My Emergency Room Horror Story

[rbrnmw]

I fell and have a hairline fracture on my right hip. I was taken by Squad to the ER. When I arrived I was in pain because they had me strapped to a backboard. I was in tears because I had fallen a couple of years ago and have 2 herniated discs I very rarely ask for pain intervention. I take motrin and occasionally tylenol for breakthrough pain. I had a total open hysterectory, in June and was prescribed pain killers, my mother passed just 2 weeks after I had to give her CPR and injured myself I started bleeding and was in pain the ER Nurse noticed the blood and put me in a room to be seen after they pronounced my mother I was such a mess that they gave me blood and IV medication. The ER Dr sent me home with Ativan and Oxycodone. Now to my ER visit last night. When I first got there everyone was attentive and caring. Registration came in and registered me, all the sudden the attitude of the staff changed. The Dr came in told me his name followed by I will not give you any narcotics I said OK I didn't ask for any. This is before they even gave me an x-ray. I was a bit confused and hurt by the way he talked to me. When the x-rays came back they told me I had a hairline fracture.Before I was dismissed they sent an Addiction Specialist to talk to me about my drug seeking behavior. I asked what drug seeking behavior? She said you have had quite a few prescriptions for narcotics and anxiety medication and this is your 2nd fall in the last 18 months, the Dr feels you are harming yourself to obtain dangerous narcotics. I was told that It would be charted and shared with area ER's and Urgent Care facilities that I exhibited drug seeking behaviors in their opinion. I was offered treatment I obviously refused because I am not addicted to narcotics. I am sure that was charted too. Where do I go from here? I plan on talking to my GP tomorrow but don't know what else I can do.

[CherokeeDem]

1. So sorry....

I'd get an attorney to advise you about having your ER records amended and file a complaint with the medical board.

I worry with all the regulations (which I have no issue with at all), many medical facilities are simply acting to protect themselves and not asking questions. Too much rush to judgment to prevent paying out damages if they prescribe meds to someone who does have a problem.

Sorry for your fall... hope you feel better soon.

[2pooped2pop]

2. I'm thinking actually having a fracture is good cause to believe you

people seeking narcotics can complain of unproven back injuries. Broken bones not required. They really think you are throwing yourself around to get drugs? I would like to have a lawyer change their minds on what they are putting in your permanent chart for all to see. This is just wrong. I know most people could not get a lawyer for this. Perhaps if you file a complaint with the hospitals internal complaint system to start with.


really sorry that u r going through this. People with Munchhausen's don't usually break things for the attention either.

They would have felt vindicated if it were me coz I would have cussed them out so hard they would have surely felt they must've been right about me.

[rbrnmw]

21. Whe you asked if they thought I was throwing myself around for drugs

I pictured Jim Carrey in Liar Liar throwing himself around

[Aristus]

26. I agree.

If you're strapped to a backboard, and take an x-ray that reveals a fracture, you're in a pretty good place to be believed (by a competent provider) that you are in real distress.

The ED doctor took as his starting point the notion that everyone with a history of narcotic treatment is a drug-seeker, which is a dick thing to do.

The signs I look for include:

1. A complaint of pain, especially 10/10, but no visible distress.
2. No verifiable acute injury or history of properly evaluated chronic pain.
3. A patient-reported 'allergy' to everything that isn't a narcotic.
4. A combative insistence on a prescription for narcotics.
5. A highly-attuned familiarity with the various narcotic pharmaceuticals.
6. A patient falteringly trying to 'remember' what medication 'worked' before. "Umm... I think it was called.....oh...let's see...tr...tram-...uh, tr...tr...tramadol?"
7. An insistence on leaving the ED against medical advice. "Well! I'll just go somewhere else then!"


I ran into that last one just the other day. Jus as the afternoon session was getting started, my scheduler came back to my office to tell me about someone who wanted to establish as a new patient. The scheduler told me the potential patient had actually said to her: "Ask him if he'll prescribe me Oxycodone and Xanax so I know not to waste my time!"

She was practically admiting to drug-seeking...

[rbrnmw]

34. I am sure that good DR's see their fair share

of addicts but a little compassion goes a long way. Not saying you aren't compassionate but the ER doc damn sure could use a new lesson on bedside manner.

[Aristus]

37. Yeah. Waiting a little longer for the x-ray results would have

made him look a lot better.

If someone comes in on a backboard, though. I'm not waiting for the x-rays. I'm going to start some IV pain med.

[rbrnmw]

40. to be fair this is Ohio

we had a huge pill mill problem maybe it's a reaction to that. New reports say heroin use has went up 550% since 2012. But every pt who has seen a DR in the last few months and been given narcotics shouldn't be treated this way

[truedelphi]

75. I wanted to change from my primary physician to another one

Due to inability to get an appointment, and then sometimes a three hour wait in a waiting room on appt day.

So I found a young woman doctor, and right off the bat, before even asking me why I was seeking a doctor's appointment, she told me that she would not tolerate my drug use, and that I needed to be on a psych med rather than pain meds.

