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CJBJr	May-19-00, 02:30 PM (CMT)
"Paging Dr. Psyduck to the ER..."
I am writing this time in reply to gvanbeek's "Make Family Doctors Accountable" thread, and Judy's (Candles') "answer to gvanbeek" thread. And I'm hoping that Dr. Psyduck, the only recent contributor to this forum who has identified himself as a doctor, can help us understand the perspective on treatment of migraine that comes from a doctor's training and experience. Because I firmly believe that, with that understanding, we can, collectively, do something to improve our treatment in Emergency Rooms. I, like others among you, have young children -- a girl of 7 who has started to get migraines this year, and a boy of 2 who hasn't got them -- yet. My wife recently reminded me, when I was feeling both hopeless AND useless, that one thing I CAN do for them (besides life insurance) is to be there to understand what they're going through when they start having these cursed things. But all these accounts of mistreatment of migraineurs in Emergency Rooms are inspiring me to want to do something more for my Munchkins. I don't want THEM to EVER have to experience the things that have happened to so many of us in the ER! For ANYONE to be treated that way is simply NOT ACCEPTABLE!! But, more to the point, the more I've thought about it, for anyone to be treated that way seems to be SO UNNECESSARY. It seems that, if ER doctors had the right information, they wouldn't do the stuff I've experienced myself -- and read about in this forum. Someone, in a reply on this forum that I can't seem to find now, suggested that the solution is for us to carry letters from our neurologists (or Primary Care Physicians) to the ER. My PCP told me that ER doctors aren't allowed to simply perform the treatment someone else lays out in a letter -- they HAVE TO examine us and decide AT THE TIME what is to be done (is this true?). But, even so, such a letter could at least establish us as chronic migraine patients and describe what treatment has been effective in the past (since giving ER Docs access to our records seems to be too complicated for everyone involved). Is there any reason that such letters couldn't be used to identify us and RECOMMEND treatment? On a related theme, I've heard that the painful but ubiquitous test of shining a flashlight into our eyes to examine our retinas is a way of objectively determining whether we have a migraine. Is this true? If true, is it accurate and reliable as a method of determining who is and who isn't a migraine patient? Of course, identifying us as migraineurs is only half of the problem. The ER docs then have to decide what to do with us. However, I don't know of anyone who questions that dark, stillness, and quiet are extremely important to someone in the throws of a migraine -- not to mention the human dignity issue of NOT having to sit in front of a roomful of people with a vomiting basin in your lap. I also don't see any reason why such treatment should be controversial -- it doesn't involve any drugs at all. So why couldn't access to a dark, quiet, PRIVATE room while awaiting other treatment be a STANDARD Emergency Room procedure for migraine patients? Then, of course, there is the whole issue of pain medication. Do ER doctors REALLY see that many people who are seeking drugs for pleasure rather than for pain relief? (And don't even addicts deserve pain relief!) However, it seems to me that more is going on here than an inability to identify "legitimate" migraine patients. There seems to be a great deal of reluctance to use the most effective medications for pain EVEN WHEN THEY ARE CLEARLY WARRANTED! Not to mention a GREAT DEAL of ignorance on the subject of addiction (gvanbeek: you couldn't POSSIBLY be addicted to Demerol in 3 days!). And a great deal of ignorance about HOW to use pain meds -- most of the times I have been given them, I've been sent home after they've worn off and left me (at best) where I was when I arrived hours before. Common sense would indicate that ER doctors would be the ones who are MOST knowledgeable about pain medication! WHAT IS GOING ON HERE (and what can be done about it)? Lastly, I think it is important for US to follow up on bad treatment. I've experienced myself and read stories in this forum of people being treated less humanely than even hard core drug addicts deserve. I've also read of people being LIED to by ER doctors (in order to justify denying them treatment) after their own doctors had been consulted by the ER doctor. But how often do we call the ER doctors on this behavior? I've read in this forum about ERs being successfully sued for this kind of thing -- and one case of that affecting hospital policy for the better. I think there are CERTAINLY cases which justify lawsuits, but why should we have to SUE to get hospitals to do what they should be doing anyway? There MUST be other things we can do short of lawsuits that would effectively call ER doctors on some of the more egregious things that have happened to us all? I ALWAYS complain to my Primary Care Physician, he ALWAYS agrees that I have been mistreated, and NOTHING every comes of it! What else can we do? I really hope Dr. Psyduck will reply to this message -- I think we need a medical perspective on what it is about doctor training and experiences that lead people to do these things to us. But, of course, I also hope ANYONE with thoughts on this subject will reply. Together, there must be SOMETHING we can do so that our kids don't have to go through what we have been through! In the meanwhile, I remain Your servant, Carl
