My hospital experience

[Stupid Penguin]

Below is a copy of an email I sent to my friend in medical school talking about my hospital experience today.
Curious to know what you guys think.

Well, since I got home, I've been feeling WORSE.

When I got to the hospital, they told me that they wanted $100 before they could treat me. When I told them I was broke, they were very disappointed and tried every way to get me to give them money, even after I told them exactly how broke I am.

After they told me my blood and urine was fine, they told me that they think it's just back pain.
But thing is, now it's just not my back that's hurting. It's hurting in the front too. So now, I'm stuck until I can see a doctor and those fuckers at the hospital didn't answer ANY of my questions.

When they said it was back pain, I asked them why back pain would cause me to have no appetite (haven't eaten in 2 days) and diarrhea and all they said was that the emergency room was for emergencies and that they can't do anything and to talk to a doctor. But that guy was a fucking doctor.

So now, I'm sitting here in bed, with my back hurting and now the front, right-side of my lower abdomen hurts (like Appendix area) and I'm pissed. I feel like they didn't give 2 shits about me because I didn't have any insurance.

So now I have to wait until Monday to see a doctor at the cheap ass, ghetto medical clinic because the emergency room is retarded.

My biggest problem is now I know for sure it isn't just my back, because if it was, the front wouldn't be hurting.  So if it's something else, like something bad, the hospital pretty much fucked me over and is gonna charge me tons of money for not even telling me exactly what the fuck was wrong.

Don't ever become an asshole doctor like those people. Those doctors don't give a shit about helping anybody.

You guys ever get shit like this at the hospital?
Discuss. Share.

 

[moog]

one time at badn camp LOL!

 

[Stupid Penguin]

one time at badn camp LOL!

Trying to have a discussion. I'd appreciate it if stupid replys like that didn't happen.
(Unless you're Despain. That's expected and appreciated)

 

[Venetia]

Emergency rooms are always like that. Only go to one if you're worried you're dying. I HAVE insurance and they still only give me the run around. Once I got tennis elbow onset really really bad (I wasn't playing tennis but I can't remember the medical term for it), and the ECU was the closest thing to me (it hurt so bad I could swear I broke something in my elbow). They made me wait 1.5 hours and then a nurse practitioner FELT IT, told me to take some ibuprofen, and gave me a cast to hold my arm in one place (that made it hurt worse).

Once I had mono and my spleen had bloated up to the size of a softball and all they did was put me on a saline drip, FORGET ABOUT ME FOR 5 HOURS, then took my piss, gave me a benedryl, and sent me packing. All after waiting TWO HOURS FOR HELP.

Trust me, even ghetto medical clinics will treat you better than fucking emergency rooms, unless you're paying for a room to stay in for inpatient care.

 

[Skyla Doragono]

It's hard when you don't have health insurance and you need treatment.  The bad places won't even give you the time of day, though I've NEVER heard of a hospital that demanded $100 upfront.  That's highly retarded.  Even when I had to go to the hospital a couple years ago now, they didn't demand payment upfront.

I'd try and get to a different hospital.  Sounds like something fishy going on there.

 

[Stupid Penguin]

Well, I am seriously worried. I mean, all these symptoms together don't really look good and they just ignored all of my questions. 2 freaking doctors pretty much ignored me. I mean, they should at least try and answer questions.

When I got there, I was filling out paper work and a guy walked in having a heart attack and instead of being worried they just walked up to him like nothing and asked him to take out his ID and insurance card. They didn't even offer him a seat or anything. Its just like they don't care about anybody.

Edit:

It's hard when you don't have health insurance and you need treatment.  The bad places won't even give you the time of day, though I've NEVER heard of a hospital that demanded $100 upfront.  That's highly retarded.  Even when I had to go to the hospital a couple years ago now, they didn't demand payment upfront.
I'd try and get to a different hospital.  Sounds like something fishy going on there.

If the next closest hospital wasn't over 20 miles away, I would.
Last time I went they didn't even do that.
I mean, they looked seriously pissed and from there I just knew it would suck.

