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Original poster

do you mind if i ofload? i've had a shitter of a day

101 replies

Tortington · 07/02/2007 14:26

my son has sever stomach pains - it's been going on for 4 weeks. i have seen the gp 3 times in those 4 weeks.

1st time they said it was constipation - he's not a good pooer! he was given a laxative.

this gave him diahorrea. he was frightened of crapping himself at school.

stomach pains conintinued. i took him back to doctors who said it was probably too much laxative and to stop ( i already had) and it weould right itself.

it didn't. i went back yesterday and he gave a urine sample and an appointment for today for a blood sample to be taken.

again i o today to doctors nurse takes a blood sample. come home - he is shouting in pain. i take him to hospital.

we wait for 3.4 of an hour the nurse says she has made another appt with gp with afternoon at 4.40 as he is under the care of the gp i cant bypass the system.

you would think i would be good in these situations and be forthright and assertive. i am however the opposite and instead of saying "please help me my son is in so much pain he can hardly walk" i just nodded and we left.

i have bought more painkillers. but i am reluctant to give them to him until he is desperate becuase i can't keep medicating him with paracetemol over a long period of time, i'm afraid i may cause his liver some damage.

the stomach pains keep him up at night and he is becoming phobic about food becuase of the pain it causes when it digests.

i just cried in the car driving home.

on top of that.

got aphone call from my uncle. My nan (87) is very ill again and wants to go to hospital to die.

i phoned her and she said the same thing to me. she sounds very odd. i am 300 miles away. i went up only 2 weeks ago becuase she was admitted to hospital (bels palsey it turned out)

i work full time and i am finding it increasingly difficult to juggle everything.

i had 4 weeks off with depression due to circumstances i can't go into. its the end of the financial year - so i have no holidays left.

i had just got back from sickleave when nan becuase ill. and i had to go up north.

now i have a major piece of work to do at work - and i am using all tactics to get time off to get to doctors with my son who is 13 yo btw.

i don't want to not see my nan before she dies. she brought me up - i can't tell you how much she means to me. i will need to use compasionate leave when she dies to help sort things out. so that avenue is closed.

i think i will see what this evening brings in relation to son status & nan hospital dying status.and then what this weekend brings. try and sort out my workload for next week. work like a good'un to get things done. and see if i can get a long weekend up north the weekend after. Where i am always putting on people - so someone has to put me up etc.

thanks for listening, i feel useless

OP posts:
bundle · 07/02/2007 15:05

i really wouldn't bother with nhs direct

Original poster
Tortington · 07/02/2007 15:09

know tey are alluding to appendicitis - but the pain is all over.

OP posts:
Original poster
Tortington · 07/02/2007 15:10

should i tell them about eldest son appendicitis? is it like congenital or something? nah!? is it?

OP posts:
winterpimms · 07/02/2007 15:13

Sorry you're having such a crappy day.

Could your ds be suffering from stomach migraine.

My friend's ds has had these and he was crying out in pain

Rhubarb · 07/02/2007 15:15

Nah. It's a problem as stomach pains are really hard to diagnose and you think of appendicitus. When did they take the tests? Had they taken any previously? If it was something internal would it show up in the tests?

If he is still in pain when he wakes up, take him again and demand to be seen. You've paid your national insurance and you've a right to hospital treatment.

Bink · 07/02/2007 15:16

The focussed lower-right, or wherever it's meant to be, pain is more typical of adults (or when appendicitis far advanced ). My tummy aches were all over too AND I never had a fever, which was another thing that meant they thought it wasn't appendicitis.

The only surefire test back then was something gruesome with a bottom and a finger. Maybe they can do ultrasounds or something now.

bundle · 07/02/2007 15:18

no not congenital but will give you extra "clout" imo with dr (a friend whose daughter had meningitis always gets into see dr quickly...) and may sew seed that Something's Actually Wrong (noshitsherlock)

bundle · 07/02/2007 15:19

they can do ultrasound. daughter of woman i was working with last week had one - afterwards they thought it could be anxiety (school) related or even pre-period pain (she's 12, hasn't started but could be ovulation gearing up...obv not issue with your son )

Flamesparrow · 07/02/2007 15:23

They gave my sister the finger treatment yesterday... wonder why she didn't get ultrasounded!!

jalopy · 07/02/2007 15:23

Blimey, Custy. How awful for you. What sort of pain does he have now? Are they like spasms? Any temp? Normal poos? Any other symptoms apart from pain?

