Open main menu ☰
HealingWell
Search Close Search
Health Conditions
Allergies Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety & Panic Disorders Arthritis Breast Cancer Chronic Illness Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes
Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Migraine Headache Multiple Sclerosis Prostate Cancer Ulcerative Colitis

View Conditions A to Z »
Support Forums
Anxiety & Panic Disorders Bipolar Disorder Breast Cancer Chronic Pain Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux
Hepatitis Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Multiple Sclerosis Ostomies Prostate Cancer Rheumatoid Arthritis Ulcerative Colitis

View Forums A to Z »
Log In
Join Us
Close main menu ×
  • Home
  • Health Conditions
    • All Conditions
    • Allergies
    • Alzheimer's Disease
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Arthritis
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Illness
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Migraine Headache
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Support Forums
    • All Forums
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Pain
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Hepatitis
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Ostomies
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Log In
  • Join Us
Join Us
☰
Forum Home| Forum Rules| Moderators| Active Topics| Help| Log In

help. dr says go to ER....but don't ever ask on here if you should if you have ever asked before.

Support Forums
>
Chronic Pain
✚ New Topic locked
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
profile picture
AngMichelle
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 932
Posted 1/7/2015 9:55 AM (GMT -8)
A few days ago I was startled (my mom thought it was a good idea to stand over me to "check on me" and I screamed and jumped up).
When I woke up I couldn't move my shoulder and was in extreme pain. the pain has lasted in a severity compared to 3 days post op.
My ortho says its probably adhesions or scar tissue and do ice and ibuprofen, Ive been doing that.
all day for several days I have been crying, almost screaming in pain, I've lost all movement I did have (I don't think its really "frozen bc with passively it can move, just hurts.)
My pain dr says call ortho-they even called ortho.
PCP says call ortho or go to ER
Ortho says there is nothing they can do, go to ER if its that bad.

I know good and well the ER will do noting but give me crap. They may do an X-ray-its not dislocated so thats pointless, and if I get a really nice dr I may get some kind of shot, but then what?? I hate the ER's here, they are no help and a waste of time.
I wish my ortho would do a 23hr admit, to meds and test or something but they don't do that anymore i guess.

I don't know what to do. I'm ready to get down a bottle of something.....

I am so tired of this....and being on a low dose hydrococode is helping NONE.

What the heck cold be wrong??

Post Edited (AngMichelle) : 1/7/2015 8:38:09 PM (GMT-7)

profile picture
straydog
Forum Moderator
Joined : Feb 2003
Posts : 19266
Posted 1/7/2015 10:58 AM (GMT -8)
You have asked this before & know the answer. ER will do nothing, insist on one of your treating drs to give you an appt, that is what they are there for. ER's are for treating emergencies & pain is not considered an emergency this you already know. This threatening to down a bottle of something AngMichelle is what has probably caused you a lot of grief in the past. This is how people get labeled & you know this. You have been in this way too long & know the rules.

Every few weeks you come to the forum saying should I go to the ER & its always because of pain you want to go to ER. You have been labeled as a frequent flyer to ER's in your town & they don't just label people this way for showing up 1-2 times. I do not understand why you continue to do this when you ultimately know the answer & know what will happen in ER.

We all get tired of hurting & being in pain but that is the life of chronic pain we have to get past it & deal with it. Since you can move the shoulder you best be keeping it moving. Letting it turn into a frozen shoulder is not going to get you anywhere including getting stronger pain medication. Jumping up as you described should not have caused any type of injury since you are several weeks out from surgery.

