ER treatment for CP

[SunnyKC]

I had no intentions on registering and posting (just wanted lurk/read) but after reading tons of posts about treatment for headaches/CP in the ER, I just HAD to register so I could post. I am not a nurse..I do work in the medical field though.

I also have CP...have had CDH for 5+ years and TMJ for a year. I have SEVERE pain 24/7.

Now the reason I wanted to post....I have only been to the ER 5 times in the last 5+ years. One was when I was pregnant and dehydrated. Got great treatment. The other 4 times were when my pain was out of control despite being on narcs for pain.

Now before I tell you about my experiences I want to say this. I think the world of ALL nurse, especially the ER nurses. I know you are extremely busy. I am in no way trying to put down nurses or anyone....but I felt it was important to post this. I feel just putting it down in words will help ME feel better. PLEASE dont take offense....I believe anyone on this board would have given me much better treatment.

Having said that...here goes. Each of the 4 times I went...I was told..we only give toradol for HA's. So I tried the toradol (even tho I had been given injections at my doc's office and knew it didnt work). I was willing to give it a go. Only1 one time out of 4 did it work at all...and this was because I had a different type of HA than my normal one. The toradol worked like a dream and I was back to work in no time (I worked at the hospital also). The other 3 times it didnt touch my pain. One I told the nurse/doc that...I was refused any other treatment. I basically was told by the doc....sorry but there isnt anything else we can do for you. Now im NOT a FF...I did have a pain doc, he is the one who told me to go to the ER...there was basically NO reason not to give me a shot or whatever. All I needed was for my pain to be taken down a few notches so my pain meds at home would work. I wasnt asking for an RX..I had plently of meds at home.

I wont ever go back to the ER for pain..period. I felt humiliated. Even tho they didnt call me a seeker to my face...why else would they deny treatment??

Thank God I have found some meds that work for me. The last 2 years have been hell for me but things are finally starting to get better.

Thanks for letting me vent and get this off my chest. I do feel better.

I apologize for posting on a site for nurses which I am not. I wont post again...I will go back to lurking. I do think you all are GREAT nurses and people and I would consider myself lucky to be treated by any of you all.

Take care, Sunny

[RainbowSkye]

It might be helpful to take your experiences and observations to an emergency physician site in addition to this nursing one. Because, when all is said and done, it's the docs who order the medications.

I can ask, beg, manipulate (at least try to) or try whatever it takes to get the patient pain medication. However, the physician is the bottom line and that's it.

Yes, there are people who abuse and misuse medications and the result of that is that other patients are undermedicated. It's a difficult situation with no easy solution.

Sometimes it seems it's damned if you do and damned if you don't.

[veetach]

that is really too bad. Especially because the trends in medicine are leaning towards treating the pain and not judging the patient. In our ED we sometimes think the patients get too much pain medicine. I am a softie and always try to lean more towards the opinion that pain is subjective. If you say you are in pain then you are.. besides a headache is something easy to treat, its almost like a break when you have an ED full of chest pains, and trauma.

Hang in there, I know it can be hard.

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

I like to give the cocktail

toradol 30 IV

reglan 10 Iv

benadryl 25 IV

dilaudid 1 IV

something in there always works