Drug Seeker Stories

Well I had one of those lovely drug seekers the other night. Patient said she had a kidney and was peeing prue blood. Well, I had her get a CC urine. When I went back to get her urine, I noticed her finger was bleeding and some blood spots on the sheet. And her urine was a weird pink color. So I told the doc and he had me cath her....her urine was completely clear. Of course, she tried to make up a story about how sometimes she pees blood but sometimes pees clear too. Whatever...sent her out the door...

Also had someone come in 3 times in one week who used a new name everytime. Turns out he was going to ER after ER in my city using differents names for drugs...sent him out the door and to jail.

Sounds about right to me.

Specializes in Emergency.

One of our frequent flyers came in over the weekend. Has no actual medical hx, just constant vague c/o pain. Many allergies, except to morphine. Anyway, told us had gb removed 2 weeks ago in out of area hospital. Now has abd pain. When asked why surgery was 200 miles from home, pt was evasive. Pain always 10/10. Can regularly be busted by ninjaing into room where pt is typing on laptop. As soon as pt sees me, falls back moaning.

Manipulative with an enabler spouse. Time actually stands still when you have this pt. It's like your shift will never end. And still not our most annoying....

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Can regularly be busted by ninjaing into room where pt is typing on laptop. As soon as pt sees me, falls back moaning. ... Time actually stands still when you have this pt. It's like your shift will never end.

BWA HA HA HA HA!! I almost snorked my coffee when I read this, it's one of those universal truths/patients ...

I am curious as to how you treat a frequent flier when they have real pain? I have been to the ER 2x in 6 months. Both for stones, the first time the doc treated me like sh**, he had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to seek treatment?! I said yes, I want to seek treatment for this pain. (I knew what he really meant.) He gave me some toradol, that stuff is a joke for stones. He did this just because I don't scream and yell and cry when in pain. I am quiet, and I move around a lot to find a comfortable spot. The 2nd time I went is because again I had a stone. I was quiet, and moving around while holding my stomach. This time they got a CT and I was diagnosed with a stone and calcium deposits. AND given real pain killers. Morphine

Specializes in ER.

mommaNonurse

I've seen toradol work like a miracle for stones, so that people that were thrashing and crying don't need other meds. Of course sometimes it doesn't work that well at all, but he wasn't blowing you off by giving you toradol.

Toradol = miracle drug. [tu] Made the first 24 hours after a c-section pain-free! Only had trouble with pain after it was d/c'ed.

I am curious as to how you treat a frequent flier when they have real pain? I have been to the ER 2x in 6 months. Both for stones, the first time the doc treated me like sh**, he had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to seek treatment?! I said yes, I want to seek treatment for this pain. (I knew what he really meant.) He gave me some toradol, that stuff is a joke for stones. He did this just because I don't scream and yell and cry when in pain. I am quiet, and I move around a lot to find a comfortable spot. The 2nd time I went is because again I had a stone. I was quiet, and moving around while holding my stomach. This time they got a CT and I was diagnosed with a stone and calcium deposits. AND given real pain killers. Morphine

you are not a frequent flier by your posts, but your post leaves me with questions....

Specializes in Emergency, Critical Care Transport.
mommaNonurse

I've seen toradol work like a miracle for stones, so that people that were thrashing and crying don't need other meds. Of course sometimes it doesn't work that well at all, but he wasn't blowing you off by giving you toradol.

Likewise, I've given people with stones doses of dilaudid with no avail, and then Toradol works to relieve their pain. From what I understand, Toradol is a prostaglandin inhibitor, and actually relaxes and dilates the ureter to facilitate the passing of stones - so Toradol is often given for kidney stones because it gives much more relief than opiates usually do. It's not given because someone is considered a "seeker"- it's given because it is a gold standard of pain relief for people with kidney stones.

I agree. We give Toradol in the ER to people with stones all the time. I got it when I went there and since I work there and the docs know me, I'm pretty sure they knew I wasn't a drug seeker. Also, I don't consider 2X in six months for kidney stones to be a frequent flier. FF's are the people that are there all the time. We have ppl that come in and I know their DOB, address and MRSA status before they ever even walk up to the desk. Some are there 2-3 times a week. I don't get why people with real issues are so quick to take offense when they are clearly not the ones being referred to?:confused:

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I saw one pt. so often I knew her medical record number. For reals.

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
We have ppl that come in and I know their DOB, address and MRSA status before they ever even walk up to the desk.

And the names of their frequent flier relatives ... and approximately how many times they will go out to smoke during the course of their ED stay ... and approximately how many Mountain Dews and bags of chips will be consumed during that time ... and the precise moment during their discharge when they will become tearful/red-faced/agitated/SOB when they realize that they are not being discharged with a script for 30 Vicodin. :rolleyes:

And the names of their frequent flier relatives ... and approximately how many times they will go out to smoke during the course of their ED stay ... and approximately how many Mountain Dews and bags of chips will be consumed during that time ... and the precise moment during their discharge when they will become tearful/red-faced/agitated/SOB when they realize that they are not being discharged with a script for 30 Vicodin. :rolleyes:

Wow you got that right. The ones you just cringe when you know they're coming. And then you hear an address on the scanner for the ambulance being dispatched and you know all the 20 ppl who live there and get to take bets on which one it's going to be today lol. You know the ALS call for chest pain that comes in the front door c/o of a headache or sore throat :rolleyes:

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