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Frustrating trip to urgent care: what do you do when this happens?

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Posted 8/8/2012 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone!

I haven't posted in a really long time, but have been lurking. Last weekend I had a very strange pain in my upper right abdomen. Even with advil and rest it kept getting worse.

So, I went to the urgent care by my house and was basically told I was crazy. As soon as I said that I have fibromyalgia, the doctor kind of sneered. He did an exam on my abdomen (which hurt when he pressed), and said my heart was racing. Well, I am on Nuvigil for fatigue, I was in pain, and he was making me nervous, all things that could raise my heart rate.

But then he said, "Racing heart could cause anxiety about your health". In other words, that I'm a hypochondriac. I state that I am NOT anxious about my health, I'm anxious about the pain I am in because it won't go away!". He said to try tylenol and a heating pad and gave me a prescription for an abdominal ultrasound "to make me feel better". I was like, really buddy?

I am very tempted to never mention the fibro thing again. Of course it isn't fair to us, but I feel like all of sudden there is a big sign on me that says "crazy!".

I wound up going to the ER because the pain got worse. They thought it was gallstones but then the second ultrasound came back clear, so they suspect IBS. I asked that doctor what the pain could be and she said, "well, IBS and fibro can cause a lot of strange pains!".

The whole experience was so frustrating. I am not a hypochondriac. My husband had to watch all 3 of my kids (5 and under) while I went around and tried to get answers. Bottom line, is I am embarrassed and feel stupid. And the ER found a pulmonary nodule, so now I will have to go through more tests.

How do you deal with doctors like this? My regular doctor is great and I am following up tomorrow. Do you all even mention the fibro thing? I was honestly (and sadly) hoping it was gallstones just so I would have an explanation to the pain (which has gotten better but still not gone).
Posted 8/8/2012 8:39 PM (GMT 0)
I asked my cardiologist right out if he believe fibro was a real disease. he assured me it was. He also said if i was having chest or arm pain to go to er even if i thought it was the fibro. The night i had my heart attack and then seizures i almost did not go and started to brush it off. something told me it was important to get to er. if i had not went i would not be typing right now. he said most of the time the pain will prob be the fibro, but always, always make sure.

I always mention the fibro because i want to make sure it is not something else. And usually blood tests and iv's are usually involved. i hate needles to begin with but with the fibro, omg!

sorry you had such an idiot. women are treated diff even today anyway. and since you can not see fibro, only the effects, it can't hurt that bad. let them have it for a few days.
Posted 8/8/2012 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
I get the same pain, it is fibro doctor can find no other reason for it.... It shows up when it wants and leaves when it wants. Lololol
Posted 8/8/2012 8:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hey mamabee. im new here trying to get help from you all on here. im suffering with this fibro pain too and its so hard! im sorry to hear of you and others having this pain as well. its terrible.

I know what your saying about how some Dr.'s treat you. I'll be in so much pain that I'm in tears and they look at you like your lying about it or something. It's SO frustrating! I'm hoping I've finally found a rheumy that can help. I've also seen a neuro Dr. She seems concerned about me. I'll see though.

I hope you can get some relief with your stomach pains. I havent had stomach pain other than nausea. My pain is mostly in my legs and feet. Sometimes feels hard to walk. And swelling in my ankles. Do you have swelling?

Im on medical leave from my job right now and im stressed cuz i dunno when or if i can even go back to work. They told me too that i have low vitamin d and osteoarthitis and some sort of myopathy in my muscles. Do you work or stay at home?

Take care and i hope you feel better soon!

 

Posted 8/8/2012 9:43 PM (GMT 0)
I am so sorry that you were treated that way. But it reminds me of how lucky I am to have a good doctor that follows up on me. He makes sure I don't have bad pain. I haven't had the stomach issues, but do you think it is ibs? That goes along with fibromyalgia. I hope that your other tests come back okay. Just the stress alone from that can cause pain. So try to relax and take it easy. One day at a time. I really hope that you feel better soon.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 8/8/2012 11:26 PM (GMT 0)
I can totally understand what you went through. I have been there to many times. I wouldn't go to urgent cares unless it's something they usually do. Having abdomen pain is something that needs more test. I am like you I try not to mention my fibro or some medical history because they are in so much of a hurry and it's so easy for them not to think outside the box and blame fibro.

I am glad you are feeling better. Sometimes we never know why we have some symptoms. I have passed out from severe pain in my gut. It's sometimes hard to decide what is an emergency and what can wait for a Dr. appointment. Pain will push all your buttons including anxiety. Let us know what our Dr. Says.
Posted 8/8/2012 11:57 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone for the kind words. I had IBS about 9 years ago that bothered me, but I have not had a problem since I have had kids.

Seashell: I work full time and I don't have swelling in my legs. I'm glad you found a good doctor, hopefully they can get to the bottom of what is causing your symptoms!

AK Angel: I agree, it is hard to know if it is something that can wait or is an emergency. And this could just be a weird one-off in terms of pain. They did an ultrasound and a chest xray and everything looked okay, but apparently you can have gallbladder issues without having stones, and they need a special ultrasound to diagnose this (anyone have this?). My pain is right where my gallbladder is.

