Terrible Doc/Nurse Stories!

S

sue35

New member
hmm..well mine are even close to any of yours, and I thought mine were bad!

Last time I was in the hospital, the respiratory therapist said that they were so busy that they would not be able to give me my nebulizer treatments. he assured me that it was alright because it was actually better to just do the inhalers instead of the nebulizers. He said they were more effective. I obviously never heard of that but he was the head respiratory guy and HE WAS DATING SOMEONE WITH CF!! so i thought to trust him.

I also got my meds all mixed up and the nurse gave me 80 mg of prednisone instead of 10. That was a fun time.

So after puffing up like a chipmunk and doing no nebs for 5 days they let me go.

great time<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">
 
K

karenanne99

New member
Hey, I am admitted to the Hospital for tune ups a lot so I have a few stories too. ( dont get me wrong I love most of my nurses but some are just NUTS)


1. I had alot of issues with my weight and body. Not a full blown eating disorder or anything but I was messed up. My nurses and doctors were aware of this and I was dealing with it by alknig to my social worker and family. Anyways one day a new physio therapist came in. I had met her maybe once before. As she was doing my physio she made a comment something like " Wow you've gained alot of weight" or something like that and then suggested I walk on the threadmill in the rehab center each day ( as if to say I was a huge whale and needed to lose weight). Like it would probably be seen as a compliment to most cfers but I wasn't totally over my eating problems and was only about 14 and that got all my problems to come back. It may sound petty but she should have been familar with my charts and known that I had an eating disorder (kinda) and as a 14 year old who wants people to say "oh wow you've gained alot of weight and need to work out"?


2. Each month I have to go get my port hepra-nized. Where I went was a small local hospital because my normal nurses and docs are 2 hours away. Anyways they always made me very uncomfortable when they did it because they had NO IDEA how to do it and would ask me the procedure and would read off this chart thing. It wasnt reassuring! Anyways my port was relatively new at the time and I had ALWAYS gotten blood return. This particular time the nurse who hepra-nized me was not getting blood return and I am no wimp usully but she was REALLY hurting me...I knew she wasnt getting the needle in the right spot. After about 4 tries I told her to stop and I would get it done at my normal hospital the next day. She rudely told me to sit down and not be "difficult". Well I was terrified to let her continue but stupid, push-over me, I let her. Well when she pushed the needle in this time she "frigged" around for a few minutes then the needle like POPPED out from the pressure and blood was like SHOOTing out...sorry to be so gross but I was losing it at this point and was soooo scared. She ran outa the room and left me there...ALONE! (I later found out 2 nurses are supposed to be there). I guess she needed gauze or something but was gone for a good minute. I was never so scared in my life. I had driven myself there but they immediately called my mother...she came and got me and we rushed down to my normal doctors. It was a simple procedure but I learnded alot of smaller hospitals aren't able to handle Cf things properly ( i know ports arent just cf things)



3. Ill make this one short:

I had bad pains in my left side repeatedly...everytime i went to the doctor they said " oh its a kidney infection" and would give me antibiotics. The third visit they finally realized it was absesses from the apendix...a doctor took this huge needle and shoved it in my lower back (OUCH) and started to drain it and then sent me home. This "stirred" everything up and i had pain for a long time. It never went away so a couple of weeks later i returned ( i felt like a pain in the butt at this point) they put me on iv again...it wasnt until the 5th visit I convinced them to take out my friggin appendix!(sp)..

