Re: I'm Really Really Upset!!!

[Guest guest]

Hi Katja,

Please do not take any responsibility for this situation upon

yourself. You can not be expected to know that they would not

provide you with adequate instructions at your discharge. And your

surgeon should have specified the instructions to the discharge

nurse if his intent was for you to go beyond the usual dosage.

I have had several surgeries, so I know from experience that if you

have a question, do NOT hesitate to call the surgeon. You should be

given a direct line to him/her post op. He or she is very well paid

for the time they have spent with you in the OR. Your surgery does

not end when the scapel is laid to rest. Recovery is part of the

surgery too. If you have anything that is not the way it was

described at discharge, get ON THE PHONE! Try to call during office

hours if possible, but if it is runaway pain, itching, not being

able to pee, difficulty breathing or anything like this, call the

SURGEON ASAP! He can handle the call, even in the middle of the

night. It is not an imposition. Once you are through the initial

stages of recovery, then only call for an emergency other than to

office hours, but during your initial recovery, do not hesitate for

fear of being a " bad patient " .

I am so sorry this has happened to you. It is inexcusable. Take

the medications now that have been described to you. Adequate pain

meds will stay ahead of the pain, as you are correct in saying that

rest is extremely important post op.

Hang in there. The worst with this is over. You know now, and are

on top of it if you have further difficulties. Good luck, and

please keep us posted. I am saying a prayer for you, and sending

you well wishes!

Hugs,

Fran

>

> I just got off the phone with my doctor and I dont know what to

think

> or how to feel.... I feel deeply upset.... as you may have read

in

> earlier posts of mine, I have been having some problems with my

pain

> medication adequately managing my pain. As I was leaving the

> hospital, I made sure to get very explicit instructions from the

> nurse, per the discharge instruction sheet from the doctor she

went

> over with me, about what meds to take when and how much. For

> inflammation,I was recommended take something like Motrin and to

> follow the label instructions. I was prescribed hydrocodone. And I

> had cephalexin to take as my antibiotic. I went home and proceeded

to

> take the meds as instructed. They weren't cutting the pain so I

kept

> changing the frequency between the meds and tried a couple

different

> combinations- giving each a day or so to even out and start

helping.

> Nothing did. Finally I could no longer bear it- the pain wasn't

> helped enough for the med to last for the 3 or 4 hour duration

until

> the next dose was due. Forget about sleeping through the night,

let

> alone over sleeping by an hour. Sunday morning my mother called

and

> spoke to the afterhours resident. First he mentioned that I could

> take a lot more motrin with the present dose of the hydrocodone.

Then

> he prescribed percocet instead of the hydrocodone because I was

> convinced it wasn't helping and needed something better. He never

> mentioned taking more of the motrin with the new pain med. When my

> mom picked up the meds, the pharmacist mentioned that I could take

> more motrin at a time- 2 pills instead of one every 4 hours. So I

> started on my merry way with the new meds and routine. They seemed

to

> help more, but definitely didn't help beyond their 4 hour scope.

(I

> have not slept more than three hours together since before my

surgery

> last Weds 3/9.) I am ragged at this point.

>

> Then, Monday evening, after the Doctor's office had already

closed, I

> noticed an itchy rash all over my body. I looked at the

prescription

> information that came with each med. Only the hydrocodone that I

had

> discontinued the day before and the antibiotic listed skin

> rash/itching as adverse/allergic reactions. So, I called the

after

> hours number again and spoke with the same resident doctor. He

> advised that I switch back to the original pain medication and

> reitterated that I take the increased dose of motrin as well. So,

I

> started that. I mentioned to him that the newer pain medication

> mentioned nothing about skin rash or itching as a side effect, but

> that only the antibiotic I was on did. He said that I was fine

before

> and the only change was with switching the pain med, so I should

> switch back and that he'd call in the morning to check my

progress.

> Well, as the night progressed, the rash spread and worsened

becoming

> oh so much itchier. (One place where I have the rash is my upper

arms

> and underarms. You can imagine what I look like when I am

scratching

> myself there- banana anyone??) So, I called my doctor's office in

the

> morning. He said it WAS probably the antibiotic and to discontinue

> THAT, and in its place he'd prescribe another. He also asked how

the

> pain meds were going and asked " you've been taking 4 motrin every

4

> hours, right? " WHAT?!?!?! WHAT!?!?!?! I started to melt..... I

told

> him only since yesterday, explaining that I had NEVER been

instructed

> to take that many at my discharge- that I was only instructed to

> follow the label directions. He repies that " Oh, no. That wouldn't

> begin to scratch the surface. Furthermore, that motrin is more

> important than the narcotic in regulating your comfort because it

> helps so much with the inflammation. " I am dying at that for the

> amount of pain I have suffered NEEDLESSLY the for past 5 days and

for

> the amount of sleep I have lost and how both have been to the

> detriment of my healing. He proceeds to tell me I should have

called.

> HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW!?!?!!? I kept trying to change things.

I

> didn't want to bother them with such a question if I could simply

> tweak what I was doing and resolve it myself. I didn't know how

much

> pain I should reasonably expect to be in. I was following their

> instructions. Simply put, I DIDN'T KNOW. and furthermore, NO ONE

TOLD

> ME. I told him that I was never given those instructions at my

> discharge....

>

> YOu guys!!! I feel SO upset and depressed! I Just can't get over

> what I have gone through and how much I have been hurting and

feeling

> beyond miserable but enduring everything- ALL FOR NOTHING because

no

> one thought my comfort was important enough to ensure I got the

> correct instructions. When I got off of the phone I melted into a

> puddle of sobbing and tears. I just can't believe it. I have felt

so

> Horrible and all for nothing. I have felt so terrible when I

didn't

> need to be feeling terrible. I never had to feel that way, I could

> have had such a better time of it. I just am so upset. I can

barely

> stop crying and feeling so pathetically sorry for myself.... My

eyes

> tear up everytime I think of what I have been through for no

reason.

> Some else was lazy at my expense. I am just so exhausted and now

> completely emotionally battered as well as physically.

> Thank you for listening to my pity party....

> katja

[Guest guest]

They don't get it. From the ones who say, " But your teeth look fine! "

to the ones who are clueless about what the healing (not to mention

the ortho) requires, most folks just don't get it.

>

> Thank you for your understanding and kind words. I felt better

> reading your post. Sometime I feel like the people in my life in

some

> capacities just don't get what I am going through. Everyone has

been

> wonderful and how could they know not having been through this

> themselves. It is just so helful and wonderful to have this

> supportive group of people who understand what the outside world

> doesn't and in someways just cannot. I'm holding you to your

promise

> about feeling better this week.... by the way. I didn't think I

> would have a breakdown stage! But all of this has been too much! It

> must be like you said also having the hunger and exhaustion. Thank

> you again, Katja

[Guest guest]

Hi Katja:

I hope you get past this point and feel better.

I had my surgery on the same day as you - March 9th.

I've been taking Tylenol, with Codeine every 3 hours

since I got home, and thats worked pretty good for me.

I was only given antibiotics in the hospital and will

be given more if I get inflammation and start swelling.

Good luck finding a pain medication that works better

for you. I go back to see my surgeon on Monday. 3/21.

What day to you go back?

We can only be happy were one day further on the other

side of having the surgery done.

I hope you sleep better tonight.

Cheri

>

> I just got off the phone with my doctor and I dont know what to

think

> or how to feel.... I feel deeply upset.... as you may have read in

> earlier posts of mine, I have been having some problems with my

pain

> medication adequately managing my pain. As I was leaving the

> hospital, I made sure to get very explicit instructions from the

> nurse, per the discharge instruction sheet from the doctor she went

> over with me, about what meds to take when and how much. For

> inflammation,I was recommended take something like Motrin and to

> follow the label instructions. I was prescribed hydrocodone. And I

> had cephalexin to take as my antibiotic. I went home and proceeded

to

> take the meds as instructed. They weren't cutting the pain so I

kept

> changing the frequency between the meds and tried a couple

different

> combinations- giving each a day or so to even out and start

helping.

> Nothing did. Finally I could no longer bear it- the pain wasn't

> helped enough for the med to last for the 3 or 4 hour duration

until

> the next dose was due. Forget about sleeping through the night, let

> alone over sleeping by an hour. Sunday morning my mother called and

> spoke to the afterhours resident. First he mentioned that I could

> take a lot more motrin with the present dose of the hydrocodone.

Then

> he prescribed percocet instead of the hydrocodone because I was

> convinced it wasn't helping and needed something better. He never

> mentioned taking more of the motrin with the new pain med. When my

> mom picked up the meds, the pharmacist mentioned that I could take

> more motrin at a time- 2 pills instead of one every 4 hours. So I

> started on my merry way with the new meds and routine. They seemed

to

> help more, but definitely didn't help beyond their 4 hour scope. (I

> have not slept more than three hours together since before my

surgery

> last Weds 3/9.) I am ragged at this point.

