Wufflebear Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 so after a day of the shaking chills, and chest pains stabbing me when I breath in, resting pulse of over 100 etc. etc. I finally broke down and went to the ER. Mostly for the chest pains. Getting stabbed every time you breath in for a while and then having it intermittantly for 30 hours is a bit much.I waited for 3 HOURS. They took my pulse when I got there and it was 147/52 which is way crazy for me. Pulse laying down was 104. Anyway, after 3 hours of no doctor I finally left AMA. The doc was not anywhere near seeing me and in the words of the nurse "I did not look like I was having serious trouble. but I had to realize I was leaving AMA" FINE! cause in my words "if it was going to kill me it would have done it by now in your waiting room."I think I will go get an ice cream or something...then at least my mouth can be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyNPots Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Thats really horrible. I dont go to the ER anymore. I feel that Doctors who don't truly understand POTS, have a way of making you feel stupid or that your somehow lying. As if we should just deal with these symptoms and thats it. Well I just got home from work, so my words might not make sense. But all in all, I can relate. And I hope you feel better!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 I am sorry you had to go through that without the care you sought.It is horrible that you were made to wait three hours only to have to leave in disgust!I'm guessing that you were having an "autonomic storm" of some sorts and you managed without the doctors ( who you are allergic to anyway! ) so it is their loss that they didn't get to meet you or treat you or hear your concerns.You get a gold star....and did you get some ice cream?I'm going to enjoy some ice cream with you!please feel better soon,tearose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJVDK Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Sorry to here aboult your ER vist. I too have given up on the ER. One they don't now anything about POTS, plus they don't seem to really can unless you are dying right in front of them. Hopefully you start feeling better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 HI,You remind me of why I hate ERs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wufflebear Posted February 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 yea, I was just furious. I feel better now but I am laying in my own bed and have not had a stabby pain or a high resting heart rate in a few hours now.. my legs aren't shaking anymore either. My bp is more normal as well. It was still high when I first got home, but now it is normal for me. i suspected they would not know what to do with me but I think somehow I hoped that a doc seeing it in swing would help me somehow... plus the stabbing pains in my chest were scaring me...and wearing me to a frazzle to. I could not beleive the talking to I got from them "If you come in here complaining of chest pains we think it is an emergency and we have to move everyone out..but you dont look to be having an emergency..." Yea, ok.... so next time I will say "upper frontal torso discomfort of unknown etiology???" Yea, right....sorry for having a failure of imagination on that one... lolI did get an ice cream. It was good. heres to one day being able to get care that is worth something.....and they better not even try to send me a bill..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halmad85 Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Thant's all the ER has done for me...send me the bill! I'm sorry you had such a hard day. Sometimes these symptoms just get to be too much to try to deal with on your own. You try to go somewhere for help, and get no where. Glad you're doing better now and hope tomorrow is much better to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janineerrn Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Being an ER nurse, I totally understand your fustration. The ER rules out life threatening stuff... treat em and street em. If your vitals are stable with in normal limits according to policy.. not whats normal for you, you wait. Sounds like you could have at least gotten some saline while you were there, that may have helped.I get the chest pain thing a lot. I give up on the ER. Icecream sounds a lot better. Big huggggsss!!! Hope your better.Janine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CyberPixie Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 You have my sympathies. It's just as bad in the UK too. I had to wait 5hrs to see anyone. I was on a trolley in a corridor for an hour to start with surrounded by security guards because some nutter was on the loose.Then they stuck me in the *minor* injuries section. Despite being very tachy, shaking, I couldnt walk without legs going from under me, I could barely breathe etc etc, you all know the score.Then I had a Dr finally come and see me who was barely out of nappies and had only just started a week ago!!! He ignored all the tests I had had done a few weeks before, said he had to treat me as a completely new case! I felt worse and worse, there was a nurse who was wearing extremely strong perfume and it wafted all round the department making me want to throw up. They were slapping some man near me because he kept fainting, yelling at him to wake up because they couldnt assess him until he did!!I eventually said the department was making me feel even worse and I wanted to go home. The Dr actually agreed with me I'd be better off going home! They hadnt done a thing, apart from take pulse, temperature, oxygen levels (which were low) and a 30 second ECG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenn202 Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 For the 100's of times I have been in the ER the ONLY time I got immediate, constant care and attention was when I was having severe abdominal pains where I was screaming..... After a whole day in the ER all the speicalists could not figure out what was causing the pain, although I was STILL in excruciating pain.There was a snow storm comming in and they wanted to clear the ER so they decided to send me home and said I had some sort of virus, and gave me another pain shot. Even the Nurses were Like " why in the world are they sending you home???!"Long long story short, I got back home only for the pain to get even worse I was in agony and knew I was in danger of some sort..... Thankfully I ended up going to my mother's house instead of back to my own b.c it was closer to the hospital "just in case"Well I had to get back in the truck we drove in one of the biggest blizzards the NE has had in years..Highways were closing etc....Get BACK to the ER....still screaming bloody murder, and of course they jump to get me back in.My white blood cells went sky high, and my ultrasound showed fluid in my lower abdomen where my appendix should be.... The surgeon on that day told me it was not my appendix b.c he could not see it on the CAT scan or ultra sound.....Come to find out my appendix was wrapped around my intestine in a hidden place, had burst and I was in serious danger...they did immediate sugery......I ended up OK>...But moral of this long story is:I had a TRUE ER emergency that should have easily been diagnosed and helped, and even I was sent home being told I had nothing wrong when in reality I would have lost my life.......ER's are Bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wufflebear Posted February 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Thanks guys. Today seems better so far.(-; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacquie802 Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Hope your feeling better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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