Going In

Hi All - Just wanted to ask (again) for your support and thoughts; I am heading to the ER in about an hour as I cannot stand this pain and sickly feeling any longer.  I know it will be a long wait, but I hope after the long wait, I can get some answers.

Best to all........ Elizabeth

[Danimatt]

Hi - I am thinking of you and praying for you.  Hugs xoxo

[gah_70]

Wow, I hope you feel better, and get some pain relief.  Take care, and check back in with us when you can.

Hugs and prayers,
Gail

[hatgal]

Thank you so much; I did post another thread above for the chat room, but I must go now.  I hope to God I get some answers as I feel just awful!

Thanks again and best to you all......... Elizabeth

[dian07]

I am so sorry you are feeling so miserable.....I hope you get good results from the medical team at the ER.....please do check back in when you are able.   You are in my heart.
Peace.
dian

[hatgal]

Thanks so much for your concern.  I went to the ER and was the only one in the waiting room.  I saw the triage nurse, registered, and told her my pain wa at a 12 on a scale of 1-10.  3 hours later, I was still in the waiting room so I began to cry, called my husband and went home.  This is the second time in the past week I have done this.  I cannot wait in the ER in this pain; I begin to feel stupid and that no one cares, no one gets it (meaning the medical community), and I even called the gyno on-call last night where I go and they never called me back.  So here I am again still in the same condition; I am at a total loss and I still know there is something going on.  I have upped my pain meds only to be able to walk a little to take care of my kids.

Maybe if I dressed as a man, went to the ER and told them I was having prostate pain, they would take me right in I bet ya!

I'm going to call the gyno and try and demand test ordered today STAT; we'll see - I'm just soooo exhausted from all of this.

Best........ Elizabeth

[Mary 53]

This is outrageous, Elizabeth! I read your post last night and when I saw you had responded again, I was so hopeful that maybe you were given some direction and some good care. I am outraged for you. I read someone's post a bit ago where they spoke of all these TV commercials and all of the ads in the magazines, etc., and they say "ask your doctor about this...call your doctor if you have these symptoms, etc...Yeah, Right. How about the number of health care professionals who pat you on the head or suggest this is all in your head. I remember the nurse calling me telling me my Ultrasound was "just fine." As she was hanging up, I cried out, "but the tech said she saw two cysts." ....the nurse said, "Oh, well, yes, you have two cysts, but you're fine." I said, "Well, what do I do with all this pain"? She said if I was in that much pain then I should call the doctor (WHAT???)...I switched doctors.

Not sure if my outrage is helpful for you to hear...hoping it is in the sense that you know you have support. You deserve answers. I mean, what the heck is going on?

I have nothing against doctors. I am outraged over incompetence. My father (at age 67) was told that his problems were "all in his head" by our family doctor. My dad was so disgusted with this comment that he did switch doctors only to end up in the hospital with a dx of lymphoma. Two years later, when I was 20, back in 1974, he was dead. And, I was the one who had to tell the doctor about Dad's lymphoma...I watched this man become white as a ghost.

And, I don't know if you read this on one of my posts, but I saw the Orthopedic doctor TWICE last winter....and TWICE they missed a dx of a ruptured disc. Finally in July a neurologist discovered the problem, but only after really listening to me. I had very atypical symptoms. Still dealing with a "foot drop" and have (almost) wiped out flat on my face about 30 - 40 times over the past few months. And, the tripping did not start until April...so, if the bone doc had paid more attention, he would have found the problem and I would have had phy. Therapy and possibly no nerve damage. Geez....what ever happened to listening. I did not give up. To every doctor I saw over the past year I said, "thank goodness you don't think I am a hypochondriac." Now, they might have thought that, but I beat them to the punch.

In my case, it was a long journey and I met many caring people along the way even though my Orthopedic doc let me down, but near the end I started every conversation with, "I am probably going to start crying since I cannot seem to get any answers...please help me."

OK...take care. I think I have posted to you before. Just know I am thinking of you and I encourage you to keep up the fight for answers.

Mary

[SimplyStar]

saw your post about foot drop, I got that when I first started using the PC from not using correct posture. Went to my pcp and  she sent me to a physical therapist, fitted for a boot  which I wore days for 3 months,  did exercizes with a large, wide rubber band like circle, healed up fine. It strengthened my calf muscles and tightened up my tarsals. I prop that foot up half the time I am on here now.  Nurses are subject to this because of floor work. I have very flat feet. Got rid of the tennies and bought  loafers with 1/2" heels.

[Mary 53]

Hi, I wanted to thank you for the advice on the foot drop. That was so nice of you to let me know that you had some info on this. So, we share this dilema...not fun, is it?

