My ship may sail without me tomorrow

[LHP]

Felt slightly better last night then full on terrible again this morning. :( Family dr. is booked and can't see me until tomorrow afternoon. They have us on the list in case someone cancels today. What sucks is that I hate to go back to the ER (no fun!) again a third time just to have them tell me the same thing.

 

My husband just opened a suitcase to get out some clothes and I saw my sunblock and swimwuit there. I told him I should be on lido right now with sunblock on and having my morning coffee. :( Which of course made me cry again! :p I know, I'm such a baby. I know now that I'm WAY to sick to contemplate being on a ship but the disappointment hits me in waves.

 

BTW - you wonderful CC folks are the best support group out there. :)

 

You are NOT being a baby....

 

My biggest concern at this point is for someone to give you an exact diagnosis.

 

You had no other option, but to cancel, since they don't know what you are dealing with.

 

I hope they get you diagnosed quickly and correctly!!!

 

(but in the back of my mind, I have to remind myself sometimes that there is a reason they call it "practicing medicine".... lol)

[dixieva]

Well, that sucks that your doc can't see you today. If it was me I would have my husband drive me to his office and sit there until he could see me. My doc will take emergency walk-ins (which I am so thankful for!) I wouldn't go another day in such misery and would be telling him that.

 

Or I would go back to the ER and maybe try to get admitted today.

[vacruizer]

We are debating going back to the ER. Both visits I have heard them say the hospital is full and they aren't admitting anyone. I am feeling worse and worse by the day - this isn't just an "attack" but something serious is going on . I just don't want to go back to the ER and have them give me some mylanta and send me home to wait again. Surgeon's office can't see me until late Wedneday.

[JPEvans]

We are debating going back to the ER. Both visits I have heard them say the hospital is full and they aren't admitting anyone. I am feeling worse and worse by the day - this isn't just an "attack" but something serious is going on . I just don't want to go back to the ER and have them give me some mylanta and send me home to wait again. Surgeon's office can't see me until late Wedneday.

 

Looks like you need to find a different hospital. Or a better hospital?

[WELDON]

You should call your MD's office again and tell the person answering the phone you are very sick and in pain and can't wait until tomorrow. Your doctor doesn't know you are this sick. Sometimes you need to be more aggressive and demand to see your doctor before you are worse. You don't know what this is and you don't want to get into worse trouble. Is this a multi doctor practice? Can you see another doctor or a nurse practitioner? A good doctor's office will see a patient in distress the same day and not fool around. Half the day is over and I would see a doctor today. You are not getting good care from this doctor if this is his/her policy.

 

You should also consider finding another practice after this is over.

[sun prairie cruisers]

We are debating going back to the ER. Both visits I have heard them say the hospital is full and they aren't admitting anyone. I am feeling worse and worse by the day - this isn't just an "attack" but something serious is going on . I just don't want to go back to the ER and have them give me some mylanta and send me home to wait again. Surgeon's office can't see me until late Wedneday.

 

 

JUST GO IN!!!! You need to be taken care of and it being your 3rd time in a few days they will make room to admit you. You have to be a advicate for your own health and if that means being bitchy and rude then so be it. You come first and this is getting worce for you so I hope you go in.

 

Everyone hopes you feel better soon. Take care and get rest.

[golfadj]

Wish you the best. DW had hers taken out about 10-12 years ago and it went well but she has had some stomach issues over the years since.

 

Luckily Roanoke has excellent physicians.

[vacruizer]

Wish you the best. DW had hers taken out about 10-12 years ago and it went well but she has had some stomach issues over the years since.

 

Luckily Roanoke has excellent physicians.

 

They do - just hard to get in to see some of them! I seem to be in one of the better phases right now - it seems to come in waves every few hours or whenever I try to eat or drink something. Holding tight and hoping my dr. calls and can get me in sooner than tomorrow. Otherwise just watching for signs of infection or immediate need to go back to the hospital. Don't really want to make a third trip to RMH this week if I don't have to. Before Thursday I'd never set foot in the place in 16 years living here.:rolleyes:

[dixieva]

If you have another bad spell get yourself to your doc's office immediatley. Trust me they will see you once you just show up in obvious pain.

 

You do have to be assertive when it comes to your health-I don't call it being bitchy.

[PaulMedik]

vacruizer,

 

Returning to the ER today (Monday) will be worse than before; EVERY ER in the country is slammed on Sundays and Mondays. Slowest days of the week are Friday and Saturday. I know it doesn't sound logical, but the days when everyone assumes we are most packed are the slowest.

 

ER physicians in most hospitals do not admit patients at all. They simply contact whatever doc admits for your family doc and list your symptoms and findings then they'll either admit you or not. If your family doc has no admitting doc then they'll admit to a hospitalist or an on call doc for your condition; in your case either internal med or GI.