You can get mad & feel I am being harsh but you have a very long history of this sort of thing.
profile picture
pikespeak
New Member
Joined : Jan 2015
Posts : 13
Posted 1/7/2015 11:04 AM (GMT -8)
I know this is probably not what you want to hear.The problem your having are going to remain this way,if you are talking to Dr...in the same manner as this post,the only thing their thinking about is that this is Dr...seeking behavior,I'm sorry that you are in so much pain and the only thing I can say is Heat and cold alternating, ibuprofen.
Heal well..peace



RSD,cancer,partial amputation of left hand,crush injuries, broken back,broken neck,multiple fractures both femurs,4 surgeries each both shoulders and kness.Hip replacement multiple rt side.
profile picture
Alcie
Veteran Member
Joined : Oct 2009
Posts : 5177
Posted 1/7/2015 1:17 PM (GMT -8)
Hi Ang.

I'm not criticizing because I'm feeling pain that's not getting treated also. It's miserable.
Hydrocodone doesn't do anything for swelling but ibuprofen does, so keep taking that. How about heat? Can you move if you take a hot bath or a use heating pad?

I was allowed only passive movement for at least 6 weeks after my last shoulder surgery. It hurt a LOT for a couple of months too. Since I had had a major colon surgery a couple of days after the shoulder surgery, I had passive PT in the hospital and then was confined to home and had a travelling home physical therapist doing passive range of motion 3 days a week. That kept my shoulder from freezing up.

Have you even been prescribed physical therapy? Can you even get there?
profile picture
Mercy&Grace
Veteran Member
Joined : Jun 2013
Posts : 1918
Posted 1/7/2015 1:58 PM (GMT -8)
Your frequent trips to the ER because of the pain when you were already receiving pain management more than likely has you flagged as a drug seeker. Medicaid hates it when a receipent goes to the ER when it is not a true emergency. The ER staff also hates it because it takes up valuable time and resources. Up until last yr, some states had a limit on the number of ER visits they would pay for if it was something that could have been taken care of in an office setting during normal business hrs. The drs and drs offices have to give you the option of going to the ER for libality reasons. But, it is up to you to decide if it is a true emergency. I seriously doubt that you will receive anything for pain from the ER. When you're tapering off pain meds, you do feel more pain that you did before. They aren't going to admit you unless there is a medical reason that can be documented by the drs. What you've said here is not enough. It would also have to be something that can only be addressed in a hospital setting. If your drs you called thought it was something they needed to look at, they would have had you come in to their office. Or they would have sent you to the ER. A dr sending a patient to the ER is different that telling a patient to use their own judgement about going to the ER.
profile picture
AngMichelle
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 932
Posted 1/7/2015 2:09 PM (GMT -8)
just stop. I can't take this from you guys right now. I shouldn't have said that ONE comment but STOP IT.
I do not frequent the ers. The last time I was in the er was for a seizure and taken by ambulance. You can count my freakin pill bottles.
You have no idea the screams and tears I feel
I have gone through PCP, PMdr(who said go to er) and Ortho. Ortho is in surgery all night and i have been in contact with him for days.
STOP iT, stop it stop it!
please just delete this, or I will delete myself from this group. I cannot take one more person doing this, not now.
and by bottle I really meant the hypothetical, would love to drink a beer for something.
for God's sake who at the ER isn't in pain???
For DAYS i have avoided any kind of treatment other than calling my dr's bc of the crap I know ER's do.
in the past I have seized for hours on the driveway, I have had fevers over 104, broken bones and must I go on, not treated in an ER bc I know this crap.

Sorry for the post.
What if I had cancer and the pain was so bad I couldn't tolerate....I'm sure I'd get overwhelming support to "Not suffer".
I can't help that my pain originates from something different. Why should any one of us cry for days bc we'd make take up a staff times, or actually seek relief....relief is the only thing I ever seek.

STOP IT

I have edited out a word in your post & you know there is a rule about language at Healing Well.

