Think Twice About Going To The Emergency Room For Back Pain
With low back pain being the number reason why millions of Americans miss work, you would think hospitals around the country would be more compassionate with people who suffer from chronic low back pain. Being a chronic pain sufferer myself who suffers from low back pain with a herniated disc, I know too well how ER doctors treat patients seeking help for some kind of relief. It seems as soon as you walk in and tell them the reason your here to see the doctor is for back pain, your immediately cast in a different light.
The ironic thing in today’s modern times, hospitals and ER doctors have available, and can look up information on patients that have on record tests such as, MRI’s, CT scans, or any other type of documentation to verify a diagnosis the patient is complaining of. With so many people falsely going to ER rooms complaining of back pain just to get medication, they should actually do a little research before they put you in that category of just seeking medication.
For instance, I waited 2 hours in the waiting room, after I got back to see the ER physician, I waited in the room for an additional hour just to hear the nurse tell me I need to go see my primary care physician about substance abuse. I was in shock. I could not believe they thought I was there seeking medications and not truly suffering from pain. When just recently I had two MRI’s taken at this same hospital showing indeed I do suffer from herniated discs, and other back problems as well. To add insult to injury, I received a bill the following week charging me for the visit. I wonder what did they do for me. What did they charge me for? The only thing they did in all reality is turn me away. So why do they charge me for turning me away in my time of need.
Unless your in a horrible car wreck, or your wheeled in by ambulance on a stretcher, going to the ER room for pain is a waste of time and money. Not only is it a waste of time and money, your humiliated by the whole ordeal. People who suffer from chronic pain are simply not believed. For whatever the reason may be, ER doctors do not want to treat people in pain. Chronic pain sufferers in America are discriminated again tremendously. Everyone who suffers from pain should write their congressman or senators. Something has to be done. Seems doctors are taken the war on drugs against the innocent, against the people who truly suffer from chronic daily pain. There is something wrong with this picture. America has the best healthcare in the world, but yet you cant get treated for something as simple as low back pain. I just pray for the millions of Americans who are in the same situation they that somehow will find a compassionate doctor who truly understands pain. Seems most doctors today are more interested in what’s best for them, and not the patient. Don’t they still take an oath to help the sick and hurting? Sometimes I wonder
Robert Gould
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14 Responses to “Think Twice About Going To The Emergency Room For Back Pain”
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The emergency room staff was horrid to me, do they think everyone is a drug seeker?
I have a constant siatic nerve problem in one leg and foot. I live with this daily and get by with over the counter meds. About twice a year, it gets so bad that I need to go to the emergency room for something narcotic to break the pain cycle. The last time I went ( it had been 9 months ) I told the doctor that I was allergic to torodol. He never bothered to pull my charts to see that I had a reaction to it. He simply said " you are not allergic, have never met anyone that was" I also told him what i usually get that does the trick. So , in comes the nurse with a shot. I asked her what it is, she replied " the pain killer you requested" 10 mins later she comes back to check me and I am still in pain , wheezing and covered with hives. Now I need an IV of benedryl. The doctor apologized and said " I thought you were just another drug seeker" Then he had a letter typed up to carry with me stating I was allergic to torodol. Was he just trying to be nice to cover his butt ?
By covering his butt I mean, was he trying to be super sweet, which he was after the fact, to prevent me from suing him?
File a complaint with the hospital. Put that in the sob's file. Nice presumption on his part.References :
Talk to a laywer. See a chiropractor for the sciatic nerve problem. They do help.References :
I am sorry for your chronic pain problem. Try establishing a relationship with a Doctor who has someone on call at his office during off hours and that will give you continuity of care. ER's are for not breathing, or bleeding profusely, or heart attacks. In other words, life-threatening issues.References :
ER doctors have to be careful because they see many people everyday that are trying to get drugs, but the fact that he gave you a medication that you specifically told them you were allergic to- that's not good, it's malpractice. Hopefully that doctor learned something that day to be careful about who he thinks is a "drug seeker". I'm sorry that had to happen to you. I know how it is to be thought about as a druggie because I have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and some kids at school thought I was a druggie or something until I finally was so sick of the narcotics not doing anything for my pain that I went off of them.References :
Doctors have a responsibility to listen & note patients, health concerns, and or prior medical conditions including allergies, and any drugs the patient is on, this is irrespective if in the patient has attened the ER, or a doctor in private practise. (This is hard if a patient does not divulge any medical info)
I would make a complaint to the hospital, about what happened, if you feel your complaint is not taken seriously, then talk to a lawyer to see if you have any legal standing against the doctor.
The doctor made an error in assuming you where a drug user, which could have easily cost your life, and the hospital has to be aware that this sort of thing occours, and set up protocols and policies to avoid the death of some unsuspecting patient.
Have you thought of getting a Medic Alert braclet or necklace, which will hopefully avoid this sort of thing happining again. That is if your hospital recognises Medic Alerts.References :
Talk to a lawyer.
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I would still go talk to a lawyer, even though he did apologize and type up a letter for you. They should have looked in you file!
By the way have you gone to this place before needing pain killers?
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Unfortunately, the ER doctor’s are faced with "drug-seekers" on a daily basis and more often than not are immue to truely ill patients. It sounds like he was truly apologizing for his mistake and to make it easier for your, offering to give you this letter so it won’t happen in the future.j
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No doctor has a right to give you medication if you say you are allergic to it. What if you went into anaphylactic shock? That’s just wrong. That is the problem with a lot of the ER’s today – so many medical people seem to have lost their compassion and no one seems to listen.
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YEP. All emergency rooms think people are drug seekers. When in all reality most of the people who go really have no insurance and can’t afford a Doctor.
He was trying to cover his ass. Sounds to me like you might want to consult an attorney.
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DEFINITELY consult an attorney. Giving you a medication you clearly stated you are allergic to is malpractice. If he didn’t want to give you a narcotic, there are other medications he could have tried. He was definitely trying to cover his ass. If he didn’t check the chart, gave you the med and you had a reaction it’s malpractice; if he did check the chart, gave you the med anyway and you had a reaction it’s still malpractice.
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you’re messing around with the ER????
Go see a regular doctor.
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I dealt with this for 23 years. It caused severe disruption of my life. There could hae been hope for my condition way back then but now they say I’ll likely be in a chair in a few more years. I too have nerve involvement and I would have spells which would then go away for as long as two years. By them refusing to treat the pain I had to myself. I could not stand the pain. I am very pain tolerant and took no pain meds at all for old fashioned gall bladder surgery. cyst removal, or for 4 c-sections.After each section I left the hospital on the 2nd day.I am quite tough but could not stand the back and nerve pain.You were lucky in this day and age to get help. Now I get no break at all in the pain and am on narcotic pain relief for life. I’d love to have my life back.My horses have become pets and my snowshoes hang on the wall like a decoration.They allow me to do almost nothing and I can no longer work. I feel it is awful how people are treated who really need help because of others who do not.I even brought with me records showing all the surgery I’ve had without meds thinking for sure it would help me but it did not. It is horrible to be forced to find your own relief for sure and it lead me down roads I thought I’d never see.Something needs to be done about it for sure. I do see the doctors side of it.They have much invested in their careers and don’t want to risk losing it to drug seekers. Then again I should not have had to hand my life over because no one would treat me or even order the tests needed to be properly diagnosed. Once I did find someone to then I start getting all the apologies and doctors saying well I can see why you are in so much pain. Very unfair no doubt!
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