Should I be getting worried? Question for medical types.

Both my mother and I are prone to bouts of anaemia, so that in itself isn't worrying me. He thinks she is anaemic as she is very pale, fatigued and the pink bits under her eyes are not quite so pink as they should be.

I don't know what is making him think she has an ulcer. She has a pain in the right side of her abdomen and has passed out a couple of times recently.

Okay, I get ya. So she's got signs of anaemia and they're waiting for the bloods to come back.

Let us know how it goes...hope she feels better soon!

[Bri w]

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

Both my mother and I are prone to bouts of anaemia, so that in itself isn't worrying me. He thinks she is anaemic as she is very pale, fatigued and the pink bits under her eyes are not quite so pink as they should be.

I don't know what is making him think she has an ulcer. She has a pain in the right side of her abdomen and has passed out a couple of times recently.

Anyone that passes out should go to A&E, if only to have the basic checks, e.g. bloods/pressure/ecg.

Better err on the side of caution.

She refuses to go to A and E. Just a bit concerned that she apparently has some sort of internal bleeding but that they are not sure...!!

[Red Herring]

Originally Posted by Bri w

Anyone that passes out should go to A&E, if only to have the basic checks, e.g. bloods/pressure/ecg.

Better err on the side of caution.

Lets think about that shall we. Go to A&E and be seen by the on duty SHO (Senior House Officer). They could be only two years out of medical school, will have no access to her mothers notes, and almost certainly have never met her before, but they will indeed check her blood pressure, take a sample for tests and run an ECG.

OR

Go and see her GP who must be at least five years out of medical school, will have done at least one six month stint in a Medical job, and another in Surgery, and almost certainly one in A&E whilst qualifying as a GP, plus they will probably know her and have access to all her medical records. Oh and the GP can take her blood pressure, ask for tests and carry out an ECG, just as they appear to have done.....

I know who I'd go and see, but then she's sat next to me....

[Biker Biggles]

Originally Posted by Red Herring

Lets think about that shall we. Go to A&E and be seen by the on duty SHO (Senior House Officer). They could be only two years out of medical school, will have no access to her mothers notes, and almost certainly have never met her before, but they will indeed check her blood pressure, take a sample for tests and run an ECG.

OR

Go and see her GP who must be at least five years out of medical school, will have done at least one six month stint in a Medical job, and another in Surgery, and almost certainly one in A&E whilst qualifying as a GP, plus they will probably know her and have access to all her medical records. Oh and the GP can take her blood pressure, ask for tests and carry out an ECG, just as they appear to have done.....

I know who I'd go and see, but then she's sat next to me....

True enough but it does depend how good the GP is.They vary hugely,but in hossie there is always access to all the required back up,and advice from the A&E consultant.

Erm, well, our nearest "proper" hospital is 55 miles away and is, in most peoples experiences, including mine, as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

I am slightly concerned by what she has been told, and so is she, infact, she has been in tears tonight as I think she has been scared a little.

[embee]

I think you know what you/she needs to do.

You say she's 44. I'm guessing here but I'll have a stab and say it would be kind of useful if she made 45, yes?

I've heard plenty enough tales from people who've had these sort of false starts from GP's and A&E visits, only to collapse in a heap and ending up in ICU or similar. If you don't feel happy about what's happening, go bang on doors, they're not infallible.

A good friend of mine had internal bleeding (unknown to him), felt ill one morning, collapsed 30mins later, taken into hospital and they switched him off the next morning, septicaemia.

[ixlr8]

I think we would need vastly more information to hazard a diagnostic guess which we presume the GP has done and without a provisional diagnosis, any action plan is premature (and the sort of thing panicky primary contact persons are prone to do); history of the complaint, personal past medical history, a detailed physical exam, here focussing on cardiovascular and gastroenterological systems and available office tests would be the minimum to be able to reasonably know whether this should be worried or not. As previously mentioned, if there was acute blood loss from an ulcer, you'd expect low BP, so it's a bit of a puzzling picture.

If the GP has done the above and has a provisional diagnosis list and doesn't believe your mum's in imminent danger (and he/she is reasonably competent), then perhaps you should have faith in her GP. In saying that, if she deteriorates suddenly, then ring the GP and off to A&E it is. (P.S., I have an M.B.B.S.)

But her illness does need sorting without delay all the same. I.e., don't panic but keep an eye on how she's doing. HTH