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Aw the clever drug seeker. The one that brings in a CD of their injury. A written report of their MRI. An acutal xray on their computer tablet. Have your ever noticed that:1) They called their doctors office and were told to come to the ER.
2) They can't see their doctor for 2-3 weeks.
3) They are supposed to have surgery on their chronic pain part next month.
4) Their doctor is out of town.
5) Etc Etc Etc
We supposedly have a system wide policy that we don't give prescriptions for chronic pain. Is that policy followed? Of course not.
I sympathise with you, but I've also resorted to visiting the ER for chronic pain when I let my prescription run out. When you're in agony, you'll try anywhere. My ER doctor was sympathetic, and gave me IV paracetamol (I think) and enough cocodamol to hold me through the weekend.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't class myself as a drug-seeker, but now I wonder if that's what I was regarded as by the nurses. Or maybe the fact that I was pale and clammy and rocking from the pain made them more sympathetic.
The ER isn't the right place to go for pain management, but when it's Saturday evening, and you're in so much pain you can't stand up straight, and your doctor's surgery is closed for the long weekend, there aren't a lot of options available.
Sorry you are responsible for not running out of your med. ER is not the place for chronic pain. There is always a doctor on call.
ReplyDeleteBTW
paracetamol = tylenol
busted
Girl vet. ..I've been a nurse for 16 years. The response you had was VERY unprofessional and I am embarrassed for u if u represent the health care profession. Yes we may think it but we never say it out loud and do not point it out to a patient. There is such thing as psychological pain that can create a worsening physical pain.
DeleteGirlvet,
ReplyDeleteYes, my responsibility, but sometimes people make mistakes, or have accidents, or their car breaks down and they can't collect a prescription as planned.
IV paracetamol, yes, paracetamol is tylenol, but administered intravenously is more effective than orally, and it has less side effects than opiates. Not busted, it's reasonably effective, and doesn't make you feel like your head is full of cotton wool.
Cocodamol is paracetamol (or tylenol for you Americans) with codine, and here you need a prescription for it.
Some people who come to the ER with their MRI report or a CD of their condition are not just there to seek drugs. In my case I had a legitimate reason for carrying both and I DID have surgery for my problem after several months of being turned away from doctors who took an oath to help people because I had no insurance.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't there because my pain meds ran out, I was there because the pain medication did nothing for my pain. I hope that some day you develop a problem where you have chronic pain and you sit on the other side of the fence that you judge so harshly.