I hate the ER

[moodyskydiver 0]

For the last 3weeks or so I've been having moderate to severe pain in my back that has gotten increasingly worse every few days to the point that I get shooting pain down my neck and my left arm and the last two fingers of my left hand go numb and/or have the "pins and needles" feeling.Yesterday morning around 3AM I just couldnt take it anymore.I couldnt breathe or move w/o pain and couldnt sleep at all.So my hubby took me to the ER.

First the triage nurse says "oh your fingers are numb? well thats a sign of carpal tunnel" Ok, yeah it might be,but I've never heard of carpal tunnel causing pain in the whole arm plus neck and upper back.Then,she asks me to spell the names of my medication b/c she doesnt know how to spell them,even though none of them are hard to spell or pronounce and are all very common.

So I get into the ER and sit for about an hour waiting on the doc even though we're the only ones in the ER.When he finally comes in,rather than reading my chart, he asks me to list all my meds to him again..ok no prob.But apparently this was an exercise in memory rather than an information thing b/c when I start telling him what I'm on he starts talking over me and I never finish.He doesnt seem to care or notice.I was told to slip into the funky hosptal gown on account of the doc would want to see my back.Well, not only didnt he touch my back at all, he didnt even look at it.Instead he just told me to tell him where it was hurting.As soon as I did he said "ok you have a pinched nerve in your neck and thats why your arm hurts.I dont know why your back is hurting,its probably something else"...ok,like what?I never get an answer.He says I need to follow up with a primary care physician to get an MRI done b/c it was late and he wasnt going to schedule one.I told him I was trying to find a new PCP b/c mine had quit private practice to work at the hospital.If he hadnt I would have gone to him weeks ago instead of waiting on a list of available doctors from my insurance and letting this get progressively more painful.In response he said "well I dont keep up with all the rumors". WTF? I just told you his office sent me a formal letter ending his practice and informing me to find a new one...where is the rumor comming in?

The nurse comes back in and hands me 2 Tylenol.Ooo! yeah thats really gonna help,after I've told them I've been taking 800mg of ibuprophen 3-4X daily.I also get an injection of Toradol,which is a crappy nonsteriodal ainti-inflammatory that I've taken before.When I get home to reread all the drug facts on Toradol it says "dont take with asprin or ibuprophen". WTF? I told them I'd been taking a buttload of ibuprophen and then they give me something that shouldnt be taken with it?The pain never did subside and the injection left me really nauseaous.

So I realize I wasted a trip to the ER and still need to find a new PCP to get any help.Yeah, I'm stupid.

Anyone out there ever have experience with a pinched nerve in the neck or back?

"...just an earthbound misfit, I."

[wildchild 0]

Get yourself a good chiropractor that does the needling thing as well...that helps!!

____________________________
"If there is doubt, there is no doubt." - Tonto

[raftman 12]

Sounds like someone needs a hug. O Never mind, that might hurt. Hope you get feeling better.
My prescription: Drink 2 glasses of wine and call me in the morning.

[guppie01 0]

My emergency room experience:

Last Thanksgiving I went into anaphylactic shock (been there before, so I know what I'm going through), my roommates rush me to ER. The triage nurse took my vitals and states "oh your vitals are fine, you can go and sit in the waiting room until a room becomes available." WTF, for Christ’s sake I CANT BREATH!!! So I sit in the waiting room for almost a half hour struggling to get air, and finally my name gets called.

I was sort of wishing that I went into full arrest so that I could have sued that lil fucker!!!

The ER Dr. on duty see's me and is in shock that I've been put off so long. She immediately get's me an epi shot and breathing treatments. 3 hours later I'm released.

My allergist has since prescribed me an epi pen to avoid potential probelms like above in the future.

I can somewhat understand that so many ER visits are people who have a cough and it can be construed as a waste of the ER facilities (I used to be an EMT), but to be treated like a fucking idiot by a Dr./nurse is wrong!!!

Sorry you're having so much pain. I hope you're able to get it resolved soon!

Take care,
g

"Let's do something romantic this Saturday... how bout we bust out the restraints?"
Raddest Ho this side of Jersey #1 - MISS YOU
OMG, is she okay?

[Fast 0]

Bad shake. That sucks. I find that there are some hospitals that are good and some that are not. Wildly different treatment depending on where a hospital is located. At least by me. Though, any hospital that I have ever gone to has solved my problem. It just tends to take them awhile.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[usedtajump 1]

Its been my experience that unless you have a limb missing with blood gushing out of the remaing stump or a spear sticking out of your chest, ER personel haven't got a diagnostic clue. Seems like they either wait for you to die or hope you get tired of waiting around and leave.

