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FED UP !!! Support & advice please !!

This migraine came on slowly, silently and calmly like the first snow of winter. It started as a dull ache and within 2 days had metastasized to the point of throbbing, stabbing & sharp pain that could pierce ear drums had it a chance to possess its own voice.

After tucking my kids into bed, I sat in front of the blank soft glow of my flat screen tv softly rubbing my pulsing head. The silence was so loud around me as my ears began to ring, it suddenly brought on the feeling of vertigo that in turn made me nauseous. I instantly decided that it was time for another dreaded trip to the ER. I text my best friend who graciously said she would come by after she got off work at 11 to take me to the hospital.

When I arrived at the hospital I was immediately checked in & " triaged " by the nurse sitting behind the big sliding glass window. I was placed in room 16 right away after being seen by the nurse . While I was doing my " perp walk " to my room in the back of the ER I realized how freezing cold it was. The room had 4 glass sliding doors, the door / window covering was very sheer. It was very bright & very noisy. The doors didn't close all the way so I head every " beep ", & all the chatter about what room needed what from the nurses & doctors standing outside the doors. I patiently waited for the doctor to make his appearance in my room so I could explain what it was that brought me to the grips of the ER that night. I only waited about 20 mins when the dr came in. He was dressed in a bright orange and blue " Bears " hoodie & khaki pants. He sat down and said he was Dr. " Smith " and asked how he could help me. I quickly gave him the explanation of why I was there. He shined a bright light in my eyes and put his grey strath a scope on my back and listened to me breath. He sat back down in his chair and was momentarily silent as he looked at me. I picked my purse up and searched for a white envelope & fished out a piece of paper. I handed it to dr " smith " , for him to look over while I explained that my primary care dr had written specific instructions on how to treat my migraine when I presented myself to the ER in that condition. He glanced at it very dismissively & tossed it in my direction. He told me that they had a " protocol " for migraines now. There were 3 phases to it. I told him that I had gone thru the first phase of the protocol 2 times before with horrible experiences both times. That's why I had instructions from my dr on how to care for it. He looked up at me and said very accusingly " if you goal is to get nubain & reglan from me that's not what's going to happen here tonight. " I told him my goal was to get rid of my migraine. He gave me several more dirty looks while arguing with me that there was nothing he could do for me but to call my neuro and make an apt for the next day, if I would not accept his treatment. I agreed but I became instantly enraged, being treated this way for the 1000th time had pissed me off. I flipped out and instantly everything became blurry as tears started pouring down my cheeks. My jaw began to shudder as the Drs voice turned very fuzzy and muffled. I became full of anxiety & was very restless in my hospital bed. I cried out loud for hours. The nurse, God bless her soul came in and some how stuck me for an IV. They started pushing med after med into the IV line without telling me what it was. None of it made me feel better what so ever. I could hear them laughing and carrying on conversation about how I was another crazy drug seeking " migraine " sufferer. I finally refused to receive anymore treatment and demanded that the dr let me leave so I could sleep in the quiet darkness that was waiting for me at home. The nurse argued with me as well telling me that I wouldn't be able to leave untill the full treatment was done. She said she was going to get the dr so I could talk to him. Nonetheless he never came back in, but the argumentative nurse did and said he thought it was ok for me to go home now that I had calmed down & looked a lot better. That was funny because he had never showed his face back in my room a second time at all to inquire about how I was feeling. I assure you I felt worse. I snatched my discharge papers out of the snotty nurses hands and paraded myself outta there, overcome with the joy of leaving. I went home & passed out to the quiet darkness that I had anticipated.

Has anyone else had an experience similar to mine ?? Do you think I have the right to be upset ?? What is everyone's thoughts & opinions on my most recent ER experience ??

  1. I am so sorry you were treated so poorly. This really is inexcusable. Please, when you find the strength, contact the hospital patient relations office and file a complaint. Also, let your doctor know what happened and ask him to file a complaint, too. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using Nubain and Reglan to abort a refractory migraine in the ER. That's a very appropriate treatment and if that's what your doctor recommends, they should have done it. Shame on that doctor and his staff!

    If you need help filing the complaint, please let me or one of the other advocates know. Any one of us will be happy to help with wording and encouragement. No one should ever be treated this way.

    Tammy

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