ER Trip

So, I finished the last blog mentioning I'd had an ER trip on Friday. Figured I'd get into the nasty details now.

Friday, I hurt. Went from a 7 (normal for me these days) on a scale of 10 to about, oh...a 14. Visions of sawing the arm off at the shoulder danced through my head. I went to the GP, and asked if he can prescribe me narcs. He tells me he's not licenced to do so, its something he's always preferred not to do. I ask what I'm supposed to do, as I'm hurting badly, and my pain specialist is out of the country, and my next appt is Mar 24. He tells me to go to the ER. I ask for, and receive, a letter from him explaining my diagnosis, and that I require narcotics upon occasion.

The last time I went to the ER, the Drs didn't know wtf RSD or CRPS was.

So, off I go. The first ER I go to isn't a full ER, and the admitting clerk tells me there's nothing they can do for me that my GP can't...they don't dispense narcotics.

I go home, and end up going to another ER.

After several hours, I'm finally seen. Dr proceeds to read me the riot act. He's some ticked...not really at me, which is nice, but at my GP. He says that the not being licenced is bs, that all that's required of my GP is that he calls and requests the narcotics triple script Rx pad. He goes off, saying how its completely irresponsible of my GP to be a primary care physician to someone with RSD and yet refuse to dispense narcs. He also informs me that the majority of his collegues would simply send me packing without treatment, as they refuse to dispense narcs to someone walking in with chronic pain, as that's the same thing that drug seeking addicts will spout. So, rather than risk giving an addict a shot, they simply refuse everyone. Niiiiiiiiice. So its ppl like ME, who have a genuine issue and need for pain control that get the shaft. Wonderful.

Thankfully, despite his ranting, the Dr did give me a shot, and also broke hospital policy and wrote me an Rx to use when the pain gets beyond what I can manage.

Thing of it is, as I explained to him, the current situation is my own bloody fault. My pain Dr has wanted me to be taking narcs, and I've been avoiding it, demanding treatment that didn't use it. My fear of addictions overrode my specialists knowlege and experience. Yes, I realize the stupidity at work there.

When I do see my pain specialist again, I'll be thanking and apologizing to him, profusely.

Thanking him for respecting my autonomy as a patient, and attempting to treat me sans narcs. Apologizing to him for allowing my fears to guide my treatment rather than his knowlege and expertise.

And promising to be a good patient, and follow his orders.