[Misc] Bit of a scare

[Super Steve Earle]

Funnily enough, I had to use the NHS last week too. In a post Covid stupor with a headache, I reached for the Paracetomol and Ibuprofen and accidentally took my blood pressure tablets again. 111 were excellent and after several checks, they told me it was classed as an overdose and I had to go to A & E immediately. This in turn forced Mrs Earle to drive for the first time in 5 years since a foot operation (an unforeseen benefit) and whip me off to hospital. They took my BP and heart rate immediately at reception, sat me down for an hour, then I saw a doctor. They tested me again, asked a few questions, reassured me then sent me back to the car to return home. A small incident, but they were adamant I went to A & E and fortunately all was well. Nonetheless, excellent NHS service to just make sure.

 

[maltaseagull]

Got out of Worthing Hospital Sat afternoon having been taken in by ambulance on Wed morning. I'd been suffering with shortness of breath for some time, legacy of asthma and Covid back in Feb this year. It gradually got worse and following a trip to my GP last Mon it got a lot worse Tues/Wed and I could hardly breath at all and honestly thought I was going to die. Had to phone 999, the ambulance guys were great and put me on Oxygen straight away and whisked me off to A&E at Worthing. They quickly carried out loads of checks/tests before a CT Scan revealed I had blood clots on my lungs (Pulmonary Embolisms), I was admitted and they started giving me anticoagulation injections straight into my stomach. Gradually over the next few days the oxygen was reduced to a point that my body could maintain a normal O2/Blood level, looks like I will be on blood thinners for the rest of my life and monitored by the anticoagulation clinic. A small price to pay when the Consultant told me I had done exactly the right thing by phoning 999, left any longer and I probably wouldn't be around today.
A few points about the NHS,

From the 999 call onwards to the ambulance crew, the A&E team, the Doctors Nurses and everybody else involved, the care and service I received was exceptional. I owe my life to them and will always be eternally grateful and consider myself so lucky to live in a country where a service as good as the NHS is available to all, we can't and mustn't lose it.
Hope I haven't bored you all too much, but felt I had to write down my experiences with a much maligned Health Service.

Glad to know you're OK.
My sister in law has had both extremes in her experience of the hospitals in Hampshire. Fantastic and efficient to really difficult to actually talk to her GP and a horrible stay in a mixed ward with a very unpleasant nurse about whom a complaint was made.

 

[studio150]

Great to hear that you are on the mend and hopefully it won't be long before you are back towards full health.

It is vitally important to understand when it is time to ring 999, as I think most of us are guilty of saying, there are people worse off than me who need to use the service, and I'll be alright in the morning.

Good to hear of your experience with the NHS given at the moment the mountain of stories of delays of hours to get an ambulance to arrive. It just shows that in a proper emergency the NHS service comes together to ensure the patient has the best chance possible.

 

[moggy]

Yeah, hear you.
Had 3 PEs in my life, first two I recovered from but the last one got me bad.
Ended up having a pulmonary endarterectomy up in Papworth
On warfarin for life.
Still here thanks to the NHS so forever grateful

 

[amexer]

Glad you are on mend and good for you in talking about positive service. NHS has been great for me ,in laws and children over the years. Many years ago when I had hopefully my only stay in hospital I wrote to my local paper saying how good NHS were. Not published but in following week 3 letters appeared slating NHS. As I think they say when people get good service they tell 1 person and when bad they tell 10 people

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

All my best wishes to you [MENTION=9276]Barrow Boy[/MENTION]

 

[Barrow Boy]

Well thankyou guys for all the nice comments, feeling a little bit humble now, I thought long and hard before posting about my experience I certainly wasn't seeking sympathy. I just felt the treatment I received from Worthing Hospital warranted a post on here, and from the feedback generated it's heart warming to know others on here have received the same treatment from the NHS.

 

[Barrow Boy]

All my best wishes to you [MENTION=9276]Barrow Boy[/MENTION]

Thankyou Steve, although knowing what you've been through my problem pales into insignificance.

 

[Trevor]

Yes, I was on the blood thinners for about 6 weeks after my heart surgery. I don't envy you, but yes a small price to pay. I'm glad you made it through friend. Always make sure you stand up for the NHS. There are many that don't appreciate it. Look after yourself, do what you are told (mainly) and keep on posting on the best song thread. Very glad you made it through friend

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

I agree entirely, as I am a total Night Owl (32 years of shift work), I was awake most of the night so could see first hand the problems these wonderful people have to contend with daily and how they cope with them.

Sorry, hijacked your post with my rant, so very glad you're on your way back mate and wish you all the very best for the future.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Wondered why you'd not posted 'best track of the day' for a while, [MENTION=9276]Barrow Boy[/MENTION]. You lazy sod.

 

[Tight shorts]

Glad to hear you are doing OK now. Don't know you, but your post made me feel quite emotional. Another thumbs up for Worthing A&E who have been excellent with my family in recent times. Long live our NHS.

 

[SeagullinExile]

Get well soon pal.

 

[Barrow Boy]

Wondered why you'd not posted 'best track of the day' for a while, [MENTION=9276]Barrow Boy[/MENTION]. You lazy sod.

Feet up in Hospital, living the high life.

 

[CheeseRolls]

Got out of Worthing Hospital Sat afternoon ...

Hope this is helpful.

In Jan 2020 I went on a business trip to Toronto, whilst there I went on a running machine and developed a really painful swelling in my calf, linked I suspect to playing Sunday football until I was 47. I had a particularly bad night flight back crammed in between two 6 foot plus blokes and vowed never to volunteer for that again.