The older I get the less I care who I piss off.

[skybytch 273]

I hate the ER too. My recent visit was a total waste of my main canopy - yes, it cost almost exactly what I sold my main for.

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Anyone out there ever have experience with a pinched nerve in the neck or back?

But mine's not a pinched nerve. Or at least I don't think it's a pinched nerve; I won't know for sure until the MRI gets approved. Which won't be until after 6 weeks of physical therapy. Which was supposed to be approved two weeks ago but I still haven't heard about.

Welcome to the joys of back/neck pain and it's (mis)management by the medical/insurance industry! I predict that your physical pain, as bad as it may be, will be exceeded by your frustration with their inability to do a damn thing for you in a timely manner.

[Michele 1]

Sorry to hear this, Moody girl. I hope you get treatment and pain relief soon!

I'm not in a position to do anything about your pain or the way ERs are run; but if I were, I sure would!

Hugs, watch the IB intake (alternate it with a different pain reliever, or liver problems can occur), and see a chiropracter. They really can make a difference.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[moodyskydiver 0]

Yes,this hospital sucks ass.Everyone I know calls it Huntsville Malpractice Hospital,rather than its actual name, Huntsville Memorial Hospital...but then again, dont 'memorials' imply that someone died?

I'm keeping tabs on how much ibuprophen I'm taking.My mom has been a nurse for close to 30yrs,so I'm just going by her suggestions.She said taking 3-4 ibuprophen 3-4X daily is about the same dosage I'd get from like RX Tylenol etc. But its not really helping much pain wise.I think I just keep taking it so that mentally I feel like I'm helping the pain or something.

Hell, she asked me more questions than the ER doc did.He just said "where does it hurt?" and thats it. My mom was like "where are you hurting,what type of pain is it..aching,sharp,cramping etc.,on a scale of 1-10 with 1being a stubbed toe and 10 being a gunshot how bad is the pain, have you beeing coughing alot,are you nauseaus,are you light headed,do you have spots in front of your eyes or flashes of light,have you had heartburn,indigestion or acid reflux"...and on and on and on.

Hopefully I'll find a PCP soon and then if possible get a recommendation to a chiro.But for now I'm living on a heatpack,IcyHot patches and a massage mat.I hate tequila and dont drink it at all anymore,but a margurita or 3 sure sounds good right now.Then I might still be hurting but just wouldnt give a shit.

Any suggestions are definitely welcome.

"...just an earthbound misfit, I."

[kbordson 8]

Hey Amber.... sorry you had such a bad experience. But, setting up with a good PCP would be one of the best things you could do.

ER is kinda like anything else, there are some good ones, and some definately not worth much of anything. Which can be sad..... one of the hospitals that I work at has some really good docs and some that have completely amazed me with their .... ineptitude? or laziness? or just lack of care.... Excuses run aplenty (people using the ER inappropiately, understaffed, ect...) But bad care shouldn't be accepted.

If I were you, I would write the hospital CEO and detail your experience. Give specifics. Don't be whiney, but factual. Let them evaluate it. That has two purposes - it allows you to voice your frustration and it might make steps to correct a physician that needs to be reminded that it's his job to CARE for people.

Again... sorry you had a bad experience

[jasonRose 0]

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Any suggestions are definitely welcome.

Move to Washington State and sue them next time.

Sorry to hear about your pain, do you have a primary doc that can hook you up?

Some day I will have the best staff in the world!!!

[moodyskydiver 0]

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Sorry to hear about your pain, do you have a primary doc that can hook you up?

I had a primary care physician until December when his office sent me a letter saying he was leaving private practice to work full time at this same chop shop...er uh hospital.I was instructed to find a new PCP.I just havent found a new doc accepting new patients that my insurance covers yet.Had I found one by now or if my former PCP hadnt quit his practice I wouldnt have waited as long as I did to seek treament and be in as much pain as I'm in.But I kept thinking it'd get better on its own and it didnt,it got worse, which is why I ended up in the ER in the middle of the night.

So yeah, its my own fault.But I'll be finding a new PCP as soon as possible to work all this out.

"...just an earthbound misfit, I."

[popsjumper 2]

Get your butt to a Chiroropractor. They are NOT expensive...How much did you pay for ER for nothing? Now call a Chiro and get it fixed unless you just simply enjoy being in pain.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239