This is Care Opinion [siteRegion]. Did you want Care Opinion [usersRegionBasedOnIP]?

"Breast Abscess"

About: Darent Valley Hospital / Breast surgery Erith & District Hospital / Pain Management

(as the patient),

I had an emergency c section 7 weeks ago. My baby was 2 weeks old I had been to the gp 3 times saying I had mastitis and that my stitches had ripped open, they finally gave me antibiotics  (that made me projectile vomit non stop - didn't eat or keep fluids down for 4 days) The infection cleared up and my wound closed over but the mastitis came back by week 4 in full force (fever, chills, sickness, dizzy spells etc). I couldn't get a gp appointment or phone consultation, a&e had a 9 hour wait, urgent care refused to do anything for me and I ended up calling 111 who got me an out of hours GP appointment, the GP confirmed that I had a gigantic abscess and called the hospital and actually had to argue with the surgeon so that they would see me. The GP gave me a letter and I was told to go to a&e and that I wouldn't have to wait because I had the letter. I ended up waiting 9 hours in a&e with a 6 week old baby who hasn't had her jabs. When the doctor finally called me they examined me and referred me to the breast unit and I was sent home for another two days. I went to the breast unit who did an ultrasound and aspirated the abscess twice but it blocked the needle and they could not empty it so referred me for surgery. I waited another week, (had an abscess for 3 weeks by this point) and then had my surgery. Was told to get to hospital at 7.30am and they left me waiting with no pain relief until 1pm when I went down for surgery. I woke up 4 hours later to see that my breast was packed and dressed horrendously! They sent me home with the same antibiotics that made me sick and without antisickness or pain relief. 

The Hospital told me to go to the GP for dressing changes but I said I'm too unwell to take a 7 week old baby out on my own after the two surgeries and with the infection so I asked the gp for a nurse to come to my house who refused because I'm able to walk. I called 111 and the hospital who both said the same and told me to go a&e or urgent care which both have over 5 hour waits so I decided to stick it out and go to the gp. I got a cab to the gp (absolute nightmare on my own with a 7 week old baby after 2 surgeries) to be told they don't have any dressings and won't touch my breast because of how swollen it is and how much pain I'm in so they left me in soaking wet dressings with no pain relief and told me to go straight to hospital. I rang the unit that did my surgery who refused to see me and sent me to the breast unit. I called the breast unit who reluctantly saw me after hours of convincing (crying and begging) they changed my dressings and cleaned the wounds and told me the surgeons had used the wrong dressings and that they wouldn't be able to see me again because they are a breast cancer unit but they were happy to help today because I explained my situation.

(They were fantastic and I couldn't fault them, completely understand why they can't see me to change my dressings all the time) So now I have to go back to the GP to have my dressings changed daily (the same GP who wouldn't touch it) then in two weeks I need to see a consultant at the hospital to have the drainage tubes removed and the incisions stitched. I'm completely exhausted and frustrated and tired of being passed around in circles and sent back and forth with a new baby after two surgeries!! All I wanted was a nurse to pop round change my dressings and give it a quick clean but every person I asked refused to send someone out knowing that I'm recovering from a c section, a breast surgery, have severe anxiety and a 7 week old baby to look after on my own.  Absolute disgrace! If the gp had treated me properly in the first place I wouldn't be in this situation! 

Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Erith & District Hospital 6 years ago
Erith & District Hospital
Submitted on 16/01/2018 at 11:33
Published on nhs.uk at 12:01


Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. I am afraid I can only answer on behalf of the Urgent Care Centre at Erith. I notice that you said you did try to come here for your dressings but the wait was too long.

I do apologise for this however with the winter pressures we are suffering at the moment and due to the fact the space at Erith UCC is so limited we have no control over the waiting times and they are often higher than we would like.

I think most of your comments should be addressed to your GP as this is where the problem started, you are correct that they should be able to change your dressings.

I am sure if you contact them they will be able to answer your concerns or alternatively you can contact the CCG who will look into the issues you have raised with your GP on your behalf.

I do hope you are recovering well

Best Wishes

Sue Hopkins

Senior Operations Manager

Bexley Unscheduled Care

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Angryabscesspatient (the patient)

I understand that the urgent care centres are busy and waiting times can not be helped, as you say my main issue is with the GP.

Thank you for you're response.

Response from Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust 6 years ago
Submitted on 16/01/2018 at 15:13
Published on Care Opinion at 16:42


Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback and we do apologise that not all of your experiences at Darent Valley were positive ones.

With regards to your A&E visit, you may have seen in the media recently that all A&E's nationwide have been seeing an unpredented demand on their services and long waits have been inevitable even with a GP letter. We do apologise that you had such a long wait especially with such a young baby however, our staff have to priorise in order of emergency. Although, it was reassuring to read that when you did see the Doctor, he referred you for the treatment you required quite quickly.

It is unfortunate prior to your operation that you had another wait, operations lists are carried out in a specific order and without full details it is a little difficult to comment on why you had this wait.

Thank you for your nice comments about our Breast Unit and the team, we have passed this onto them.

We would recommend that you contact your GP surgery directly regarding many of the comments made about the treatment you recieved with them.

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k