>

> Then, Monday evening, after the Doctor's office had already closed,

I

> noticed an itchy rash all over my body. I looked at the

prescription

> information that came with each med. Only the hydrocodone that I

had

> discontinued the day before and the antibiotic listed skin

> rash/itching as adverse/allergic reactions. So, I called the after

> hours number again and spoke with the same resident doctor. He

> advised that I switch back to the original pain medication and

> reitterated that I take the increased dose of motrin as well. So, I

> started that. I mentioned to him that the newer pain medication

> mentioned nothing about skin rash or itching as a side effect, but

> that only the antibiotic I was on did. He said that I was fine

before

> and the only change was with switching the pain med, so I should

> switch back and that he'd call in the morning to check my progress.

> Well, as the night progressed, the rash spread and worsened

becoming

> oh so much itchier. (One place where I have the rash is my upper

arms

> and underarms. You can imagine what I look like when I am

scratching

> myself there- banana anyone??) So, I called my doctor's office in

the

> morning. He said it WAS probably the antibiotic and to discontinue

> THAT, and in its place he'd prescribe another. He also asked how

the

> pain meds were going and asked " you've been taking 4 motrin every 4

> hours, right? " WHAT?!?!?! WHAT!?!?!?! I started to melt..... I told

> him only since yesterday, explaining that I had NEVER been

instructed

> to take that many at my discharge- that I was only instructed to

> follow the label directions. He repies that " Oh, no. That wouldn't

> begin to scratch the surface. Furthermore, that motrin is more

> important than the narcotic in regulating your comfort because it

> helps so much with the inflammation. " I am dying at that for the

> amount of pain I have suffered NEEDLESSLY the for past 5 days and

for

> the amount of sleep I have lost and how both have been to the

> detriment of my healing. He proceeds to tell me I should have

called.

> HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW!?!?!!? I kept trying to change things. I

> didn't want to bother them with such a question if I could simply

> tweak what I was doing and resolve it myself. I didn't know how

much

> pain I should reasonably expect to be in. I was following their

> instructions. Simply put, I DIDN'T KNOW. and furthermore, NO ONE

TOLD

> ME. I told him that I was never given those instructions at my

> discharge....

>

> YOu guys!!! I feel SO upset and depressed! I Just can't get over

> what I have gone through and how much I have been hurting and

feeling

> beyond miserable but enduring everything- ALL FOR NOTHING because

no

> one thought my comfort was important enough to ensure I got the

> correct instructions. When I got off of the phone I melted into a

> puddle of sobbing and tears. I just can't believe it. I have felt

so

> Horrible and all for nothing. I have felt so terrible when I didn't

> need to be feeling terrible. I never had to feel that way, I could

> have had such a better time of it. I just am so upset. I can barely

> stop crying and feeling so pathetically sorry for myself.... My

eyes

> tear up everytime I think of what I have been through for no

reason.

> Some else was lazy at my expense. I am just so exhausted and now

> completely emotionally battered as well as physically.

> Thank you for listening to my pity party....

> katja

[Guest guest]

When I had a bad incident with a particular doctor, I wrote a letter

which I sent to the insurance company, the hospital and the head of the

department at the hospital where he worked. I received a phone call

from the head of the department and the insurance co. My complaint went

up to a review board at the hospital and the insurance company and I

was notified of their findings and my complaint was put on a permanant

record of some sort. If a doctor gets a certain number of complaints

against him, the insurance carrier may drop him & /or he can lose his

job. At the very least, the doctor is called to a meeting and

formally has to address the allegations against him. If nothing else,

it make him have to answer to his superiors and keeps him more careful

not to be so negligent the next time.

My situation was a completely different type of incident but I was

terribly upset. Writing the letter and sending it was very theraputic

and helped me stop stewing in my upset-ness-- just knowing that I stood

up for myself. The fact that they came back a month later and told me

they concluded he did nothing wrong was not so upsetting because at

least I knew he had been made aware that his behavior which could be

concidered inappropriate and he would likely be more careful the next

time.

Good Luck Katya!

Tova

>

> Hi Kev,

> Thanks for the suggestion. You sound like my Dad. I meet with the

> Doctor this Thursday and absolutely intend to communicate my severe

> displeasure in his and the resident doctors' oversight at my expense.

> I guess I will guage how to proceed from his response. I am in the

> US. Thanks for the idea. In response to your posts...I too have felt

> very much like my life has been on hold for a very long time.... I am

> constantly describing it like a plane in a seemingly interminable

> holding pattern over the Airport " Katja's Life " . Thanks again, Katja

>

>

> >

> > I just got off the phone with my doctor and I dont know what to

> think

> > or how to feel.... I feel deeply upset....  as you may have read in

> > earlier posts of mine, I have been having some problems with my

> pain

> > medication adequately managing my pain. As I was leaving the

> > hospital, I made sure to get very explicit instructions from the

> > nurse, per the discharge instruction sheet from the doctor she went

> > over with me, about what meds to take when and how much. For

> > inflammation,I was recommended take something like Motrin and to

> > follow the label instructions. I was prescribed hydrocodone. And I

> > had cephalexin to take as my antibiotic. I went home and proceeded

> to

> > take the meds as instructed. They weren't cutting the pain so I

> kept

> > changing the frequency between the meds and tried a couple

> different

> > combinations- giving each a day or so to even out and start

> helping.

