A&E refusing to give more than paracetamol when I’m in horrific pain

[Wonderingmummy]

I found out I’ve got gallstones, I need it out but I’ve been put on a waiting list. I’ve also just had a baby which can apparently trigger the attacks.

I had an attack 4 days ago, called 999. The worst pain I’ve ever been in, rolling around the floor at hospital. They refused to give me any more than paracetamol and I was just left to it. 6 hours later, it passed and I was told to go home.

I’m still thinking about it, and it’s annoyed me that more wasn’t done. Do you think I’m unreasonable to expect more? When the inevitable happens and I have another one, I already know my A&E will refuse to help and I want to advocate for myself better.

If you don’t like the service the nhs offer then get your purse out and go private

Ouch, you poor thing. I had similar when I had a miscarriage and was heamorrhaging. I'd already taken paracetamol at home so they said I couldn't have anything else for 4 hours. Then they gave me co codamol which barely touched the sides. Pain was horrendous, worse than labour with ds1 the year after.

I was given morphine when I attended a&e with gallstone attack and then prescription for cocodomol

Only on mumsnet could people make out someone having the most painful medical emergency is unreasonable for a attending a&e and expecting adequate pain relief

There are no private A and Es!

It took a year from my ultrasound to having my gallbladder out last week.

The attacks are awful and you literally have to wait for the gallstone to move to stop the pain.

Go to your pharmacy and stock up on 400mg ibuprofen, co-codamol, rennies Windeez and pepto bismol.

I was taken in an ambulance on NYE and offered morphine or gas and air, I chose gas and air….i was lucky to go private and had it out a month later. The pain was so severe I didn’t eat an ounce of fat for that month in case I had another. I hope you get your op soon!

There are many people who take themselves off to A+E rolling in agony demanding morphine for very nebulous reasons. I’m assuming that as you say you were rolling about on the floor you hadn’t actually been admitted or seen by a doctor?

I’m always willing to believe poor care in A&E but i consented after reading nice guidance. I also think paracetamol is very underrated and misunderstood.

Wow. Are you always this compassionate?

Are we saying opioid abusers are giving themselves gall stones so they can get opioids? Is that even possible?!

Or are we saying that suspected opioid abusers shouldn’t have pain relief even if they do genuinely have naturally occurring gallstones?

Also YANBU. This is why I never thrown out my old morphine.

I was prescribed liquid morphine to take at home for when I had flare ups whilst waiting for my surgery.

It is the truth, do people really think it happens because they were dared too or are bored?

Because you can bloody die of pancreatitis! I thought I was going to die after going to A&E and drifting in and out of consciousness. Didn't help that they told me it could get even worse before it got better and they asked if they could phone anyone. Admitted to a ward for 10 days on oramorph before going home and waiting about three weeks to have gall bladder removed. I wouldn't wish the pain on my worst enemy. Someone above mentioned not eating any fats at all until the operation and this is good advice.

My nephew was just discharged with it after getting tonsils out

It's not true. Waiting lists have not increased because of WLI's. Gallbladder removal is higher but that has not been confirmed to be due to WLI's either. In any case, it is the weight loss itself that may cause the issues, not the jabs. Anyone who loses alot of weight has an increased risk.

Yeah, I totally agree. I had four miscarriages - every one was just as painful as labour, because the contractions were exactly the same!

Indeed there are, but if you aren’t a “frequent flier” most A&Es will give you relevant medication for your pain level. AFTER you’ve been seen by a Dr. And yes, they do literally leave you rolling around on the floor before you see the Dr/get given anything.

Unless you ask for something stronger but yeah it’s ridiculous and you shouldn’t have to ask for something more

Came on to say this too 😂

I came into a&e screaming, wailing and doubling over literally unable to walk, barely able to form a sentence through my screams of agony, from a botched NHS abortion. I didn't wait in the queue at all and they put me on gas and air and IV morphine immediately. I wasn't hamming up the drama or anything like that, I really was begging the doctors to kill me it was so fkn bad.

I guess the squeaky wheel gets the grease....

Because the pain is so bad that people think they are dying ffs!

Really, they put a pain relief up my butt - no idea what it was but it definitely wasn't paracetamol

Not in my case, I was in my 50s, heathy, fit, not overweight, teetotal etc.