How to get the best and fastest emergency room care

[Ihurt]

Nuc,

Well for the last two years I have had moderate to severe intestinal pain. I get pain and cramps and that feeling like I always gotta go. But usually I go once a day( it is usually always formed, but sometimes on the softer side where the stool is formed but when it hits the water it kind of disintegrates). Sorry if that was too much information. But my main issue is bad pain all throughout my intestines and sometimes I get times where it hurts on the right lower side. I have had the following tests thus far in the last year and half; I had stool tests checking for parasites and calprotectin levels, blood work, abdominal ultrasound, MRE of small bowel last October and it was normal. I also had a colonoscopy this past April and that was normal. I had one episode where I had severe lower abdominal pain that sent me to the ER and they did a CT scan with only the IV contrast since I cannot tolerate the drink one. That one came back normal as well. So my GI keeps thinking I have IBS. Just that my symptoms do not fit IBS at all. I feel like I am getting worse as time goes by. I know a lot of people on the crohns board say that getting a diagnosis can be hard. I wonder if they could have missed it with the tests I have had, or maybe it takes time for the inflammation to surface with crohns? I just do not know. I am seeing a rheumatologist soon to see if he can offer any help.

No, I thankfully did not have my tendon rupture. I had tendonitis though In the arm where it was throbbing. I had issues for about a good year after taking that cipro. It took awhile to fully heal. I think had I not stopped taking it I may have ruptured , who knows. :eek2:

 

[ce1210]

I would say getting the best ER care would be dependent upon which hospital you went to, I know in TN there are vast differences from hospital to hospital. ER docs at Sumner Regional Hospital in Gallatin, TN turned my grandfather away told him to go home there was nothing wrong with him, and he was in the middle of having a stroke right in front of them. As we were walking out a nurse came running outside and told us that we needed to take him to another hospital because something was wrong? A doc at the same hospital attempted to begin taking the pins out of my dad's broken wrist before he was given any anesthesia (he actually stuck the knife in and my dad started screaming),and left pins in my dad's broken wrist to long and he had to have major orthopedic surgery to reroute tendons in his right arm. And I crushed 2 fingers on my left hand pulling my fingernails out in the process, well they cleaned the fingernails and shoved them back into my fingers and put 2 stitches thru each so that my fingers would heal in the correct shape. When it was time to have them removed, I went back to that hospital and the doc that was pulling them couldn't get them to come out. He said it was my fault because I wasn't holding still so he called in 2 nurses (both about 5' 100lbs, I was 6'4 215lbs) to "hold me down". He then tried to yank one out very quickly and it ripped in half and when this happened I jerked really hard (not on purpose, but having someone yank on a finger that is dislocated and broken in 3 places is NOT pleasant) and knocked one of the nurses down. He got all flustered and told me he couldn't get them out, so just wait till they fall out on their own. Why he didn't just numb the fingers I'll never know...

So emergency rooms and doctors are hit or miss, 50/50 in my experience...but I will never take any drug my doc prescribes without knowing its mechanism of action, its full side effect profile, who stands to profit off of my prescription, pharmacodynamics/pharmacokinetics, etc. I will also never have any more tests or imaging done without physically seeing the results (I just now got the results from my CT w/ contrast they used as initial diagnosis for crohn's in june and have had to fight docs, nurses, the hospital, and my insurance company to get it). I can tell that my GI doctor finds me annoying, but I think he is starting to become intrigued by my "hypochondria" and hatred of pharmaceuticals. He told me I may want to consider seeing a therapist to deal with starting 6-mp or something since I was afraid to...I told him I would prob cause a therapist to commit suicide and he laughed for like 10 minutes but he def thinks I'm crazy. a

I really have a problem with the way society looks at doctors, like they are practicing some kind of black magic. All they are doing is becoming extremely informed on the anatomy and physiology of the human being, then making educated guesses about what medication, surgery, or therapy will help (do more good than harm to) each individual they see. Anybody that wanted to be a doctor badly enough, could be a doctor.

 

[optimusmog]

I would say getting the best ER care would be dependent upon which hospital you went to, I know in TN there are vast differences from hospital to hospital...

I agree 100%, it's not just in Tennessee but I've experienced these variations in NE, PA, NJ, IL, NY... Living in Chicago I had one hospital admit me at the triage desk, before I could sit down and before they got my insurance info, because I had a fever of 104. I presented with the exact same symptoms at another hospital in Chicago later that year and sat in the waiting room for god knows how long (I don't know! I was delirious with a fever!). In NYC it's one hell of a crapshoot. I've had experiences all across the spectrum, from "could you make an appointment to see your gastroenterologist in the next 24 hours?" (as I'm actively dry-heaving) to "don't move, we'll bring the gurney out and you can relax" (when I wasn't even puking!).

I think it comes down to doing your research beforehand - yes, after some amazing hospital horrorshows, I have become that crazy person who quickly hops on google and looks into the local ERs before I travel. And THANK GOD because when I'm having a flare, I don't want to be simultaneously freaking out that I'm about to wind up in Our Lady of MRSA Hospital or something. A little bit of preparation can make such a difference.

Also, I have found that calling my doctor and having them contact the ER (whether or not it's in-state or an affiliate or whatever) so they know I'm coming in is HUGE. We're talking the difference between a 3 hour wait and a 20 minute wait.

I find it most useful to be as straight as possible, like "I have Crohn's disease, I take (whatever) maintenance medicine, but this (blood everywhere, high fever, inability to keep food down, etc.) symptom is unusual for me and I am worried my disease is flaring." My Mom's a doctor and I've noticed that, even if she doesn't pull the "I'm a doctor" card, this is how SHE talks to the people in the ER when I'm flaring, and it works.

...Which brings up the point of how incredibly valuable it is to have an advocate with you if at all possible. I know when I am in searing pain and can't think straight from the fever/dehydration/PAAAIIINNNN, it's a relief to have someone with me who can speak clearly and answer questions with a working brain. My husband and Mom know when I'm downplaying my pain or being non-chalant about my symptoms and they often have a more realistic viewpoint than mine. Plus, it never hurts to have an extra voice backing up why this is serious shit and not just a fun jaunt to the ER for a silly tummyache from eating too many gummybears. :kello:

 

[UnXmas]

I've found the secret to getting the best and fastest emergency room care. The hospital I went to isn't known for having a great A&E. When I got there, the waiting time given on the sign was four hours. I was seen in less than two minutes, then went from doctor to bed to pain killers to scan to surgeon... etc. My intestine had perforated. So I've concluded you get the best care when you're really sick, and if you want to be seen quickly, go to A&E when you're very ill. If you're having to fake sickness to try and be seen quicker, you're probably not sick enough to need to be seen quickly, and shouldn't be trying to jump ahead of people who need help more urgently than you do.

 

[Axelfl3333]

Hi nuc,I agree with a large part of what you say but like many on here I,ve ran across many doctors who have the customer care skills of a dead fish!sorry to insult you dead fish!i,ve just came back from one who was like that it's very frustrating.conversation went this way your blood work came with great results,stool sample the same,that's good I say,why do I go to the toilet 6/8 times a day!don,t know is the reply,any ideas?no.see you in 4 weeks for a check-up.mentioned pretty bad joint pain especially my shoulder,physiotherapy might help,I,ve had it suggested cortisone injection,fine want to do it just now?see what physiotherapy say,reply I,ve been,ok see you in 4weeks,bye.this happens on a regular basis bye the bye,no eye contact just the blank stare into the computer monitor.this probably explains the rise of alternative holistic healing at least theypretend there interested.I know all drs aren,t this way.

 

[apl2018]

go in screaming in pain