I guess I was just upset because of how the urgent care doctor reacted and treated me after I said I had fibro. It's like he immediately thought that everything was in my head!
Posted 8/9/2012 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
That can be a large issue. It is so hard when they don't believe. You are treated like a freak or something. They roll their eyes at you. Just don't let it get you down. Find a doctor that believes in fibro, but I would get these tests done that you are going to do. Know that we here understand and believe in you. We know how you feel. This could be ibs, but it pays to make sure.

I hope that you feel better soon.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 8/9/2012 12:26 AM (GMT 0)
My gallbladder has been removed years ago and about three months back I started having these tummy attacks. I would one minute not have anything and then all of a sudden get this severe tummy ache right on top of my abdomen just under my ribs. During this time I would go and lie in a foetal position and just try to survive. My tummy gets very swollen and it is more painfully just with breathing. If I hold my breath it is more bearable. It lasts for about an hour or two and then it is over. I can't tie it to food or anything. I had an abdomen ultrasound and wanted to die when she came to that spot where it is painful during the attacts. I still have to go to a gastroologist for more tests but it is difficult to take of time at work. I now suspect after reading your mail that this could be the same as what you are having. The worst is that doctors can't pinpoint a problem because our bodies is so healthy. It was great to read about the fact that fibro is now recognised as a disability BUT I am in Australia and not the USA so guess it doesn't apply to me. It is just great to see that some people do recognise it.
Marianne
Posted 8/9/2012 1:19 AM (GMT 0)
Mammabee- I had severe gallbladder attack in the 80's and they were for sure I had stones. No stones after they took it out. The symptoms went away. I wouldn't get it out unless you absolutely needed it. I have horrible side effects from getting it out. They kind of forget to tell you that your gallbladder plays a huge role in the digestive system. Some people do well after taking it out others don't. If you find out it's your gallbladder I have read other alternatives beside surgery. Hopefully it was a bad case of irritable bowel.
Posted 8/9/2012 5:17 AM (GMT 0)
On the other side of the coin, I had my gallbladder out a few years ago and I'm fine. Just because something doesn't work for some people doesn't mean it won't work for you.

If your gallbladder (like mine) has quit working you would need a HIDA scan to find that out. Nothing showed on ultrasound, but the HIDA scan showed zero function.

When mine was removed, my surgeon said it was one of the nastiest gallbladders he'd ever seen and if I hadn't gotten it out I would have died.
Posted 8/9/2012 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
Mamabee,

The body is indeed mysterious.

Five years ago, I went to ER thinking I was having a heart attack...(pain down my arms, tachycardia, sweating, and pressure in my chest and head) - my heart was fine, but they did find out my gallbladder was non-functioning. So out it came...there were 3 really large stones.

I had had burning pains in my abdomen and back, off and on, for a long time. This stopped with my surgery. Since then, I do have to be careful eating too much fat, but it hasn't been that different, really. I had probblems already.

My 25-yr-old daughter was also having pain (for weeks, horrible pain in her gut, that would send her home from work.) The ER doctor tried to brush her off with, "Well, you were drinking last night, so you're probably just hungover." Mama Bear was NOT havin' it!!  nono  I've never stood up from my chair and gotten in a doctor's face like that before or since. The scan showed just some little grains in her gallbladder, but she had it out, and the pain went away. She, too, still has digestive issues, but nothing like the intense pain she'd had before.

So my question is, could your gallbladder be diseased and causing problems, even without gallstones? I would google it, myself.

Debbie
Posted 8/9/2012 4:29 PM (GMT 0)
My sister, who died recently from leukemia, alsohad fibro.

One of the issues she faced was atthecancer center. They were treating hercancer, but didn't understand how that was effectingthe fibro. Finally, after a week or so of serious pain, someone finally got the pain management people involved. They managed thethe fibro pain.

So, sometimes docs don't mean to be clueless. They just are. It falls outside the purview of their expertise. Ithink, the more things we have that go wrong, the more confused our doctors
might get.

Hope you arefeeling better.
Posted 8/9/2012 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
I always heard that there was a reason that people going to the doctors are called patients (read patience) , and the doctors have a "practice".
Posted 8/9/2012 7:15 PM (GMT 0)
I know doctor's practice medicine....
but must they practice on us?
Posted 8/9/2012 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks again for the comments: I just feel better knowing that I am not alone. When you are sitting in that ER by yourself waiting for test after test and told it's nothing, that's all you feel.

I followed up with my dr today...and just to throw a loop into things, she is about 80% sure I have shingles (again!). She explained that based on where the pain was (my back started hurting) and how the pain didn't go away with tylenol or advil (since it is nerve pain, not much will help), and a few other things. I have one blister, but I guess you can have shingles without blisters too. So I am taking the Valtrex and hoping that will help. I'm only 32 and this is the second time I have had shingles in two years, but I guess I am glad I have an explanation.

And thanks for everyone for the gallbladder information, that really did make me feel better until I found out about the shingles. Fibo seriously does the weirdest things, doesn't it?
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