service when in need.
Just go and put your health first.

Time wasting: calling for advice, receiving advice, not taking it, and then using more NHS services at a later point if it reoccurs

Not time wasting: calling for advice, receiving advice, doing as they say and going to A&E

I totally appreciate your struggle, I also have a constant internal dialogue of time wasting whenever I (very very rarely) use NHS services

A medical professional has told you to do this, it’s not time wasting.

gallbladders are awful, mine got removed at the beginning of the year and it’s glorious to be rid of it.

You should go. If you can you could try phoning your GP and asking if they can do it this morning. But the point is that it needs done today to be worth doing. There is no point contacting your GP on Monday. you may have to be very clear with A&E that this what the OOH doctor told you to do.

Yeah you're right. I rarely need to speak to or see a doctor and I suppose it is because we all assume A&E is worst case scenario situations only and hear so much about the time wasters etc etc. In fairness felt like I was going to die the pain was that bad.

The bloods will show whether a stone has stuck or not. They check bilirubin levels, ALT and a pancreatic test also

I got sent there in May during a gallbladder attack and was told I had cholecystitis!
It’s out now thank god.

Go. Having spent a couple of nights there this year there are people with far less turning up. If advice is bloods need to be taken during an attack then it is time critical if you want to resolve it. Take painkillers , snacks and a good book. 111 should have heralded you being sent there so they know you are acting on their advice. Our hospital has an ooh gp attached to it.

I didn't know i had gallbladder issues until I nearly died from mine being massively infected. I have never experienced pain like it and I was in hospital for about 10 days on iv antibiotics and painkillers. Pleaae do as you've been told.

As for the poster who says they've never had theirs checked, they just manage it themselves.... go to the dr and get a scan. Trust me. Do not just leave it.

Given your history and the medical advice you received, you should go.

I went to a&e in August for an excruciating gallbladder attack. Usually it's severe and I would deal with it a home, been having attacks for over a year but this time was unbearable. It took a while to get pain relief and eventually after a few hours the pain was much better. I was tempted to go home as it was very late and I thought they wouldn't do anything.
Eventually I saw a physician associate and they said the bile levels were high in my blood and were worried about infection. They said ideally they'd send me to another hospital but the surgeons are not available on the weekend and I'd have to sit in a&e until Monday so sent me home with antibiotics. They didn't give me scan or anything!
When it first started I went to a&e last year as I woke up with excruciating pain, but then it subsided before I even saw anyone. Had blood done and saw a physician associate who told me it was my gastritis and sent home with omeprazole. After a couple of months I had an ultrasound and there were small stones. I was told with diet it would be gone.
Fast forward to this year, after my a&e visit I was referred to a consultant and had an mri. Consultant said I must get the gallbladder taken out and I have stones but wouldn't tell me how big or if there's many stones. I'm on the list for the surgery now.

I think people will have different experiences with gallbladder attacks. My manager said they gave her morphine when she had an attack and then surgery was scheduled 2 weeks later, her stones turned to sludge.

You do need to have bloods tested today to work out what happened. The enzymes will have settled by Monday. This is about capturing the evidence to enable you to get treatment if you need it .
If your GP can’t do bloods today you need to go to ED.
doi - doctor with both gallbladder surgery and ED experience

Forgot to say they also prescribed me co dydramol. It's the only medication that actually eases the pain. Been suffering with severe attacks for over a year lasting several hours when I could've been prescribed this earlier.

I would go to a&e and have the blood tests. I wouldn't worry about not being in pain. Most patients in the waiting room don't even look ill. When I was there I was the only one crying hysterically rocking back and forth. You're not going to get a blood test same day when you call the gp

Earlier in the year, had what I thought was norovirus, was not getting better, saw GP referred to A & E. Had bloods/CT scan with massive gall bladder infection, so they wouldn't remove until infection was under control. 5 days in hospital on an anti biotic drip then discharged and on waiting list for surgery.

About a month later, unbelievable pain, went to A & E, given morphine, scheduled for surgery but high liver function levels, and had a stone stuck in bile duct. In hospital for week.

Had to go for regular blood tests at hospital even when feeling OK to track liver function.

It probably won't be A & E, but when I went it was a Day Ward where they do out of hours tests that can't wait.

But do go.

It’s what you have been advised to do by a healthcare professional. I’d take that advice.

This reminds me of when I was a first aider and we had someone eplieptic whose consulant provided us with bespoke information part of which for a while was to phone an ambulance immediately. Not because she was in any danger but becaise they were trying to get a scan before her brain activity settled down.

Follow their advice and go.