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Original poster

I am so, so worried about ds, please can someone help me?

148 replies

theUrbanDryad · 23/02/2008 18:58

he hasn't been well for about 2 weeks. first he had a chest infection, plus cough, plus vomiting. the chest infection's gone but he's still vomiting, he can't seem to keep anything down. tonight, he vomited at about half 5, and his lunch and tea came up. he's just vomited again, which was his evening milk.

he's hardly got any fat left on him, i can see his ribs and spine. the gp won't entertain the idea that there's something wrong with his tummy.

is there anyone out there who can help me? i'm so worried.

OP posts:
yurt1 · 23/02/2008 19:58

ds2 had whooping cough. It lasted months. Aided greatly by lots of water to drink - esp at night when he woke retching with it.

TotalChaos · 23/02/2008 20:01

Hope that NHS Direct call back soon. Anchovy's advice re:small amounts to drink regularly sounds very sensible.

In general - the description of vomitty coughing fits does rather sound like my teenage experience of whooping cough...

Original poster
theUrbanDryad · 23/02/2008 20:04

they've still not phoned back...

OP posts:
yurt1 · 23/02/2008 20:11

There's a new strain of whoopingcough which I think is more common now. It's not protected against by vaccination (and has evolved because of it iyswim). The good news is it's milder than the original (it's the one ds1 had and he was nowhere near as bad as I remember my friend being with WC as a child). It's like the original so the retching/vomiting, but often there's no whoop. The main pain with it was that d2 woke every night between Oct and March with it to cough and retch and needed lots of water.

Homeopaths recommend drosera. You might not believe in it but it won't do any harm if you try it.

bellavita · 23/02/2008 20:11

Hope they phone back soon for you.

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 23/02/2008 20:12

Go to A&E.

We waited hours for them to ring us back when we thought DS1 had meningitis. In fact we are still waiting. I was 6 months pg with his sister at the time and she is 4.6 now.

shreddies · 23/02/2008 20:14

They should have rung you back by now. Ring them again, or phone your doctors surgery and see if there is a message on the answerphone about out of hours GP cover.

CarGirl · 23/02/2008 20:19

there seems to be a significant chance that he is dehydrated so just go to A&E, NHS direct are a waste of time on such thing IMHO

MisterUrbanDryad · 23/02/2008 20:23

on phone now. no idea where a&e is, since we moved.

Just googling for it now.

3littlefrogs · 23/02/2008 20:24

Better to go to A&E now, than have a sleepless night worrying. Either they will keep him in and treat him, or they will reassure you that he is ok. Either way, it is better than staying home worrying.

procrastinatingparent · 23/02/2008 20:34

Can I just emphasise again to give fluids little and often? When DS1 threw up for two weeks the only thing that fixed it in the end was 1 min BF about 20 mins apart, although it was agony to have to stop him sucking. My GP told me that when their stomachs are so sore even the smallest amount of fluid can irritate them.

If he does have to be admitted, rest assured that they perk up remarkably after even a little time on a drip. All the best!

madamy · 23/02/2008 20:38

The weight loss thing can also be dehydration. Ds was 6.6kg in A&E when he was admitted and 2 days later after just intravenous fluids, he was 7.4kg!

Original poster
theUrbanDryad · 23/02/2008 20:42

right, just spoken to nurse at NHS direct. she's put us in the queue for the out of hours doctor's and they're going to phone us back. the nurse at NHS direct didn't seem overly concerned but i am owrried about his fontanelle being dipped and his lack of wet nappies. i'm wondering of the doctor might do a home visit - Hunker do you know?

OP posts:
yurt1 · 23/02/2008 20:46

I doubt you'll get a home visit. If they're conerned they'll say A&E.

I'd get a syringe and dribble a little bit in his cheek really often. My mother is obsessed with fluids when ill and will force the kids to drink every few minutes (by which I mean about every 2).

emma1977 · 23/02/2008 20:47

Glad you're getting some help organised.

A home visit is unlikely- they are usually only incidated for terminally ill or truly housebound patients. You will often be seen much quicker if you take your child to the GP centre. From personal experience, it is often much safer to see people in the centre with equipment, decent lighting, back up, etc. than at home.

MerlinsBeard · 23/02/2008 20:48

have you tried ringing your usual Drs surgery? They often leave messages on their answer machines with out of hours Drs numbers, local A&E's and things like that.

Otherwise, where are you? ther maybe MNetters near you who can help and who know where A&E is

Original poster
theUrbanDryad · 23/02/2008 20:52

MoM - we are in Chesham, Bucks. hunker is a bit near, she said there is an A&E in hillingdon but i think High Wycombe might be nearer for us.

the out of hours GP is our best bet though, i think.

OP posts:
soph28 · 23/02/2008 20:52

ds was like this at about the same age- think it was 10days before we called NHS direct and got out of hours app.

It was just a bad sick bug. GP said he wasn't dehydrated so we just had to starve him for 2 days so that his stomach could recover! It was so awful cos he was so hungry from not keeping anything down he was crying for food.

I gave in and fed him readybrek made with water and sugar. He recovered after 2-3 days of that but was v. thin!!

Hope your ds is ok too xxx

bucksmum · 23/02/2008 20:55

Go to SToke Mandeville A & E its teh easiest from Chesham Let me know if you have any probs I work there I wil lemail you my phone numbers

TotalChaos · 23/02/2008 20:57

if you see out of hours doc then you will probably have to take DS to some health centre or other some distance from you - so you might as well just go to A & E anyway IMHO.

bucksmum · 23/02/2008 20:59

If you need a lift let me know I'm around if you need anything. Directions to SToke Mandeville are Go Up the hill past the park from Chesham and just keep following the road until you hit main road (about 10mins) Turn Right follwo road, at roundabout take bypass around wendover, next roundabout turn left. next roundabout turn right. next roundabout turn left SToke Mandeville on your right after 5 mins take first entrance a & E on left well signposted.

bucksmum · 23/02/2008 21:01

If you go through emergency doctor then you will need to go to Wycombe General to Harmoni service but you will take time, best bet to go straight to SToke Mandeville

entropy · 23/02/2008 21:03

just a thought, could it be lactose intollorance?? my dd took over a week to recover from the vomiting bug. the out of hours doc recommended soya milk (as she was over 12 months old) She kept that down and it lined her stomach so that she could keep other stuff down. apparently she was sick so much the bacteria which break down lactose were depleted. 2 weeks on soya sorted her out.

hope something works for him soon xx

Original poster
theUrbanDryad · 23/02/2008 21:05

we're taking ds to Amersham Harmoni centre (do you know it Bucksmum?) tomorrow morning at 9. they said we could take him now but he isn't in any immediate danger, and he's asleep now so it seemed so mean to hoik him out and have him poked and prodded.

thank you for all your help and advice. i tend to fret. MN rocks.

OP posts:
Saturn74 · 23/02/2008 21:07

Just seen this, tUD.
Thinking of you all.