thank you so much for your responses! :)
to answer some of your questions:
1) the physician did not speak to me about addiction. my physician has filled out a card that i take into the er when i go. i also have a prescription for imitrex injections, phenergan & stadol, but they did not work for this migraine. i usually take dilaudid w/no drowsiness side effect, but if i take demerol or morphine, they just make me incredibly loopy. also, they don't get rid of the pain. my doc knows that i am fully aware of the effects of dilaudid. he has seen me on both demerol and dilaudid, and he is amazed at the completely different effects they have on me. he knows that i am seeking other forms of treatment, except meds. i have been receiving accupuncture treatments, attending relaxation technique classes and locating homeopathic remedies. also, i believe that a lot of my migraines are because of tmj & stress. my tmj is so bad that my bite is off, so every once in a while during chewing, i will bite a chunk out of my lip and/or cheek. i have attempted mouth guards (bite right through them while sleeping), braces (didn't work, but i have straight teeth now), and even cortisone shots (didn't work). my next option is jaw surgery, but i wanted to wait until i was done with nursing school.
2) my dad is aware of most of my medical situations. my dad is a chf patient & type ii diabetic, and my mom is a breast & lymphatic cancer survivor. in my opinion, they have enough to worry about. i don't want to bother them everytime i went to the er. my husband usually takes me, but he was stuck at work.
3) my migraines only get bad enough to go to the hospital about once a month. if my "wonderful" insurance paid for in-office shots, my doc would start carrying dilaudid. he only has demerol. i told him that i would start paying for the shots out-of-pocket. he said that he wanted me to still go to the er when i pass out during the migraines, which happens about 30 - 40% of the time. my insurance only covers ct scans, and they won't cover mris. can you believe it? my doc even mentioned that maybe next time when "something pops, the pressure changes in my head and i pass out" he was going to admit me, so they would pay for it. i love insurance!
4) my doc has also given me strict instructions to put off anymore school until these things are under control. i was planning on starting my msn next fall. he has put a halt to all of that.
5) during my last clinical rotation, i spent several days down in this ed. they even offered me a gn positon. during my time there, i pretty much worked with this one nurse. i had mentioned my migraines, how i respond to them and my concern to work at the place where i have to go for treatment for them. she said it wouldn't be a problem. this nurse was my nurse friday night. when she came back to check on me after giving the med, i was perfectly lucid (no vomiting since). we even talked about my clinical experience and, hopefully, my upcoming graduation. why didn't they mention it then?
6) the previous time i was in there for a migraine, they recognized me and asked for my card. this was another nurse that i happened to work with during my clinical. they took me straight back, and i gave them my card. she gave me my shot and discharged me. she said there was no reason for me to sit out there. if this migraine is like my others, she said lets just give you your shot, and you can get home to rest.
7) my husband's family has a lot of physicians, so i specifically requested that no one knows that i am a patient at that facility & that my husband is the only person that should be notified and/or informed.
8) i have the upmost respect for emergency nurses, that is why i chose to work in ed after graduation. i believe y'all are the most informed & prepared nurses out there! you have to deal with everything and keep your wits about ya. i believe if you can make it in ed, that you can make it anywhere in nursing. you are awesome to put up with what you do and to handle it so well!
sorry for the long rant! i just wanted to make sure that i answered all of y'all's questions.
thank you again for taking the time to respond! :)