 

[Venetia]

Well, I am seriously worried. I mean, all these symptoms together don't really look good and they just ignored all of my questions. 2 freaking doctors pretty much ignored me. I mean, they should at least try and answer questions.

VERY FEW THINGS having to do with your back/abdomen region are life-threatening. In fact, if it's a moving pain, it could very well be constipation or gas. That stuff can last for hours, even DAYS sometimes. My husband works as a 9-1-1 dispatcher and he gets calls from constipated/gas-bloated people all the time, thinking they're going to die because the pain is so tremendous they can't even move. But really it's nothing.

Though if you're very worried, call 9-1-1. They will send an ambulance to check you out, and it's all free, unless you get a ride to the hospital. If you just want to be checked out, then they will check you out for free. And they are almost always very nice, caring guys making an honest buck.

 

[Stupid Penguin]

Though if you're very worried, call 9-1-1. They will send an ambulance to check you out, and it's all free, unless you get a ride to the hospital. If you just want to be checked out, then they will check you out for free. And they are almost always very nice, caring guys making an honest buck.

My mom did that once and I believe they charged her.

 

[Venetia]

If you:

- Begin vomiting
- Experience pain that suddenly localizes into one small area in your mid-lower abdomen
- Experience extreme hotness/warmth on your abdomen or it begins to swell and redden,

then call 9-1-1. Those are warning signs of appendicitis.

With gas bloating/constipation,
- You'll feel roaming pain, radiating around the back, abdomen, and bladder-area
- The pain will suddenly become EXTREMELY terrible, then will ebb
- You may feel nauseated, but won't vomit
- You experience diarrhea
- You try to poop and simply can't despite really needing to
- The pain is sharp but not localized to only one area
- When it's VERY QUIET you may be able to hear your intestines going to town


I am married to a 9-1-1 dispatcher. IT IS ILLEGAL to charge someone for an ambulance visitation. IT WILL ONLY COST YOU MONEY if you allow yourself to be TRANSPORTED. They may charge for certain drugs however, but they will tell you if they are administering such a thing (unless you're incapacitated)

 

[Skyla Doragono]

With gas bloating/constipation,
- You'll feel roaming pain, radiating around the back, abdomen, and bladder-area
- The pain will suddenly become EXTREMELY terrible, then will ebb
- You may feel nauseated, but won't vomit
- You experience diarrhea
- You try to poop and simply can't despite really needing to
- The pain is sharp but not localized to only one area
- When it's VERY QUIET you may be able to hear your intestines going to town

This.  Trust me, I've lived with it my whole life.

Try taking two pepto chewables; in my experience, they work better than the liquid stuff.  If you actually end up on the toilet, take an Imodium immediately after you're able to get up.

 

[Stupid Penguin]

If you:

- Begin vomiting
- Experience pain that suddenly localizes into one small area in your mid-lower abdomen
- Experience extreme hotness/warmth on your abdomen or it begins to swell and redden,

then call 9-1-1. Those are warning signs of appendicitis.

With gas bloating/constipation,
- You'll feel roaming pain, radiating around the back, abdomen, and bladder-area
- The pain will suddenly become EXTREMELY terrible, then will ebb
- You may feel nauseated, but won't vomit
- You experience diarrhea
- You try to poop and simply can't despite really needing to
- The pain is sharp but not localized to only one area


I am married to a 9-1-1 dispatcher. IT IS ILLEGAL to charge someone for an ambulance visitation. IT WILL ONLY COST YOU MONEY if you allow yourself to be TRANSPORTED.

I appreciate the advice.
Been feeling signs of both. However the pain in my abdomen seems to have gone away for now, as well as most of the pain in my lower back.

Good to know there are good people online who can help.

Venetia, you're fucking awesome.

With gas bloating/constipation,
- You'll feel roaming pain, radiating around the back, abdomen, and bladder-area
- The pain will suddenly become EXTREMELY terrible, then will ebb
- You may feel nauseated, but won't vomit
- You experience diarrhea
- You try to poop and simply can't despite really needing to
- The pain is sharp but not localized to only one area
- When it's VERY QUIET you may be able to hear your intestines going to town

This.  Trust me, I've lived with it my whole life.