I refused, went home and researched and found a really good primary physician. (I also found out that the psych med the woman doctor wanted me on has a lot of side effects, so I am glad I balked at that regimen.) Anyway after my new doctor saw the X rays of my spine, he agrees with my original physician that due to the fact my spine is messed up, I need Tylenol with codeine. He reviewed my drug history and realizes that I only take the things when in extreme pain, and certainly don't even take fifteen of them in any given month.

I can envision the problems an individual would have, (like what the OP described), if there was a whole hospital of doctors like the young woman doctor I encountered. And believe me, there are hospitals that operate like that. Hospitals where the whole staff of doctors proudly has Zero Tolerance for using any drugs at any time. Back when I did private duty nursing assistance work, one client had a leg amputated, and the hospital (Kaiser BTW) refused to let her have anything more than Tylenol. The family spent a good deal of time obtaining morphine for her pain from the amputation so that she could sleep through the night, and not lie awake screaming in agony.

[cally]

80. I thought tramadol was not addictive nor a narcotic

Is it?

[Aristus]

81. Yes, it is.

Certainly Washington State law categorizes it as one. It's not as powerful as some of the others, like Dilaudid and oxycodone, but works on the same cellular receptors as other opiaites, and causes addiction and tolerance.

[cally]

83. thanks

[siligut]

3. Maybe they are just making business for the Addiction Specialist

What is happening in western medicine is a confusing and dangerous mess. If your chart showed a previous fall, the first thing a competent professional would do is assess the reason you seem to be falling too much/often. You would also benefit from a DXA/osteoporosis screening. To just assume you want drugs is a cruel and dangerous mind-set.

That said, some people will go to great length to obtain drugs and like vice cops, ER docs have a skewed world view. Talk with your GP, he/she knows you and your behavior, please make sure your GP at least charts that you are not a drug abuser. The Addiction Specialist should also have done this.

So sorry you were treated poorly, that just adds insult to injury. Figure out why you are falling and get plenty of calcium and protein to heal your fracture and again, make sure your GP charts it all, especially regarding what the ER doc failed to do because of an inaccurate assessment and assumption.

[onlyadream]

4. I know this is truly frustrating

As well as embarrassing. I was on the receiving end of not being believed a few times, involving medical issues. I've had social services question me (a number of times) about my son's care, when I was the one who brought him to the ER, against the Pediatricians advice, since he only had a cold (it was really full blown pneumonia, and it almost killed him). Yet I was the one repeatedly questioned.

BTW, your exact situation was an episode on Nurse Jackie, where a patient came in. He was treated harshly on the grounds of assuming he was after narcotics. He ended up having PTSD.

[rbrnmw]

5. This behavior by an M.D. is unprofessional

I wonder how many other people have to endure this type of harassment? I wonder how one can be so in their own tunnel that they can't see past their own cynicism to see another's true pain?

[jsr]

6. It's not uncommon:

http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/2008/02/drug-seekers-suck/
http://amptoons.com/blog/2011/01/31/how-to-avoid-being-seen-as-a-drug-seeker-if-you-have-chronic-pain/

[Barack_America]

9. I can tell you #1 without even looking at the link.

Do not ask for dilaudid by name.

[tavalon]

39. Unless you are a nurse

I tell them in no uncertain terms that they will give me dilaudid and if they want to put that snaky thing up my butt, I want Versed, not valium. Professional courtesy and all that.

[Barack_America]

43. If you're asking specifically, I'm an MD.

And, as for pain control, I'm not accepting anything more than the absolute minimum needed to control my pain. I was once offered oral dilaudid post-operatively and refused it outright. Toradol, on the other hand, I would gladly accept again. Try and send me home with a month's supply of Vicodin and I will rip that script up in your face.

To each his own, I guess.

[Egnever]

53. As someone who has semi frequent neck pain

Could you possibly explain why you make those calls?

I currently have a prescription for pain pills that will need to be refilled soon. Would love to know the reasoning behind your statement before I get them filed again.

[Barack_America]

59. I'm a big believer in the often over-looked Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation field.

These guys/gals are experts at orthopedic injuries and chronic pain. Rather than masking the pain with meds, they direct physical therapy, exercises, etc. to try to correct the problem. If it can't be corrected, they're excellent resources for recommending good orthopedic surgeons. Or they'll continue treatment themselves, avoiding chronic opiates whenever possible (using Botox, acupuncture, osteopathic manipulation, whatever works). If opiates are unavoidable, PM&R docs are really, really good at balancing pain control vs. side effects, using opiates that are specific to pain receptors and avoid euphoria, etc.

I personally would request a referral to one of them before requesting a narcotic refill, but that is a conversation for you to have with your doc.

[Warpy]

61. Just be aware that untreated pain is fatal

People in untreated pain isolate, become profoundly depressed, and end it all.

You can be an iron man. You can't make that decision for your patients, although you can educate them on the consequences of dependency and make referrals to pain clinics that use non drug as well as drug therapies.