4. I have cut downs and huge scars in both bends of my arms. It is all scar tissue and they can never get blood from my fausets (sp) every nurse thinks they are amazing though and try regradless of how many times i refuse! Surprise surprise they NEVER get any and i say "told ya so" everytime<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0">


SOrry this is so long...i have amillion more but everyone probably quit reading this by now <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
 
K

karenanne99

New member
Hey, I am admitted to the Hospital for tune ups a lot so I have a few stories too. ( dont get me wrong I love most of my nurses but some are just NUTS)


1. I had alot of issues with my weight and body. Not a full blown eating disorder or anything but I was messed up. My nurses and doctors were aware of this and I was dealing with it by alknig to my social worker and family. Anyways one day a new physio therapist came in. I had met her maybe once before. As she was doing my physio she made a comment something like " Wow you've gained alot of weight" or something like that and then suggested I walk on the threadmill in the rehab center each day ( as if to say I was a huge whale and needed to lose weight). Like it would probably be seen as a compliment to most cfers but I wasn't totally over my eating problems and was only about 14 and that got all my problems to come back. It may sound petty but she should have been familar with my charts and known that I had an eating disorder (kinda) and as a 14 year old who wants people to say "oh wow you've gained alot of weight and need to work out"?


2. Each month I have to go get my port hepra-nized. Where I went was a small local hospital because my normal nurses and docs are 2 hours away. Anyways they always made me very uncomfortable when they did it because they had NO IDEA how to do it and would ask me the procedure and would read off this chart thing. It wasnt reassuring! Anyways my port was relatively new at the time and I had ALWAYS gotten blood return. This particular time the nurse who hepra-nized me was not getting blood return and I am no wimp usully but she was REALLY hurting me...I knew she wasnt getting the needle in the right spot. After about 4 tries I told her to stop and I would get it done at my normal hospital the next day. She rudely told me to sit down and not be "difficult". Well I was terrified to let her continue but stupid, push-over me, I let her. Well when she pushed the needle in this time she "frigged" around for a few minutes then the needle like POPPED out from the pressure and blood was like SHOOTing out...sorry to be so gross but I was losing it at this point and was soooo scared. She ran outa the room and left me there...ALONE! (I later found out 2 nurses are supposed to be there). I guess she needed gauze or something but was gone for a good minute. I was never so scared in my life. I had driven myself there but they immediately called my mother...she came and got me and we rushed down to my normal doctors. It was a simple procedure but I learnded alot of smaller hospitals aren't able to handle Cf things properly ( i know ports arent just cf things)



3. Ill make this one short:

I had bad pains in my left side repeatedly...everytime i went to the doctor they said " oh its a kidney infection" and would give me antibiotics. The third visit they finally realized it was absesses from the apendix...a doctor took this huge needle and shoved it in my lower back (OUCH) and started to drain it and then sent me home. This "stirred" everything up and i had pain for a long time. It never went away so a couple of weeks later i returned ( i felt like a pain in the butt at this point) they put me on iv again...it wasnt until the 5th visit I convinced them to take out my friggin appendix!(sp)..

4. I have cut downs and huge scars in both bends of my arms. It is all scar tissue and they can never get blood from my fausets (sp) every nurse thinks they are amazing though and try regradless of how many times i refuse! Surprise surprise they NEVER get any and i say "told ya so" everytime<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0">


SOrry this is so long...i have amillion more but everyone probably quit reading this by now <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
 
K

karenanne99

New member
Hey, I am admitted to the Hospital for tune ups a lot so I have a few stories too. ( dont get me wrong I love most of my nurses but some are just NUTS)


1. I had alot of issues with my weight and body. Not a full blown eating disorder or anything but I was messed up. My nurses and doctors were aware of this and I was dealing with it by alknig to my social worker and family. Anyways one day a new physio therapist came in. I had met her maybe once before. As she was doing my physio she made a comment something like " Wow you've gained alot of weight" or something like that and then suggested I walk on the threadmill in the rehab center each day ( as if to say I was a huge whale and needed to lose weight). Like it would probably be seen as a compliment to most cfers but I wasn't totally over my eating problems and was only about 14 and that got all my problems to come back. It may sound petty but she should have been familar with my charts and known that I had an eating disorder (kinda) and as a 14 year old who wants people to say "oh wow you've gained alot of weight and need to work out"?