In February I had a meeting in London and walked the mile and a bit to Shoreham station at a brisk pace. There was a problem on the trains and we couldn't get into London Bridge, so I decided to walk back to my meeting from Blackfriars. I was rushing as I was late, but was really struggling for breath.

I assumed I had something asthma related as symptoms would come and go, without any obvious explanation. In March I drove my car into Shoreham to get it serviced. I put the dog in the boot, so I could walk him home. I got onto the footbridge at Shoreham and the cold air hit my lungs. Half way across I had to lean over the side to catch my breath and when that wasn't working I decided it was best that I lay down. I warned a few people who checked to keep their distance as I had no idea if I was infectious, but a bloke on a bike decided to ignore me and stop anyway. Fortunately he was an A&E doctor on his way to work at Worthing hospital.

I was in there for a couple of days and needed oxygen to get to the bathroom and back. I had two massive clots one in each lung and the left ventricle of my heart was showing signs of strain. At one point I recall my blood oxygen measure was 83%, but the stomach injections and oxygen, helped to turn things round. First thing to note, the medication doesn't actually break up the blood clot, it just provides the relief your body needs to do this itself. I have been put on Apixaban for life, as the diagnosis was unattributed pulmonary embolism.

First night out of hospital and without oxygen, I nearly passed out walking to the bathroom, so I probably rushed things a little. I then took the clippers to my head and shaved all my hair off. I have a selfie from this time and I look truly awful, but actually I was able to bounce back quickly. If you are worried, those little blood oxygen monitors you stick on your finger are easy to buy online and cost in the region of £20-30. I have had absolutely no side effects from taking Apixaban and no problem with bleeding. I swim in the sea and have had a couple of grazes from rocks, which bleed like mad, as soon as you get out of the water, but it soon stops and is no different to how things were before.

Aside from pill popping the only other adjustment I have made is to stop trying to run. I checked with my GP, who saw no issue with me resuming running, but my body is telling me something different. Is is the only thing which seems to really cause me calf problems. Everything else is entirely normal for a bloke of my age, weight and fitness level. Barrow Boy if you have any concerns or want to chat, feel free to PM me.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Feet up in Hospital, living the high life.

Top work. Hope it all resolves swiftly. My own experience (in A&E) recently was less than stella (I posted a thread) but they must have seen through me, as the agony subsided after 18 hours. Plus I lost 5Kg of unsightly fat! Result.

 

[Barrow Boy]

Hope this is helpful.

In Jan 2020 I went on a business trip to Toronto, whilst there I went on a running machine and developed a really painful swelling in my calf, linked I suspect to playing Sunday football until I was 47. I had a particularly bad night flight back crammed in between two 6 foot plus blokes and vowed never to volunteer for that again.

In February I had a meeting in London and walked the mile and a bit to Shoreham station at a brisk pace. There was a problem on the trains and we couldn't get into London Bridge, so I decided to walk back to my meeting from Blackfriars. I was rushing as I was late, but was really struggling for breath.

I assumed I had something asthma related as symptoms would come and go, without any obvious explanation. In March I drove my car into Shoreham to get it serviced. I put the dog in the boot, so I could walk him home. I got onto the footbridge at Shoreham and the cold air hit my lungs. Half way across I had to lean over the side to catch my breath and when that wasn't working I decided it was best that I lay down. I warned a few people who checked to keep their distance as I had no idea if I was infectious, but a bloke on a bike decided to ignore me and stop anyway. Fortunately he was an A&E doctor on his way to work at Worthing hospital.

I was in there for a couple of days and needed oxygen to get to the bathroom and back. I had two massive clots one in each lung and the left ventricle of my heart was showing signs of strain. At one point I recall my blood oxygen measure was 83%, but the stomach injections and oxygen, helped to turn things round. First thing to note, the medication doesn't actually break up the blood clot, it just provides the relief your body needs to do this itself. I have been put on Apixaban for life, as the diagnosis was unattributed pulmonary embolism.

First night out of hospital and without oxygen, I nearly passed out walking to the bathroom, so I probably rushed things a little. I then took the clippers to my head and shaved all my hair off. I have a selfie from this time and I look truly awful, but actually I was able to bounce back quickly. If you are worried, those little blood oxygen monitors you stick on your finger are easy to buy online and cost in the region of £20-30. I have had absolutely no side effects from taking Apixaban and no problem with bleeding. I swim in the sea and have had a couple of grazes from rocks, which bleed like mad, as soon as you get out of the water, but it soon stops and is no different to how things were before.

Aside from pill popping the only other adjustment I have made is to stop trying to run. I checked with my GP, who saw no issue with me resuming running, but my body is telling me something different. Is is the only thing which seems to really cause me calf problems. Everything else is entirely normal for a bloke of my age, weight and fitness level. Barrow Boy if you have any concerns or want to chat, feel free to PM me.

Thankyou for that Cheeserolls, I share your pain, there's breathless and then there's "I actually think I'm going to die".

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

It's all too easy and not uncommon these days for some folk to have a pop at perceived poor service.
So how refreshingly different to hear complements paid to a nationalised service currently so overwhelmed with pressure.

Please you have been "fixed" and on the road to recovery ....

 

[CheeseRolls]

Thankyou for that Cheeserolls, I share your pain, there's breathless and then there's "I actually think I'm going to die".

It passes and hopefully you will bounce back quickly.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Thankyou for that Cheeserolls, I share your pain, there's breathless and then there's "I actually think I'm going to die".

I hear you. My husband went through something like that last year and I could see the panic in his eyes as I called 999. The fear makes the breathing so much worse.