I'm getting the pressure headaches again this evening and wanted to know if i am ok to take strong painkillers, like Tramdol especially with my other problems i've been experiencing, as sometimes this can be a problem.
They are going on about SwineFlu and directing people to another phone line, they then say to press number 3 if its not related which i am doing and then they say they are too busy to take my call due to swine flu and it URGENT then to call back??? I know mine's not urgent, but does urgent mean you should be calling 999? Urgent to me means they should have a holding system rather than to tell you to call back and then they terminate the call..

Can you not ring the out of hours GP for advice thats what I would do esp as I suffer with my head

On hold to them now and also Dr's.. Both are very busy due to Swine Flu

Sue, let me put it this way and please dont be offended. YOU are not a doctor, YOU can not diagnose yourself. Personally i think the pain your describing is urgent. Kick up a fuss and get yourself sorted. Or as someone else says call your out of hours doctor.

I know, i want answers but at the same time don't want to burden people... OOH Dr's should be calling me back within 1 hour unless the pain gets worse.

OOHS are pretty good esp when its to do with head, I would def call back if it gets worse- Dont think your burdening them its what there for and being paid for !!!

I think with the job i do and the people who call 999 when its not an emergeny is wasting our time, so hence why i'm dubious about anything being urgent.. Except a heart attack or someone who is not breathing is an emergency as examples.

I can understand that as I work for the NHS and aware of pressures but if your worried then you need to look after yourself

I am the same with the police to as i do some work for them and feel i am a burden when i ring them as i no how busy they are

Look after your self

suejaw know how what you mean!  I've been in so much pain recently and not getting anywhere that I've actually on a number of occasions nearly gone to A&E but like you work in the NHS and don't want to waste their time when there are people more ill than me out there.

Hope things are sorted soon, Another 2 weeks before I see a specialist, hope he sorts things out!

All I can say is in doubt find out!!!! if you were medically qualified, you would not need a doctor but!! you are not.
Some doctors have a ring back service. Meningitis is out there and because of swine flu, people are over looking it.
Swine  flu starts with a high temp.
Speak or see your doctor. That is what they are there for.
If paracetamol does not work!! Ring him.

Denese

I appreciate your concerns, but if you had meningitis you wouldn't be looking at a computer screen, let alone able to type properly.

Been back at work today and last night at the OOH Dr'S they were concerned about Meningitis. But thank goodness i don't, they said i would of been very poorly, not that i thought i had it. Was concerned about other things instead. Had another one today at work but it eased off after taking painkillers.

2 week wait for the scan, so like you Perrodeagua i hope to not keep going through this for much longer, one would hope.

A colleague of mine said his wife had the same problems, had MRI and brain scan(is that a CT?) and nothing came back. So she has no diagnosis and no more tests to go through.. That is not what i want, couldn't handle that..
Another colleague has the same symptoms and he was diagnosed with Atopic Meniers and has been going through this for the past 3yrs.. Hope that won't be me..

Thanks for all your concerns, i didn't have a temp, nor did i think i had one either. Just pressure in the back of my head.
Been wondering has anyone had any negative's from acupuncture, was thinking that put in the wrong place they can cause damage and wondering if this may be the case with me.. Not that i'm self diagnosing, but its a thought to put to the consultant when i next see him.

I have an excellent local chemist who knows more about medicine than the doctors!! especially if you get all your prescriptions from them they will know what tablets youa re aleready on.. why not give yours a ring ..isnt that what they keep telling us to do??

As for acupuncture I had an allergic reaction broke out in red rash after treatment so know I cant have it again.So anything is possible.

Spare a thought for those of us who work in the NHS. We are trying to do our best in unprecedented circumstances.

> I appreciate your concerns, but if you had meningitis you wouldn't be looking at a computer screen, let alone able to type properly.

I think this is very dangerous advice.

According to the NHS website, the only way to tell the difference between viral and bacterial menigitis is via clinical tests, NOT weather you are capeable of reading & typing on a computer. And that  "Most people with viral meningitis will have mild flu-symptoms of headaches, fever, chills and muscle or joint pain." taken from here & "Therefore, you should always treat any case of suspected meningitis as a medical emergency."

Please, anybody that stumbles accross this post that suspects menigitis, please speak to a Dr. not dismiss your concerns based on the fact that you can actually read on a computer monitor.

