To go to A&E? Please help

[Adviceneededpls1]

I absolutely know I need to get real medical advice and that’s not what I’m looking for here I guess I’m seeking reassurance here.

My DD is 15 and currently on her way home from school with her Nan, I’m on the train home from work and going crazy with worry.

She has had severe heavy periods for a couple of years and has tried mefenamic acid, the mini pill and now the full pill continuous without breaks. She started the full pill in October as she was enduring a 4 week long period. She stopped bleeding for about 5 days and has since been bleeding heavily again non stop for approximately 18 days. She is dizzy, pale, lethargic, complaining of bone and stomach pain. She’s also got clots of blood.

She’s autistic and struggles to communicate pain so when she does I know it’s severe, she’s having paracetamol and ibruprofen every day for pain relief on her tummy. Her recent blood test revealed serum ferritin level of 16 which she has been prescribed a low dose iron supplement for. However the GPs just don’t listen to my concerns, I’m beyond frustrated with their care, refusing to refer her to gynae and not joining up symptoms for example one doctor printed out leaflets on stretching and said that’s why she was feeling weak and had painful bones!

Anyway, I’ve tried to get another GP appt and there aren’t any. What do I do now? My DD is crying in agony, she looks so withdrawn and weak, she has stopped her weekend hobby which was her only real form of socialisation and it’s now impacting her GCSEs. Would A&E just send us away? For context I had a full hysterectomy at a very young age due to severe endometriosis but even that isn’t taken into consideration.

Please help, I think my gut is telling me to take her but any advice to get me through this train journey home would be great!

If it was my DD I’d be taking her to hospital.

Yes, I'd take her to A&E

Yes, take her to A&E. Poor girl

Of course they won't just send you away. They'll triage her then probably make you wait several hours, and they'll do scans, imaging, tests to see what's wrong.

Obviously if then they can't find anything at all wrong, then they might send her away. But that seems unlikely. There must be something going on that's not right.

Wow thank you so much for the responses. I feel like I’m constantly letting her down and just want to get to the bottom of it, or at least get the ball rolling for that to happen. I can’t stand seeing her like this. I knew it was right to take her and you’re all making me feel more empowered to get that help. I should be home in the next half an hour

18 days 😱I would take her to a&e

Sorry, clicked YABU by mistake!

YA NOT BU

OP you've written a really clear account of the issues. Maybe copy and email it to yourself, so you can show/read it to them. Maybe you're better than me, but once in front of the medical professionals, I might mutter something about painful heavy periods. Hopefully it won't be necessary, but it might be helpful to have notes if you do feel fobbed off.

If I'm unsure I call 111 and ask them, they have always been really helpful.

But yes in your case I'd take her to hospital.

That is excellent advice, I always forget the important stuff!

You’re not letting her down, to me you’re advocating for her by going to A&E when the GP won’t listen.

I hope she gets help.

Bring pillows/cushions and a blanket and a charger and snacks. And a book or kindle if you or her like reading. It will be uncomfortable and boring and long but worth it to find out what's going on.

Wishing her well x

My autistic dd tried the pill and never stopped bleeding. Now she is on the depo provera contraception injection and is so much happier no periods for over a year. She found periods really stressful for sensory reasons.

I'd be taking her. If the pain is severe, they can help with morphine. The may do some scans or put some referrals in place. I suffered horrendously from endo so I understand how debilitating it can be.

also 16 ferritin is way too low. I felt like death when it was in my mid 20s. You need ferrous sulphate 3x daily (pharmacy) but ultimately you need to get to the root cause. Can you afford a private gynae appointment? I used it on the past to get onto the NHS waiting list when GP would not refer. Your poor DD.

If a&e don’t find anything then I would look into iron transfusion. If GP won’t refer, look at private. My ferritin got down to 11 and I felt like I was going to die. Iron supplements take a long time (up to 12 months) to bring ferritin back up.

I was listening to woman’s hour on radio 4 yesterday about Iron Deficiency
something you said has reminded me - ferritin levels should be around 100

might be very helpful for you to listen to it because they talk about the most effective way of taking an iron supplement and also the concept of iron infusions. It was quite an eye opener.

Take her. And she needs stronger iron.
Poor thing it sounds awful. And poor you.

My DD is crying in agony, she looks so withdrawn and weak A and E job.

Echo this - especially the drinks and snacks. Lots of snacks! If neither of you have had lunch, might be worth picking up something substantial on your way in or it could be a while before you get a proper meal again. I appreciate she may not fancy eating.

There is often a tea / coffee machine. But if a hot water bottle helps, maybe worth taking a flask of hot water to top one up.

A pack of cards is often good too, if you both play any games. Helps pass the time and saves the charge on your phone!

Something similar happened to me when I was a teenager. My periods didn't stop for about 6 months after they started. Eventually, they then got heavier and heavier until we called the doctors. I ended up going on the pill and running the packets together for a few months at a time.

Edit: just clocked even the pill hasn't fixed it. Gosh what a total nightmare. I hope A and E can help.

I have had similar bleeding issues due to endometriosis and adenomyosis and have to regularly go to an and e . I would say 100% take her it’s really important as that level of blood loss can be dangerous. Good luck

A&E now, then change GP and if A&E don't or can't refer her to gynae, can you get her seen privately?

Yeah, good tips! Tea and coffee machine usually vile or in my local one non existent. So maybe a flask of hot drink?

Yes take her to a&e, she's been bleeding heavily for pretty much 6 weeks now

She's dizzy, pale, lethargic. This is what you need to focus on.

I agree to take her to A&E. They won’t think you are overreacting.

You might want to change the medication she is on though. Ibuprofen can make bleeding worse so not ideal. Buscopan is good for period cramps.