2. Each month I have to go get my port hepra-nized. Where I went was a small local hospital because my normal nurses and docs are 2 hours away. Anyways they always made me very uncomfortable when they did it because they had NO IDEA how to do it and would ask me the procedure and would read off this chart thing. It wasnt reassuring! Anyways my port was relatively new at the time and I had ALWAYS gotten blood return. This particular time the nurse who hepra-nized me was not getting blood return and I am no wimp usully but she was REALLY hurting me...I knew she wasnt getting the needle in the right spot. After about 4 tries I told her to stop and I would get it done at my normal hospital the next day. She rudely told me to sit down and not be "difficult". Well I was terrified to let her continue but stupid, push-over me, I let her. Well when she pushed the needle in this time she "frigged" around for a few minutes then the needle like POPPED out from the pressure and blood was like SHOOTing out...sorry to be so gross but I was losing it at this point and was soooo scared. She ran outa the room and left me there...ALONE! (I later found out 2 nurses are supposed to be there). I guess she needed gauze or something but was gone for a good minute. I was never so scared in my life. I had driven myself there but they immediately called my mother...she came and got me and we rushed down to my normal doctors. It was a simple procedure but I learnded alot of smaller hospitals aren't able to handle Cf things properly ( i know ports arent just cf things)



3. Ill make this one short:

I had bad pains in my left side repeatedly...everytime i went to the doctor they said " oh its a kidney infection" and would give me antibiotics. The third visit they finally realized it was absesses from the apendix...a doctor took this huge needle and shoved it in my lower back (OUCH) and started to drain it and then sent me home. This "stirred" everything up and i had pain for a long time. It never went away so a couple of weeks later i returned ( i felt like a pain in the butt at this point) they put me on iv again...it wasnt until the 5th visit I convinced them to take out my friggin appendix!(sp)..

4. I have cut downs and huge scars in both bends of my arms. It is all scar tissue and they can never get blood from my fausets (sp) every nurse thinks they are amazing though and try regradless of how many times i refuse! Surprise surprise they NEVER get any and i say "told ya so" everytime<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0">


SOrry this is so long...i have amillion more but everyone probably quit reading this by now <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
 
K

karenanne99

New member
Sorry there was no spaces between paragraph...i did space it but it never works...any ideas why or how to get it to? Thanks
 
K

karenanne99

New member
Sorry there was no spaces between paragraph...i did space it but it never works...any ideas why or how to get it to? Thanks
 
K

karenanne99

New member
Sorry there was no spaces between paragraph...i did space it but it never works...any ideas why or how to get it to? Thanks
 
J

julie

New member
I finally have one, can I share it???????

This was during my hospital admittance with the babies, the time I went into labor adn they did the C section because they couldn't stop labor, but it wasn't progressing either.

After 4 days of being in labor, YES 4!!!!!!!!! you read that correctly, they decided to do a C seciton on me. I had already had an epidural placed for the past 2 days for pain control because I broke through on all known pill/IV pain medications/narcotics.

In the OR, they couldn't get me numb. I could still feel them touching my legs and moving them around, poking me.... Finally, after giving me 4x the normal doeses they would give someone my size, I was getting numb. The C section was HORRIFFIC for me. I felt SOOO much of the surgery (guess I wasn't that numb after all) and cried out through the whole thing.

Afterwards, the anestheologist gave me ketamine to knock me out while they were sewing me up. Apparently, it is suppose to knock you out (special K, date rape drug....??) but I was still LIVID in the OR and all the way back to my room for recovery.

They had this twit of a nurse taking care of me after recovery (given my condition, i really should have gone to the PACU) and I guess I was just screaming out in pain. I remember coming to again in my room (apparently I never stopped crying/screaming, but I don't recall anything after the anestheologist gave me the ketamine) and crying out for my mom (mark went with the babies). I was in SOOO much pain, they were talking to me (the twit nurse and some others) trying to figure it out. They were thinking it was the cramping of the uterus, but I just kept saying "the incision, the incision burns, it's the incision, I'm not having cramping..."

