Yowzer

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On saturday night I was sitting watching telly with the other half when I suddenly got a strong pulsing pain above my teeth on the right hand side.

It went after five minutes so I washed my mouth out and had a look to see if there was anything immediately untoward. Nuttin'. Took 1g Paracetamol and 60mg Codeine just in case (I have about a week's worth left after my back pain 'adventures'...)

Shortly after, It came back with a vengeance and within ten minutes had spread up to my eye, down to my neck and back across most of the right side of my head. With it came a tight chest, difficulty breathing and extreme photophobia.

My gf called NHS direct. They said that a nurse would call me within 10 minutes to see if I needed to go to a hospital.

45 minutes later, they called back. At this point, I was lying in a ball in a dark room and barely able to move with pain. After talking to my gf, they sent out an ambulance to take me to A&E (the QE in Gateshead; the only downside to living south of the river....You don't get taken to Newcastle General...)

So the paramedics arrive, take my temperature (very high - was sweating like Gary Glitter in PC World), pulse (about 170ish) and blood pressure ("Bloody hell, that's high!"), bundle me in the back of the nee naw and off we go.

Get to the QE and Have to stand(!) in queue to be seen. After 15 minutes, they take my details and I get told to sit down to be seen by a nurse "In five minutes".

Half an hour later I get seen by a nurse (who was admittedly great - very professional, quick and couldn't fault her). she got a doctor to sign off for 50mg of Diclofenac for me. I just managed to swallow it.

Then I get told there is a two hour queue to see a doctor. It is now about 8.30pm so that doesn't bother me. I ask if I can sit outside on the ground as the fluoro lights are killing my eyes and I was far too warm.

So I sit propped against a wall outside until I get called in...at midnight.

I then have a further 45 minute wait (in a brightly-lit, hot cubicle) before I finally get seen.

The doctor prodded around my head, ummed and ahh'd a bit before proclaiming that I had a sinus infection....Or possibly an ulcer...Or an abcess...Or I might have "Something Else".

Now I was under the impression that Sinus infections were merely annoying rather than feeling like someone was simultaneously twisting all your teeth with pliers whilst inflating a studded beach ball behind your eyeball and inserting nine inch needles throughout your skull. Christ, I've had my appendix rupture and I've had lumbar puncture but they were nothing on this.

Anyhoo...I finally got out of there at about 2am with a course of antibiotics, a course of dicloflenac (50mg thrice daily) and instructions to use my paracetamol/codeine combo four times a day...Oh, and a sore ass from where they gave me a big shot of antibiotics.

I then had the joy of walking home from the QE...Which took about 90 minutes.

So rather than a medical thread, a simple question: Is it worth paying for private healthcare?

And, while I'm completely baked on painkillers, should I stop cycling to and from work?

*n
 
Yes its worth paying for private healthcare, but don't be dissapointed about your waits, its called triage, you got the care you needed, the system works :P

Painkiller question... idk...
 
iirc private healthcare doesnt provide A&E or intensive care so in this case it wouldnt have done much good
 
blitz2163 said:
iirc private healthcare doesnt provide A&E or intensive care so in this case it wouldnt have done much good

This doesn't sound like A&E to me.

You deal with most BUPA doctors directly, in my experiance they will come and help ASAP avoiding a lengthy trip to an NHS hospital.
 
Sounds nasty, glad you're ok though and I hope it subsides soon. Whatever it is.

If you have the money, private health care can benefit your life greatly especially when it comes to orthodontics. However it does all depend on the actual health care you require. Some times sacrificing the time waiting is worth not footing the huge bill at the end.

Do the painkillers you're taking make you drowsy? Are they opiates? If no to both of those, I can't see why you can't stop cycling. What did the doc say about exercise? Did he say to take it easy?
 
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They gave antibiotics because they thought it was an infection, however the symptoms you describe could either be a sudden acute problem which has completely resolved or an acute exacerbation of a chronic problem.

Either way, the antibiotics are going to get rid of the infection, the diclofenac will give you pain relief, however the cause of the problem has not been diagnosed and dealt with.

I would suggest seeing your gp giving them a full rundown of everything that happened and asking for it to be investigated further. The doctor may well refer you on to see a specialist (which on the nhs, may have months + months waiting list).

Yes i agree the problem can be dealt with on the nhs but as you described, the waiting times, patient comfort along with numerous other problems are not great. If you were on private health care, you would be seen by appropriate specialists on a much smaller time scale. I had a friend on bupa who tore his knee ligament, over the weekend, they had prepped him for surgery and already operated. He also got full physiotherapy and constant monitoring during his recovery.