 

When you heard the hospital is full thus no admissions, that means that unless it's obvious you have to be stay, then it's not an option because ER beds must be open for acute patients. If you are admitted and there are no beds then you'll be staying in the ER until discharged or a bed becomes available which could be days away.

 

Three visits then admit regardless is some ER physician groups' policy, but it does not apply if the hospital is full or there's no admitting doc to accept you. 'Full' means that all staffed beds are full. There may be entire floors empty due to staff shortages, but they call themselves full if there are no more beds available that are staffed. (Administrators create the staff shortages by sending staff home when less than full, but that's another topic.)

 

I would recommend that you go see either your family doc or the general surgeon you were referred to even if they have no openings. You'll either be seen or become a 'direct admit' to perhaps the same facility that is considered 'full.' If you become a direct admit, you may even be sent to the ER for holding until a bed opens, but you'll avoid some of the repeat tests along the way.

 

Any ER visit is quickest between 9AM and 1PM. You'll avoid ER doc shift changes and all previous nights admits should be gone by 9AM. After 1PM on a Monday can be the worst time EVER.

[vacruizer]

vacruizer,

 

Returning to the ER today (Monday) will be worse than before; EVERY ER in the country is slammed on Sundays and Mondays. Slowest days of the week are Friday and Saturday. I know it doesn't sound logical, but the days when everyone assumes we are most packed are the slowest.

 

ER physicians in most hospitals do not admit patients at all. They simply contact whatever doc admits for your family doc and list your symptoms and findings then they'll either admit you or not. If your family doc has no admitting doc then they'll admit to a hospitalist or an on call doc for your condition; in your case either internal med or GI.

 

When you heard the hospital is full thus no admissions, that means that unless it's obvious you have to be stay, then it's not an option because ER beds must be open for acute patients. If you are admitted and there are no beds then you'll be staying in the ER until discharged or a bed becomes available which could be days away.

 

Three visits then admit regardless is some ER physician groups' policy, but it does not apply if the hospital is full or there's no admitting doc to accept you. 'Full' means that all staffed beds are full. There may be entire floors empty due to staff shortages, but they call themselves full if there are no more beds available that are staffed. (Administrators create the staff shortages by sending staff home when less than full, but that's another topic.)

 

I would recommend that you go see either your family doc or the general surgeon you were referred to even if they have no openings. You'll either be seen or become a 'direct admit' to perhaps the same facility that is considered 'full.' If you become a direct admit, you may even be sent to the ER for holding until a bed opens, but you'll avoid some of the repeat tests along the way.

 

Any ER visit is quickest between 9AM and 1PM. You'll avoid ER doc shift changes and all previous nights admits should be gone by 9AM. After 1PM on a Monday can be the worst time EVER.

 

Oh, great - the after 1pm on Mondays is a bad thing since I just discovered that I'm now running a fever 10 days into this awfulness and was considering going back. DH is on the phone with my regular doctor's office now to see what they say.

[PaulMedik]

Oh, great - the after 1pm on Mondays is a bad thing since I just discovered that I'm now running a fever 10 days into this awfulness and was considering going back. DH is on the phone with my regular doctor's office now to see what they say.

 

 

vacruizer,

 

Fever is a key admission point for gall bladder. Go now. When you sign in be sure and mention that you now have a fever.

[golfadj]

Oh, great - the after 1pm on Mondays is a bad thing since I just discovered that I'm now running a fever 10 days into this awfulness and was considering going back. DH is on the phone with my regular doctor's office now to see what they say.

 

Good that you are at home with this.

 

Its your health and we only get one shot at this. Be a pain if necessary to the DR and a little embellishing of the facts might not be a bad thing right now.

 

Very common with caucasion females in their 40's

[PaulMedik]

Good that you are at home with this.

 

Its your health and we only get one shot at this. Be a pain if necessary to the DR and a little embellishing of the facts might not be a bad thing right now.

 

Very common with caucasion females in their 40's

 

 

vacruiser,

 

golfadj's facts about 40s females is right on.

 

If you go to the ER the first nurse that assesses you will be the triage nurse.

 

Be very careful of embellishing with the ER triage nurse; they are and have to be human lie detectors and can make your wait short or long.

 

Their first concern will always be whether you are going to die in the waiting room and one thing they really hate is for someone to need surgery immediately after going to an ER bed from the waiting room. If they perceive that you are going to need surgery soon they will get you in a bed ASAP and avoid the waiting room. Fever will get you the quickest bed because fever and abd pain equals perf or obstruction and can crash quick. Establish that you've had abd pain worked up previously and suspected bile duct issues and that you now have a fever. Establishing previous workup with abd pain will rule out GI virus and new onset fever will earn you the bed. If you embellish anything, wait until you are with your primary ER nurse and even then be careful.