Post Edited By Moderator (straydog) : 1/7/2015 4:34:45 PM (GMT-7)

profile picture
AngMichelle
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 932
Posted 1/7/2015 2:16 PM (GMT -8)
no, it wasn't worth asking on here. I know what will probably happen.
have any of you ever been desperate bc the excruciating part won't stop?
I know what it is to live with pain, to tough it out, ice, heat, meds, etc. i KNOW.
but despite my many post, i guess too many, YOU DO NOT KNOW ME.
I guess I've worn my welcome here too. You will no longer hear my complaining, guess I shouldn't have posted the conversoion story dr stories, questions or anything. I'm done. I"m just done.

are you wrong, maybe not, but I can't take this from the one place I actually found support.

You know how I would have responded, "Ang if your in that much pain, you know your body. They more than likely will do nothing, and just cause more grief than help. I'm sorry your in so much pain. I hope you can see your dr soon, that would probably be best"
but DON"T blame me, or berude and telling me "I do this often".....sorry you hear more than I ever actually do I guess. But DON"T DO IT. Not now, not now.

I AM NOT A DRUG SEEKER, DOCOTR SHOPPER, DRUG ADDICT that just wants stronger meds
all I ever SEEK is RELIEF! for even one hour, some type of RELIEF

If you continue to curse you will find your account may get locked. Your language will not be tolerated.

Post Edited By Moderator (straydog) : 1/7/2015 4:35:49 PM (GMT-7)

profile picture
AngMichelle
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 932
Posted 1/7/2015 2:18 PM (GMT -8)
and it just so happens I am on my way to meet with the director of ER to tell them how I was treated worse than an animal when last brought in by ambulance for seizures.....guess they feel the same way you do huh.
profile picture
AngMichelle
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 932
Posted 1/7/2015 2:29 PM (GMT -8)
and if I had your fentanyl, oxy's, morphines, opana, and stuff, I wouldn't be crying either.
pain is pain. Period.
it knows no age, no diagnosis, my brain may see your pain as small, and mine and huge, or maybe your's can see your pain as doable but my brain cannot.
pain is pain. Period.
profile picture
straydog
Forum Moderator
Joined : Feb 2003
Posts : 19266
Posted 1/7/2015 3:39 PM (GMT -8)
You can get mad all you would like but taking it out on forum members will not be tolerated. I will not delete my post above because what I said above is the truth. I do remember you very well since you joined Healing Well & started posting here in the chronic pain forum.

I am glad that you feel well enough to go meet with the director of the ER.
profile picture
rocckyd
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2012
Posts : 1115
Posted 1/7/2015 7:12 PM (GMT -8)
Hopefully you just tweaked your shoulder. I think your pcp and pain dr will be useless unless your Ortho finds a change. Can that dr fit you in this week?

Let us know what happens at the meeting. That Er experience sounded awful.

I know you have received a number of suggestions. Unfortunately the ER is miserable for everyone, especially pain patients. I don't think anybody tried to hurt feelings, but it's so hard to convey tone thru text. I can't imagine being scared of the ER. Surely they didn't believe you broke bones on purpose. That's just wrong.

I hope things improve in the morning.
profile picture
Dixie6
Veteran Member
Joined : Aug 2014
Posts : 1022
Posted 1/7/2015 7:31 PM (GMT -8)
Ang...Sometimes we just need to hear "Everything's gonna be okay" even when we KNOW it isn't.  A kind word can soothe like a balm.  I am so sorry for what you're going through, but I am comforted that you HAVE your mom to lean on.  Like Roccky said, hopefully the exacerbated shoulder pain can be eased with a visit to your Ortho.  Could your mom accompany you to a first available appointment with him?  Please try that.

