To think I should go to minor injuries?

[Forenspy]

DH says probably nothing! I am a bit concerned myself.
These are my symptoms:
Random prodding pain in upper back
On Sunday evening, I was driving and I suddenly felt a pulsating, deep pain in the side of my lower back. This came in waves varying from uncomfortable to a sudden shock of pain which would make me groan out loud, for around 5 hours until I went to sleep. Since then, it has happened twice but only for around 15minutes at a time.
I have also been having stomach pain, almost like a burning feeling on and off.
I have felt nauseous on and off yesterday and especially today

Should I go, or will they tell me to bugger off and stop wasting their time?!

Can I ask what I have done to offend you?

You haven't. I'm trying to help. If things aren't clear then I ask questions - like about the urine test - so as to try to help.

What would you like to know about the urine test?

Well like I said - what the test ruled out - because it's so much easier to get further help if you know that it's not definitely X or Y. You said it was clear, but what specifically did it rule out? Because then people can offer advice on other questions to ask and things to consider.

Honestly I am not being an arsehole. I'm having lots of investigations at the moment because something is affecting my breathing and it's not certain if it's my heart or my sinuses - so I'm having plenty of blood tests, x-rays, trials on certain drugs - mainly to rule stuff out so that they can get to the bottom of it.

OP, I’ve learnt the hard way never to ignore a backache. I’d ring 999 now. If I were you, I’d ask for a full cardio vascular investigation.

Why would you go to A&E? You’ve been urgently assessed tonight and no red flags. You do need seeing, but not in A&E.

You say yourself the back pain is much better than it was at the weekend - reduced from 5 hours of pain to 2 x15 minute episodes.

You also say you have burning in your stomach and nausea. Have you tried any gaviscon or over the counter remedies? Burning may well be gastritis/reflux/oesophagitis so stop the ibuprofen and try some gaviscon. Put a heat pack on your back and phone the GP surgery again tomorrow. I assume urgent care gave some safety netting advice as to what symptoms should prompt an urgent reassessment?

im not sure how the tests they did could see whether it was gallstones. I think you need a scan for that? thats how they found mine

do you mind me asking what your problem turned out ot be?

They didn’t actually say, they just told me in passing as I was entering the treatment room that it came back clear and I wasn’t pregnant

I at least want to know what caused that 5 hour episode! I’m scared it will happen again, and it was really quite concerning tbh! I have taken rennies which havent done anything. They did not say about any symptoms prompting urgent care.

I have been getting heart palpitations recently but I have thought they were linked to my anxiety

Can you contact them and get your results? I get why if you were in pain you didn't ask at the time, but honestly it will help the next stage of diagnosis.

But A&E isn’t there to tell you what caused an episode of pain two days ago. And to be honest they won’t do the tests you need in A&E if it can safely be done routinely. I absolutely agree you need some investigations but they are most appropriately organised by your GP. Unless things change and become an emergency (eg persistent severe pain, fever, Jaundice, vomiting … )

And set expectations - some people have pain and never know why. Could be gallstones but could equally have been a muscle spasm (can cause horrendous pain) or trapped wind (not unusual for people to think they’re having a heart attack only to find out it’s trapped wind), these are two examples of things that cannot be reliably diagnosed retrospectively.

I would make a GP appointment for this if it was me . Can you get one fairly soon at your practice ? If they think it's necessary they will examine you, do bloods etc . I have slight health anxiety so know how you feel !

This is a really good post and probably comes across nicer than me! You've phrased this very well and it's also true that A&E have few diagnostic abilities other than those required to keep people alive.

I didn't mean to sound brusque at all but I've been undergoing so many tests since December and it's my job as a patient to be clear on what I am being told, what the results mean, what the next steps are, etc. Then I can work with really well-trained people to get to the bottom of it. And fair play to the health service where I am, everyone has been wonderful and also regretful that stuff is taking some time, but if you meet people halfway with the relevant information they really do want to help you, it's the other side of patient-centred care.

My god people op has repeatedly told you all how anxious she is. She has said the pain is significantly better and she has took the dog out for a walk. She has seen a dr who isn't concerned yet she has been told about 20 different diagnosis on here, told to ring an ambulance and told to go to a&e. Op ring your gp or fill in an econsult tomorrow morning as soon as they open and make it clear you need an emergency appointment and what its for. Obviously if anything significantly changes or becomes serious absolutely go to a&e but you know that.

No, I just couldn’t find anything when I looked it up originally except kidney infections or kidney stones, which have now been cleared out of the equation, so I was hoping someone would have some other ideas of what it could be? No need to be so rude

This op listen to this poster

My mum died died of aortic dissection after her symptoms were dismissed as back ache. And her symptoms were very similar to OP. Very funny, isn’t it, brainbox?

OP, please call 999 now and get yourself checked out properly

trying to self diagnose is precisely why GPs despair of the internet
"rude" is becuase you need plain speaking to otherwise you will keep on your hobbyhorse (in pain presumably)

This was my thought exactly on reading the symptoms.

OP I would honestly consider a trip to A&E - you need a ultrasound to rule out the possibility of an issue with your aorta.

It's unlikely but not impossible as this post shows and better to be over cautious than leave it too late.

As awful as this is if you said this to everyone who had backache people who genuinely needed emergency ambulances wouldn't recieve them. I know someone who died from a brain aneurysm it doesn't mean I should advise every person with a headache to dial 999. I had a pulmonary embolism it started as leg ache but lots of people have leg ache for a million different reasons they don't all need ambulances im not trying to be mean and I can completely understand where you're coming from but its not realistic.

Nurse here! I think if the pain is still there tomorrow you should maybe go to A+E, it’s worrying it came on suddenly on Sunday and hasn’t gone away. Your initial post made me think of Kidney stones or Gallstones. Did they dip your urine? (Sorry may have missed that!) in saying that I reckon you would have been sicker by now had it been gallstones, a kidney stone on the other hand may have passed. Any other symptoms?

follow up - sorry I have just seen they ruled out a kidney stone. How are you feeling now OP? I don’t think a+e would think you were wasting their time - you need bloods done and an ultrasound to rule out anything serious.