would you push it?

[winelady]

last night dh had a "thunderclap", sharp shooting pain in the back of his head that was so intense he almost passed out. He went to the e.r. and they did some motor skills tests and sent him home. Said it was nothing.  He had it again today and a friend of his who almost died of an aneurism last year told him to go back to the er and get a cat scan to rule anything out. He went and they are refusing to do anything. His blood pressure is a little high and they said he should take a valium and go follow up with a dr.?   Should he push for the scan?  He called his dr earlier and they wouldn't see him today. He can get in next week.

[speckledfrog]

Since it is business hours, can he call his regular doctor and ask him to schedule a scan? I think it's weird that the ER is refusing to do one, but I'm not sure how it's supposed to work.

[amberlyrose]

Yeah, I'd push it.

[winelady]

he's calling his dr. back now. I didn't know he was going until he was already there, he left from work. I can't get there and back in time to get our kids off the bus and I can't find anyone who can do it today or else I'd drive there and push it for him.

[Eagles]

Call his regular doc and go to a different ER. That's BS.

[karmasabiotch]

Definitely push for it.

[panbitch]

Push, quick intense pain sounds no bueno to me

[balletofangels]

Based on recent experiences, you absolutely must be your own best advocate. I would have been sent home multiple times if I had not pushed for the appropriate tests. Instead, four surgeries later I'm finally on the mend.

[winelady]

he fucking left. ugh! he kept pushing, they said no. he had to hang up so I don't know what he's doing right now. I told him to call his dr. back asap.

[winelady]

they said because he has some stress in his life, who doesn't, there is no reason to give a scan because they are bad for you. Something about the amount of radiation. He's calling his dr. right now.

[Eagles]

I don't mess with neuro stuff. I hope his doctor is able to work something out or send him to a different hospital.

[compassrose]

I hope his doctor takes him seriously and is able to help him figure out what he needs.

[sapphireblue]

I would still push it.

My family was recently exchanging stories about times that someone went to the ER and was told their presenting problem was no big deal. They had a feeling it WAS more and went to a different hospital and their lives were saved. There were several times this happened.

The biggest one was my aunt, who had intense abdominal pain and the ER told her she was constipated and to go home. My mother insisted on driving her to another hospital that rushed her into surgery. Her intestines had twisted and she would have died if she'd followed the instructions from the first ER.

So in your case I'd be aggressive. I'm sorry this is happening.

[Deleted]

Did he tell them he's concerned about an aneurysm and did they give him a reason for ruling that out? ERs aren't infallible but they tend to practice pretty CYA (cover your ass) medicine.

Regardless, I think he should make an appointment with a neurologist and I hope he gets some answers soon. Sounds scary!

[cuddlyevil]

Sept 18, 2014 12:08:01 GMT -5 winelady said:

they said because he has some stress in his life, who doesn't, there is no reason to give a scan because they are bad for you. Something about the amount of radiation. He's calling his dr. right now.

WTF? Is he having them every day? No? Then one is not going to do major damage.

I hope his doctor takes him seriously and he gets into another ER because that is bullshit.

[miniroller]

Sorry that I'm bringing personal story time in, but one of my book clubs met last night, & I find the timing really coincidental. We read My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey (by Jill Bolte Taylor). It was very interesting in that this young neurologist knew what was happening while she was experiencing a stroke, & couldn't put her body or her brain through the correct motions (but did manage to get help). Anyway, there are a lot of older ladies in the group, & there was a great discussion regarding self-advocacy in medical situations. And again, I just find the timing very relevant- push, push, push!

If, God forbid, something further happens to your husband, the medical community will very possibly shrug their shoulders & apologize for your situation (w/out actually taking fault). Whereas you & your husband will have to deal with this oversight for possibly the rest of your lives. Push push push!!! Good luck.

[winelady]

Sept 18, 2014 12:19:40 GMT -5 cuddlyevil said:

Sept 18, 2014 12:08:01 GMT -5 winelady said:

they said because he has some stress in his life, who doesn't, there is no reason to give a scan because they are bad for you. Something about the amount of radiation. He's calling his dr. right now.

WTF? Is he having them every day? No? Then one is not going to do major damage.

I hope his doctor takes him seriously and he gets into another ER because that is bullshit.

this is what I said!! I said so the ct scan is more dangerous than a possible aneurism? ugh! They wrote him a prescription for the valium and sent him away.

[cuddlyevil]

Dude, he needs to go to another ER.

I am so angry on his behalf.

[winelady]

and I've been researching these "thuderclaps" (I know, stay away from google) and usually they are nothing but sometimes it's very serious, bleeding on the brain, tumor, blood clot, meningitis and then some. and more than one site said to go to the e.r. and insist on the ct scan. Hopefully he can get into his dr. today.