I know how frustrating untreated pain can be...sometimes even the treatments, for that matter.  I hope it helps to know that I care, cyber sis=)

Hugs~~Dixie

profile picture
pikespeak
New Member
Joined : Jan 2015
Posts : 13
Posted 1/7/2015 11:56 PM (GMT -8)
Dad,I only thing I can say it that it sounds to me as though your,daughter while agreeing yes she may be it quite a bit of pain,she may also have a physical and psychological addiction to the pain meds,since I do not know her background or age,one thing is obvious,She need some help not just for the physical pain but for her dependency.
I hope and pray that she can find the help she needs and come out the other side intact.
God Bless
profile picture
nvrthesame98
Veteran Member
Joined : Jun 2008
Posts : 6706
Posted 1/8/2015 12:13 AM (GMT -8)
Dad you want to help her find a good therapist trained in CP so she can learn alternative ways to deal with pain. Unfortunately meds are Not it anylonger.
profile picture
tidalmouse
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2013
Posts : 1130
Posted 1/8/2015 6:41 AM (GMT -8)
Dad and Ang,I hate that y'all are hurting.People don't need to be kicked when they are down.

Thankfully I'm in Pain Management but I was treated bad at an ER after someone ran a Red Light doing 50 mph+ and T-boned me.She was pregnant and we arrived at the same ER and I was the guy that had wrecked the pregnant girl.

I won't go to an ER unless I think I'm dying.

I wish I had some helpful advise.I don't know Ang's story but some on here can be hurtful and judgmental at times.

I've always felt that my Doctors are there to help me.I haven't always been prescribed adequate medicine to alleviate my pain but after 10 years I've finally found the right Doctor.

An ER visit,if they were to give you a shot,is only a 1 day solution.Your Doctor or a different Doctor is where a long term solution is at.

I hate that you're suffering Ang and I'm sure it's no cakewalk for you Dad.

Tell your Doctor,calmly and honestly,what is going on.

I'm the type,and I get this from my Dad,that I'm not going to pay someone to treat me badly or talk down to me.

I hope that you find a Doctor that treats you well and you get some relief.Whether it's a Pill or aqua-cise or meditation.There's help out there somewhere.

God Bless,

Rick
profile picture
straydog
Forum Moderator
Joined : Feb 2003
Posts : 19266
Posted 1/8/2015 7:43 AM (GMT -8)
Ang has the habit of getting upset when someone tells her something she doesn't want to hear. Two months ago she came to the forum telling all of us about taking 4 pain pills at one time that are not prescribed that way & she really thinks we are going to support her for abusing her medication, I don't think. She left in a fit that day. Healing Well is all about support, but don't come here thinking you will be supported for things like that.

She is very much aware no one here is a dr & to go to ER because of our normal pain we live with daily, no we don't go there, something else she is very much aware of. No one uses a public forum to get medical advice.

She knows the rules at Healing Well.
profile picture
Joan M
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2006
Posts : 2094
Posted 1/8/2015 9:10 AM (GMT -8)
Stay out of ers and hospitals in general. I do doctor shopping now. These creeps are making plenty of money and if they don't treat me right, on to the next. I am no drugs because I am allergic to drugs.
Of course none of the brilliant doctors took note of my allergies and I landed up on oxygen after my total knee replacement.
What I have to say is that there are a few good docs. Am not a religious person but found praying can be helpful. If you find a good doc, stick with him or her.
It is not nice to put down a person in pain. You are just inciting them. People in pain should be calmed down and supported.
profile picture
delilahblue
Regular Member
Joined : Nov 2014
Posts : 70
Posted 1/8/2015 9:29 AM (GMT -8)
Is ang. The one who had a negative Lyme disease test but says she has it?? She needs some individualized help. Maybe she would do well at one of those tropical rehab places. Find herself and kick this habit, or a doctor willing to do a proper weening system. It's too bad she is just trying to find someone to listen. And everyone attacks her...not cool. But she is exhibiting some dependency/ addiction behavior. But who knows,not me.
profile picture
Dixie6
Veteran Member
Joined : Aug 2014
Posts : 1022
Posted 1/8/2015 9:57 AM (GMT -8)
Hey Ang's dad=)

I cannot fathom what you and your wife go through as parents.  It must be gutwrenching to see your grown daughter in such pain.  I feel such empathy for y'all, as I do for Ang.  I do not judge, lest I be judged.