Then this nurse grabs my arm, looks me in the eye and says, "stop it right now, you are disturbing the other patients". WTF?????????@?!?!?!?!?!? If I could stop it lady, I would. So I cried louder, how insulting when you've just given birth and are in so much pain and still pretty loopy, but feeling pain. Then I cried asking for my mom (I guess she went down the hall to give the nurses space to get me settled. This twit nurse told me, "she can't be bothered with you right now". WTF again>???!?!?!?!??!!?!? My mom is a 31 year Labor and Delivery nurse, PLUS she was suppose to stay with me after the C section and the nurse asked her to leave while they got me settled. Then she refused to go get her for me.

Needless to say my mom and I both talked to the supervisor and had her removed from my care. At that point, I was a handful of a patient (admittadly) and needed a nurse who could care for me competently and address my needs. She wasn't it.
 
J

julie

New member
I finally have one, can I share it???????

This was during my hospital admittance with the babies, the time I went into labor adn they did the C section because they couldn't stop labor, but it wasn't progressing either.

After 4 days of being in labor, YES 4!!!!!!!!! you read that correctly, they decided to do a C seciton on me. I had already had an epidural placed for the past 2 days for pain control because I broke through on all known pill/IV pain medications/narcotics.

In the OR, they couldn't get me numb. I could still feel them touching my legs and moving them around, poking me.... Finally, after giving me 4x the normal doeses they would give someone my size, I was getting numb. The C section was HORRIFFIC for me. I felt SOOO much of the surgery (guess I wasn't that numb after all) and cried out through the whole thing.

Afterwards, the anestheologist gave me ketamine to knock me out while they were sewing me up. Apparently, it is suppose to knock you out (special K, date rape drug....??) but I was still LIVID in the OR and all the way back to my room for recovery.

They had this twit of a nurse taking care of me after recovery (given my condition, i really should have gone to the PACU) and I guess I was just screaming out in pain. I remember coming to again in my room (apparently I never stopped crying/screaming, but I don't recall anything after the anestheologist gave me the ketamine) and crying out for my mom (mark went with the babies). I was in SOOO much pain, they were talking to me (the twit nurse and some others) trying to figure it out. They were thinking it was the cramping of the uterus, but I just kept saying "the incision, the incision burns, it's the incision, I'm not having cramping..."

Then this nurse grabs my arm, looks me in the eye and says, "stop it right now, you are disturbing the other patients". WTF?????????@?!?!?!?!?!? If I could stop it lady, I would. So I cried louder, how insulting when you've just given birth and are in so much pain and still pretty loopy, but feeling pain. Then I cried asking for my mom (I guess she went down the hall to give the nurses space to get me settled. This twit nurse told me, "she can't be bothered with you right now". WTF again>???!?!?!?!??!!?!? My mom is a 31 year Labor and Delivery nurse, PLUS she was suppose to stay with me after the C section and the nurse asked her to leave while they got me settled. Then she refused to go get her for me.

Needless to say my mom and I both talked to the supervisor and had her removed from my care. At that point, I was a handful of a patient (admittadly) and needed a nurse who could care for me competently and address my needs. She wasn't it.
 
J

julie

New member
I finally have one, can I share it???????

This was during my hospital admittance with the babies, the time I went into labor adn they did the C section because they couldn't stop labor, but it wasn't progressing either.

After 4 days of being in labor, YES 4!!!!!!!!! you read that correctly, they decided to do a C seciton on me. I had already had an epidural placed for the past 2 days for pain control because I broke through on all known pill/IV pain medications/narcotics.

In the OR, they couldn't get me numb. I could still feel them touching my legs and moving them around, poking me.... Finally, after giving me 4x the normal doeses they would give someone my size, I was getting numb. The C section was HORRIFFIC for me. I felt SOOO much of the surgery (guess I wasn't that numb after all) and cried out through the whole thing.

Afterwards, the anestheologist gave me ketamine to knock me out while they were sewing me up. Apparently, it is suppose to knock you out (special K, date rape drug....??) but I was still LIVID in the OR and all the way back to my room for recovery.

