When You Go To The E.r Or Inpatient What Do They Do For You?

[Lemons2lemonade]

Depending on how bad it is they admit me and do nothing or give me a bag of fluid.in th e.r. and send me on my way. If there's vomiting they give me zofram and that's about it.

[lillybits]

nothing usually. sometimes iv but usually say i need to talk with my primary or neurologist... so frustraiting

[Elfie]

I don't go. For years I've wondered if I am just not as sick as other POTS patients. Obviously, there are many POTS patients that have more severe symptoms, or complicating conditions. However, there are many patients that go to the ER for similar symptoms--- and I just . . . don't. Unless there is something new/potentially dangerous, I am in danger of dehydrating to the point of danger (vomiting and not keeping any liquid down over a long time), have symptoms of concussion or hit my head very hard, ect. I don't go to the ER--- there is little that they can do (because of ignorance), and it is expensive.

Plus--- when you come in crying in pain, they give you saline and benadryl, and the pain resolves enough that the benadryl knocks you out, you look crazy.

[MomtoGiuliana]

I think one problem is that POTS symptoms can mimic more serious problems. I think some of us go just to make sure it is "just POTS". I have gone, once, since diagnosis, to get IV saline. Had a very good experience w a dr who respected my knowledge of what was wrong with me and what would help. Not sure all ER experiences could be that positive tho. And sure would be better/cheaper if there were a way to get saline w/o going to the ER.

[Christy_D]

We have only taken my son once to the ER, when his temperature dropped to 93 degrees and was severely dizzy/nauseated. They admitted him overnight to get his temperature back up. They also gave him IV to hydrate him since he was throwing up with any movemnt. Other than that one episode, we don't go to the ER.

[Lemons2lemonade]

Christy, did they get his temp up, or did his body do it on its own?

[Christy_D]

They wrapped him in warm blankets and his temperature did come back up. His temperature has gone down to 94 and 95 a couple of times since and we just wrap him in warm blankets instead of going to the ER. That first time just freaked us out.

[icesktr189]

I usually go when I am passing out more than 5 times in an hour... pretty much where I cannot stand without passing out. I just dont have a choice, I have a daughter to watch and if I cannot stand without passing out, I cant watch her. I have had babysitters come in and help, but we cant afford to have a live in nanny right now.

Other times it was from severe chest pain and one side of my body would go completely numb. It is always POTS, but I always have that thought of what if it isnt this time

[Lemons2lemonade]

Dani, what do they do for you?

[icesktr189]

Couple bags of saline, vertigo meds, nausea meds, lab workup, chest x rays... ect. Sometimes they admit me depending on how bad my vitals are. I dont use the ER to "fix" my POTs problem, but it helps me get better until I get back into my Cardiologist or Neuro.

[anaphylaxing]

they usually tell me I'm just anxious

[tachyfor50years]

Long time a go, I went to the ER, I was treated like a criminal.

They poked me 13 times then finally they found my vain and they started an IV.

After I was well hydrated from the IV fluid and was given a med to calm me down, they too my BP, the

stupid Dr told me: nothing is wrong with you except your heart rate is 115 at rest! because you have anxiety.

While I was leaving, the Dr. from ER was far a way from me, he shouted: Next time, don't

play games with us, just take your meds and stay at home. (I had the worst migraine ever)

I was so upset and disappointed when they discharged me with untreated tachycardia at 2:15 am, I

had nobody with me to drive me home, I hit a curb and damaged my car under the influence of meds

and Dr's mistreatment. I drove home and never been to the ER since then.

[Guest Alex]

Unfortunately Lemon, they don't really do much. They listen to me, then start talking behind my back saying I have an anxiety disorder and refuse to take my meds for it. They have no idea how to approach my chest pain, no explanation for it, nothing is being done to lower my heart rate. They usually draw blood, record an ECG, keep me monitored for a while and then as soon as the blood work comes back fine the doctor comes and sends me home. A lot of times I've been offered ativan which I declined. Worst thing of all they don't allow me to drink any water despite the fact that I desperately try to tell them that I should not be kept for hours without water. Several nurses have told me that I should stop complaining as in their opinion I don't look dehydrated, and nobody feels that bad if they refrain from drinking water for a couple of hours. When I had a BP of 82/50 the nurse told me that it's because I am a small lady, and young, so it's absolutely normal.

The worst part is that sometimes I wait for a couple of hours to be admitted, then couple more hours until someone comes to see me, and by that time all my symptoms are gone.

POTS needs lots and lots of advertising. Very few in the medical profession understand the symptoms, the struggles, and even fewer know what to do to help us... it's frustrating to say the least.

Alex

[Troy]

they usually tell me I'm just anxious

I am having the exact same problem right now. The hospital is harassing me and my family doctor by insisting I have anxiety because I have been to the hospital one time to many for Dysautonomia related complications such as developing digestive problems, gastroparesis, medication reactions etc. Two of the doctors there are evil and corrupt and they refused to treat me and told me to go home within seconds of seeng me but then they sent my doctor a "discharge summary report" telling him I suffer from anxiety.

I have letters from my neurologist, cardiologists, Autonomic specialists and psychologist all expalining how my sysmptoms are a result of my Dysautonomia and the psychologist report excludes anything for anxiety yet the hospital ER doctors refuse to read the specialists reports and insist on making their own diagnosis without even examining me. Then they try to sabotage my family doctor relations by sending lies to my family doctor. I feel like I am being harassed by the Hospital. I am at my wits end.

[LindaJoy]

I've been hospitalized 85 times in 6 years, and in the ER a heck of a lot more than even that. I usually get an IV as I'm usually dehydrated (even though I drink a lot, between having Dysautonomia and Addison's, and being on steroids and all the other meds, I'm usually a bit parched). Usually, I only go when my eating problems are back (I can't eat even one bite of any food or one sip of my elemental formula without going into what looks like shock), so they rest me for a bit, then we re-introduce foods until I'm able to eat a couple without looking and feeling like I was about to die, then I go home. Oh, they usually try me on meds while there, to calm down my system. Nine times out of ten, I go home worse than when I went in.

Linda

[tachyfor50years]

I forgot to mention that I went to ER for severe chest pain lasted more than 4 hours.

Why those doctors can't write (unknown or uncertain origin) instead of giving us wrong diagnoses?