It all comes down to how much you prioritize your health, people are prepared to pay £1000s on a car, £1000s on their pc and lots of other there luxuries but when it comes to paying for their health care its a no-no.

Bike on painkillers: should be ok, however if the painkillers are making you drowsy/ altering your motor function or in any way your ability to ride the bike safely then use another form of transport.
 
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penski said:
So rather than a medical thread, a simple question: Is it worth paying for private healthcare?

And, while I'm completely baked on painkillers, should I stop cycling to and from work?

*n

It's worth paying yes. Unfortunately you can't get A+E as someone above said, but an old trick that a friend taught me usually cuts waiting times down to 0-5 mins (so far I've used this 3 times, and it's never failed). Basically start the description of your symptoms with 'sharp chest pain' or 'really tight chest', pretty much anything scary and heart related. Then tag your actual problem onto the end. It's not really cricket. But then I don't appreciate waiting around for 4 hours for what will (usually) be substandard diagnosis.

As for riding your bike on painkillers. Yes. The worst that can happen is you get run over, and you've already got the painkillers, so it's winwin.
 
I've ridden a bike on painkillers before, not a good idea (I fell off) :o . Codeine is pretty strong stuff! I reckon you'd be better getting the bus or something.
 
On the private health care point, YES IT IS WORTH IT. I've had an operation with BUPA in the past. It was quick and more importantly private and clean. There where no waiting times (I saw my consultant as soon as I needed too).

All round I wish I had private health care insurance without having to pay the one off costs :(

Davem
 
penski said:
Now I was under the impression that Sinus infections were merely annoying rather than feeling like someone was simultaneously twisting all your teeth with pliers whilst inflating a studded beach ball behind your eyeball and inserting nine inch needles throughout your skull.
WRONG!</Lex Luthor>

I had one with a migraine and I thought I was having a stroke, I honestly thought I was going to die. Pain was like someone trying to use an sledgehammer made of ice to scoop my brain out, my left side went tingly, I went blind and I was crying like a lil girl. I can't remember a whole lot other than that.
 
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I injured my jaw while at work and had to attend hospital. I explained to them that I was a fireman and that because I was having to report to hospital there was an appliance 'off the run' due to my not being there. The nurse said that was fine and as there was no-one in the waiting room I'd be seen in a few minutes, in reality those few minutes equated to four hours and even then, the glue they used to 'stitch' me up failed completely and I was forced to 'stitch' it myself (no I'm not very good with needles but super glue works wonders). Bloody useless.

Another thing I really hate is being called from the waiting room to be left sitting in a cubicle for several hours. What is that all about?
 
We have found with private healthcare that the same surgeons threat you as they would if you went via the NHS.

The difference being you get it done quicker, in a cleaner hotel like hospital, not some dirty ward where the nurses are planning their weekend out.
 
Skyfall said:
Yes its worth paying for private healthcare, but don't be dissapointed about your waits, its called triage, you got the care you needed, the system works :P

I never usually have issues with the NHS...When I do, it's invariably at the QE...So should I move back north of the river? ;)

*n
 
Nexy said:
WRONG!</Lex Luthor>

I had one with a migraine and I thought I was having a stroke, I honestly thought I was going to die. Pain was like someone trying to use an sledgehammer made of ice to scoop my brain out, my left side went tingly, I went blind and I was crying like a lil girl. I can't remember a whole lot other than that.

Sounds awfully familiar :/

*n
 
sounds like the pain i had when i had a absess in my tooth.

it spread across my whole face, i could not even speak! when the dentist drilled it the puss exploded out as it was all under so much pressure! ewwwww!
 
penski said:
I never usually have issues with the NHS...When I do, it's invariably at the QE...So should I move back north of the river? ;)

*n
It won't make a difference. My mother went to Newcastle General where it took five hours for someone to tell her that they were going to move her to the Freeman - that was without anyone actually coming to see her. Once at the Freeman, it took another hour for a nurse to speak with her, three hours for a doctor and another two before she was taken to a ward. I'm sure they met all their targets, though.

And further along....my friend's father went into Sunderland Hospital (not sure which one, or if there's even more than one) and came out with an infected wound which required a further operation and a lovely dose of MRSA. That meant staying in that infested pit for a further ten days.

I have private healthcare and I've never had to use it but when I look at either of the cases listed above, I realise why I'm quite happy forking out for it.
 
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