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refering to the letter, painfullintx, May-19-00, (1) RE: Paging Dr. Psyduck to the ER..., Candles, May-19-00, (3) RE: Paging Dr. Psyduck to the ER..., Candles, May-19-00, (6) RE: Paging Dr. Psyduck to the ER..., CJBJr, May-19-00, (7) RE: Paging Dr. Psyduck to the ER..., CJBJr, May-20-00, (8) RE: Paging Dr. Psyduck to the ER..., Candles, May-20-00, (9)

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Messages in this topic

painfullintx	May-19-00, 05:42 PM (CMT)
1. "refering to the letter"
It is not a letter that I carry with me it is an actuall prescriptian. The drs in the er told me without a presc. they would not treat me any more so I asked my neuro for a pres. It is on file with the hospital I visit most and I have the actual pres. I carry with me at all times if I am out of town. So far I have never had any trouble getting the medication my neuro wants me to have which is a narcotic shot and pheneregen. Basically he knows I only go to the er when I can't stand any more. So it is worht a try. Now when I go to the hospital here in the town I live in I very rarely see the dr. the nurses call him tell him who I am and read my chart. Now if there is a difference in my headache he will come straight down. It has been a god send and has made me feel more at ease in going to the er. It was just a suggestion is all it works for me so it wouldn't hurt for someone else to try it too. Right?? Well wishing ya'll all pain free days ahead. Patti
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Candles	May-19-00, 06:41 PM (CMT)
3. "RE: Paging Dr. Psyduck to the ER..."
Dear Carl, I feel you expressed many of our Migraine friends frustrations. It is now 2000 and time to help the understanding of Migraineuers plight!We are forming in large numbers a group of people who have been misstreated both physically and emotionally.We are gathering our facts and our heartbreaking true life stories. Just as The Cancer Patients and MS Foundations(J's Kids) and even AIDS we have rights to be treated with dignity and compassion and it is time to change the minds and definately the hearts of those who WE PAY DEARLY for their services.They can stretch their personal beliefs in every other direction and put aside their own opinions and treat with dignity those of us that have a crisis with personal pain during a time when we go half blind -choke on our own vomit-loose feeling on one side of our body-have memory loss and slurred speech-see flashes of lights and get stabbing pain in our eyes, ears and then include the entire head keeping a pain cycle all its own like a big base drum and we look dazed and bewildered because trying to hear and understand when fighting to control vommiting all over their pretty white coats and not just start screaming in front of all the innocent old people and young children in the waiting arena-yes arena like early Christians tortured and blinded and wounded and then they let the lions loose to chew on them awhile and then after the ordeal if not dead a final blow! Well troops, that pretty well describes it doesn't it?I think it reminds me of a trip to the ER!We cannot see and lights and wavey lines and tunnel vision and large black spots the size of silver dollars blind so only the outer rim of sight is visible.Pardon me if I stagger I have had NO Drugs at all but after 7 days and nights without sleep I am dehydrated and weak-not drunk thank you-and I can not hear but parts of what you are saying. My teeth hurt. My face hurts! M back and ribs hurt from throwing up so hard! My ears roar like thunder and I feel as if someone hit me from behind with a base-ball bat!I feel there is a rail road spike in my left eye and another one being pounded into the front of my head by a lumber jack! The pain in my jaw makes my teeth chatter and each time I feel the need to scream I am asked-my social security number-my insurance and fifty other prime questions that have absolutely nothing to do with this Migraine other than allergies which I can see and Insurance which like death and taxes is important and does pretain to the situation.(I do not pretend to know how to spell even without a Migraine but they always ask me to do math-which I do not even attempt to balance my check book when having one of these or any other time as a matter of fact-can I? Yes!Do I? No!Why hasn't someone done a documentary on a Migraine sufferer? Because the average person CAN'T STAND TO WATCH IT!How do you expect us to LIVE IT? A GOOD Dr. does not have to be perfect but kind would be good here even just nice.I know personality is not required but it would be very welcomed to the Mig patient.This has to be a new beginning for us who suffer this way!We have to make this world a better place before we go and now is the time for our children's sakes.Good to hear from you Carl-glad you are ok-keep up the good work-we do need each voice! Candles
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	Candles	May-19-00, 07:50 PM (CMT)
	6. "RE: Paging Dr. Psyduck to the ER..."
