Re: adhesion pain in the ER: a nurse's opinion

From: Cassell, Kris C (tcc21922@GlaxoWellcome.com)
Wed Jun 20 06:47:31 2001


Well, firstly, let me state that a person whom feels that they are entitled to comment on an issue, usually does so when they are educated enough in that subject, kind of similar to raising your hand in class to provide answers to a question you don't understand. I, however will provide some further insight to you on this subject. I personally have had 42 major surgeries, and now, ironically, more surgeries are inevitable to repair the damage from the previous ones. I have been and currently am involved with an extremely well known pain clinic, which brings to mind, if the more educated medical professionals did not see a need for it, I am sure they wouldn't provide the service for this. Each month I go through examinations with my doctor, and we go through how the pain was for the month. Through many discussions with my doctor(s), they have educated me to the fact that no matter what test, be it MRI, Cat Scan, etc. there remains no effective method of viewing what the adheasions are doing and to what part of the body they are doing it too, much less accurately measuring pain levels. I have been one of the unfortunate ones that had nurses such as yourself treating me in the E.R. I was doubled over in pain, literally begging for some relief. I agreed to ALL the tests that the doctors wanted to do and each one came up with the same answer, we don't see anything going on so, there isn't something serious that we need to worry about, and handed me a prescription for Motrin 800 and sent me on my way. This continued for two weeks and each time, I went to the E.R. dealing again with people like you who thought I was some junkie looking for a quick fix. Finally, a wonderful young doctor came in to examine me, and as luck would have it, was not only compassionate, but educated on what the adheasions could do to the body after even one surgery. He wanted to do a laporoscopy and found that my stomach and liver had been kinked by the adheasions and I had a really nice obstruction forming. Believe me, when we resort to going to the E.R. the medications that we are given such as oxycontin, mscontin, percocet, etc. are not working at that time and either the pain has gotten out of control or there is something more serious going on. As my surgeon says, "you know your body better than we do". Not only do I thank my lucky stars for having the wonderful doctors that I do, but, they also know that when I go to the E.R. it is not because I am doing it for fun or to get high. If you talk to most adheasion patients, you would learn that we DO NOT get a euphoric high from these drugs, we simply just get relief. So, the next time that you feel unsympathetic, it would be my suggestion to find an adheasion support group, attend one meeting and just listen, I am sure mine won't be the only story like this that you will hear. Unlike yourself, I will leave you my name as I am not ashamed to hide behind my response. Kris Nester

> -----Original Message-----
> From: anonymous@medispecialty.com [SMTP:anonymous@medispecialty.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2001 4:05 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS
> Subject: adhesion pain in the ER: a nurse's opinion
>
> I found this site by accident and have read so many stories of
> "mistreatment" by nurses and doctors in ERs when you come to us in pain.
> I want you to think of it in our terms.
>
> You wander in day and night, most of you walking on your own, in no
> apparent acute distress.
> You register and wait, telling everyone in the busy waiting area that
> you MUST be seen immediately, "because you hurt so badly."
> You take up valuable space in busy trauma and emergency medicine
> departments complaining of terrible pain in your abdomen, and you tell
> us you must get pain meds for the pain.
>
> One a pain assessment scale of 1-10, virtually all of you cite between
> an 8 and a ten. But you aren't perspiring, crying, vomiting, bloated,
> or acting like you are acutely ill.
>
> Many of you refuse to have x-rays, scans and other diagnostic studies
> because you say "all those tests have been done a million times and they
> are always negative" but you demand pain medication!!
> You tell us you have adhesions but adhesions are nothing more than
> layers of scarring that have no nerve endings. How can this cause pain?
>
> I am told "I need 100 mg of Demerol, IM " by someone who refuses to
> allow us to examine them, and when we refuse to give you narcotics you
> become upset.
>
> What do you want from us? If every drug addict walked into my ER and did
> what many of you do, they'd be booted out by Security but for some
> reason, you feel we are treating you unfairly??
>
> Maybe instead of asking for pain medication, you might benefit from
> talking to a therapist who can help you deal with your "pain"?
>
> If we do an MRI or flat plate and see something suspicious., of course
> you'll be treated aggressively, and receive sympathy and medication.
> Otherwise, please understand, we are not a narcotic dispensing
> department for everyone with indigestion or cramps.
>


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