I was really bad off last night. My RSD is on almost entire right side of my body. I brought my journal that I keep of my meds & special ER instructions in. On the way there, my friend was speeding to get me there. A cop pulled us & refused to escort us. At that time, I was unconscious & not breathing. This happenned off & on all night. When we got to ER, they were throwing me around like a doll. They had all been warned too. Then, it took my friend asking 3 different nurses to get oxygen. They kept saying they couldnt find the key. I realize that the ER had alot of traumas last night, but it was no excuse for how we were treated. When the nurse went to start my i.v. we told her it had to be on my good side & area had to be numbed. So, she comes back with 2 Ativan pills. My friend said thats not gonna cut it. She needs an i.v. or injection of something. I'd taken lots of oral meds already with no relief. So, the nurse came back & said they didnt have any numbing agents in the adult ER & that anestesiology would have to be paged to get that & they were unwilling to do that. So, the nurse told me she was just gonna put the i.v. in my bad arm because it was already messed up. My friend told her no, so she went & got the doc. Doc came in & said,"Y'all need to quit #$%^ing around & tell us what you want". I got really offended & just said fine...use my good arm but just please be extra careful. Nurse was yelling at me for being too tense. Sorry, my body was shaking uncontrollably. So, they gave me Ativan in an i.v. & that was it. They always give me i.v. Dilaudid. They refused & said that my primary had not left any notations in the computer system specifying that I needed Dilaudid. It was very obvious that my pain was a 10/10. The Ativan did calm down the shaking some, but the pain was never controlled. So, I got mad & said if you're not gonna give me anything for pain how about taking the i.v. out of my arm. They told me to go home & double up on my regular pain meds (Lortab 10-500 x2, Oxycodone Hcl 30mg, Soma 350, Xanax 1mg x2). What a waste of time & effort. I have to give major credit to my friend that took me. We have only known each other for a few months, but apparently she really listens to what I say about my RSD because she really took care of me. That really meant alot to me. She did not have to do that. She was even trying to hold me down before we left for the ER. The doctor asked me if she was my "partner"....we are still laughing about that. I left a message with my primary to see how we can avoid this happening again. Nurse at my primary doc said they dont use same computer system even though its same hospital. Maybe my doc can type a letter explaining what I need when I go to the ER. Anyone else done this?? Sorry this is so long....I just gave you the highlights of the night. Oh yeah...there was really bloody gauze on the floor next to my bed...gross....I will definately be filling out the survey that they send out after ER visits. Got the doctors name too.

I'm sorry that you had to go through that !

I won’t go into any details, but I had a HORRIBLE experience at an ER a while back. This was at the largest hospital around and one of the major trauma centers in the area. They were treating me like some addict looking for a fix of pain meds. I kept telling them I had plenty of drugs at home - what I wanted was some treatment.

As soon as business offices opened that day, I called the ER administrator. Not the medical director, but the person in charge of the ER section as a business. I explained, in detail, all of the non-treatment and disrespect I got. She was appalled about what happened and vowed that there would be something done.

I never got a follow-up, but her reaction told me that she would certainly do something. I urge you to go ahead and fill out the survey card, but also write a separate letter or at least make a phone call to the department manager. They will want to know what is going on in their place of business. That survey card may only go to a marking firm, and your comments may not be seen by the "right" person.

Mike

I don't know what can be done.
Honestly, most big city ER's get probably two dozen drug seekers a day.

You'd better have your regular care giver waiting by the phone, i.e. have Him/Her, order you to the ER!
Then, they'll give orders!

Other than that, It will ALL Be for nil.
Might as well stay at home and wait it out.

Other than that,
You MUST save a bit of your pain meds for "breakthrough" pain!
(Out of a Mos. Supply, save a day or two's worth.) Some month, you'll use them, other's you'll be able to save.

My doctor told me, that's MY responsibility!
(they ain't stupid ya know!) So, don't be!

When you feel a bit better, save that pill!
I'm not gonna say, what I've got saved, but, it's enough to get me through a short time.

You All Should Too!

Pete

asb

I am SO sorry to hear that you had to go through that. I had a similar experience about 2 weeks ago.
Short history, they thought i had RSD, told me i did, then decided that i didn't. They have still yet to explain the pain, numbness, coldness, and uncoorperativeness of my left leg, which occassionally goes into my right leg. 2 weeks ago i thought i needed a wheelchair b/c i could not walk hardly, and that lasted until about 3 days ago.
Anyway. My PCG sent me to the ER, though i told her not to bother b/c they weren't gonna do anything, but she sent me via ambulance anyway! While there the doc that i saw totally disagreed w/ everyone else and said that my physical neuro exam was fine (but i couldn't really move my legs). She also said that b/c i had balance that it couldn't be neurological, and that b/c it was affecting both legs that it couldn't be spinal!!! After she got back the results from the CT (which showed nothing, and i knew it wouldn't) she told me that i had just pulled a muscle in my back and to go home. A pulled muscle is gonna cause my legs to go numb and become non-responsive to what my brain wants them to do???? Then she told me to follow up with my PCG...who's the one who sent me there to begin with. Life is sometimes so predictable.
Hope that you are feeling better since your trip down to "your-a-drug-seeking-pretender-and-it's-all-in-your-head" hell.
I may not have RSD, but I do know some of what it's like to live with at least one body-part being in constent pain, but i dam sure know what it's like to be looked at you're a faker and a mental case by docs. Take care and may your meds kick in and provide some relief.
P

Gotta love the ER! I'm lucky, my MD is the ER doctor on Thursday nights, so if I have to go I try to wait until then....if not, I get the run around, big time. I'm sorry you had to go through that

I dont know what part of the country you live but that treatment is uncalled for. However, saying that. Many of us are so drug dependant that the ER personnel thinks we are junkies. They should have called your PCP immediately. Especially if they are not hooked up computer wise or have your hx in their own system. I hope it is all cleared up now & for the future needs.

Your friend is a godsend. How many of us have non chronic pain friends who give that much support & understanding? You are very blessed in that department.

Hi firegirl,
I'm sorry you went thru that ???? So happy to have a caring friend that stood by you. Hard to imagine the policeman didn't check on you and lead the way! I think he superior needs a letter and a new policy written!!!
Take care- that's a good idea about saving med for 'rainey day-
I'm sorry for your experience. loretta with soft hugs

I'm so sorry to hear that you were not helped when you needed it the most. Before I got diagnoised I went to the ER twice and they did nothing for me either. After I told them the medications I was on, they said go home and take your medicine.
I just had a treatment 4 weeks ago, and the treatment has made my RSD flare to a point that I cant handle. I dont go to the ER anymore because of past experiences but everyday I wanted to go but new that they probably wouldnt help and I just didnt have the energy to battle them and the RSD.
I really am starting to think RSD patients are the forgotten patients. =(
The ones that understand RSD dont know how to help the patient (Everything is a shot in the dark) and the majority of doctors dont understand what RSD is!!
We are living human beings and we should not have to suffer because of ignorance.

I hate the er. No one knows what rsd is. I don't usually go for my rsd pain, but i tell them that i have it. They look at me like i am an alien. When i broke my leg and had to have an operation, i did call up the hospital as did the pain clinic and explained my situation to them. To my shock, all the nurses had read about rsd that the head nurse had printed up from rsd hope.org. What was even more shocking, one of my nurses knew didn't have to read up on it. She had been assigned to me because her husband has had rsd for 19 yrs. It was the first time anyone took the time to find out what those of us with rsd go through and what could happen if they did something wrong.

Sue k