They had this twit of a nurse taking care of me after recovery (given my condition, i really should have gone to the PACU) and I guess I was just screaming out in pain. I remember coming to again in my room (apparently I never stopped crying/screaming, but I don't recall anything after the anestheologist gave me the ketamine) and crying out for my mom (mark went with the babies). I was in SOOO much pain, they were talking to me (the twit nurse and some others) trying to figure it out. They were thinking it was the cramping of the uterus, but I just kept saying "the incision, the incision burns, it's the incision, I'm not having cramping..."

Then this nurse grabs my arm, looks me in the eye and says, "stop it right now, you are disturbing the other patients". WTF?????????@?!?!?!?!?!? If I could stop it lady, I would. So I cried louder, how insulting when you've just given birth and are in so much pain and still pretty loopy, but feeling pain. Then I cried asking for my mom (I guess she went down the hall to give the nurses space to get me settled. This twit nurse told me, "she can't be bothered with you right now". WTF again>???!?!?!?!??!!?!? My mom is a 31 year Labor and Delivery nurse, PLUS she was suppose to stay with me after the C section and the nurse asked her to leave while they got me settled. Then she refused to go get her for me.

Needless to say my mom and I both talked to the supervisor and had her removed from my care. At that point, I was a handful of a patient (admittadly) and needed a nurse who could care for me competently and address my needs. She wasn't it.
 
L

LauraLou

New member
I don't post often, but I read the boards regularly and felt compelled to add my story!



This was several years ago - I'd been in hospital for 4 weeks on a number of different IV antibiotics and after feeling slightly better (and deciding I'd had enough of the hospital) I was allowed home. The following day, I woke up with severe cramps in my legs and arms - to the point where my wrists/hands were folded right over and my feet were in a forced pointed position. I tried with all my might to straighten them out but they were stuck and hurting so much. I cried out for my mum, who called for an ambulance as it was getting worse and worse to the point where I was screaming in pain. I was also beginning to get pins and needles in my chest and face and I genuinely thought I was going to die! When the ambulance arrived I was in agony. My feet and hands were still stuck and it felt like they were about to snap off. The paramedics told me I was hyperventilating and to just take some deep breaths. They said I must have been worried about something and that it would ease off as I calmed down. I hadn't been worried about anything though! I'd woken up like this! However, the cramps did begin to ease and the pins and needles feeling seemed to wear off. They wanted me to be checked out at the hospital though seeing as I had CF, so I agreed to go.





At the hospital, I was put in a room (my mum and dad were both there) and after about an hour a nurse came in with a bp monitor, sats machine etc. Now the cramps had eased off quite a lot but as soon as she put the bp monitor on my arm and it started to tighten, the cramps started back again in my arm. The pain was unbearable and I shouted out for her to take it off! She just said "nearly done now" in a really patronising voice and held the thing on my arm. (I couldn't take it off myself as my hands had bent over again and I was unable to move them). At that moment my dad stormed across the room and shouted "take it off her NOW!" It hadn't finished but the nurse quickly removed it and muttered something about violence and aggression as she hurried out of the room. A doctor came in a few minutes later, asked a few questions (including "how long have you had CF?" duh!!) and said he agreed with the paramedics that I'd been hyperventilating and I should go home and it will get better on it's own.
Back at home, the cramps were still there although not as severe and I kept getting tingling/numbness in my face/chest.