	Carl, I owe you an apology for messing up your post. I had one of those buddy IM things come on and I was awaiting news (my brothers bone scan is cancer) and I almost dropped my mouse and in that instant that my Niece was telling me that news I was trying to grab the mouse and grasp what I was reading so I sent my contribution way too many times sorry-very sorry and please excuse me everyone.I cannot tell you how embarrased I am. We are under a weather watch and of course I have a Mig.I'll go away now.Excuse me and thank you! Candles(Judy)
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	CJBJr	May-19-00, 08:45 PM (CMT)
	7. "RE: Paging Dr. Psyduck to the ER..."
	No lasting harm done, Judy, but WHEN YOU FEEL BETTER (you sound AWFUL!) would you be so kind as to remove the extra copies of your message, so if other folks do reply they won't have to scroll down so far to see their replies? Wishing you some relief SOON(!!), I remain Your servant, Carl
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	CJBJr	May-20-00, 00:55 AM (CMT)
	8. "RE: Paging Dr. Psyduck to the ER..."
	Judy: When I read your (last) message the first time, I didn't register what you said about your brother having cancer. I'M SO SORRY! Has it been caught in time? I pray his prognosis is good... On the other hand, I think I misread the part of your first message where you were describing going to the ER as a description of what is happening to you NOW. Your description was so harrowing it reminded me of James Joyce's description of Hell in "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", so I hope I was wrong about it describing your current condition! Please don't be embarrassed about the multiple messages -- that's actually a fairly common occurrence (mice are tricky little beggars at the best of times). And not to worry if you can't delete the extra copies! Last, but not least, don't "go away"! You seem already to have become a mainstay of this forum! Until I hear from you again, I have, I hope, the honour to remain, Your humble servant, Carl
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	Candles	May-20-00, 01:39 PM (CMT)
	9. "RE: Paging Dr. Psyduck to the ER..."
	Dear Carl, Thank God for your ability to verbalize everything so well-you really are so eloquent. Never even for a moment think about not being around for you children(munchkins as you call them).No one could take your place with them ever.Your wife sounds very supportive and wise and full of love for you. If all that is not enough I KNOW we need your voice in this fight to give DIGNITY to Mig sufferers everywhere.I am hearing from all over the world-South Africa this morning and other wonderfull places in Canada and Australlia! What a wonderful day and age we live in. I know we have a good reason to ban together and bring attention to this problem which has issues to be dealt with and help change the worlds idea of what Mig Sufferers are all about. The struggle to live as close to normal as possible.To embrace each Mig suffering person with our loving encouragement and let them know there will be a new dawn & a new day for all of us soon. The world has changed in everyway except when it comes to this. Did you know that in ancient times they would bore holes in the heads of people with these terrible headaches? Isn't that scary? The were trying to let the "evil spirits" out! Well,thank you for understanding the messages and I guess they will remain posted because I tried to E-Mail Ronda and get them removed and they are still here today so big UH OH!My earler post was about what kind of headache past I had. Like the Christmas past in "SCROOGE" that is my new name for ER Dr.s when they are less than kind to our fellow Mig ones. Hope you are pain free today. God bless you and your family, Candles(Judy from Texas)
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