I do know what it feels like to be overwhelmed with crippling pain, yet be "dismissed" by doctors who refuse to acknowledge it.  I blame doctor's negligence and pompas attitudes for failure to diagnose my disease.  I spent 20 years seeing at least as many "specialists"---begging, literally for someone to do something.  By the time I suffered liver failure,  I was finally diagnosed with what they believed was liver cancer.  Thank God, it was not.  But the disease of Stage 4 Endometriosis had consumed my abdominal cavity, and vital organs, causing a blockage of the common bile duct.  My liver was dying, as was I, while doctors couldn't "SEE" anything wrong.  I was too weak for surgery, so a phenomenal cancer surgeon hospitalized me to strengthen me with IV nutrients.  He then performed EXTENSIVE surgery that basically required temporary disembowelment to excise lesions (disease) and remove massive "webbing" of intestines, bladder, colon, rectum.  That was not a fix-all.  I took tumor-suppressing meds for 7+ years until I could no longer tolerate the horrid side effects.  I am 21 years post-surgery, yet I continue to suffer debilitating pain that is yet to be managed.

Therefore, I can empathize.  I do not know Ang's full history, but I know enough to see that she has suffered far beyond her 29 years.  IMO there are possibly issues to be addressed physically and psychologically, as pain causes a vicious cycle.  This is especially true if she has been prescribed what I call "big gun meds" for a length of time.  I feel that often the treatment causes even MORE problems.  You, as her dad, must KNOW whether this is an issue that should be addressed in-patient, from ALL standpoints.  This must seem an insurmountable task, but perhaps you and your wife should consult her doctors with her.  Ask them where Ang might seek the help she needs to get her to a place of less pain and better health.  It's harder than it should ever be, to get the help we need in today's medical environment.  It requires a multidisciplinary approach from doctors and total compliance by the patient.

I'm sorry she's in a battle for her life. I understand her frustration, and even her rage.  She needs our prayers and understanding, not judgement.  IF (and only IF) there are issues of addiction, then the "tough love" approach IMO has no place here.  That's something that has to come from a flesh and blood support system.  I recognize desperation, having felt it myself.  I'm not one to sugar coat a turd and call it a chocolate truffle.  I'm pretty straight forward.  However, I would like to think that I, as a fellow CPP, can recognize another's suffering and cry for help...to which I can choose to respond in kind.

I truly hope y'all can get Ang the attention she needs to obtain the good health and healing she deserves=)

~~Dixie

profile picture
rocckyd
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2012
Posts : 1115
Posted 1/8/2015 11:18 AM (GMT -8)
I hate to hear that she is suffering greatly. I could tell from her post that was desperately searching for answers. We all know how frustrating it is to be in pain and know that tomorrow will probably not be better, maybe even worse.

I would definitely encourage her to talk to a counselor of some type. My pain management clinic has one on site. It's not a sign of weakness, and it may help her since her other Drs will see she is trying everything to find an answer.
profile picture
straydog
Forum Moderator
Joined : Feb 2003
Posts : 19266
Posted 1/8/2015 11:45 AM (GMT -8)
I am getting ready to lock this thread but before doing so let me just say this. I have been around HW a very long time & support is what HW is about. First off, she is a grown woman that is 29 yrs old, this is not some young kid new to chronic pain. Now some of you can sit back & say oh Susie should not have said that to poor AngMich. I was not attacking her, I simply made a statement about a person that has a history of abusing her medication & has a long history of showing up in ER's demanding pain medication. Any time a person hits ER's over & over & they are known by their first name by people that do not know them personally what do you think has happened to create that situation or to get blacklisted by all of your local ER's for repeated trips wanting pain medication. Many of you do not know her history too well here at HW. You reap what you sow when you do this. Don't think for a minute that behavior like this doesn't affect you, me or anyone else that has chronic pain.

If some of you will recall just a couple of months ago she got mad at Vickie & several of us because she came here & posted she had just taken 4 of her pain pills at once. No, she did not like what we had to say. Then a week or two later claimed she was shorted pain pills. Hello people, yes you will run short when you take more than you are suppose to. This is not the first time this has happened either.