The next day, the exact same thing happened! I knew I was not worrying about anything and that something more serious was going on. My mum and dad drove me to my specialist CF hospital (20 minute drive) and my dad carried me into the ward. They took bloods and sent them down to the lab straight away. The lab actually rang my docs about half an hour later asking who took the bloods because they suspected the blood had been diluted with saline - the electrolyte levels were that low! I had the bloods re-done and the results were confirmed. My potassium and magnesium levels were dangerously low and I was rushed down to ICU straight away - they were worried that my heart was about to cramp up and stop completely! I was put on a drip containing Mg and K asap.
Anyway, they managed to get my levels up gradually over a few weeks and I was moved to HDU at another hospital.
Here I encountered several incompetent doctors who knew nothing about CF, I had nurses accessing my IV line at night without flushing with saline/hepsal - in the day I did it myself! I'd wake up in the night with someone injecting the wrong IV into my long-line (this happened several times). All of which was covered up - I'd find doctor's notes in my file the next day saying that I'd needed an extra IV drug in the night but it was to be discontinued.




Overall, I was in hospital for several months. I also began peeing blood and the doctors nurses wouldn't believe that it was actually in my urine - they said I'd started my period. Now, I'd never had a period before but I knew it wasn't supposed to look like red urine and only come out when you go on the loo! Eventually, they decided to test it and I also had a scan which revealed I had a kidney stone. It was decided that lithotrypsy (sp?) was the best way to treat it (they aim shockwaves at the stone to try and break it up). I went for my first treatment and although I was sedated it was really hurting me. It felt like someone was flicking at my skin but really HARD. I complained that it was hurting and also throbbing inside but they said that their patients usually just complain of a tingling sensation. I said it wasn't tingling it was hurting, but they just told me to lie still. After the treatment the stone hadn't broken up so they decided to do it again!! Guess what? It still REALLY hurt me! I had 3 treatments and then on the 4th one a different specialist was operating the lithotryptor - he said that I'd been put in the wrong position and that the shockwaves weren't hitting the stone - they were hitting my pelvis!! Argh!! Thankfully, the next two treatments did NOT hurt at all and the stone broke up into little pieces which I later peed out.
The docs couldn't decide what it was that caused the whole electrolyte/kidney stone fiasco so it was put down to overuse of IV antibiotics. Hmmm!!



As you can probably guess, that was my worst admission ever!
 
L

LauraLou

New member
I don't post often, but I read the boards regularly and felt compelled to add my story!



This was several years ago - I'd been in hospital for 4 weeks on a number of different IV antibiotics and after feeling slightly better (and deciding I'd had enough of the hospital) I was allowed home. The following day, I woke up with severe cramps in my legs and arms - to the point where my wrists/hands were folded right over and my feet were in a forced pointed position. I tried with all my might to straighten them out but they were stuck and hurting so much. I cried out for my mum, who called for an ambulance as it was getting worse and worse to the point where I was screaming in pain. I was also beginning to get pins and needles in my chest and face and I genuinely thought I was going to die! When the ambulance arrived I was in agony. My feet and hands were still stuck and it felt like they were about to snap off. The paramedics told me I was hyperventilating and to just take some deep breaths. They said I must have been worried about something and that it would ease off as I calmed down. I hadn't been worried about anything though! I'd woken up like this! However, the cramps did begin to ease and the pins and needles feeling seemed to wear off. They wanted me to be checked out at the hospital though seeing as I had CF, so I agreed to go.





At the hospital, I was put in a room (my mum and dad were both there) and after about an hour a nurse came in with a bp monitor, sats machine etc. Now the cramps had eased off quite a lot but as soon as she put the bp monitor on my arm and it started to tighten, the cramps started back again in my arm. The pain was unbearable and I shouted out for her to take it off! She just said "nearly done now" in a really patronising voice and held the thing on my arm. (I couldn't take it off myself as my hands had bent over again and I was unable to move them). At that moment my dad stormed across the room and shouted "take it off her NOW!" It hadn't finished but the nurse quickly removed it and muttered something about violence and aggression as she hurried out of the room. A doctor came in a few minutes later, asked a few questions (including "how long have you had CF?" duh!!) and said he agreed with the paramedics that I'd been hyperventilating and I should go home and it will get better on it's own.
Back at home, the cramps were still there although not as severe and I kept getting tingling/numbness in my face/chest.




