Annoying A&E

[Jahida]

Well, I'm still here feeling unwell and no help from anyone. Anyway on Friday I went to a&e as since Wednesday I felt so short of breath and extremely tired.

Anyway I went in and I had a junior doctor who I think pricked me 6 times trying to put an IV in and trying to get blood. She wasn't willing to give up and then mentioned arterial line and I said no. She was surprised that in QE they use local anaesthetic to put in an arterial line! I had a few arterial bloods whilst in my local hospital when I was unwell and it was so painful! The doctor was stabbing and twisting the needle around I remember.

Anyway eventually had a senior doctor who managed to get bloods hurrah! They did an xray and all was well.

However whilst waiting they called me to give me omeprazole 30mg! I asked the nurse why and she said the doctor gave it. I told her I am not allowed omeprazole without them contacting the liver unit. I have omeprazole as one of the medicines on the list of medicines not to take. She went off to ask the doctor and inform him. She came back saying the doctor said he checked the pharamacy list or whatever and I am allowed so I declined frustratingly. I kept asking them why and they had no clue and also the fact that they didn't think of contacting QE annoyed me. I told them I'm on lanzaprazole anyway. They came the third time with another medicine so I asked firmly what it was for and she replies that I went in with epigastric pain which I did not. During the general questions they asked if I have pain and I said now and then I have a stomach pain but it subsides after a while. I also told them the protocol of contacting a coordinator and so on.

Anyway I was let off but the junior doctor kept saying why I was being so fussy if I'm on lanzaprazole and omeprwzole isn't different. I told her it is, it also interferes with tacrolimus.

I came out feeling really upset that they would not put their pride aside and contact the coordinator. I feel I'm not getting any help for my anemia!

What do I do?!!

Thanks

[Hidden]

Sorry to hear your story.

Have you considered private healthcare?

X x

[SAMBS in reply to Hidden]

Very expensive mellow 1 - what if Jahida can't afford it?

It's not the 1st time I've come across situations similiar to hers from comments on other HU Communities. So many doctors, be they Juniors in Hospitals or GP's are just sooooooooo ignorant - and totally divorced from reality where many of today's serious health conditions are involved. Look at mental healthcare for starters!

The BMC. not just the College of Surgeons, in the UK seriously need to start listening to patients and following some of the research information so readily available to patients themselves on HonCode and Trusted websites, I find labtestsonline and drugs.com to be very good sources of pharmaceutical information complete with information about side effects, whether or not one drug (medication) or another is compatible with certain health conditions or other medications taken. In this day and age Do tors look only at what condition presents before them at the time. As mahida said, her doctor on the day in AEU should have checked with her Co-ordinator!

Finally my own doctor visited me 2 days after asking by email, at home on Friday -(I was having more difficulty breathing recently and was starting to feel very unwell). My email also gave him supporting documentation for the reasons, I.e. Damp and mould spores which I've only more recently discovered by advice given on another community, are very toxic, especially if an autoimmune condition is involved!

Fortunately for many, there are NOT several other health issues involved , however if for the rest, there ARE - and when they are - the Liver is the next most susceptible organ to also be involved, before or after the circulatory system - this is why extreme care DOES need to be taken by Doctors, Specialists and Community Administrators/users in responding to patients with multiple complications or conditions. If the liver is involved, then so is the blood - research 'multiple myeloma' and see what throws up under Cancer.org. once some of the previous conditions reach chronic stage, that can be when cancer crops up! Just depends under which condition it's diagnosed under,

I just typed Multiple Myeloma into my search engine!

How many of those symptoms under MM does anyone have covering one or more health issues!?

[X19Dave in reply to SAMBS]

Hi be very carful with the Damp and mould spores the deaths of Brittany Murphy and her husband were put down to mould and damp in there house it is very toxic and most people do not know

[SAMBS in reply to X19Dave]

Thanks Dave, I've not heard of the couple you mention, but had been warned by a Thyroid UK member, because her daughter had similiar health problems and wasn't tested or diagnosed properly till they took her to the States. Yes expensive but they were prepared to pay and it possibly/probably saved her life.

My own doctors attitude on Friday when he came out to me was 'I'm a doctor not a legal expert' (I hadnt asked him to be one), only mentioned I was taking legal action again my landlady here because I and my Social Worker have been on at her, ive written letters for nearly 2 years now. Stupidly it's only just recently because of TUK I've made the connection with some of my own health complications. I had also asked him for blood and urine testing to check if mold spore toxins are evident. I'm aware skin scraping tests are also possible. He said he would ask the nurse to come and take a blood test, but he hasn't confirmed what for - it could just be for my qtrly Thyroid test! But whatever is going on in my system I'm not the expert - my brain and personality changes on an almost daily basis to the point I don't know who the real me is anymore!

[X19Dave in reply to SAMBS]

Hi very sorry to hear about all of your problems

Brittany was an actress she was in eight mile with Eminem and other films as well, sorry to ask is the council paying any of your rent, if they are speak with them they will make your landlady take action it is something most councils have come down on quite hard.

Hope everything works out well for you

[SAMBS in reply to X19Dave]

Thanks Dave - it's a French rented home with a French landlady. The local Maire doesn't want to get involved - I'm having to pay to take legal action, process I've already started because the landlady has ignored the legal document she was sent compelling her to respond with her proposals for rectification, in a certain time - I'm off to see a solicitor with my, English, but French state employed Social Worker on Wednesday! Yes I'll get help with that process via the French Legal Aid system here because my only 'income' is my own UK state Pension, topped up by a little from my exs small private pension we both worked and paid for together before retirement!

So it's all the French system I have to deal with and within here!