Try taking two pepto chewables; in my experience, they work better than the liquid stuff.  If you actually end up on the toilet, take an Imodium immediately after you're able to get up.

Gonna try this. You fucking rock too.
I have no clue why so many people hate this place now. With members like you guys, this place will always rock.

 

[Venetia]

Yeah I used to get those pains constantly when I used to eat less fiber. A few times they were so bad I was rolling around on the floor in agony. Your intestines DO NOT like being filled with dookie, lolol

But yeah unless you suddenly start feeling a pain that doesn't fade or you start puking, you're probably going to be ok tomorrow. Later tonight won't be pleasant once you finally get that stuff out of you though, lol

 

[Skyla Doragono]

Yeah I used to get those pains constantly when I used to eat less fiber. A few times they were so bad I was rolling around on the floor in agony. Your intestines DO NOT like being filled with dookie, lolol

Please don't tell me you were experiencing the same trouble I do before you had your stomach surgery.  That does not bode well. @_@;

 

[Untra]

Ive only been to the hospital once, and that was for sinus surgery when I was four. That, and my mom's a nurse, so most situations are taken care of at home. Ive always been relatively healthy when it comes to eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep. Still, I get occasional migraines, and sometimes I get stomach aches that also make me roll on the floor in agony. Tylenol has always helped the migraines (try the rapid release pills, they're the shit), and the stomach aches are usually helped by a dose of extra strength mylanta or three pepto tablets (not two).

 

[Venetia]

Yeah I used to get those pains constantly when I used to eat less fiber. A few times they were so bad I was rolling around on the floor in agony. Your intestines DO NOT like being filled with dookie, lolol

Please don't tell me you were experiencing the same trouble I do before you had your stomach surgery.  That does not bode well. @_@;

the surgery wasn't on my stomach.
anyway it's all normal when you have a shitty diet like I used to have.

 

[Skyla Doragono]

Ah, my bad.  *easily confuzzled*

 

[Stupid Penguin]

anyway it's all normal when you have a shitty diet like I used to have.

That could very well be a major cause.
I'm doing the whole, poor people eat ramen and McDonalds diet.

 

[Grathea]

ramen and McDonalds? Ouch.
if you don't mind me asking, why?
Eating McDonalds too much is bad fucking news for your body. Ramen not so much, but it has like no real nutritional value, so there's another issue.

 

[Skyla Doragono]

Yikes.  Hi me.

*about to regurgitate everything her doctor told her*

Instead of shoving $5 at McDonalds every meal, go to the local grocery store and get stuff from their salad bar.  I don't know about some stores, but the Mr. Z's I go to has little containers that you can stuff to the brim, and they're like, $.25 a pound.  Stay away from fried stuff; that's what seriously kills your stomach.  Also, if you drink a lot of soda, STOP.  Drink juice or water or non-caffeinated tea.  A little caffeine is okay, but soda has a lot of it, in addition to EVERYTHING ELSE that's in it.

Also, I know it sounds weird, but start buying Lean Cuisine meals too.  They're about $4 a piece (unless you find a place that has them on sale), but the commercials don't lie: they are REALLY good, and they are good for you.  I mean, I hate mushrooms, but I'll eat their stuff that has mushrooms in it.  It's that good.

As far as the ramen, either trade it up for ramen that's low in sodium, or Capbell's healthy choice soup.  Excessive amounts of sodum aren't good for you either.

Also, YOGURT.  Look for prohibitic yogurt, like Activia.  It will help you digest things better.

 

[Stupid Penguin]

Well, ramen because I'm poor as shit. My job tells me to stay home half the time and I can't afford real food. As for McDonalds, I've been cutting down on that a lot but my roommate brings it home all the time.

If I could afford to go shopping, I would.

I'd eat salad, but it makes me gag.

For the most part, I'm strictly a meat guy.
Fruits and veggies make me barf.
It sucks because I think salad looks good but whenever I have one, it comes right back up.
I am a pussy.
XD