 

I sure wish you were wvcruiser instead of vacruiser! ;)

[golfadj]

vacruiser,

 

golfadj's facts about 40s females is right on.

 

If you go to the ER the first nurse that assesses you will be the triage nurse.

 

Be very careful of embellishing with the ER triage nurse; they are and have to be human lie detectors and can make your wait short or long.

 

Their first concern will always be whether you are going to die in the waiting room and one thing they really hate is for someone to need surgery immediately after going to an ER bed from the waiting room. If they perceive that you are going to need surgery soon they will get you in a bed ASAP and avoid the waiting room. Fever will get you the quickest bed because fever and abd pain equals perf or obstruction and can crash quick. Establish that you've had abd pain worked up previously and suspected bile duct issues and that you now have a fever. Establishing previous workup with abd pain will rule out GI virus and new onset fever will earn you the bed. If you embellish anything, wait until you are with your primary ER nurse and even then be careful.

 

I sure wish you were wvcruiser instead of vacruiser! ;)

 

Are you a physician seems like you really know your stuff.

DW was rushed into having her surgery but in this case seems like something that should be treated quickly.

 

DR friend told us about the 4F's of gall bladder problems some years ago.

[golfadj]

Oh, great - the after 1pm on Mondays is a bad thing since I just discovered that I'm now running a fever 10 days into this awfulness and was considering going back. DH is on the phone with my regular doctor's office now to see what they say.

 

BTW if you do need surgery do not rush back to work and a normal routine. DW did and was sorry later.

[PaulMedik]

Are you a physician seems like you really know your stuff.

DW was rushed into having her surgery but in this case seems like something that should be treated quickly.

 

DR friend told us about the 4F's of gall bladder problems some years ago.

 

 

golfadj,

 

I've worked in emergency medicine since 1987 as a Paramedic, Flight Medic, and RN. I currently work in a high volume ER and am most often the triage nurse.

[Mrs.C05]

Are you a physician seems like you really know your stuff.

DW was rushed into having her surgery but in this case seems like something that should be treated quickly.

 

DR friend told us about the 4F's of gall bladder problems some years ago.

 

Based on his name it's a medic...

 

Sorry to hear of this OP, hope you get some relief SOON!!! You're in my thoughts and prayers for a quick and easy recovery.

 

I was in your shoes 2 years ago, having to cancel our cruise. Had to have emergency airway surgery about a month before our cruise and the recovery time was unknown. Since we had no timeline and I was having out of state surgery, we choose to cancel. Thankfully all we lost was our deposit (we were within a few days of losing half our cruise fare) and we did not get insurance. Glad to hear you have insurance!

[vacruizer]

Back in er. No embellishment from me. I want an accurate assessment. Went thru triage about 45 min ago and hav ebeen in waiting room ever since so they must not think i'm too bad off.

 

Family dr said to not eat or drink anything and come back to er so am guessing surgery.

[crewsweeper]

Best thought to a full recovery! I know you must be anxious and worried and sorrowful you've missed your cruise. But your health is important.

 

We all on this board reading your thread wish you the best care possible.

[golfadj]

Best thought to a full recovery! I know you must be anxious and worried and sorrowful you've missed your cruise. But your health is important.

 

We all on this board reading your thread wish you the best care possible.

 

Absolutely positively with many more cruises in your future.

[MSRussell]

Good...they are FINALLY going to get your pain resolved.

If you do go into Surgery, please have one of your family, if they have time, to post and let us know who you are doing.

Best Wishes...

Melanie

[westview1]

OP I've been lurking on this thread since the beginning and I'm glad you've gone to the ER. I was in a similar situation in 2009. I was eating breakfast when it hit me out of nowhere. I couldn't keep anything down and was in a lot of pain. I thought it was food poisoning at first. When I wasn't better the next day and couldn't keep water down, I went to my Dr. (who gave me heartburn meds and told me to go to the ER if it got worse). I went to the ER later that evening and they admitted me after giving me a CT scan. Turned out to be a blockage, once they drained my stomach I was doing great. I haven't had any issues since. I hope you feel better soon.

[vacruizer]

At least they've got wifi in tbe waiting room and i thought to grab my nook on the way out the door. Can at least entertain myself between waves of the painful stuff.

You guys are right about the risk factors.... female, fair skin, forty in a couple days:p. Also had some weight loss in the last year which is also a factor.

[golfadj]

At least they've got wifi in tbe waiting room and i thought to grab my nook on the way out the door. Can at least entertain myself between waves of the painful stuff.

You guys are right about the risk factors.... female, fair skin, forty in a couple days:p. Also had some weight loss in the last year which is also a factor.

 

Apparently DW being overweight was one of her F's. Speak to your DR but your diet will be very important afterwards. Do it right and you can easily live without your gallbladder.