HI, let me preface this with the fact that I am VERY proactive in my own medical care. I had to call an ambulance yesterday in the early afternoon. I was in real trouble with all over body cramps and a blood pressure of 80/50. The EMTS were great and the emergency room care was as well. There were a few problems, they lost my shirt, and asked me about my meds at least 6+ times. I gave them all the info every time, as well as giving them my Primary Care Doctor's name/number every time. The number is super easy to remember it follows an AAA-0BBB pattern. His practice is open 7 days, and he has an up-to-date list of everything. Moreover, this is his attending hospital, that's why I went there. I spent about 20min with my ER Doctor and cross-examined him about everything. He also told me that after a first thing in the morning blood draw and an echocardiogram that I could go home the next day. The real problems began when I got to my room in the hospital proper. First, I already had two heparin locks, one in each arm. I then watched as they checked them and got a good blood return. They then proceeded to remove them both. Then start 2 new IV lines, one in each arm. After the new lines were established, they poked me a third time for blood tests, in my hand. Why in the hell did they do that? I saw with my own eyes that they had a strong blood return on both sites, my phlebotomist couldn't have gotten better sticks. They then hung normal saline, and heparin. Then asked me about the meds I was taking, yet again, and I rattled them off and gave them my PCP's name and phone number. I complained about some severe lower back pain, from being in one position way too long. Then informed them that they could give my anything for pain, except the entire -caine class of local anesthetics, novocaine, lidocaine, xylocaine, benzocaine, etc. none of them work on me, I have a crazy high resistance to them. So, with the entire pharmacopeia of drugs available in a modern hospital from baby aspirin to fentanyl, what did they do? They slapped a lidocaine patch high, between my shoulder blades. A drug that I told them would not work, and they put it as far from the site of the pain as possible. about 30min later I started to have an asthma attack. I asked for some albuterol, as this is the most common drug used for asthma to stop an attack. The respiratory therapist came in and asked, "What's wrong?" I told him I was starting to have an asthma attack and that I usually took albuterol for it. He said, and I'm quoting here "If you are having an asthma attack, how are you talking to me right now?" my response was a tich salty at that point. "By all means, come back it 20-30 mins when I'm in respiratory distress! would that be better for you?" He treated me and left without saying another word. From that point on I received no actual treatment for ANYTHING! They did one more blood draw and took my vitals twice in about 14 hours. During this time I had one panic attack, must have been interesting on the heart monitor, it did set an alarm off in the room. I ask for at the very least my psych meds, every time I saw a nurse or attendant. The final time they took my vitals, I had a BP of 177/100 and going up, my BP can and has gotten as high as 250/150 without treatment. and a blood sugar of 450+. Then they fed me. 3 hours later, still with no treatment, no medication, no more tests, no echocardiogram, no nothing! It is now about noonish I call the nurse and tell her that I am going home now. Frankly, I can die at home with no treatment just as easily as I can here, it will cost me less, and I will be way more comfortable. Now I am at home, madder than a wet tabby cat. I can currently giving myself the treatment I should have received in the hospital. At least here I have all of my medications, including my psych meds, and I can monitor my condition just as easily. The real capper was when I was going over my reasons for leaving with the nurse, she asked me about my meds again! Apparently, they weren't in the computer... Edit to add: How freaking difficult is it, in this day and age of telecommunications, electronic medical records, and Fax machines. To pick up a damn phone and call a doctor whose name, number, and address of office, I have provided until I'm blue in the face, a doctor who has a 7 day a week practice, and a 24hour answering service. A doctor who has NEVER failed to call me back, even after hours. A doctor who is an attending physician at the very hospital I am current at, and gotten my list of current meds, and full medical history. Information even I could have gotten, in detail, from his website, if I had had a laptop or a smartphone???
Wow, that sounds like some prime bs you went through. I understand emergency rooms having to triage care, but some places are really not that good at telling when an emergency is happening so long as nobody is visibly bleeding, I guess.
That's awful, I've been reading about a lot of cases like this recently and it's so frustrating and scary. I'm sorry all that happened. For organization's sake, venting and asking for advice usually goes in either brainbent or general advice. FID is more for discussing and gawking at internet drama. Which would you prefer this thread moved to, brainbent or general advice?
I wasn't looking for any advice, I just wanted to vent about a sucky experience. Move to wherever you think in belongs.
Sympathy like, because that is exceedingly fucked up and I'm so sorry you had to go through that bullshit.
*hugs* I know I gave them in email conversation but you gets extra ones here. Glad you is doing better.