> > Nothing did. Finally I could no longer bear it- the pain wasn't

> > helped enough for the med to last for the 3 or 4 hour duration

> until

> > the next dose was due. Forget about sleeping through the night, let

> > alone over sleeping by an hour. Sunday morning my mother called and

> > spoke to the afterhours resident. First he mentioned that I could

> > take a lot more motrin with the present dose of the hydrocodone.

> Then

> > he prescribed percocet instead of the hydrocodone because I was

> > convinced it wasn't helping and needed something  better. He never

> > mentioned taking more of the motrin with the new pain med. When my

> > mom picked up the meds, the pharmacist mentioned that I could take

> > more motrin at a time- 2 pills instead of one every 4 hours. So I

> > started on my merry way with the new meds and routine. They seemed

> to

> > help more, but definitely didn't help beyond their 4 hour scope. (I

> > have not slept more than three hours together since before my

> surgery

> > last Weds 3/9.) I am ragged at this point.

> >

> > Then, Monday evening, after the Doctor's office had already closed,

> I

> > noticed an itchy rash all over my body. I looked at the

> prescription

> > information that came with each med. Only the hydrocodone that I

> had

> > discontinued the day before and the antibiotic listed skin

> > rash/itching as adverse/allergic reactions.  So, I called the after

> > hours number again and spoke with the same resident doctor. He

> > advised that I switch back to the original pain medication and

> > reitterated that I take the increased dose of motrin as well. So, I

> > started that. I mentioned to him that the newer pain medication

> > mentioned nothing about skin rash or itching as a side effect, but

> > that only the antibiotic I was on did. He said that I was fine

> before

> > and the only change was with switching the pain med, so I should

> > switch back and that he'd call in the morning to check my progress.

> > Well, as the night progressed, the rash spread and worsened

> becoming

> > oh so much itchier. (One place where I have the rash is my upper

> arms

> > and underarms. You can imagine what I look like when I am

> scratching

> > myself there- banana anyone??) So, I called my doctor's office in

> the

> > morning. He said it WAS probably the antibiotic and to discontinue

> > THAT, and in its place he'd prescribe another. He also asked how

> the

> > pain meds were going and asked " you've been taking 4 motrin every 4

> > hours, right? " WHAT?!?!?! WHAT!?!?!?! I started to melt..... I told

> > him only since yesterday, explaining that I had NEVER been

> instructed

> > to take that many at my discharge- that I was only instructed to

> > follow the label directions. He repies that " Oh, no. That wouldn't

> > begin to scratch the surface. Furthermore, that motrin is more

> > important than the narcotic in regulating your comfort because it

> > helps so much with the inflammation. " I am dying at that for the

> > amount of pain I have suffered NEEDLESSLY the for past 5 days and

> for

> > the amount of sleep I have lost and how both have been to the

> > detriment of my healing. He proceeds to tell me I should have

> called.

> > HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW!?!?!!? I kept trying to change things. I

> > didn't want to bother them with such a question if I could simply

> > tweak what I was doing and resolve it myself. I didn't know how

> much

> > pain I should reasonably expect to be in. I was following their

> > instructions. Simply put, I DIDN'T KNOW. and furthermore, NO ONE

> TOLD

> > ME. I told him that I was never given those instructions at my

> > discharge....

> >

> > YOu guys!!!  I feel SO upset and depressed! I Just can't get over

> > what I have gone through and how much I have been hurting and

> feeling

> > beyond miserable but enduring everything- ALL FOR NOTHING because

> no

> > one thought my comfort was important enough to ensure I got the

> > correct instructions. When I got off of the phone I melted into a

> > puddle of sobbing and tears. I just can't believe it. I have felt

> so

> > Horrible and all for nothing. I have felt so terrible when I didn't

> > need to be feeling terrible. I never had to feel that way, I could

> > have had such a better time of it. I just am so upset. I can barely

> > stop crying and feeling so pathetically sorry for myself.... My

> eyes

> > tear up everytime I think of what I have been through for no

> reason.

> > Some else was lazy at my expense. I am just so exhausted and now

> > completely emotionally battered as well as physically.

> > Thank you for listening to my pity party....

> > katja

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >