What was the MOST ridiculous thing a patient came to the ER for?

And did you have to treat them?

I am just curious. Your stories always seem to either crack me up or shake my head in amazement.

Thanks for sharing ?

I had a teenage girl come by ambulance (when the medics called they said she had abdominal pain). Medics wheel her into the ED, and she is screaming and writhing.

Her CC: Menstrual cramps.

angel337 said:
a hang nail with no c/o pain. he could have at least said it hurt ?

I have a few funny ones, but will only mention one.

We had a patient come in at 0300 to the emergency room because he lost his tonsils and could not see them in the mirror, and of course he needed a medical screening and he was given benadryl for sleep

Specializes in NICU/Neonatal transport.

fab: Don't be so quick to say that's ridiculous. As someone who suffers from endometriosis, before I was dx'd, it was really scary when I would get cramps from it. I would pass out eventually, but I would also be in about a 9 of 10 to 10 of 10 amount of pain until that time. My parents had to keep the pain relievers from me because I would get delirious and they were afraid I would accidentally OD, trying to get some pain relief.

jyoung1950 said:
As a matter of fact, in the wee hours of Monday morning, I woke up with severe pain on my left side front and back and radiating down my groin. I also had alot of pressure to urinate but when I tried could only void a very small amount. Also had vomiting and nausea.

Well, the pain would not subside. Any Tylenol I tried to take for it was vomited up.

Finally after 3 hours of this, I dragged my aching body to the car and drove down to the ER at 4:30 in the morning. I could not understand what could be causing the pain and was, understandably, afraid.

There was blood in my urine and they did a catscan, but the nurses had already figured out I had a kidney stone ("doing the kidney stone dance").

They put an IV in me for fluid and pain medicine and when I was awake enough let me go home with vicodin and suppositories for nausea and vomiting. Doc instructed me to see a urologist in the next couple days.

I hope the ER staff didn't think me coming down with a KS was silly. I live alone and just have myself to depend on. They sure did help me out - the pain was unbearable.

Just a little anecdotal story.

I think that is a very GOOD reason to go the the ER!

JUSTYSMOM said:
and do you have to treat them?

I am just curious. Your stories always seem to either crack me up or shake my head in amazement.

Thanks for sharing ?

Right foot was a little numb for two months- just decided to have it checked out that night. Same patient comes in twice a week every week for a plethora of aches and pains.

This is not an ER visit but it made me laugh and I thought that I would share.

I was out at the smoke shack (no I do not smoke but I was chatting with a friend over lunch) any way there was an phone operator there and she starts telling me the following story.

A lady calls the hospital distressed because her cat is having kittens. When the operator says that we only deliver babies she says, "I am using my only quarter, could you just give me some advice." Well apparently none of the other phone operators had any cats soo... (you guessed it) they transferred her to L&D.

I laughed until I cried when I heard this, I can just picture those OB nurses answering the phone :Labor and delivery this is >>>>>> how can I help you :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

fab4fan said:
I had a teenage girl come by ambulance (when the medics called they said she had abdominal pain). Medics wheel her into the ED, and she is screaming and writhing.

Her CC: Menstrual cramps. :stone

Ohhhh, I'd be careful with this one Fab4. I started having problems when I was 12, dx with possible endometriosis at age 15 (first surgery). I have an extremely high pain tolerance, probably because of those experiences so young. I used to take every OTC pain med you could, with absolutely no relief. When I finally got prescription pain meds, getting rid of the pain meant I couldn't even function, just sleep. It SUCKED. When I finally had my daughter (which incidentally ended my painful periods but not my problems), one of the first things out of my mouth was that birth had NOTHING on my cramps. I had a natural delivery, no epidural, no meds. Labor didn't even touch what I went through on a monthly basis.

My uterus went to it's resting place at the age of 35. After multiple bouts of anemia, numerous surgeries for polyps, a fibroid the size of a baseball, I had a vag hyst. I had a uterus 14cm big (my doctor, who is incredible, said, "My that's a BIG one!), still did it lady partslly. Post op pain wasn't as bad as the cramps of my youth.

Just food for thought.

nadja9 said:
Ohhhh, I'd be careful with this one Fab4. I started having problems when I was 12, dx with possible endometriosis at age 15 (first surgery). I have an extremely high pain tolerance, probably because of those experiences so young. I used to take every OTC pain med you could, with absolutely no relief. When I finally got prescription pain meds, getting rid of the pain meant I couldn't even function, just sleep. It SUCKED. When I finally had my daughter (which incidentally ended my painful periods but not my problems), one of the first things out of my mouth was that birth had NOTHING on my cramps. I had a natural delivery, no epidural, no meds. Labor didn't even touch what I went through on a monthly basis.

My uterus went to it's resting place at the age of 35. After multiple bouts of anemia, numerous surgeries for polyps, a fibroid the size of a baseball, I had a vag hyst. I had a uterus 14cm big (my doctor, who is incredible, said, "My that's a BIG one!), still did it lady partslly. Post op pain wasn't as bad as the cramps of my youth.

Just food for thought.

A friend of mine has a daughter who has horrible menstrual cramps. She gets into the fetal position on the floor and just cries and she isn't a crybaby. She was finally prescribed a narcotic for around her period. It can be awful.

steph

nadja9 said:
Ohhhh, I'd be careful with this one Fab4. I started having problems when I was 12, dx with possible endometriosis at age 15 (first surgery). I have an extremely high pain tolerance, probably because of those experiences so young. I used to take every OTC pain med you could, with absolutely no relief. When I finally got prescription pain meds, getting rid of the pain meant I couldn't even function, just sleep. It SUCKED. When I finally had my daughter (which incidentally ended my painful periods but not my problems), one of the first things out of my mouth was that birth had NOTHING on my cramps. I had a natural delivery, no epidural, no meds. Labor didn't even touch what I went through on a monthly basis.

My uterus went to it's resting place at the age of 35. After multiple bouts of anemia, numerous surgeries for polyps, a fibroid the size of a baseball, I had a vag hyst. I had a uterus 14cm big (my doctor, who is incredible, said, "My that's a BIG one!), still did it lady partslly. Post op pain wasn't as bad as the cramps of my youth.

Just food for thought.

WOW!! I feel for you! I am glad to hear you are no longer suffering. What a horrible thing you had to go through when you were younger. A friend of mine had severe endometriosis (now 3 kids later and a hysterectamy, she is fine). The pain she used to endure was almost intolerable. I don't know how she did it without committing herself into an insane asylum.

Sigh...I forgot to add that the girl's screaming stopped as long as someone was paying attention to her.

Apologies all around for those of you who thought I was too stupid to recognize a real gyn problem from something bogus. :rolleyes:

Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.

Hate to say it, but I went to the ER for a UTI once. I wouldn't call a UTI an emergency, however I had NEVER had one, knew what it was, and was in EXTREME pain and unable to urinate.

I originally called a local physician and the secretary was very rude to me b/c I had no insurance and told me she didn't have an appt open for two weeks...talked to a nurse and she was even worse. By the time I got off the phone with them it was late. No urgent care centers nearby...

I drank about a gallon of cranberry juice (per my grandma's orders), which increased my urge to pee, but not my ability, and made the pain worse.

Finally, I couldn't STAND IT...I was in major pain. So I had my sister drive me to the hospital, as I was doubled over in the passenger seat (and I have a high pain tolerance!) I walked right in and told the ER nurses that I had a UTI. They seemed a little perturbed to say the least, made me wait forever, then actually lost the urine specimen that I so painfully spent 20 minutes trying to squeeze out!

Got the bill a month later! $600. It makes me sick...I didn't want to go to the ER, but I felt like I had no other options. Luckily, there were not many people waiting, and no serious conditions while I was there.

Anyway.....just had to vent a little.... :angryfire

asoldierswife05 said:
Hate to say it, but I went to the ER for a UTI once. I wouldn't call a UTI an emergency, however I had NEVER had one, knew what it was, and was in EXTREME pain and unable to urinate.

I originally called a local physician and the secretary was very rude to me b/c I had no insurance and told me she didn't have an appt open for two weeks...talked to a nurse and she was even worse. By the time I got off the phone with them it was late. No urgent care centers nearby...

I drank about a gallon of cranberry juice (per my grandma's orders), which increased my urge to pee, but not my ability, and made the pain worse.

Finally, I couldn't STAND IT...I was in major pain. So I had my sister drive me to the hospital, as I was doubled over in the passenger seat (and I have a high pain tolerance!) I walked right in and told the ER nurses that I had a UTI. They seemed a little perturbed to say the least, made me wait forever, then actually lost the urine specimen that I so painfully spent 20 minutes trying to squeeze out!

Got the bill a month later! $600. It makes me sick...I didn't want to go to the ER, but I felt like I had no other options. Luckily, there were not many people waiting, and no serious conditions while I was there.

Anyway.....just had to vent a little.... :angryfire

I'm sorry to hear you had to go the ER for a UTI. I count myself lucky that all I have to do is call the doctor on call that night and she/he calls in a script with a promise to appear in the next few days to confirm. UTIs are nothing to balk at and you did the right thing going in. They can really make you sick and go into your kidneys as you are probably aware of ?

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