Waiting in A & E

[Iknowtheanswer]

Covid 4 weeks ago, mild but my asthma started to flare up a couple of weeks ago. Ended up phoning the GP this morning, thinking I'd need steroids.

Half an hour wait on phone, but the GP called back, said she wasn't happy, could I come in...

Straight into GP, she said my Oxygen levels were all over the place 87% to 97%.she's worried about clots.. So she sent me to a & e.

So far, I've been here 90 mins, and seen a very grumpy triage nurse who said my levels were 100%.

Can't tell my DH, because he's suicidal at the moment.

So thought I'd tell Mumsnet!

Still think I just need steroids... I'd rather be at work!

I hope you're seen soon and feeling better soon too

Poor you! Hope you get seen and sorted soon.!

best get checked, I hope you are sent home soon. Sorry to hear of your DH, that sounds tough

I know MN can be funny & hard to read intent in a poster's words, but do you really mean your DH is suicidal @Iknowtheanswer, is he getting support?

I was there 7 hours the other week before I was seen. I had been discarded from hospital4 days before so they knew it was serious.

Yes, he was diagnosed with severe depression last year, had 18 weeks of counselling and stabilised. But he's very wobbly, and on the edge again at the moment. He's also just had covid.

He's like those comedians you read about - life and soul of every party, but struggles hugely underneath.

I just don't want to give him anything to worry about, because he'll go into panic mode

I'm hoping I'll be done before I normally finish work

Hope you’re ok

Hope you get seen and sorted soon sorry to hear about your dh that sounds tough

Surely your GP’s oxygen reader was a bit dodge. They do fluctuate but then settle.. you’d be struggling to breathe with 87, not just walking in off the street! Did she leave you to sit with it on for 5 mins to get an at rest reading if it was jumping? I learnt in hospital the other week that nail polish affects the readings?! I never knew that..

Hope you are OK OP, A&E is the worst!

I did wonder about the reading, but to be fair my home levels are fluctuating too. It feels a bit like asthma, but not exactly. If I walk or talk, I'm feeling very lightheaded and short of oxygen, but my chest isn't tight.

If you have asthma, it's like the lack of oxygen, but without the wheeze.

Hope you are seen by the doctor soon OP. I expect they will check your oxygen levels again.

it must be very hard to not be able to share this with your husband. Hope he gets better too.

How stressful for you. Is there anyone else you can offload to? Obv MN is good for this. Hope you get sorted.

@Bobholll

Surely your GP’s oxygen reader was a bit dodge. They do fluctuate but then settle.. you’d be struggling to breathe with 87, not just walking in off the street! Did she leave you to sit with it on for 5 mins to get an at rest reading if it was jumping? I learnt in hospital the other week that nail polish affects the readings?! I never knew that..

Hope you are OK OP, A&E is the worst!

I think covid is different (if this is still covid) - there is an issue with 'happy hypoxia' where someone's oxygen levels can be scarily low without them experiencing breathlessness, and sometimes not realising until it's too late.

Which isn't to say the GP's meter couldn't be dodgy in this case, of course.

All done, finally. No clots (love the test, it's like a pregnancy test, so you get a clear result).

Antibiotics for a chest infection, and the lovely doctor was pissed off that the GP didn't pick it up instead of putting ideas of clots into my head!

I had blood clots in my lungs a month ago op still feel rubbish

Easy for A&A dr to comment on GP advice when he has the blood clot test result. Glad the GP referred you.

Glad they’re not worried about clots! Easy for the A&E doctor to say when they have done the test though. Hope you are feeling better soon and do keep an eye on your oxygen levels of you have a machine at home - sats dropping on exertion (which may be what your GP was picking up) can be an important sign somethings still not right.

Thanks all. I'm shattered, but now that I have been told that it's an infection, it clearly feels like an upper chest infection!

I get these at least once a year, after viral infections, as a result of the asthma, and so I'm amazed I didn't realise earlier. I just assumed I was still recovering from Covid. In hindsight, I've been going down hill for the last week.

I told DH once I'd got the all clear, so all well. Just waiting for the antibiotics to kick in.