[Barack_America]

62. I'm not saying I wouldn't treat.

I'm saying that a lot of GPs assume they know what they're doing in treating chronic pain, when they often don't. There are experts available and they should be utilized. Back pain shouldn't end up being a terminal illness, but the way narcotics are prescribed these days, it can be. Don't forget that addicts isolate and become profoundly depressed too

[Warpy]

72. Really? All the junkies I knew back in Boston

(and I made friends with them because I lived in bad neighborhoods and didn't want to be a victim) were very social with each other and even with the occasional civilian like me.

Offhand, I'd say everything most people think they know about drug addicts is wrong.

[bettyellen]

69. well the NYU back specialist I went to recommended NO physical therapy at all- even though he said

my disks were bad- they were hoping for operable, and it wasn't, so he cut me loose. He left me with no other recommendation except that next time I find myself immobilized to make an appointment with their pain management clinic for "a shot". He told me not to do therapy- probably because it's bad and they do not want to be liable for that advice. He scolded me for asking for advice! They have a two week waiting list for pain management- no exceptions. I have never been laid up for more than a week. This is at one one of the "best" hospitals in NYC.

I'd lose my job pretty quick if I took their advice. My boss insisted I go there and get an operation if they recommended one, just because I lost three days work. So, next time I will engage in drug seeking behavior elsewhere because I can't do my job without 4-5 hours of sleep for fucks sake. It is a cruel system.

[ScreamingMeemie]

55. The effectiveness of Toradol is often underrated.

As an RA patient, it is often the only thing that can offer relief. I would rather take baby steps toward pain relief than the complete obliteration of not only the pain but the ability to function.

[Barack_America]

57. Toradol is wonderful. I've got a surgery coming up and will be requesting it by name.

Problem is its side effect profile, so it can only be used pretty short-term.

You and I see the same way. I got fentanyl once intraoperatively and it felt wonderful. Problem was that it incapacitated me for hours afterwards. I won't accept it again unless absolutely necessary.

[rbrnmw]

65. I totally agree Toradol works much better

After I was finally done being harassed I was given Toradol it worked well and worked longer than any other pain relief I have been given

[rbrnmw]

16. OMG how horrible.

I was reading the comments by other DR's even more horrifying one saying now she'll get all the narcotics she wants.

[ScreamingMeemie]

20. The brain cancer patient that he thought was a drug seeker...?

I wish her family had looked into it. That was awful. All because she was too "nice" as a patient.

[Barack_America]

25. The real malpractice there was not taking a good enough history...

...to realize this was not a typical headache and that imaging was warranted.

You don't need to reflexively prescribe narcotics for every headache (and shouldn't as narcotic withdrawal can cause headaches), but you do need to do a good enough exam to make sure the headache isn't being caused by something like a tumor or a bleed.

[ScreamingMeemie]

27. Completely agreed, which is why I wish her family had looked into it.

[Barack_America]

7. Many hospitals have policies on this now.

So it may not have been the MD, specifically. However, the policies don't usually go into effect until the decision is made to look up how many narcotics scripts have been filled in the state's database. Why that was done, I obviously can't know.

[Adrahil]

11. When the addiction specialist came in....

... I'd tell them firmly, but politely to GTFO. NOW.

[rbrnmw]

18. The M.D. didn't have to use that disgusting tone of voice

I cried after I left it was very hurtful the way I was treated. He was quite arrogant and condescending about it the poor nurse looked horrified about the way he was talking

[Barack_America]

22. Then you should absolutely complain.

MDs can't allow themselves to become suspicious and dismissive to everyone in pain.

Even drug seekers, absolutely not saying you are one, can come in with legitimate, unmanageable pain. Should they be forced to suffer? I say no. Furthermore, I'm a bit perplexed why just 2 falls in 18 months would trigger such suspicion.

[rbrnmw]

24. I think because of the surgery and the incident

when my mother passed I wonder if he even read why I was given the other narcotic prescriptions. I went to the same ER for both falls so I am perplexed myself. My mother was taken to a different hospital perhaps he thought I went to different ER's to get meds.

[hootinholler]

8. This is out of control

The DEA is cracking down on Drs prescribing pain meds. Prescribe too many, and they will pull your prescription pad and then you're of little use to all of your patients. Unfortunately the DEA sees the ER as the front line.

Personally, I don't know how sharing this data isn't a HIPPA violation.

[siligut]

17. HIPPA allows healthcare professionals to share pt info as it relates to pt care

But they must be reasonable about it . . . right.

[Barack_America]

19. Prescriptions of narcotics for chronic pain is also out of control.

Unfortunately, many docs have a "yeah, yeah here's a script for more Vicodin, now please leave my office" approach to chronic pain. This often creates addicts who continue to slip through the cracks until they end up in the ED looking for stronger IV narcotics. Refusal of ED docs to continue the narcotic cycle can actually be life-saving. It's pathetic that people die from back pain in this country, but they do, because of narcotic abuse.

There are other options that actually work to treat the back injury, rather than just masking the symptoms. Rest, physical therapy, weight loss, exercise, anti-inflammatories and surgery, if necessary.