A few weeks ago it was the same thing, I can't decide whether to go to ER or not, I am in pain. We posted & said why go, you know what will happen. She said you all are right it will be a wasted trip. One of her real problems is she is very upset because her meds were reduced by the dr & there is a reason this dr is doing this, none of us will ever know that reason either.

Sorry guys, I am tired of reading this sort of thing over & over out of her. I can sympathize with the best of them but enough is enough.
profile picture
nvrthesame98
Veteran Member
Joined : Jun 2008
Posts : 6706
Posted 1/8/2015 11:51 PM (GMT -8)
All of you so concerned for her take a little time and put her name in the search box up there and try adding, short on meds,stolen meds, run out of, ER, new Dr,there's afew that sshould keep you busy for awhile. You all know I play it straight with you and no she didn't like that about me as others don't as well but after 30 years as a nurse one thing I learned is if you don't tell the story like it is it will come back to bite you, patients in ERs are sick or injured that's what the name emergency stands for. Medicaid, Medicare, and insurance companies spends trillions of dollars a year treating non-emergency cases those costs all come back to the reason they charge ungodly premiums and cut healthcare in other areas, such as higher end meds we can't get? ERs have some of the most dedicated people to the field working and its frustrating to see the same ppl over and over for the same issues. Yes they're flagged, no they're not sent out without making sure this isn't something new but they're not given a good work-up costing time and money for an already known problem. I always knew and we even could bet how it would go down, patients claim to be in desperate pain, will do anything to make it stop until you try anything like steroids, toradol, heat or ice, nerve meds, and you will suddenly get a list of allergies they forgot to tell triage about or none of those work and yes even get really specific on narcotics choices! While they're in there running back and forth changing orders for this frequent flyer someone else is waiting for a room.

This isn't new to her and she's been here sometime and Susie and I as well as a few others see the signs, we've read each post, heard each conflicting and contradiction in her tales and she needs intervention here and now. As Susie said her actions and those of folks like her hurt each and every person here. Patients that abuse the system, the meds, refuse other methods and not try to help themselves hurts the chances of another CPer getting treatment at all.

The doctor's helped create this mess in her past being lax and prescribing high doses of big name meds without solid dxs on her word she was in great pain and fixed what could be found and when nothing else could substantiate all that pain she got lucky and found a Dr willing to help her undo what previous Dr's had done to her and that's titrate her down and off the meds to evaluate where she stood, a necessary point of treatment guys, she's post-op repair! How are they ever going to know if her surgery was a success? Folks that blatantly tell you they took 4 hydro 10 at one time is a clue of this is a problem and you all know we don't do that!! Why don't we? Means there's going to be a day we have NO meds! Ppl with issues of abuse don't think like that and live in the here and now, risking their loss of Pm,violation of trust from their Dr, his credibility, and yes even their lives.

Don't be so quick to judge why we do what we do here. We are choosen to support and keep watch and protect the forum from problems and issue free, keeping things out that hurt the forum or its members is part of that and we have attempted to help her for a long time and every attempt met with an excuse, a tirade, a rant until its nolonger productive or healthy and supportive to others here. We don't take these decisions lightly nor rarely as a sole decision but as a team effort. This was a long time coming and we wish her and her family the best as they attempt to get her on a road to recovery for a better healthier future.
✚ New Topic locked


More On Chronic Illness

Letting Go Of The Life You Have Planned

Letting Go Of The Life You Have Planned

Why Support From Family And Friends Can Make A Difference

Why Support From Family And Friends Can Make A Difference


HealingWell

About Us  |   Advertise  |   Subscribe  |   Privacy & Disclaimer
Connect With Us
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn
© 1997-2023 HealingWell.com LLC All Rights Reserved. Our website is for informational purposes only. HealingWell.com LLC does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.