Dh having numerous falls

[kitsonkittykat]

Dh wont go to the doctors. He has had numerous falls over the last 4 months, both off his bikes and also just walking on the flat and down stairs. In the last month he has come off his bike twice, and fallen down stairs once, and on the flat 3 times that I know of. He is in his mid 30s.

Right now he has horrible bruising on his ribs and his hand/wrist. Im really worried about him, and he won't go to the doctors. He said he is just tired from working (long hours but not physical work).

What could be causing all these falls and should I be pushing him to go to the GP?

[CuriousMama]

You poor poor love Big {{{hug}}} for you x

[kitsonkittykat]

Thumb, Im glad you mentioned it, as I probably needed a kick up the arse to get him to the doctor. Thank you! No need to say sorry!

Im going to stop scaring myself with google and try and write down exactly what im going to say to the doc.

He says he has no pain in his legs or back, but I think Ill tell the doctor that he is unlikely to admit to pain, headaches or anything else apart from the bruising and swelling and possibly that the falls are unusual.

[lisad123]

Hope you get answers soon

[Thumbwitch]

I hope it gets resolved soon as well. Do describe his falls as you have seen them to the doc as well - how the falls occur will make a big difference to the doc's assessment.

[kitsonkittykat]

I managed to get him an appointment on Monday. The surgery doesnt seem to think its an emergency. I think Im just glad Ive persuaded him to go.

[CuriousMama]

Thank God for that. Keep us updated

[cocolepew]

Yes, do keep us updated take care.

[kitsonkittykat]

Thank you. Im really worried to be honest. If I had my way he would go to A and E right away. I just feel like now I have got him moving we should go right away. He has a new bruise on his leg. I wish he would just stay put until we have this sorted. At least put his bike away!

[CuriousMama]

Yes I'd take him to A&E too. I think the surgery are wrong but that's just my opinion?

[CuriousMama]

Can you ring nhs direct? I suppose you've looked on here?

[cocolepew]

I would take him to A&E as well, when he sees the dr he will need referred and everything takes so bloody long!

I hope you can convince him to go.

[CuriousMama]

Yes I agree with cocolepew, it'll only take more time.

[cocolepew]

My friends husband had a 'funny turn' and fell She took him straight to hospital and he was admitted for tests. They told her he could gave been waiting for months if she went through her dr. It depends on the GPs take on it. Some might decide it isnt urgent, but I dont think that they are in the position to decide.

[kitsonkittykat]

Im going to see if I can persuade him, without scaring him off. He will need that wrist xrayed anyway, its very swollen and bruised. He is clearly in pain. If I can get him to go right away telling him he is wasting the GP's time, then I can have a quiet word with them about the falls. Really thank you. Its so hard to convince him (and me) that its not an overreaction.

[SquirtedPerfumeUpNoseInBoots]

An ex-colleague of mine started doing this suddenly. Turned out he has some sort of virus which was easily treated with anti-biotics.

Although it wasnt as simple as that sounds, there were all sorts of tests and hospital stays, but hopefully it might reassure you that it needn't be anything too serious.

[swooosh]

I'm in the medical line of work...I would push for A+E. GP is all well and good but going via A+E can get you access to scans and referrals a LOT quicker.

Fingers crossed for you, OP.

[cocolepew]

You're not overreacting, have you seen some of the nonsense people go to A&E with? I went a few months ago, turned out to be a burst ovarian cyst, I was in agony and vomiting. A woman shouted at me and the nurse who came out to see me, that she was there first. She had a splinter in her finger .

[FarloRigel]

I agree, A&E today and use the wrist as the reason for rushing him in. I work in medical imaging and not all wrist fractures have you screaming in pain but it does need looked at. Tell him that if you need more persuasion and once you have him there make sure they get the full picture. Good luck, hope he agrees to go in and you get a nice easy minor cause for it all.

[kitsonkittykat]

He's been to A&E, and has a broken wrist. He promised me he would tell them about the falls, but when he came back he said that they just told him to "take more care" and not to worry, which is total rubbish. Of course they didn't say that! Im going to the GP to have a chat without him.

[Rosa]

Keep the gp apt and go anyway, he obviously diddn't tell them anything or they would have done further tests. You know it and we know it he is being very silly.

[kitsonkittykat]

I am going on Monday, but dont think they can do much if he is refusing, can they? I totally agree he didn't tell them.

[Thumbwitch]

Yep, he utterly lied to you - no way he told them anything sensible. He may have said "I've just had a few falls recently, nothing much" - but no way did he tell them what's really going on. Good luck at the GP.

I know you said you've already tried to guilt-trip him without success, but if he persists in refusing to get this addressed, I would be tempted to go for the serious hardline "Do you want to be around to see your children grow up?" I know it's shit - but he has to see that some of the possibilities of whatever is causing his falls, are actually serious enough that he might not be around. He HAS to take that on board - however scary it is. EQUALLY it might be something very easily treatable, but he's still putting his life at risk by not addressing it (a broken wrist, not so bad, but suppose he fell off his bike/down the stairs and broke his neck?!)

I get irritated by my own DH's hypochondria but I'd take that 100x over someone refusing to get help for something that could be serious. :(

[Justfeckingdoit]

My mum had a lot of falls before being diagnosed with MS, he needs to get checked out.

Hope it all turns out OK.

[juneau]

Surely it could be something as simple as a problem with his inner ear - that affects balance and can be treated. I think I might also say to him that ignoring it - whatever it is - isn't going to make things better in the long run. Even if it's something serious (and let's hope it isn't), getting treatment NOW could make all the difference in the long run. Conditions left untreated are likely to become more serious with time and that can limit treatment options.

[kitsonkittykat]

Ill push, and go to the GP on Monday, see if they can help at all. Thanks for the advice.