[hootinholler]

23. I'd like to see the studies behind your claim about dieing from narcotic abuse

Who are those who die from that? I suspect they are obtaining black market narcotics as well.

The GPs are coming under scrutiny as well, but the front line of 'enforcement' is the ER. The Dr should be focusing on giving proper care to the immediate problem in the ER. They do not need a nanny looking over their shoulder forcing them to treat a secondary condition that may or may not be presenting.

In my experience narcotics are much less addictive when there is actual pain involved. Even if a patient is a seeker, go ahead and write the script, limit the amount and let the script history speak towards abuse or not.

Is abuse a problem? Hell yes, but the larger problem is the lack of pain management.

[Barack_America]

29. CDC- 3/4 prescription drug overdoses caused by prescribed narcotics.

http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/rxbrief/

The problem with prescribing narcotics like candy is not only with the people they're prescribed for. People are prescribed ridiculous numbers of narcotics for a variety of issues that often sit around in medicine cabinets until they are stolen, used by a teenager, etc.

On edit: perhaps you'll recognize some of the measures the CDC recommend docs take from the OP. The problem here was not the measures taken, but who they were taken on.

[Adrahil]

10. Holy crap! I would write letter to the administrator of that hospital

That would burn her/his finger before it was even opened. Yes, drug-seeking behavior is a problem, but holy fuck, they treated you abominably!

[Tuesday Afternoon]

12. Do NOT pay the bill. Write a letter to

the Administrator of that Hospital with a detailed complaint of lack of treatment, care or concern shown to you by his staff. Include names. Mention that you will be consulting a lawyer about your options.

[msanthrope]

13. First, call your GP and get your hip treated. Second, call a personal injury lawyer. nt

[WhiteTara]

14. ...

This has been a really tough year and a half for you!

I'm so sorry for all you are going through. I hope you can take some time to heal. When I broke my knee cap last year (oh pain!) I used comfrey and made a poultice and used it on the broken area. It healed much quicker than it might have. Zinc with copper also speeds healing. Ice compresses will reduce the inflammation and reduce pain. Good luck

[polly7]

15. That's just horrible.

and cruel! I hope your GP is a lot more compassionate and intelligent than those people in the ER. No-one should have to go through that kind of pain unnecessarily.

I'm so sorry for your accident.

[rbrnmw]

28. After reading all the links shared above

I see this is a lot more common that I thought Having known addicts before I would think a true addict would be looking for a dealer on the street before going through that type of ordeal in an ER where you are only going to get a very small amount.

[tavalon]

38. Exactly!

And the overseas gray/black market is huge. No one who is truly drug seeking bothers with doctors. But doctors are getting pressured by the DEA and shit rolls down hill. It sucks.

[Barack_America]

45. That is a ridiculous statement. Plenty of drug seekers come through the ED.

They do so because they are addicted to prescription drugs. Doctors are their dealers. There comes a time when a primary care doc realizes that maybe he shouldn't have been prescribing ever-increasing amounts of opiates for his patient's chronic back pain...Maybe I should have prescribed physical therapy and referred to PM&R instead of writing script after script. Now this patient's clearly addicted and I'm liable, maybe even criminally negligent. Shit, what do I do now? Well, I sure as hell don't prescribe them a single pill more. And it would be pretty embarrassing to refer them to an addiction specialist when I've written all the scripts. So, lets start shifting the blame to the patient, maybe even kick them out of the practice.

Where do you think the patient's who have up to now just been following "doctor's orders" turn? First stop their friendly neighborhood heroin dealer? Um, no. They turn to other doctors, eventually those in the ED.

[Aristus]

76. I'm sorry, I have to disagree with you on that, except in the absolute sense

that I'm not a doctor. I am a Physician Assistant working in primary care, and I have people coming in all the time seeking narcotic pain meds. See my post above.

One of them is a patient I treated according to a plan that Barack America above laid out: rest, physical therapy (to treat the underlying condition, instead of simply masking the pain), weight loss, ice/heat treatment, ice massage, etc. I even started her on a medication regimen that is the new standard of care for long term pharmaceutical use for chronic pain: tricyclic antidepressants (which are kind of a double-barreled shotgun for the treatment of chronic pain; chronic pain can cause depression, and depression can worsen chronic pain; TCA's interrupt the vicious cycle.) I even gave her a free bottle of amitriptyline, and instructed her to give the meds 3-4 weeks to get up to a therapeutic level.

One hour after she left the clinic, my scheduler came to my office and told me the patient had returned to the clinic, gave back her bottle of amitriptyline, and demanded a narcotic.

On another day, a new patient presented to the clinic to establish care. She asked the scheduler if I would prescribe her oxycodone. When the scheduler relayed to her my refusal to prescribe this med, the patient said: "I've been to five places already, and no one will give me any!"

Drug-seekers are out there, and they'll seek wherever they think they can get what they want...

[madville]

82. An ex-MIL of mine would visit a different ER every weekend

An ex-MIL of mine would visit a different ER every weekend seeking pills, claiming kidney stone pain was her go-to reason.