[mcsangel2]

Holy fuck, I can't believe they are brushing him off like that. So both yesterday and today, was the same ER that sent him home?? He needs to try ANYTHING to get a CAT and possibly MRI. Another ER, blowing up his Dr's phone, whatever it takes.

Signed, stroke survivor.

[sparkythelawyer]

He should find a neurologist

[winelady]

Sept 18, 2014 12:18:28 GMT -5 @linzercookie said:

Did he tell them he's concerned about an aneurysm and did they give him a reason for ruling that out? ERs aren't infallible but they tend to practice pretty CYA (cover your ass) medicine.

Regardless, I think he should make an appointment with a neurologist and I hope he gets some answers soon. Sounds scary!

he did tell them and they brushed him off, said he wasn't having any other symptoms and radiation is bad, see ya"

[zoomzoom]

Are there any walk-in clinics that he can go to that would prescribe him a scan? I would definitely push this.

[elenetxu]

Sept 18, 2014 11:49:55 GMT -5 winelady said:

last night dh had a "thunderclap", sharp shooting pain in the back of his head that was so intense he almost passed out. He went to the e.r. and they did some motor skills tests and sent him home. Said it was nothing.  He had it again today and a friend of his who almost died of an aneurism last year told him to go back to the er and get a cat scan to rule anything out. He went and they are refusing to do anything. His blood pressure is a little high and they said he should take a valium and go follow up with a dr.?   Should he push for the scan?  He called his dr earlier and they wouldn't see him today. He can get in next week.

Trust the friend that had the annie.

I almost lost my mom to a brain aneurysm bleed. The docs were going to send her home when she had a major seizure in front of them. They got her into the scanner, into the helicopter, and off to Denver ASAP.

Here are the symptoms: www.bafound.org/warning-signs-symptoms

I had another friend who had a bleed who was told it was "the flu." Please tell your husband a random internet stranger will be very angry with him if the symptoms continue and he doesn't push the issue.

[Deleted]

Sept 18, 2014 12:40:12 GMT -5 winelady said:

Sept 18, 2014 12:18:28 GMT -5 @linzercookie said:

Did he tell them he's concerned about an aneurysm and did they give him a reason for ruling that out? ERs aren't infallible but they tend to practice pretty CYA (cover your ass) medicine.

Regardless, I think he should make an appointment with a neurologist and I hope he gets some answers soon. Sounds scary!

he did tell them and they brushed him off, said he wasn't having any other symptoms and radiation is bad, see ya"

On second thought, they sound incompetent diagnosing him with stress. Definitely follow-up somewhere. Good luck to him.

I hope the first ER was right, and that it's nothing, but a second opinion can only help.

[Pixiehollow]

Yes! Push it! I would try to get to the hospital or is there
Somebody that you can send to be with him. Does he have a continuing headache? Or just the sharp pain.

I can't believe that they wouldn't pursue this with more testing. My husband had a stroke and after 19 hours in the er they finally sent him for a ct scan. The went through all of the motor stuff too. He did fine but his vision was effected. They kept saying headache but would do the ct to rule it out. In fact he had called paramedics earlier in the evening and was told by paramedics that it was a headache and to take two tylenol and go to bed. It was a Friday night and he kept getting bumped from the ct machine for higher priority patients.

[glynn]

YES!!!!!!

[mcsangel2]

Sept 18, 2014 12:50:00 GMT -5 Pixiehollow said:

Yes! Push it! I would try to get to the hospital or is there
Somebody that you can send to be with him. Does he have a continuing headache? Or just the sharp pain.

I can't believe that they wouldn't pursue this with more testing. My husband had a stroke and after 19 hours in the er they finally sent him for a ct scan. The went through all of the motor stuff too. He did fine but his vision was effected. They kept saying headache but would do the ct to rule it out. In fact he had called paramedics earlier in the evening and was told by paramedics that it was a headache and to take two tylenol and go to bed. It was a Friday night and he kept getting bumped from the ct machine for higher priority patients.

OMG, I can't believe it. I can't believe an EMT would say something like that. When my DH called 911 after my stroke (I could walk by then, but at first I couldn't speak at all, and by the time the paramedics arrived, I could talk a bit, but very haltingly), they assured us over and over again that we had done the right thing, and if ever there's a question, to call an ambulance and not just walk in to the ER (because if you arrive by ambulance, you are seen right away).

I'm sorry if I'm hijacking the thread, it's just with my personal experience (and I have a cousin who had a much more serious stroke post-partum), I can't believe all these medical personnel that are taking this so lightly.

[Pixiehollow]

Yes actually his cousin was one of the EMTs. He had the worst headache of his life and lost his peripheral vision. Those were his only symptoms. I came home a few hours later (I had been traveling abroad) and insisted he go to the ER. I think I was awake for like 40 hours!!

[starburst604]

YES. I'm not the person telling everyone to call the doctor for their maladies either, but this just sets off my spidey sense. I would NOT accept a brush off if I was having that symptom.