The next day, the exact same thing happened! I knew I was not worrying about anything and that something more serious was going on. My mum and dad drove me to my specialist CF hospital (20 minute drive) and my dad carried me into the ward. They took bloods and sent them down to the lab straight away. The lab actually rang my docs about half an hour later asking who took the bloods because they suspected the blood had been diluted with saline - the electrolyte levels were that low! I had the bloods re-done and the results were confirmed. My potassium and magnesium levels were dangerously low and I was rushed down to ICU straight away - they were worried that my heart was about to cramp up and stop completely! I was put on a drip containing Mg and K asap.
Anyway, they managed to get my levels up gradually over a few weeks and I was moved to HDU at another hospital.
Here I encountered several incompetent doctors who knew nothing about CF, I had nurses accessing my IV line at night without flushing with saline/hepsal - in the day I did it myself! I'd wake up in the night with someone injecting the wrong IV into my long-line (this happened several times). All of which was covered up - I'd find doctor's notes in my file the next day saying that I'd needed an extra IV drug in the night but it was to be discontinued.




Overall, I was in hospital for several months. I also began peeing blood and the doctors nurses wouldn't believe that it was actually in my urine - they said I'd started my period. Now, I'd never had a period before but I knew it wasn't supposed to look like red urine and only come out when you go on the loo! Eventually, they decided to test it and I also had a scan which revealed I had a kidney stone. It was decided that lithotrypsy (sp?) was the best way to treat it (they aim shockwaves at the stone to try and break it up). I went for my first treatment and although I was sedated it was really hurting me. It felt like someone was flicking at my skin but really HARD. I complained that it was hurting and also throbbing inside but they said that their patients usually just complain of a tingling sensation. I said it wasn't tingling it was hurting, but they just told me to lie still. After the treatment the stone hadn't broken up so they decided to do it again!! Guess what? It still REALLY hurt me! I had 3 treatments and then on the 4th one a different specialist was operating the lithotryptor - he said that I'd been put in the wrong position and that the shockwaves weren't hitting the stone - they were hitting my pelvis!! Argh!! Thankfully, the next two treatments did NOT hurt at all and the stone broke up into little pieces which I later peed out.
The docs couldn't decide what it was that caused the whole electrolyte/kidney stone fiasco so it was put down to overuse of IV antibiotics. Hmmm!!



As you can probably guess, that was my worst admission ever!
 
L

LauraLou

New member
I don't post often, but I read the boards regularly and felt compelled to add my story!



This was several years ago - I'd been in hospital for 4 weeks on a number of different IV antibiotics and after feeling slightly better (and deciding I'd had enough of the hospital) I was allowed home. The following day, I woke up with severe cramps in my legs and arms - to the point where my wrists/hands were folded right over and my feet were in a forced pointed position. I tried with all my might to straighten them out but they were stuck and hurting so much. I cried out for my mum, who called for an ambulance as it was getting worse and worse to the point where I was screaming in pain. I was also beginning to get pins and needles in my chest and face and I genuinely thought I was going to die! When the ambulance arrived I was in agony. My feet and hands were still stuck and it felt like they were about to snap off. The paramedics told me I was hyperventilating and to just take some deep breaths. They said I must have been worried about something and that it would ease off as I calmed down. I hadn't been worried about anything though! I'd woken up like this! However, the cramps did begin to ease and the pins and needles feeling seemed to wear off. They wanted me to be checked out at the hospital though seeing as I had CF, so I agreed to go.





At the hospital, I was put in a room (my mum and dad were both there) and after about an hour a nurse came in with a bp monitor, sats machine etc. Now the cramps had eased off quite a lot but as soon as she put the bp monitor on my arm and it started to tighten, the cramps started back again in my arm. The pain was unbearable and I shouted out for her to take it off! She just said "nearly done now" in a really patronising voice and held the thing on my arm. (I couldn't take it off myself as my hands had bent over again and I was unable to move them). At that moment my dad stormed across the room and shouted "take it off her NOW!" It hadn't finished but the nurse quickly removed it and muttered something about violence and aggression as she hurried out of the room. A doctor came in a few minutes later, asked a few questions (including "how long have you had CF?" duh!!) and said he agreed with the paramedics that I'd been hyperventilating and I should go home and it will get better on it's own.
Back at home, the cramps were still there although not as severe and I kept getting tingling/numbness in my face/chest.