She wrecked a a couple of vehicles rather suspiciously as well in order to get carried into the ER by ambulance.

My ex-wife would go into her house while she was passed out and flush all the meds down the toilet. Rehab never helped because she didn't want to be helped.

What got her off the meds was she started smoking MJ everyday, definetly a positive improvement, we always figured the pills would destroy her liver or something eventually.

[tavalon]

85. I'm not saying that doesn't happen

I am saying there is a huge gray market out there that you fine folks seem to be oblivious to. When my friend with Psoriatic arthritis and a sed rate through the roof, was called a drug seeker, she just turned to the overseas gray market. She needs pain meds to be able to get out of bed. She also needs (this, from me, her friend, the nurse) to get her ass to a decent rheumatologist, get on Embrel and hopefully, won't need those meds anymore.

This may well be a class issue, I don't know. But I do know that she isn't alone. And that many, many people with legitimate pain issues are being under treated for what ever reasons there might be. And middle class people don't hit the street, they hit the internet.

BTW, as an aside, I have IBS and when I get a really bad attack (like after a noro virus), the only thing that works is Lorazepam and it works fast. 2 days in most cases. To avoid being called a drug seeker, I put the rest of the lorazepam in a safe place (an actual safe for drugs, they actually have such things) for when I next need it. Luckily, there is much I can do to avoid an IBS attack and do, on a daily basis. Amytriptyline is the greatest thing ever for my IBS, as is exercise, avoiding certain foods (having Celiac as well, it's amazing there is actually food I can eat. LOL), avoiding ALL alcohol and using bulking fiber whether it's IBS-D or IBS-C. Did I mention probiotics? My doctor rocks. She understands IBS and I've told her my whole regimen and she is copacetic. She also almost always has another idea or two I hadn't thought of. And, since I have a trusting relationship with her, I almost always try her ideas unless they are forgetfully cornball, like, eat wheat bread! She caught herself really quickly.

Now, I know we are talking narcotics rather than sedatives, but they aren't so far apart, are they, really? Of course, if I needed sedatives all the time, I would be working with my doctor to come up with other things. But that's me. I have an immune system that's been trying to take me out since I was two years old. I'm now 50. My medical records could easily point to drug seeking, and yet, it's not true.

As a second, BTW, until I found my current physician, I always preferred PA's and NP's. They often have a listening and caring gene lacking in physicians. I know that you see "drug seeking" a lot but there is much you do not see. I think the under treatment of pain is a fair greater issue. When my friend finally gets onto Embrel and assuming (hoping) it makes her better, I will be there to help her safely taper off of the pain meds she's on. Unless she gets a good rheumatologist, then I will definitely leave that to her/him.

It's funny, my friend is terrified of addiction and yet, she doesn't realize that she has been taking the pain med for so long, she can't stop cold turkey. She doesn't show any of the usual signs of addiction, but she now has a high tolerance. Without a caring medical professional around (right now, that seems to be me. I don't know how she picks assholes as doctors on a regular basis, but that's a whole other story). Her psychiatrist rocks and BTW, is the only one who sussed out how she is getting the pain medicine she is using - this doctor is the only one who looks at her situation holistically. Needless, to say, her psychiatrist can't or shouldn't prescribe them, but knowing about her arthritis, she understands the problem and is monitoring it - her psychiatrist!

Sorry such a long post but under treatment of chronic pain is kind of a hot button with me.

Oh, and to fill out the picture of how I know the difference between addiction and tolerance, I volunteer with a group that offers clean needles, Hep B shots and education on overdose and the use of Narcan. Trust me, you never see those people in your clinic. Then again, maybe with ACA, that will change, but I doubt it.

We are both on the front lines but very different front lines, I'd say.

None of this is meant as a diss on you - I'm guessing you are a great PA. You just gave me a great post to pull my soapbox up to.

[rbrnmw]

30. BTW I still have meds from surgery and from when mom died

I have 14 oxycodones and 21 hydrocodones I also still have 12 of the 15 ativan prescribed I am taking all of them with me to my GP so he can chart that for me.

[Barack_America]

31. I'd be tempted to surrender them to the ED doc.

Sort of a, "here ya go buddy, who's drug-seeking now?" gesture.

[rbrnmw]

32. That's a good idea

I wonder if he is on duty tonight

[LittleGirl]

33. and ask him to check your

parathyroid hormone blood level (PTH).
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/parathyroid-hormone

If they are outside the normal range, that could be why you are breaking bones. The parathyroid sucks the calcium out of your bones and makes them brittle. Good luck and sorry to hear that they treated you like a junkie. It's shameful.

[Shrike47]

35. You need to file a complaint with the hospital.

Denying pain medication is a big push right now, and those in pain need to push back. The only way they will reconsider the protocols is if enough people bitch, loudly and frequently. Include your Congressman.

[tavalon]

36. That bullshit happens more than you might imagine

It infuriates me.

[rbrnmw]

41. He did release me with Ultram

But I took one and felt so nauseous I had to lay down and take deep breaths to keep from puking I don't even like narcotics for the same reason they always make me so sick that I would rather endure the pain

[tavalon]

42. I had a similar and yet different experience once in an ER

I had pneumonia following the flu and having asthma, it triggered my asthma big time. I was sitting up struggling to breath. Dr, Crapweasel (as he will always be remembered by me) decided I needed ativan to calm down (this without removing his precious stethoscope from around his neck). I needed air to calm down. I called the charge nurse in and reported him, went home AMA because I decided I would rather die at home than under that idiots care and the hospital got a long letter from me. The excused the charges. That was almost enough, but I still reported him to the Medical Board in Texas.

First off, get all of your records. They are yours and you are entitled to them. Everyone should do that. Your records are not proprietary to the hospital staff. Find out what was written. Send letters to both the administration and the physician. Report the physician to the Medical board. He committed malpractice. Consult with a lawyer. You probably have a case. They usually don't make you pay up front, you pay out of the money you receive from the judgement.

Unless they can prove you are a drug seeker and your story doesn't show that, he is liable for his malpractice and so is the hospital that employs him. Don't allow their intimidation tactics to go undealt with. You;ll just end up with PTSD and he will go on committing malpractice.

[Helen Borg]

44. Why would they assume that?

It reminds me of that time when I hit the corner of a metal window with my head at my place and started bleeding. At the emergency room, everybody kept semi-insinuating it was some kind of domestic violence situation! Dunno, they thought my partner (who took me to the ER) had stabbed me in the head or something. It's good to be alert, but there must be better ways.

[rbrnmw]

48. Maybe because this is Ohio

and we had huge pill mill problem which most definitely created an addiction epidemic but I just can't believe I could possibly fit that profile

[proudretiredvet]

46. Don't you love docs who know it all before they examine you?

I'm a 100% disabled vet with aftermarket parts in both knees, one hip, and one shoulder. One of my knees suddenly became very painful. I went to the VA, saw the intake nurse who sent me to Xray for some new pics of that knee. When I went into see the doc, before he read my files, reviewed the xrays or even looked at my knee, he told me I had RA. My wife and I just looked at each other and then I told him that I have total knees in both legs. How does that work, how can I have RA in that knee. He then brought up the new pics on his computer and told us that, "OK we need to start over."
The visit turned out well but I should have been able to put a note in his file.

[Enthusiast]

78. It appears to be a common enough malady in Doctors.

I have experienced it several times.

[PsychGrad]

47. I have had similar...

I had my first gallbladder attack a couple of years ago. Honestly thought I was dying it hurt so bad. I have NEVER taken a pain medication, and don't even use Ibuprofen or Tylenol. But, I went to the closest ER (I live in a rural area, no Urgent Cares and Dr's office packed and no openings) and the dr there treated me the same way. I did ask for a pain killer, or something, bc I couldn't even walk upright and was trying to finish out my day at work. He denied me fluids even though I was dehydrated, accused me of drug seeking, and then lectured me about using the ER for "non life-threatening" issues. I explained to him that I'm not a doctor and have no idea if something is life threatening and that is why I came to the ER - after several nurses I worked with told me to do so. Anyway, he didn't do a thing - especially not once they realized that I didn't have any health insurance. He literally told me to get out of the bed bc they needed it for "real emergencies". It's a very small rural hospital, and I guarantee that bed was empty the rest of the day.

Anyway, they sued me for about $7,000 after denying me the paper work for charity. I went to court, then got in touch with the Attorney General for my state - who kindly informed them that at the time of the "treatment", I more than qualified to have my "treatment" written off. Of course, there really wasn't any treatment - other than disgust and dismissal. So, they dropped the charge. That hospital is trying to build a new hospital and they need $ - and they treat people like shit. I won't pay them a dime, and I hope that they go under and never get to complete a new hospital. Oh, and he told me that "our only legal requirement in the ER is to stabilize you and verify that you aren't dying - you are not dying, we need that bed."

I'm sorry that you have had a similar experience. Just know, karma does come back around and people like that will get theirs. You can't just go through life treating people like crap without some kind of consequence, I have to believe that. I hope that you can find a doctor to work with and am so sorry to hear of all of your struggles. Sending you long distance hugs and hope.

[sorefeet]

49. My pain was so bad from the

neuropathy, I was suicidal, depressed and drinking for pain relief(gas on a fire). This went on for 3 or so years and I told them if they would not help me I had every intention and a plan to amputate my own fucking feet. Finally one doctor gave me some hydrocodone and I cried at how simple my pain was helped, my life really wasn't over, I did not need or want alcohol, my blood pressure stabilized no more pills there, no more depression, no more suicide. Yes pain does kill. My can of worms was chemicals from work. No doctor wants to go there. So needless to say I do not trust any doctor. My records are full of lies. And the next doctor take them as gospel and you are labeled how ever they JUDGE. When a doctor tells you "if I don't do what the DEA tells me, I'll lose my license to write prescriptions" you know you are fucked right off the bat.
Went to Florida and the drive inflamed my knee. Severe pain. Went to the ER and doc gave me gout meds because I told him it felt like the same pain. I knew it wasn't. It did nothing. $600 or $300 if you pay now. Called a doc back home got a script for pain meds faxed and went back home still in pain. Then I went to the clinic at home and she said got to get rid of the inflammation first. 2 Big Celebrex pills and four hours later I was pain free. Did I mention I don't trust doctors.

