Should I go to a&e

[hkathy]

This evening I started getting some discomfort and pain when weeing, thought ok it’s a UTI. Had two when pregnant with DD about 4 years ago, but none since.
So, taken a few paracetamol and drank a load of water, watching tv and waiting to pass the water before bed. Just noticed there’s blood in my wee.
GP won’t be until monday and I have a feeling 111 are going to tell me to go to A&e… which I very much want to avoid.
Would you go to a&e for this?

Personally no.

I've only ever had one UTI and it caused blood in my wee, so I'd wait for Monday if it was me.

No. There will be a pharmacy open tomorrow that can give you a prescription for antibiotics.

No. Go to the pharmacy in the morning - they’ll be able to prescribe anti-biotics. Unless there was absolutely loads of blood in the toilet… most people have a bit of blood with a uti.

No. Not a medical emergency. It’s a UTI so can wait for pharmacy first thing. Drink plenty

Pharmacies can prescribe for UTIs now,go in the morning.

I wouldn’t. I get blood in my urine with an infection, especially cystitis. I would just go to the pharmacy tomorrow.

Im more concerned that you’ve taken ‘a few’ paracetamol? How many did you take?

Lack of logic here.

111 might give you useful advice, but if they think you should go to a&e you don't want to, but you'll take the advice of strangers.

Call 111. They may be able to arrange an out of hours GP. Or they may say that seeing the pharmacist tomorrow is fine.

No I wouldn't. Blood in urine isn't uncommon as a symptom of UTIs. It's not an emergency and A&E will be packed tonight with a variety of Halloween and firework related incidents. Pharmacy in the morning for antibiotics.

I wouldn't go to a&e. I've also had several UTI's and had blood in my wee. I just booked a GP appt the next day, got antibiotics and it cleared up.

The pharmacy can’t prescribe antibiotics if there is blood in your urine, but they will give you advice on what to do. I wouldn’t go to A and E personally.

I would just drink loads of water and buy a bottle of potassium citrate in the morning. Speak to the pharmacist if you’re really worried. There’s no need to rush to A&E for something like that.

I have called 111 in the past for a really bad UTI, they sent me to the out of hours GP (at the hospital) who gave me antibiotics and sent the sample for testing. But now you can get antibiotics from the pharmacy I’d just hold off until first thing tomorrow if you can?

111 can get you an OOH GP appointment.

Do you have an out of hours gp service you can call?

At this time of night I would go to bed and speak to a pharmacist tomorrow morning. Or 111 if you prefer. 8 hours overnight sat on a chair in A&E is not going to help.

Unless it's a worrying amount of blood of course.

I am not a doctor.

Maybe not A&E but I would definitely get medical advice before Monday. If you ring your GP they should have an out of hours number you can ring.

So you don't want the advice of the medical helpline, you'd rather ask Mumsnet instead? 🤨

Honestly this place is nuts sometimes, if you're worried you call 111 this is exactly what it's there for

111 can give you an out of hours appointment but what do you mean you’ve taken ‘a few’ paracetamol? How many’s a few?

I've just gotten home from working in 111 - in the morning goto any local pharmacy which runs a 'pharmacy first' scheme. Most of them do. They can perform a quick assessment and provide antibiotics if indicated, which sounds like they are.

You need to be female, between the age of 16-65, and be 'uncomplicated' for them to see you for this problem. Otherwise it would need to be a walk in centre or 111 to ask for OOGP appointment.

Uncomplicated essentially just means - not having recurrent symptoms or be really unwell i.e. not able to pass urine, severe back pain, vomitting feeling faint etc.

This jumped out to me too. OP do you need a+e for a paracetamol overdose?

No it’s just part of the infection. Did you know that a pharmacist can give you antibiotics for this? No need to wait until Monday

Out of hours GP or pharmacist. This is neither an accident nor an emergency.

As pp have said, pharmacy or OOO doctors not A&E. Don’t delay though - if you develop a kidney infection from it you could end up very poorly.

That’s terrible advice.

UTIs can very quickly move to the kidneys and make you very poorly.

I say this as someone who almost died of sepsis a few years ago for a kidney infection I didn’t know I had.

You don’t need A&E or a GP - most pharmacies can prescribe. I would very quickly pop for my pharmacist, explain my symptoms and likely walk away with some penicillin.

I had those symptoms during the week. I went to the pharmacy, had a consultation but unfortunately they were unable to prescribe me antibiotics as I am on immunosuppressants. So I had to go to my GP. Just to make people aware not everyone can use this service.