I Hate Er's

[ptkds]

Sorry, I just have to vent my frustrations somewhere!

Friday night, I wound up in the ER because I had a REALLY BAD headache, and my neck was hurting. I was dizzy, lightheaded, and just felt horrible. So my hubby took me in. First off, the nurse is just acting like I am faking or something. I was obviously crying from the pain, and she asked me if I was congested, then answered herself because I was sniffling. My dh says that I have not been congested at all, I was just crying, she had that look on her face. Then when she asked if I had taken any Tylenol that day, I couldn't remember (I still can't), and she had a hard time believing that I couldn't remember if I had taken some medicine. I was like HELLO! I am in way too much pain to think about whether I took some Tylenol or not. I mean, I had had a headache all week. The days just sort of blend together when you feel so bad.

When they put me in a room (really a curtained area), they put me right next to this old man (we felt so sorry for this man and his wife, though) that kept yelling and moaning with every breath, although there were plenty of empty beds further away. His yelling didn't help my head one bit. I noticed that there was no pillow on the bed, so we ask for one. Of course, they have no pillows! They offer me a few blankets! Like that will help my neck pain. Then we get this horrible dr we have met before. He blows all my symptoms off and tells me I most likely have the flu. We wait forever, they come do some tests. The lady that took my blood really hurt me (I normally don't have a problem with my blood being taken), and then says it isn't her fault that it hurts

We overhear the same dr telling the ppl next to us that he probably has the flu, even though he has some rare palsey disease that affects the respiratory tract. So his choking is from the flu, not his disease .

So they diagnose me with the flu, give me a dose of Tamiflu (which I didn't even confirm was gluten-free because I couldn't think straight) and three Tylenol 3's, a script that I can't afford, and send me home, even though my pain is still extreme and I can barely walk straight.

Today, I looked at the sheet they gave me, and under the title "Seek Immediate Medical Attention if:", they list "Severe headache; severe neck pain"

If I had been thinking straight that night, I would have looked at that paper, turned around and said "I have a severe headache and severe pain in my neck. Will you help me now??" The meds they gave me didn't touch my head pain at all. I was unable to do anything all weekend. Finally, the headache is gone and I am feeling much better. But I just wanted to die that night cuz the pain was so bad.

Why do ER's treat you like this?? We are told by the media and all these medical experts seek medical help when you have certain symptoms, then they treat you like you are wasting their time! It is just so frustrating!

Thanks for letting me vent!

[blueeyedmanda]

I understand and I work in a hospital...we dont go near the ER...

Hope you are feeling better.

[Rpm999]

i can't agree more, i've gotten TERRIBLE care at ER's, not to mention how much they lie to you...one nurse did the worst blood work i've ever had...she SLAMMED it in my arm so hard that if it slipped, my nerve would have collapsed...then told me to bend my arm, and when i did, it flew out and she blamed ME then slammed it in again (making ANOTHER hole) and my whole arm was bruised up and swollen....the same day, the doctor yelled at me for wanting a chest x-ray, the FOUR HOURS LATER came in and said OH WE'RE GONNA DO THE X-RAY NOW...i just left

[tarnalberry]

I've been to the ER three times - three different ER's - all fairly minor. Once for stitches on my finger (and the nurse didn't want to believe me at first that she didn't fully numb my finger, but she did eventually), once for what was likely a kidney stone (and everyone was great, even though they were quite busy and there was a fairly long wait), and once for stitches to my face and chin (and again everyone was great, even though it took a while because we had to wait for the plastic surgeon to come down).

I'm not sure why the difference, but I suppose I also don't expect too too much out of them. I also count myself lucky if I get in within two hours, and get out in less than six.

[Green12]

Sorry you had to experience that.

I had a terrible ER experience myself over the summer. The Dr treated me horribly as well, terrible bed side manner. He didn't believe what I was going through and all but accused me of faking an anaphylactic reaction and severe all-over body swelling to get an Epi pen prescription to get a high off of.

I was there for 5 hours and nothing was accomplished, I only left with a bruised arm from the blood pressure cuff and all the poking and proding and IV line, and a HUGE bill.

[confusedks]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience too! I HATE ER's! They treat you like your medical problems aren't important. I went to the ER not too long ago because I had really low iron and my Hematologist told me to go, so I could get an iron IV and the Dr. said that anemia wouldn't cause exhaustion! She was such an idiot! I ended up leaving, after waiting in the waiting room for 6 hours!!! UGH! I hate ER's!

[Adelle]

So a few years ago I had an allergic reaction, just my lips swelled up. I called my insurance companies nurse line. They said to head to the ER just in case because the swelling was so close to my throat. I agreed. When we got there (at like 4am) the nurse took me seriously (I had my drivers license photo to prove my lips were 3x their normal size and beginning to split open) but the doc didn't. He accused me of drug seeking, said I was lucky to have big lips (after all women pay for lip injections), and then when I protested he gave me the "talk to the hand" gesture. That's when my husband kicked him out of the room. We left and found a dermatologist in the AM. She did a biopsy and found that it was an allergic reaction (I'd called my mom and turns out my dad had the same reaction to something, they never figured out what) and gave me shots in my lips (the only thing that fixes it as it turns out).

And the kicker, the freaking hospital had the nerve to charge me $600 ON TOP of what my insurance paid!!!