[MissB]

50. That is horrible, and thanks for sharing your experience!

I had a couple of bad migraines years ago - like 15ish years - and ended up in the ER twice in about six months. I usually don't have such bad ones - I can take OTC stuff and a quiet dark room and be fine. But these two were bad enough that I could not handle it.

The second time I went in, they were quite subtle but the underlying message from the nurse was that they were evaluating me for seeking drugs. Nothing came of it - my primary care dr didn't have any extra questions etc. I didn't need the ER after that for anything particular.

Dh, on the other hand, takes at least a Vicodin a day, sometimes two. He gets a 30 day supply from his dr and it generally isn't enough. I think the take away message from your story is that if he ends up in the ER, I will pay close attention to their reaction of his narcotic drug use and any questions they may have.

If they haven't heard of his type of arthritis, then they'd be getting an earful from me. Nothing will help the pain other than painkillers like Vicodin. Nothing.

[rbrnmw]

51. Wonder why they didn't just drug test me

Why not check my blood or urine for drugs before using an accusation.

[Warpy]

52. Jesus H Christ on a trailer hitch!

That is NOT THE STANDARD OF CARE. You can sue them for not treating your pain as well as slandering you in the hospital record if you so choose.

I wonder how the hell they treat chronic pain sufferers. Or cancer patients.

They at least need a nasty letter from someone.

[Jesus Malverde]

54. How do you tell a “junkie” from a person who’s in pain?

There are certain warning signs that, though not perfect predictors, can tip docs off to people who are simply abusing pain meds:

The doctor might ask the patient to rate their pain from 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst pain they’ve ever felt in their life. If a patient insists their pain is a 10 but has been sitting in the waiting room for hours, they’re probably lying to you.
The patient starts off by telling you exactly what dose of which medication they need, and rattle off a whole bunch of painkillers that don’t work for them.
The dose of medication they need is much, much higher than the dose for an average person.
The patient comes to you with excuses like “My meds were stolen!” or “I lost the prescription!” or “My dog ate them!”
The physical exam is inconsistent with pain. For example, people in a great deal of pain often have a fast heart rate and fast breathing, or other physical signs they are uncomfortable.
Emergency Room doctors are often put in a tough spot when confronted with this behavior. They can never be 100% sure either way, and frequently don’t have all day to do a thorough assessment to tease out whether the patient is telling the truth about their pain. Doctors usually err on the side of the patient and prescribe painkillers. But if they acquiesce to the patient’s wishes and are wrong, they risk putting an addict in an even worse state of health by enabling their addiction.

I also heard you should never ask for a medication by name. When you do that, they interpret familiarity to addiction..

http://blog.timesunion.com/mdtobe/how-do-you-tell-a-junkie-from-a-person-whos-in-pain/1058/

[rbrnmw]

56. He DID treat my pain I was given Toradol

but only after the x-rays and addiction specialist lectured me and tried to coerce a confession from me. I think the Toradol was just to cover his ass.

[hedgehog]

58. I think using"horror story" and "emergency room" in the same phrase is redundent.

I'm sorry the doctor treated you that way, but I think getting poor medical care is part of the ER experience!

I was recently taken to the ER after getting T-Boned - the cab on my S-10 was stripped from the bolts and pushed over 2 feet.

Well, the squad took me in to a major teaching hospital on a backboard and neck collar. Now I did black out during the accident, so my memory is fuzzy. I think there was a quick check of my torso to see if I had internal bleeding and someone checked to see if I could wiggle my toes. It wasn't until after my husband arrived at least half an hour later that I had a sonogram of my torso ( again to check for bleeding) and x-rays of my pelvis and left leg. No one asked me if I had any pain there before the X-ray! I was still on the backboard all this time, and being forced to lie flat was making my back hurt. It was several hours after the accident before someone read the x-ray and gave approval to remove the collar and let me sit up. Now, I didn't have any spinal damage, and I did wiggle my toes, but does it make any sense to wait several hours to confirm that there was no spinal damage and/or dislocated hip? Otherwise, what was with the X-rays?

So, my head was clearing by now and we were left waiting. I heard different doctors take medical histories on the two patients on either side of me several times. By the time I left, i could have given the histories myself! The guy on the left waited about 4 hours before a promised pain pill arrived. He'd had a previous serious problem with his intestine and thought it was happening again. He was finally sent home around 1:30AM with a some scripts and orders to check with his doctor. He was informed the only pharmacy open at that hour was 5 miles away.

The other fellow had been sent in by his doctor to be admitted to have his sodium levels raised carefully. He was already there when I arrived at 4:45PM, and still hadn't been taken to a room or given any treatment at 2AM!