Mastifflover, you are getting a bit confused here. I was not trying to differentiate between viral and bacterial meningitis. I make an observation which, if you think about calmly and rationally, is logical.
I acknowledge that meninigitis is a serious condition, warranting prompt medical intervention. But if you think that every person with flu type symptoms has possibly got it, then you are frankly quite wrong. I can assure you that someone with meningitis is very sick indeed and I still stand by my comment, that if you had it, you wouldn't be on a computer posting comments about your symptoms.
Meningitis, apart from severe headache (as in the worst imaginable, not just one not responding to over the counter remedies) is accompained by neck pain and stiffness, again...severe, and photophobia or a complete intolerance to light, which causes pain in the eyes and often accompanied by vomiting. Not to mention a rash which I agree, may or may not be present at the start.
Added to that the person (adult, child or baby) are very poorly, exhibiting other signs, such as drowsiness, confusion, maybe disorientation.

Therefore you see my point, if you are on a pc, watching tv or similar, you are highly unlikely to have meningitis, and that's putting it mildly.

I acknowledge your concerns, especially at this time when the media are having such fun playing with our fears over swine flu, but we must all exercise common sense surely.

>but we must all exercise common sense surely.

I am not trying to say everybody who feels a bit groggy should call 999, I'm just trying to piont out that if one has a severe headache, that is getting worse, just because they can still, at this moment read from a computer screen, should not ignore thier headache, they should speak to a DR if they are concerned - that is common sense.

>Therefore you see my point, if you are on a pc, watching tv or similar, you are highly unlikely to have meningitis, and that's putting it mildly.

This satetment is what is dangerous. Menigitis can start as mild symptoms, statements like this can give poeple the wrong impression. If anybody is ill and they are getting worse they should talk to a Dr. not think "I'm fine, I can read the computer, I'll shut myself away & sleep it off".

Your statement goes against the NHS leaflet "Don't Ignore the Signs" about menigits - it says if you are ill (hang over, flue like symptoms) then it probably is only that, but let people know how you are feeling incase things worsen (as menigitis often starts as mild sympoms), nowhere does it say 'if you can read a computer you have not got menigitis'.

What are we supposed to believe, people that work for the NHS that post statments like yours on dog forums, or the fact sheets produced by the NHS?? It's no wonder pople get so confused about things.

There is a saying "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing", that is so true of your statement, people could dismiss potentially serious illness because of what you have said.

Again for anybody else reading - if you are ill and concerned about your symptoms talk to a Dr. do not self-diagnose based on statements on the net.

I do not have " a little knowledge" as you put it. I am not prepared to go in to my qualifications here.

I am not going to argue the point with you. I merely asked you to exercise common sense. I can tell you that if you ring any healthcaremprofessional with headache symptoms they will quickly  be able to assess whether this is like;y to be meningitis. Taken with the other symptoms, which i have described. And if you tell your doctor you are watching tv or on the pc consulting your friends they will know this is not a meningitis headache. That is all I have said.

If your dog vomits do you insist on taking it or consulting a vet?

Be reasonable.

> I do not have " a little knowledge" as you put it.

I never said YOU have  'little knowledge', the statemnet you made was giving others a  'little knowledge'.

>If your dog vomits do you insist on taking it or consulting a vet?

If he vomits once, and has no other symptoms, I would not take him to a vet, if he vomited repeatedly (even if he had no other symptoms) then I would take him to a vet, becasue I am not qualified to diagnose weather he is seriously ill or not.

>I can tell you that if you ring any healthcaremprofessional with headache symptoms they will quickly  be able to assess whether this is like;y to be meningitis.

That is great advise.

I am not going to argue the point with you. I merely asked you to exercise common sense. I can tell you that if you ring any healthcaremprofessional with headache symptoms they will quickly  be able to assess whether this is like;y to be meningitis

Sorry I beg to differ after experiencing bacterial menigitis and septacemia with my then 17 yr old daughter who worked a full shift in our local food factory with no problems other than a headache and what they thought was a heat rash!  It was only when she came home from work and I saw the rash was there any concern and even at our local A&E they dismissed it as hives and probably a cold starting.  I took her to a second hospital where she was treated far better ie not dismissed as some attention seeking teenager. A spinal  told them she was in a serious condition, she was lucky to be able to celebrate her 18th birthday in hospital with all her limbs apparenlty they were pretty sure had we accepted the first dr's diagnosis we'd have lost her.

As a bilateral Menieres sufferer I can honestly say the only pressure pain I get is around my jaw line/ear whenever I'm in full attack mode no headaches or migraine like symptoms but lots of vertigo.

> I am not going to argue the point with you. I merely asked you to exercise common sense

i thinbk you might find sue has excersised common sense by contacting a doctor, prevention of an illness is far better than it being too late

Apologies for anyone who works in the NHS, i was having a bad moment, everyone in the NHS on ground level is doing a great job considering low numbers of staff and what i call low pay for what many do and long hours, god sounds like my job and its a thankless task sometimes..

