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Original poster

RANT! On WHAT planet should a child 5 days post OP go and sit in A&E?

25 replies

QuintessentialShadow · 25/01/2008 13:50

My son had a tonsillectomy on monday, we were given a pink slip to take his GP if we required more Codeine for pain relief. I had some spillage, the bottle is nearly empty (I have not exceeded dose), so my husband take the form to the GP, who ring me back and say

sorry, we dont prescribe this particular painrelife to children, contact hospital.

ok, I called the hospital

sorry, the child has been released back into the care of the GP.

I call the GP back.

sorry, the doctor is adamant, you will have to bring the child in and wait for an apointment or go to A&E.

?????

Why am I keeping him home, and away from school and crowded places for 2 weeks to avoid colds and viruses and bugs, if he should go and wait at either the doctors office or A&E just to get more painrelief???

OP posts:
Weegle · 25/01/2008 13:58

Probably not the "right" answer but I would wait until 6.30pm tonight and ring out of hours doc, speak to someone else and see if you can go and pick up a prescription for him that way - without him having to go with you. Make out you literally just spilt it.

Not great advice, but that's what I would try given your GP isn't being very helpful.

Original poster
QuintessentialShadow · 25/01/2008 14:01

Maybe I could try that.

The doctor said she had written a note of my request on my sons note, so no other doctor at the surgery would be able to prescribe it so as not to overrun her decision, so no point asking to speak to another doctor.

I just burst out crying and hung up.

Of all the issues, I should just be happy we are soon leaving this place.

OP posts:
lulalullabye · 25/01/2008 14:02

call childrens ward he was on and ask their advice. They can talk to the docs on call, or the ent surgeons who did it for you.

Explain what has happened and be addamant that you are not going to bring him to hospital, it should work.

lulalullabye · 25/01/2008 14:04

p.s, was this the doctors receptionist, or an actual dr ? Maybe if receptionist you could also ask to speak to a gp.

Original poster
QuintessentialShadow · 25/01/2008 14:07

It was the receptionist, she said to speak to a gp i would have to bring the child in. The surgery has no parking space (they promote "clean city" and advice patients to cycle to the doctors). Nearest parking is 10 minutes walk away on metered parking in the residential streets nearby, or 20 minute walk away at the shopping centre. This is why I sent my husband by bike.
Talking to these people are like talking to brick walls.

OP posts:
lulalullabye · 25/01/2008 14:08

ring the childrens wadr, I think thats your best bet.

cupsoftea · 25/01/2008 14:08

could a pharmacist call the gp or hospital?

Twiglett · 25/01/2008 14:09

can you give him nurofen or calpol in the meantime though?

lulalullabye · 25/01/2008 14:10

Just thinking, if I was at work(A&E) and a parent rang up and explained this problem to me, I would try and sort it out. Where do you live, do they have a childrens A&E ?

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 25/01/2008 14:15

Could someone else go to A&E for you? I don't get why your son has to be there.

Blandmum · 25/01/2008 14:17

They will not give codeine without seeing the patient. It is an opaite, and they have to be very careful about its dispensing.

colditz · 25/01/2008 14:20

Ask to go on the gp's call back list?

Original poster
QuintessentialShadow · 25/01/2008 14:20

I just spoke to paediatric day surgery unit, they said he should be fine on nurofen and calpol (which he is on in addition to the codein poor mite), he might have one bad pain day during tomorrow but we should see some change during sunday. Fingers crossed, and thanks all.

OP posts:
Psychomum5 · 25/01/2008 14:21

not medically trained at all, but 3 of my 5 kiddies have had their tonsils out, and all they were goven for pain relief was nurofen and calpol, so if you have that in, can you not use that instead???

DS1 even had a bad bleed after, and still was not given stronger, altho I think he could have done with something more TBH!

I now this doesn;t help the justified rant and shock and your docs and A&E, but it might help your son until you can work meds out.

stleger · 25/01/2008 14:22

Ring the ward might help? My dd had a knee op on Monday (she is on paracetamol now), they advised me yesterday on how to wash her, and what to do if dressings get wet. Or ring a local pharmacy for advice.

Psychomum5 · 25/01/2008 14:22

ah, crossed posts!

missorinoco · 25/01/2008 14:22

call ward. explain problem. if you do so soonish and they can help they will be able to order it up from pharmacy (or call your gp and tell them to fix it)

Original poster
QuintessentialShadow · 25/01/2008 14:25

Psychomum, I think it really differs from child to child and the op.

Because it is the throat, he has problems eating and chewing, he has referral pain to his ears, and his tongue is numb-ish still.

When he had his appendix out two years ago, which was major abdominal surgery, he was on calpol only after just a few days.

He is just more in pain this time.

OP posts:
Original poster
QuintessentialShadow · 25/01/2008 14:26

Sorry, that was to stleger.

He is already on both calpol and nurofen anyway.

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Psychomum5 · 25/01/2008 14:28

I get ya.

poor mite tho, and still, you are very justified and the idiotic receptionist at your docs.

also, why on earth is the parking so far away???

insanity.....when you need a doc, tis normally cos you are ill. walking that far is surely not helpful??
I know also when taking my DC's in, I have often had to carry them. I would break in half trying to carry them that far!

Freckle · 25/01/2008 14:28

We had this when DS1 had an operation. There were complications so I contacted the ward where the operation had been carried out only to be told to take him to A&E. I was disgusted at being fobbed off but they wouldn't budge and that's what I had to do.

I wrote a very strong letter of complaint and received a rather bland response, but there's nothing more I can do about it.

Psychomum5 · 25/01/2008 14:29

oh, but still get ya

Original poster
QuintessentialShadow · 25/01/2008 14:36

The thing is, had the receptionist said that the doctor cannot prescribing this particular painrelief without seing the patient, in the first place, I would have accpeted it. I think she handled it extremely poorly.

OP posts:
deepbreath · 25/01/2008 23:13

This might be a little late coming (sorry!)
I spilt the last half bottle of my dd's beta blockers that she takes for a heart condition just before Christmas

We have problems getting this medicine anyway, as it isn't usually prescribed for children. You can imagine the ensuing panic when I realised that she could be without medicine for several days!

I rang NHS direct for advice. They got the local out of hours doctor to call me, and he wrote out 2 prescriptions that I had to collect. One for the medication in tablet form (as all pharmacies would have this in stock), and another for the liquid form that she usually has.

If your ds isn't coping, I'd recommend that you try the same. They might even visit and give him something if he's in considerable pain... I had my tonsils out aged 16 and was on codeine too, as the pain can be awful if you're unlucky.

Original poster
QuintessentialShadow · 26/01/2008 00:12

Thank you deepbreath, I shall have that in mind for tomorrow when we run out.

How terrible for you with your dd and her meds. How are you doing?

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