So, i was finally released around 1AM. That's when I stood and found that my lower back was in such painful spasm that I almost passed out. I also couldn't lift my left foot without grabbing something. One of the doctors made me try to walk without support , assuring me he'd catch me. I think I had 30 pounds on him, and his technique was an excellent way to injure both of us if I had fallen. Finally, I was given a muscle relaxant and wheel chaired to our car at 2AM. I asked about precautions for concussion and was told I wasn't concussed since I didn't have a brain bleed! Forget about the sudden blow from a car traveling 55mph and the loss of consciousness!

From where I lay - I could see four or five nurses sitting at the counter entering data on computers. The machines seem to get more attention than the patients! I blame that on hospital procedures.

I've spent the last 6 weeks recovering and now just have a slight limp and some very minor aphasia. I'm left wondering if the spasm and recovery time would have taken as long if I hadn't spent so much time on the back board in the first place. I'm pretty sure the cartilage and tendons holding my left leg in place and my pelvis together had all been stretched out of position and that recovery consisted of bones gradually sliding back into place. Of course, that's my wild ass guess because no one at the ER checked me out once it was determined I wasn't bleeding nor did I have a broken bone!


So - lack of privacy, sitting around waiting for a diagnosis, sitting around longer for treatment, sitting around even longer to be dismissed - that's typical of any ER. Being told I wasn't concussed - that was an extra touch!

[rbrnmw]

60. well my eyes are now wide open

thanks to this experience and links from above I won't enter another ER unless I am damn near dead and have bones sticking out

[hedgehog]

71. I have an autoimmune disease treated symptomatically with

a small pharmacy plus depression treated with its own cocktail. Reciting the list of drugs I'm on can be embarrassing enough; I should consider myself lucky i don't need any pain killers!I'd rather be ignored than scolded!

[MrsKirkley]

63. This whole thing makes me afraid to ask for Soma.

I have degenerative disk disease in my lumbar spine and I'm prone to pinched nerves. When a nerve is pinched, the slightest movement causes excruciatingly painful muscle spasms. I can't seek medical attention when it happens because I can't move. The only medication I've tried that stops the spasms so I can get back and fourth to the restroom until my pinched nerve heals is Soma. I'm not saying nothing else would work, just that nothing else I've tried so far has worked. This usually only happens to me once or twice a year but from this story it sounds like that's all it would take to be labeled an addict. OP, sorry you were treated that way.

[Fumesucker]

64. The DEA is getting ready for cannabis legalization

Yeah, there's a lot of other stuff going on but that's what's mostly behind the big push on "drug seeking", the DEA is seeking to expand it's influence in other areas before it loses pot.

Utterly predictable bureaucratic behavior.

[rbrnmw]

66. this is probably very true

[bluestate10]

67. Without them having EVERY detail of your medical history and why medications were prescribed,

they really couldn't do anything but entertain the possibility that you were hurting yourself to get prescribed painkillers. Your thought about going to your GP is a good one, while there relate your experience at the emergency room.

Maybe some things can be changed in the treatment routine that the GP prescribes for you. You may need to see a Physical Therapist and have appointments with that person for a number of sessions. Or you may need to see a Rheumatologist. Without being prompted to look into other options, some GPs stick with treatments that they have comfort with, I know this from personal experience, I had a problem that wasn't solved until I saw the right specialist.

[rbrnmw]

70. maybe true but why not ask?

They could have just asked I would have explained it and told them I hardly ever take the narcotics they prescribe anyway as the make me feel like puking and in fact I still have most of the meds prescribed in the last 6 mos anyway and that I could prove it.

[elleng]

68. Awful.

Be sure to tell your GP 'The Dr came in told me his name followed by I will not give you any narcotics I said OK I didn't ask for any. This is before they even gave me an x-ray.'

[Liberal_in_LA]

73. wow. what a horrible experience

[REP]

74. What a bunch of fucking assholes

I'm sorry you were treated so rudely and hope you are healing well. From everything.

[demigoddess]

77. it is CYA and doing things by rote

I've seen it in another context, but I bet he was just 'covering all bases' in case. Also by putting these things in your chart they can charge the insurance companies more. If all they do is consider whether or not you are drug seeking it is another step of care, hence more money.

The advice about a lawyer would not hurt.

[rbrnmw]

79. it was the rush to judgement and arrogant tone

An ER doc who treats his pt's with that judgement first attitude should get into another line of work Emergency Rooms see lots of people a better bed-side manner would go along way. If the man thought I was an addict he could of talked to me about his concerns himself, he did not need to say I will not give you narcotics right off the bat. No exam just x-rays when he came back in he didn't apologize he said you have a hairline fracture I will give you toradol which was fine by me, but he still acted like he was angry with me and arrogant.

[TuxedoKat]

84. So sorry this happened to you

after all you recently endured with the loss of your mom, then this painful injury. Do you have any friends or acquaintances who are lawyers? I would ask for referrals for an attorney who has experience in this area. Their treatment of you was rude and unprofessional. (((HUGS))).