[X19Dave in reply to SAMBS]

I wish you all the best

[SAMBS in reply to X19Dave]

PS- the extra health complications I realise are my fault for not waking up to the potential of health issues involved much earlier! As you say the UK are good at doing rogue landlords and bad housing conditions. Doesn't work like that here, there are Rules and Regs here yes, but it's up to the tenant to chase them up or move out - which I've realised is what they do! Leaving landlords to just repaint and wallpaper if they haven't. It's the tenants responsibility on leaving for the house to 'look' habitable - so the landlady/Lord just fools the next sucker who comes along - for me, being English with an existing health problem on arrival made it worse, because she deliberately and knowingly just let it on to one after another tenant! not this time though because I know the laws means she will be responsible for helping with my relocation costs. I am now, after a long hard weekend think, actually thinking of returning down to the Languedoc Roussillon, nearer to Montpellier, where I lived then and was hospitalised for my brain haemorrhage 3 years ago, and where also I read last year, that Thyroid research has been undertaken by a University linked Hospital research Scientist! Secondly it's warmer down there than here.

A move to there would get rid of a lot aggro I've had, one way or another since living in this house!

[X19Dave in reply to SAMBS]

Sounds like you are really up against it but it also sounds like you know what you have to and what you want to do

I would say go with your gut feeling to be honest if it was me the better weather would swing it

[SAMBS in reply to X19Dave]

Thanks Dave - I'll die sooner rather than later if I stay here, I know that for sure. If my doc had to issue a death Certificate he would say it was my fault not his!

I don't call ignoring patients symptoms, physical evidence and prior blood test results being a good French doctor! I e just had to blow my nose again after closing the Windows! Yes my tissue is streaked with some tiny broken blood clots. I showed him similiar on Friday and he prescribed a pomade for nose bleeds! I haven't had any nose bleeds as such, just what is evidential these last few days only, coming up my nasal airways in mucus!

Sorry all, to be so Graphic, but yet another piece of evidence I suppose I shall keep till the tissue is dry!

[Hidden]

Hi jahida sorry to hear about what you've just gone through I would ring the QE let them no what's gone on

[Hidden]

I'm so sorry you've not been well and, in addition, had to be in control of your own medication. We HAVE to watch our medication ourselves, rather than just accepting what they do to/for us.

When I was in ICU after my transplant, I still had my NasoGasrtic on when the nurse gave me my Prograf, it was only when I noticed a tablet travelling along the tube into the bag that I told the nurse and she realised what she had done. Luckily it only happened the once.

The problem is that if a patient is too poorly to notice, they would suffer for it.

Have you tried to contact the coordinator yourself?

I really feel for you, hope you are better soon.

Mike x

[Jahida]

Thank you all. Well the last time I saw my consultant at QE he was adamant that the GP should now look after me? I asked him at what point shall I call the coordinator and he said to now call the GP when I am unwell and not the coordinator? Anyway I explained how unhelpful they are but you know he just said to keep on at them. First of all, I am not someone who is pushy and since I have been through all this, I feel like I'm going to start crying when the ignore me so hence I've been home ignoring the fact that I'm unwell.

Mellow you mentioned private health care. I got this after my surgery but once you have gone through something like this before the health cover, then they Dont look at it. Also I think I'd be pretty expensive and really I'd end up seeing the same prat GPs only quicker.

I'm just surprised how they just casually pass you medication without informing you. I know they were angry with me but by the third time I was ready to leave the place. I felt I knew more than the silly junior doctor anyway. She kept pricking me 6 times and I kept telling her to use buttery needles. After she thought she was using something amazing (butterfly needles) until I told her I knew what they were!

I feel like I don't want to see the consultant or the GP anymore and feel like ignoring everything. It has been months since either have listened.

I've also asked for therapy like 20 billion times at QE and the GP. It is coming to nearly 10 months post transplant and hey I'm stilling waiting.

Red I'm sorry you had to go through that. It is quite scary the mistakes that can be made!

[Raksha1964]

Hi I had my transplant at QE 2014. I have been told to contact GP with normal problems earache etc but if at all worried or not happy to contact coordinator especially if temp 38 or above, if urgent ring main switch & ask them to page on all one, or if not leave a message on coordinators number.

I was taken to a localA&E whilst on holiday, before they did anything except usual BP etc the contacted the QE which is what they are supposed to do.

Hope you feel better soon

[RodeoJoe]

I know it can be really frustrating. I had a few experiences of medication slip ups when I was in hospital. Probably the one that concerned me the most was when I was in ICU. I was given about four times the amount on intravenous steroids I should have had. That in itself apparently wasn't too much of an issue, however the nurse on realising her mistake literally ran away. I was left on my own for an hour or two before another nurse checked and found me alone.

The original nurse came back a few hours later with a consultant to explain what had happened and that she got worried and hid???

I currently take both tacrolimus and omeprazole. Never heard of there being a problem with taking the two together.

[dizzime]

contact PALS at the hospital and informed them what happened. they should look into this if there is a problem and then hopefully it will not happen again. good luck.

[Hidden]

Hi

I have had similar experiences in my local hospital, I recently collapsed when in New Castle and was taken to Cramlington Hospital they were fantastic!

They contacted the QE 2 and my GP and had a team that know what that are doing.

The thought look for another Hospital?

[Catfishjumpin]

Keep pushing them to pay attention. Sounds like neglect. I have learned though that its tricky getting them to listen, they do not like it when we are assertive so I developed a way of asking questions one after another until everything had been discussed. You can also flat out refuse some of the things they are doing that you do not want them to until you talk to your other doctors. Good luck.