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Original poster

Scared to attend A&E for non covid reason

38 replies

Axlcat · 04/05/2020 19:05

I’ve developed of all things an abscess Sad and have had antibiotics since Saturday which have helped a little bit but told give it another 24 hrs and if not improved I’ll need to go to A&E to get it sorted. I’m so scared - I’m in London in one of the worst boroughs for covid and have a health condition which means I could really do without getting it.

Any words of advice on protecting myself or any recent experiences of A&E for non covid reasons? Apologies if I’ve posted this in the wrong place.

OP posts:
DownWhichOfLate · 04/05/2020 20:08

Can you phone ahead? There may be a separate entrance for non-covid?

Sadie789 · 04/05/2020 20:11

Go!

My SIL is a nurse and she’s heard horror stories about people dying from abscesses and burst appendixes and various other ailments that people would commonly present at A&E with but now aren’t and are either leaving it too late or not going at all and dying at home.

If you’re ill and it genuinely warrants emergency attention you MUST go.

Hairdowntohisknees · 04/05/2020 20:12

They will have procedures in place to keep you as safe as possible.

SimplySteveRedux · 04/05/2020 20:16

In a similar quandary. I've a problem with my bile ducts that causes excruciating pain, I've been doubled over all weekend refusing to go to A&E, only Morphine touches the pain.

Ginfilledcats · 04/05/2020 20:16

I manage an A&E dept. It's very clearly signposted where to go with covid like symptoms (red zone) and other ailments sign posted to the green zone. Very desperate areas and staff. I'd go and wouldn't worry.
You can get quite ill from untreated abscess

Callybrid · 04/05/2020 20:23

I took my 4yo to AandE with a knock to the head two weeks ago - not London but a large city and busy hospital. They were ready with masks for both of us, then showed us to a cleaned room before we were seen by a nurse in PPE. We didn’t have to touch any people or surfaces or wait in a waiting room with anyone else and it was a really calm and quick experience.

But definitely phone ahead as your particular hospital can advise you what to do and how it will work there.

Original poster
Axlcat · 04/05/2020 20:32

Will go in the morning. These horror stories of dying from an abscess have made me too frightened to sleep now! I don’t have a temperature and am on antibiotics- GP said at lunchtime today to give it 24 hrs. Someone tell me I’ll be ok until morning!!

OP posts:
Ginfilledcats · 04/05/2020 20:37

If you can wait til morning one would argue you don't need A and E as it's neither an accident nor an emergency. Go to a walk in centre or try and see a GP instead.

cologne4711 · 04/05/2020 20:40

Blimey people! You are far more likely to die of other things than you are from covid-19! Go to A&E!

Imapotato · 04/05/2020 20:43

Suspected covid patients won’t be sat in the normal A&E with everyone else.

We’re a relatively small trust and we have hot and cold A&Es. Big trusts will have even better provision.

If you feel you can wait until the morning, then wait and call your gp. If you feel it’s needs to be seen urgently, then go to A&E now. So many people are leaving things such a long time to come in as they are scared of covid that their illnesses are much more serious than they’d have been if they’d have come in when they should have.

twinnywinny14 · 04/05/2020 20:43

I had an abscess and my GP dealt with it, so worth phoning them instead. I wouldn’t go to A&E with a new abscess personally, but I wouldn’t have before Coronavirus either

Original poster
Axlcat · 04/05/2020 20:44

@Ginfilledcats super helpful thanks. Are you a GP? No thought not. My GP has advised me to wait 24 hours and go to A and E. I specifically asked if they should be bothered with it. She said that is where I need to go to get it sorted.

OP posts:
UncomfortableBadger · 04/05/2020 20:44

Literally just home from taking DH to the minor injuries unit (daft bugger has given himself bursitis which has got badly infected). He was literally the only person there and was in and out within 15 minutes, antibiotics in hand - we didn’t even have to go via the pharmacy. He went in wearing his own face mask and gloves, but all the staff wore PPE anyway and they took his temperature as he entered the building. All very sensible & reassuring.

dappledsunshine · 04/05/2020 20:45

Dh had to go to A&E last week for non-covid related reasons. He had fantastic treatment, in and out really quickly, non covid areas were very clearly separated from the covid areas and it was much quieter the usual.

If you need to go in the morning please do, the staff will do all they can to keep you safe.

Original poster
Axlcat · 04/05/2020 20:46

Everyone advising GP. Please see OP. I have spoken to my GP. Care is different depending on where you are in the country, in my borough I’ve been told A and E is where I need to go. I a, the last person on earth to waste the time and resources of the NHS.

OP posts:
Original poster
Axlcat · 04/05/2020 20:47

Thanks @dappledsunshine and @uncomfortablebadger that’s reassuring

OP posts:
Chillipeanuts · 04/05/2020 20:48

Please go. Our group practice has become impressively efficient very quickly. A hospital will have even tighter procedures in place.
Not to scare you, but my older brother ended up unbelievably ill from an infection resulting from a tooth abscess. Weeks (really) in an induced coma and facial surgery.
Go!

Willow2017 · 04/05/2020 20:50

If you can wait til morning one would argue you don't need A and E as it's neither an accident nor an emergency. Go to a walk in centre or try and see a GP instead.

Did you miss the bit where her Gp told her to go to A&E?
Abscesses can cause very serious infections which can overwhelm the immune system. Especially if op has other health conditions.

All this just go to gp, walk in centres etc. Our local HCs are phone calls only. We dont have a walk in centre for 40 miles same for our 'local' A&E. Not everywhere is the same!

Ginfilledcats · 04/05/2020 20:50

No not a GP, just a mere manager. But I second what others have said, a&e is super quiet at the moment as all the unnecessary attendances have stopped (though so too have the necessary due to fears of Covid) so you'll be in and out quickly I'd imagine.

Hmm interesting that GP has advised to wait, but they are the medical professional not I so wouldn't like to contradict their advice. However general rule of thumb is is you can put off attending A&E then it's the wrong place to go. But seeing how you've seen a GP, if you want to try and wait then do so based on their advice.

My place is usually super quiet at 7-9am. Had 2 pts in A&E at 8am this morning. Neither of them Covid. Normally would have at least 25-30 at that time. At least

Ginfilledcats · 04/05/2020 20:52

@willow2017 yeah I did miss the bit saying she had been to GP, have corrected in my latest post.

Willow2017 · 04/05/2020 20:53

twinnywinny14
Her gp has dealt with it he told op to go to A&E if it wasnt better tomorrow. Its in the first paragraph of the op!.

KeepWashingThoseHands · 04/05/2020 20:56

GO TO A&E.

You have been told to do so and hospitals have a system for COVID and non-COVID patients. It's a risk but so is the supermarket and it's also a hospital who know what they're doing.

GO!

Hope you feel better soon Smile

FlaskMaster · 04/05/2020 20:59

It's fine. It's much quieter than usual. The vivid patients are directed to a specific place and don't go into the general a&e area. Everyone is separated and it's a much quicker and nicer experience than normal atm, imo.

georgialondon · 04/05/2020 21:01

They are empty. Just go

KindnessCrusader · 04/05/2020 21:10

I ended up in A&E yesterday. Everyone was wearing a mask (patients and staff) and it was so speedy because there were much fewer people in than normal.
Honestly, I was terrified and cried when the paramedics said I needed to go in but it was not nearly as bad as I thought.