The next day, the exact same thing happened! I knew I was not worrying about anything and that something more serious was going on. My mum and dad drove me to my specialist CF hospital (20 minute drive) and my dad carried me into the ward. They took bloods and sent them down to the lab straight away. The lab actually rang my docs about half an hour later asking who took the bloods because they suspected the blood had been diluted with saline - the electrolyte levels were that low! I had the bloods re-done and the results were confirmed. My potassium and magnesium levels were dangerously low and I was rushed down to ICU straight away - they were worried that my heart was about to cramp up and stop completely! I was put on a drip containing Mg and K asap.
Anyway, they managed to get my levels up gradually over a few weeks and I was moved to HDU at another hospital.
Here I encountered several incompetent doctors who knew nothing about CF, I had nurses accessing my IV line at night without flushing with saline/hepsal - in the day I did it myself! I'd wake up in the night with someone injecting the wrong IV into my long-line (this happened several times). All of which was covered up - I'd find doctor's notes in my file the next day saying that I'd needed an extra IV drug in the night but it was to be discontinued.




Overall, I was in hospital for several months. I also began peeing blood and the doctors nurses wouldn't believe that it was actually in my urine - they said I'd started my period. Now, I'd never had a period before but I knew it wasn't supposed to look like red urine and only come out when you go on the loo! Eventually, they decided to test it and I also had a scan which revealed I had a kidney stone. It was decided that lithotrypsy (sp?) was the best way to treat it (they aim shockwaves at the stone to try and break it up). I went for my first treatment and although I was sedated it was really hurting me. It felt like someone was flicking at my skin but really HARD. I complained that it was hurting and also throbbing inside but they said that their patients usually just complain of a tingling sensation. I said it wasn't tingling it was hurting, but they just told me to lie still. After the treatment the stone hadn't broken up so they decided to do it again!! Guess what? It still REALLY hurt me! I had 3 treatments and then on the 4th one a different specialist was operating the lithotryptor - he said that I'd been put in the wrong position and that the shockwaves weren't hitting the stone - they were hitting my pelvis!! Argh!! Thankfully, the next two treatments did NOT hurt at all and the stone broke up into little pieces which I later peed out.
The docs couldn't decide what it was that caused the whole electrolyte/kidney stone fiasco so it was put down to overuse of IV antibiotics. Hmmm!!



As you can probably guess, that was my worst admission ever!
 
P

princessjdc

New member
holy cow Laura, them people sounded really dum, I think I would have seued the people in your case for not listening to you and sending you home saying you were hyper ventialating when you knew better just think if you had died!!! Them idiots I hope they know that what they done was wrong. These stories are irrittating to read when the idiot doc or nurses dont listen to their patients, but it is very interesting tho, eventhough I would like to just give them a dose of their own medicine.
 
P

princessjdc

New member
holy cow Laura, them people sounded really dum, I think I would have seued the people in your case for not listening to you and sending you home saying you were hyper ventialating when you knew better just think if you had died!!! Them idiots I hope they know that what they done was wrong. These stories are irrittating to read when the idiot doc or nurses dont listen to their patients, but it is very interesting tho, eventhough I would like to just give them a dose of their own medicine.
 
P

princessjdc

New member
holy cow Laura, them people sounded really dum, I think I would have seued the people in your case for not listening to you and sending you home saying you were hyper ventialating when you knew better just think if you had died!!! Them idiots I hope they know that what they done was wrong. These stories are irrittating to read when the idiot doc or nurses dont listen to their patients, but it is very interesting tho, eventhough I would like to just give them a dose of their own medicine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top