I really was sounding off in my earlier posts, it was so 'soapbox' time. As for getting a diagnosis on here, that isn;t what i was doing, just thinking out loud and trying to find some support i guess, which i'm not getting from my family, which i find tough when i'm not feeling well. Thanks to those who were trying to help and i appreciate that..

If i really thought it was something serious then i would of got myself to A&E or at least the OOH Dr would of sent me there, which has happened before when i was younger.

Ok I seem to have stirred up a hornets nest here. I wish I hadn't, but you might be amazed at some of the queries and demands the public make.

Tonight, when I go to work, I will be dealing with many genuine and totally understandable queries and assessing the symptoms of some very poorly and some extremely sick people; from tiny babies to the elderly, assault victims, suicide attempts/ threats, stabbings, trauma, rape,  ...oh my goodness I could go on and on!
There will also be some challenging individuals (and I will deal with many on every shift) who ring 999 for an ambulance so someone can come along and check their swine flu symptoms, fix the toothache they have had for 3 weeks, or simply attend them as an emergency because they can't go to sleep or have run out of paracetamol. Honestly sometimes you couldn't make it up.

The health service we have is not perfect, we all know that. Resources have to be rationalised. And swine flu has impacted on the service in a way I have never experienced before, just because of pure numbers. I think I speak for all my colleagues at the 'coal face' when I say we are trying our best to cope. I guess when I see comments like the one I originally responded to I do get a bit irritated. However I apologise if I have caused offence, it was honestly never my intention.
(Have a go at the government and tell them to keep their targets and productivity deals out of healthcare...but that's for another day...!)
Now I must go to get the tea, give the dogs a run, tend to my teenager with D and V (??swine flu!!), and get ready for work at 11pm.
Despite all those difficult challenges, I look forward to the lovely people who I and my colleagues shall be treating, who make the job so worthwhile.

Suejaw when you feel as bad as you do its ok.
Im afraid I do not give NHS much credit after losing my Mum in appalling circumstances. We can each stick up for our own profession Im a builder, but experiance of bad things do tend to give bad impressions of a service its an opinion.

A Doctor said on tv what we all need in the swine flu pandemis is a dose of common sense, I agree with him.

If you have continued head pain in an area consistently you are bound to be worried. Not all headaches are menigitius, or tumors, or migraine but they are usually identifyable as something.
I get migrane and I take oral lyophilistates they melt on your tongue and 15/20 minutes later they are gone. I was perscribed that medication after a migrane that went on for about 10 days.

I think what you need is a diagnosis, until you get that you cannot get medication correct. I think I would visit A&E.

Hi Sue.
I also work at the "Coal face" as someone has so neatly put it, and yes we get some very stupid complaints in our ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY dept' all the time..the man with athleats foot!..to name just one inappropriate attendance!! However a continuing, increasing head ache is not an innapropriate attendance, Meningitis can start that way with no other symptoms, So can a tumor show itself in that manner, as can many other things so if you have not had any luck with your GP then a visit is not out of the question in my mind.
Aileen

>

> I can assure you that someone with meningitis is very sick indeed and I still stand by my comment, that if you had it, you wouldn't be on a computer posting comments about your symptoms.

Sorry.. just not true. My friend had it, we spent the day rollerblading in town and towards the afternoon he complained that his 'cold' was getting worse and he thought he might have flu.

24 hours later he was in hospital with viral meningitis. You CAN have it and do things and not realise until quite a LOT later, that you are more ill than you thought. If he could be rollerblading whilst feeling ill and then hours later be seriously ill in hospital, it is PERFECTLY reasonable that someone could be feelingrough and have dragged themselves to a computer to post something.

How are you today suejaw? I hope you are sorted soon! have a peaceful weeknd

Viv.
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Had a bit of a turn but managed to get to Chiropractors who have said there is a big problem in my neck which is causing the pressure headaches at the very least. He thinks possibly a prolapsed disc but recommends that the MRI covers my neck.
Called up MRI place and they said they are only scanning my ears, so no brain or neck scan. Tried to speak to consultant's secretary and she is not in until mon, so having to wait until then to put my request forward.. This is is not a happy time for me..

Does sound as though it could still be spondylosis, as when I get it bad I have severe headaches.  Hope it's sorted out soon, but as someone who is still waiting to see a specialist, works at a hospital and in severe pain know how you are feeling right now.

Im so sorry but keep going we are thinkings of you and Im hoping that something can be done quickly, but if it does get too much A&E at least they can do something for the pain and help you sleep..
Lots of hugs.
Viv
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