Can ya hep a brutha out?

[beentrying2quit]

I went to the ER two weeks ago with severe abdominal pain...not trying to be gross but I could not fart and was constipated.  The ER doctor ordered a CAT scan to check for blockage and the resutls came back that all was clear and when I asked them about my pain and not being able to pass gas he looked at me and said "maybe it was something you ate."  He wrote me a script for 50 10/500 Lortabs and discharged me. WHAT A MORON!  I did not fill the prescription but threw it away...I WAS SO PISSED!

I finally went to the surgeon that operated on me a few years ago.  He look at the CAT scan results and instantly said "a portion of your small bowel is either paralyzed or dead."  Scared the hell out of me.

Why didn't the ER doctor mention this to me while I was at the hospital?  Are they that useless?  Are they that cold and indifferent?  do they look at all people and instantly condem us as junkies and addicts?  

Now I'm not a small guy...5'11...200 lbs...with several years of martial arts training.  It is taking all I have not to go back to that hospital, wait for that doctor, and kick his azz.  What do we have to do to get the treatment and help we really need?  

While I was waiting for the orderly to come and get me I watched the doctors and nurses go about their job as it was the last thing they wanted to be doing..as they could care less about how people felt or what their future was.  How can someone look on another person that is in pain and suffering and not care?

[Sajonna]

When I had my GallBladder out I met a gal who was in there for extreme constipation.  She hadn't had a BM for over 8 days or so.  She looked miserable.  I remember her telling me they couldn't give her anything for the pain.  That was back when I smoked and we met outside having a smoke. If coffee and a smoke don't make you go, then you are in trouble.  She had a good sense of humour despite her situation.  I always wonder what happened to her.

Here's a good ER story.  Back in 2001 I was driving home from work and all of a sudden had a sharp pain in the Gallbladder area and in my upper back. I got real feverish hot..I thought I was coming down with the flu or something. I made it home praying all the way. I collapsed at home from the pain. Woke up 4 hours later sweating, exhausted.  Called my insurance company to ask about going to ER.  They put me through to a nurse who said to take a Zantac and see how I felt in the morning.

Next morning I was about 25% better but still had this pain..felt like it was stabbing me from the inside out (like an alien trying to get outta me.).  I called my doctor, he sent me to the ER.  The ER does an Xray and blood work and several hours later tells me I have Reflux or GERD.  Sends me home with Prilosec.  I took that for a few days gave me a massive headache and made my stomach hurt.  Well 6 weeks later and many many tests (every test you can imagine), I become paralyzed from the waist up. My doctor, after seeing negative results on all my tests, wanted to send me to the Mayo Clinic.  He wanted me to see one more doctor: a surgeon in town that specialized in Gallbladders.  I went to him. He examined me and yelled at me : Lady that pain is NOT in your GB area, that is in your chest...your right breast and I know nothing about that.  

I went home and cried my eyes out because no one would help me.  I then got to thinking, the only think in my chest was silicone breast implants and my heart. So I got an emergency MRI Mammogram.  The radiologist read my test immediatley and talked to me. She said this one one of the worse ruptures she ever saw.  She also was mad because  she looked at the very first Xrays I had done in that ER and it clearly showed both of my implants were severly ruptured.  

Now I could get real mad at that ER doctor, BUT my primary doctor explained to me that doctors have been told that silicone ruptures do not cause pain like this.  After I dealt with getting this stuff out of me, I took those first Xrays back to that first ER I went to and talked to the Chief of ER.  We had a long talk about these implants rupturing.  16 yr old implants have a rupture rate of about 75%.  The older the implant the greater the risk of rupture.  And sometimes it DOES hurt real bad. I was mad as hell.  I could not sue anyone for this either. Even though for 6 weeks I thought I was dying.  And for 14 of those 16 years I was sick and never related it to the implants.

I now have RA, OA, Fibromylagia, the start of cataracts growing at fast pace, IBS-D, CFS, Sjogren's and now be tested for Lupus.  Talk about feeling like a hypochondriac.  This silicone stuff opened up a whole new disease. Many women suffer and many women got addicted to drugs because of the pain.  That is why I know so much about pain meds. We are hoping in the next 20 years that doctors will be more educated with this stuff.  But then, most of us will be gone.

Sorry for the long post...but thanks for reading it too.

Moral of this story: If you suspect something is wrong, no one knows your body better than YOU.  (my doctor told me this.)

SJ

[lady67]

I always have a major problem with constipation when I take hydros too long.  I don't know which is worse, the cramps from the hydros or the diarrhea from the withdrawls.

[worried878]

And lortab is a really lame choice for a dead or constipated bowel!   think about it...it would just slow it down and make it worse!...did they check u for diverticulitis?  

[EmilyPost]

Dear BeenTrying2Quit;

I actually think anger is a very useful tool in withdrawal. As long as you don't actually beat the ER Doc up; you should be fine. Visualizing it is probably very satisfying! I'm really sorry all that happened to you and I saw you are in early withdrawal. It ***** for awhile.

The studies on accidental deaths at hospitals due to medical mistakes are amazing. The last study they did made me never want to walk into a hospital ever again. You have twice the likelihood of being killed there from a straight up medical mistake as you do from a car accident. So is the lesson, if you survive a car accident, don't let them take you to the Hospital? LOL!

I couldn't agree more about the lack of true empathy and caring shown in these places. It's sickening. Esp if you have been to other countries and seen their methods.  What makes me angry is that the drug I am withdrawing from is not being taken seriously as a dangerous substance. I JUST read that Sweden (who has one of the very best healthcare system on Earth) has reclassified this drug. It's no longer "not a narcotic." Thank goodness for them! When will that happen here? How long will it take this country to catch up with the Swedes?

I understand your anger. It's justified. Misdiagnosis is incredibly high; esp in ER's. I'm just glad you are quitting the pills and getting your life back. We're all doing it. Together we're stronger and your story helped me because my perception is the same as yours. There's not enough empathy or intent to heal in medicine today. Pharmaceutical companies and Insurance Companies are taking over Health in America. It's Big Business and it makes me sick to think that they do not really want to keep people healthy or strong. It seems as if they want people addicted and sick. It's profitable I suppose.

Seriously, are we still in America?

Hugs and good job on quitting!
Emily

[broknbck]

Hey,
that is pretty sickening. the doctor i mean. ha it is a quick fix to them. just treat the symptom and they do not bother to get to the cause. but then the emergency room is pretty much for quick fixes and they usually say to follow up with your doctor.

were you ever hooked on pain killers in the past? if so-- you should give that doctor an ear full so he realizes what he has done. but maybe not kick his butt, okay?

[wannabefree330]

Coming from a ER nurse's point of view, I can understand your frustration.  While many may come across that way, they all aren't that cold hearted.  I am sorry you are in pain, and unfortunately were mis diagnosed.  Healthcare has become so sophisticated now, that the radiologist who read the xray probably missed it, not the ER doc.  It's a good thing you followed up, unfortunately there are about 50% of people presenting w/pain that don't have it.  And, yes that does create a problem for those who do.  The ones who don't follow up w/a doc and keep coming back, are the ones we watch out for.  The ER md was prob frustrated with unable to find anything wrong, so gave you the meds.  But WOW!! 50?  that's a lot.  Point being, they aren't perfect, they miss things too, but you did the right thing in following up with a doctor THAT KNOWS YOU!! and you took responsibility for your healthcare.  Good For YOu!!