Sorry to hear about your nan. At least your aunt is around to deal with her at the mo.

bundle · 07/02/2007 15:24

the ultrasound was done privately, on insurance..

ItsMeMellowma · 07/02/2007 15:24

Sorry you are having a shitty day.

I do hope that you get somewhere with NHS direct and hopefully your nan is just feeling a bit down with the weather etc and having a wee moan, my nan is a bit depressed too atm... its the cold weather, it gets to everyone...

Rhubarb · 07/02/2007 15:25

Custy, perhaps you could do a bit of online shopping for your nan? Get her some treats delivered?

jangly · 07/02/2007 15:26

My DH had his appenidix out at age 8. At age 8, sure enough my eldest DD had to have hers out! Coincidence, or a family trait? DD had lots of "tummy bugs" which culminated over several years in severe appendicitis with peritonitis. Deffo tell them about his brother. Hope it gets sorted soon.

Original poster
Tortington · 07/02/2007 15:33

nhs just told me to see doctor.

will put foot down with firm had when i go to doctors.

OP posts:
Iklboo · 07/02/2007 15:38

Symptoms of appedicitis for me were - pain right across tummy, finally settling in lower right hand side, constipation (rabbit poo) nausea, no appetite, very low fever. Mine 'grumbled' from being about 14 till I finally had them out when I was 28.

Custy - was wondering if you could afford to send your nan a bunch of flowers (even if you have to ring local florist or Asda) with "thinking of you" etc - it might cheer her up

Original poster
Tortington · 07/02/2007 15:40

is ent her a poem in a lovely frame, she recieved it today.

have ordered her a large print instpector lindley book from amazon. which sould get to her next week.

but thanks for suggestions.

OP posts:
Rhubarb · 07/02/2007 15:41

Some talking tapes might help too. What kind of thing does she read? Would she listen to talking tapes?

Rhubarb · 07/02/2007 15:42

Oh I got your poem - it was lovely!

UCM · 07/02/2007 15:45

Cust, you are human, it's ok to feel so down. I hope your Nan is ok and that your son feels better.
xxx

Original poster
Tortington · 07/02/2007 22:15

they admittd my son to hospital - gave him some gavisgon and something else digestive related
asked me the same questions the other 4 doctors did and are only keeping him in for his high blood presssure
they havent done any tests apart from blood and urine which were fine.

this has been going on for 4 weeks

ami being unreasonable to demand some tests tomorrow when presumabley his blood pressure comes down?

i just cant see how this doctor by feeling his stomach can say its gastritis - is she the genius that the medical profession forgot - or does she have some phycic ability?

i think i might demand second opinions an other obnoxious things that doctors sigh at.

what do you think?

its been going on for 4 weeks, he hardly eats and he's not sleeping - hes screeming in pain and they havent done anything apart from ask him to piss in a pot and a blood sample.

OP posts:
oliveoil · 07/02/2007 22:25

you know your son custy, go and kick ass

can I help, being up this way?

sorry you have had such a shitty day

xx

oliveoil · 07/02/2007 22:36

dh is giving me the eyeball for the computer (tsk) will be back on tomorrow at work, let me know if I can help

have a good nights sleep

xx

tatt · 07/02/2007 22:43

feeling the stomach is a traditional test for appendicitis because the stomach often goes brick hard with that - but not always. They ought to be doing urine samples to check for possible infection/ stones. Don't know what the blood is for.

Definitely demand a second opinion. Tell them politely you know abdominal pain is difficult to diagnose so you'd like to get several brains thinking about it.

Make sure he gets lots of water to drink for the constipation.

Think about a diary of what he's eating. Could have ibs and that's often wheat/dairy intolerance.

At 87 maybe your nan does want to die. Think of what she wants not how much you would miss her. You have seen her not long ago, she knows you love her, she shouldn't have to suffer if she doesn't want to because you'll miss her. But she won't die unless it's her time to go, the NHS doesn't just kill people off (MRSA excepted). Your son should be your priority now.

mummytosteven · 07/02/2007 22:47

sorry your son is unwell, definitely you are right to be pushing for more tests/2nd opinions etc, with your son being so much discomfort.