ArmyNPots Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 Hey everyone!I need to vent and so therefore I apologize ahead of time. Well the last few weeks i have had nausea really bad, and this past week it seemed as if it had escalated into something fierce. First thing I thought was "O NO IM PREGNANT AGAIN!" LoL well Im definetly not, so I realized its POTS and the extreme 103 degree heat causing it.Well yesterday I went to work and my chest felt as if it was tightening and releasing and the nausea was overwhelming and I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. So i made the decision to go to the ER and ask for help.Well I arrived and my pulse was 140, the nurse took it 4 times and then must have thought i was on the verge of a heartattack or something because there was 25 people waiting ahead of me and i went right back. I get back there and im trying to explain that I have POTS and a high pulse is NORMAL for me. No nurse is listening and they hook me up to all these machines. Finally the Dr. comes in and I tell her I have POTS she left for a few minutes (probably to google it) and came back and said "oooH, you have POTS!, so thats why your pulse is high!" and i said yes but the other symptoms I was having were really escalated and I could tell something was wrong. Well after she realized i had a condition she didnt quite understand, the machines went off, the nurses left and they gave me two liters of saline in an IV and said i was dehyrated. Us POTS people know better than to be dehydrated!!! But the Dr. seemed to think that it was all i needed and i could be released. They actually put me in a back room away from everyone else, stuck an IV in me and left me there for an hour. I felt so ill and was in and out of consciousness, after the two bags of saline, i had a huge headache and then left the hospital, so frustrated!!I read all of your stories about trips to the ER and I should have listened. I will NEVER go back to the ER for symptoms of POTS again. But we know our bodies, we know when something is wrong rather than just our disease acting up.Has anyone else had this experience before?? I just feel stupid in a way...any guidance or stories would be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sstephan Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 Hi JamieI am so sorry that you had a bad experience. You are lucky that you got saline! I have actually had an experience where I never even got saline. My doctor is going to write up a letter for me to present at the ER should I need to go. The letter will basically tell them what to do and how to contact her. I would suggest talking to your doctor about it. There are times that POTS symptoms will cause us to go to the ER. Especially when we can't get our pulse under control. You are not alone.Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 I am sorry for the ER trip! I guess that we should carry a "treatment protocol card" that is signed and stamped... Hope you are feeling better today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beccapooh Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 I, too, have had the ER trips in which I was given saline and sent home with the "dehydrated" DX. LOL....oh brother.I've also gone, sick as a dog, running a 103 fever for 23 days straight and not even given saline, and just sent home!!!!!!!! Even though I couldn't swallow or speak and came into the hospital having one of my seizure/spell/fit things. (Whatever the heck they are?? LOL) I wasn't even concious when I came him and they still sent me home with not so much as an IV!!!!!! I had no DX at the time and they really didn't seem interested in helping me find one. I had been quite ill for a month and gained 22lbs of water overnight, somehow??? (Still don't know what happened there. I looked as though I was nine months pregnant and I've had a hysterectomy!!!) The doctor told that that was impossible and sent me home. Period. I can't even count the number of times that I've been to the ER in the past 18 years (since my SX started) and I can't think of one time that I was treated with any respect at all. Even if I was there for a trauma, due to several severe car accidents that I've been in!!! Modern medicine.......HA..........what a joke??!!!I'm sorry that things went so poorly for you, but you are NOT alone!!!Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEE Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 I ditto on the horrid ER experiences..I have had quite my share girl. And don't ever apologize for venting I personally feel it makes us human to know that others have similar experiences!!Sorry for the bummer experience.. Belinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dionna Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 when i was still in the marine cops they made me go to the er all the time. i fainted all over camp lejeune and the higher ups would always order me to go in the ambulance... it is good if you get everytime reported. it will help your case if you get medically discharged. when the va looks at you to rate you they are going to need the proof that you really are disabled. if you have a lot of er visits from fainting, migraines, nasea, etc. it will strenghten your case.n they will see that you have a severe case, aren't able to wrk, and will rate you higher. that is the only reason i would continuosly go. they gave me the same run around about being dehydrated so you aren't alone. be careful okay. don't give up.dionna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardiactec Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 hi there,are you on any meds to help control your rates? lying down didnt help?sorry for the bad experience in the ED. dont let it stop you from going back if you ever need to. you need to take care of yourself, whether or not people write off POTS by throwing you in a back room. very sad that people, especially those in the medical field, would be like that. ignorance is bliss to them, must be nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Julia59 Posted July 23, 2006 Report Share Posted July 23, 2006 Sorry you had such a terrible ER experience---I've been there too.It's terrible they just left you alone in that room-----------------this is so discouraging to hear, but it's reality.Unfortunately, there is still a terrible amount of ignorance, and just plain cruelty. I often wonder how medical professionals get way with this.It's a shame we have to be afriad of the ER...............I hope you feel better---I'm sorry about this experience you had.........not fair at all---just plain abusive.I wish you better times ahead.BIG HUGS,Julie :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miriam Poorman-Knox Posted July 24, 2006 Report Share Posted July 24, 2006 I had problems that Ineeded hydration weekly. My Doc just gave me a script for saline IV's I take it with my IV supplies and use it when necessary at ER. The heat may have really made you more dehydrated its a hard call. It is important to see if there are any cardiac problems. I would ask if your QT or?QSRT wave is and talk to them about it. Luck Miriam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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