I have to make an appointment with the Neurologist for a follow up and in fact I am overdue for that. I will ask about using a boot and doing exercises with a band. I have a feeling they might say no to the band until I can get my core muscles super strengthened. I showed the physical therapist some of the exercises I like to do and I thought she was going to flip. Turns out that since I got so off track with my regular exercises that I have done since 1982 I have lost some of the core strength. I went through some bouts of depression along with the horrible pain for a few months last year while trying to get a dx for whatever was wrong with me. I was happy just to make it through a day at work and home...although I did get down since I was off track on the exercise issue. Kind of a Catch-22, you know!

I will say that things are improving and I find I am not as prone to tripping as I had been. The Physical therapy I did have was helpful I think. And, I am patient regarding time since this might take up to two years to totally heal. They were not sure about the foot drop, but my friend who is an orthopedic doctor thought that it was reasonable to think things will get all better....I hope! There was quite a bit of nerve damage to the nerve that the ruptured disc was pressing on and that is why there was damage beyond the disc issue. Luckily the diahrrea has cleared up nicely...not totally but nicely.

Well, just an update there. I recall you wondering along with me what the heck was going on with me and all that groin pain. I have had such a healthy back (that sounds crazy given the ruptured disc thing) but really...I never had back pain. And, I had a mother who always insisted on good posture...so I do try. Most of the time :)

Take care....and nice hearing from you!

Mary

[TGinKY]

I can't believe it, but then again I can!  Get an appt. and take somebody super assertive with you and mae something happen.  Best of luck to you!!

[hatgal]

Thanks for your concern.  Friday (12/7) I did call the new gyno I have seen once a couple weeks ago who ordered the TVU that showed the cysts and fibroids.  I could not believe how wonderful they were at the office; they actually listened to me!  They said, "what do you want/need us to do".  I was like, OMG, ok, I need to get into the ER and not wait 3-4 hours and I need to have tests to see what is going on.  I know the ER can't cure me, but these tests needed to be done ASAP.  SO they sent an order to the ER for me to get right in and run all sorts of tests.  So I did - had another TVU (I think a better tech this time) and it probably showed better views than the last one.  I had blood work, which was a mess (anemic and other issues), and a vascular ultrasound of my leg b/c of the leg pain from the cyst (was fine).  So I am sticking with this new doc and go to see him tomorrow to see what shall be done.  I know he won't do surgery as he's just an ob/gyno but I'm sure the  hospital he works from has gyno surgeons (hopefully gyno/oncos).  The ER doc did state that the fibroids are getting pretty bad and may even be endometriomas (don't know what that is -need to research) and he said they should be biopsied, etc.

So, I did get someone to listen - FINALLY!  So we'll see what happens next.  Thanks again!

[hatgal]

Hi There - I also have major back problems; everrthing from L6 down to S1 is either herniated, bulging, or compressing my spinal cord.  I think neurosurgeons are your best bet for treatment of the back/neck.  Not so sure about ortho's - more into fixing bones.  I had a disc replacement surgery in my neck in June that my neurosurgeon did and now I may be looking at back surgery.  However, this pain I am having I believe are the cysts and fibroids irritating my back.  Yes, I'm in a bit of a pickle and I would like to have a gyno/onco sit down with my neurosurgeon to see which surgery would be my best bet for pain relief, but I know that will never happen.  Since I have been having cysts and fibroids for a while I know things aren't right there and also the other symptoms that support ovarian/uterine disease make me believe this is what is causing the most of my problems.  So, we'll see!

[cirella]

I'm so glad someone finally listened to you!  Were you thrown off guard when they asked YOU what you wanted them to do?  I kind of was for you!  LOL

Take care,
Lori

[crecco]

Elizabeth, I am so glad you didn't give up and finally found someone who would listen to you. That is horrid to be treated like that. I just pray that nothing is very serious. Best of luck to you. LOL Chris

[hatgal]

Yes, I was caught off guard.  They even said, "it's no use coming into the office, b/c we'll just send you to the ER, so let's just do that."  I called this morning to thank them and they were, again, very helpful and compassionate.

If it turns out serious, guess who's gonna get rich off the other bast.... that never listened to me (hmm...... 1, 3, and 3 gynos/oncos!)

So I have an appt. tomorrow with a not-so-caring group, but just wanted to keep that appt. to see what they say.  They wouldn't even order any tests until they see me - so I'll just sit there and be like, o.k., have cysts, fibroids, etc.  And they'll be like, o.k., we need to order more tests ....... wrong - my other doc already did that for me - buhbye!

So then on Wed. I go to this very caring group and will go from there.  I am relieved that someone is listening and so is my husband.  But, of course, needless to say, still in alot of pain.

Hope all are doing well.  Thank you again for your concern and support!!  Elizabeth

[hatgal]

Sorry, meant to say 1, 2, and 3 gynos/oncos (not 1, 3 and 3 - that makes no sense!).