I'll be heading to the ER later on today (long)

mismaris777

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First off, I want to apologize if any of this doesn't exactly make sense, because I am kinda delirious with this headache.

My head has been constantly hurting, to the point of severe nausea, since I woke up this morning. It hurt before this, but for some reason it's a LOT worse now. So, I think I'm gonna b heading to the hospital this evening (again, man do I just luv those hospitals
). The crappy part is that I just saw one of my neurosurgeons yesterday and he made an adjustment on my shunt (it magnetic). He also had me get some x-rays of the shunt because I went 4-wheeling and was paranoid that I messed it up lol. The adjustment he made on my shunt was so small, not nearly enough to cause this drastic of a change so suddenly. The worst part is that my mom can't drive me until she gets off of work at 4. I sure as heck can't drive myself, and if I were to call an ambulance they wouldn't take me all the way out to the hospital where my neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, and all other doctors are (whenever I'm in the hospital they all come to see me so it's important that I go to that hospital). They would only take me to a local hospital where they would just pump me with painkillers and send me on my way. At least at the other hospital they will most likely admit me to the neuro unit (along with pump me with pain meds, thank god
). I have this gut feeling that something is wrong with my shunt again. Whenever I've had a gut feeling in the past, I've usually been right. The worst part of all of this is that if I get admitted, my doctor is going to have me get a cysternogram (it's like a spinal tap, but they do it in radiology and insert dye into the spine) and those hurt like a 'female dog'. I don't know what I'll do if I have to have another surgery for this dang shunt- I've had enough and I'm emotionally, mentally and physically drained. I could barely pour food into the cats' dishes this morning (they weren't too happy about that).

I don't know what I'm going to do until 4- I shouldn't take any more of my pain meds until these wear off, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it without. I'm already lying flat on the sofa with all the blinds closed, ice pack on forehead and/or on back of neck, and with TV in the background as a distraction. And my dad is in Cincinatti till Friday night, so my mom is the one that has to do everything and she is NOT good with any kind of stress at ALL.

I don't know how I'm gonna make it through the day! My head hurts so bad

*I'll just add that I have checked with some of my doctors and pharmacist in the past about doubling up on certain meds, and they have said it's OK in an emergency situation.
 

catfriend

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I am so sorry you are suffering like this. Can your mom get emergency leave to help you?
 

snake_lady

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simplest form: This SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is there anyway you can get to the hospital earlier? A cab or friend or something?

I can completely relate to the emotional, physical, mental drain.... it SUCKS.

I hope if you can't get in sooner, that the day goes by quickly for you


Keep venting if it helps, many of us (may not have the same issue) but have been there....
 
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mismaris777

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Originally Posted by Catfriend

I am so sorry you are suffering like this. Can your mom get emergency leave to help you?
Not really, she'd probably lose her job. She's a daycare instructor and there's like a big field trip or something today that she's in charge of. Plus she's taken off so many times in the past for me so that wouldn't work.

Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

simplest form: This SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is there anyway you can get to the hospital earlier? A cab or friend or something?

I can completely relate to the emotional, physical, mental drain.... it SUCKS.

I hope if you can't get in sooner, that the day goes by quickly for you


Keep venting if it helps, many of us (may not have the same issue) but have been there....
I was thinking of a cab, but since I'm kinda going in and out of pain right now, I don't think it would be a good idea to go on my own.

I'm doing quite a bit better now that the medication has kicked in (thank GOD!). At least now I'm able to sit at the computer comfortably, get some food down, and watch some Roseanne on TV
. Hopefully this lasts until my mom gets here!

I'm sure if something came up, like I was passing out or something bad, she would leave her work.
 

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Chris is right - this sucks.
I'm glad the pain meds have kicked in, and I hope the day passes really quickly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Laurie
 

esrgirl

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Many ambulance services will do private transports- and they should take you to whichever hospital you would like to go to. You might try calling a non-emergency number and checking into it.
 

lorie d.

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I'm really glad your pain meds have kicked in. What I don't understand is why an ambulance wouln't take you to the hospital where all your neuro doctors are especially if you might need to be admited? Taking you to any old local hospital where you won't get adequate care just doesn't make any sense to me.
 
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mismaris777

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Originally Posted by Lorie D.

I'm really glad your pain meds have kicked in. What I don't understand is why an ambulance wouln't take you to the hospital where all your neuro doctors are especially if you might need to be admited? Taking you to any old local hospital where you won't get adequate care just doesn't make any sense to me.
I've tried this before... They charge you to drive you all the way to a hospital of your choice- they charge by mile, and it's a lot per mile and considering the hospital is like 30 miles away, mmmm nope. I don't have $1000 to spend. Especially since there are a few hospitals within like 15 miles of my house that have impressive neuro units, they figure that I could just go there if it's an "emergency" and I will get "adequate" care. It doesn't help that EMT's and paramedics that have been to my house are always the same ones that come, and they know that I did have a neurosurgeon for a couple years that did my initial surgeries at a local hospital, so they will just say to go back there since he's an A+ doctor as well (it's sad, medical personnel in my town already know me lol!) And technically, since it's not a life-threatening emergency, the only way for me to get admitted to the neuro unit @ Waukesha Memorial is to either go through the ER, trauma, or day surgery.

Ambulance companies don't make any sense to me at ALL- I'm still being chased by a collection agency for like $480 or something for a transport that happened almost a year ago, and something that I had absolutely no control over. It was a mandatory transport, and they want me to pay for it. uh-uh!

My health insurance is really good, but not good enough to go after and fight the ambulance companies. Everyone knows that health insurance in the states isn't exactly "ideal" at the moment
.

On another note... I had a little moment where I wasn't doing too good like two hours ago when all the pain stuff had worn off, but I just took one of my other pain meds (lasts longer, makes me feel a little "loopy" lol) and I can just feel it kicking in again so I should be good for awhile
. I still need to take a shower, which I've been putting off cuz it hurts when I'm up. But luckily within the next 2 hours I should be on my way to the hospital. I'm just hoping that they do admit me to the unit, not just dope me up and send me on my way. My doctors don't like when they give me pain meds like that since I have such a high tolerance.

I'm still having some doubts about whether or not I should go to the hospital. I know I probably should, but it's kinda a matter of money and whether or not it's emergent or I can live with it. As long as I have some relief from pain meds, it's not emergent. But I can't stay on pain meds consistently, as it's just building up my tolerance more than it already is. I guess part of me is scared to go, since everytime I've gone it's always resulted in something bad. I think I just expect to go there one day and say "fix me" and have them fix me 100%, which is extremely unrealistic and will most likely never, ever happen. I would never wish this on anyone, even my worst enemies (and trust me, I can be a mean, devious person
).

(sorry that was soooo long, I need to work on my rambling
)
 

larussa

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This is terrible for you and I hope you will be feeling better soon. I have suffered with headaches most of my life with migraines thrown in also. Feel better soon.
 
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mismaris777

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I really don't know whether or not I should go to the hospital today- at the moment, I'm feeling fine. But I'm almost sure that in the morning I will feel like crap again. I don't want to go into the ER saying that I feel fine, but I may feel bad again in the morning. And I really can't wait till tomorrow again, because my mom works and the same thing will happen all over again. Should I go and just say how I've been feeling lately? I mean, this morning I really thought that I was going to die from the pain. Oh, I really am conflicted in what I should do.
 

snake_lady

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Originally Posted by mismaris777

I really don't know whether or not I should go to the hospital today- at the moment, I'm feeling fine. But I'm almost sure that in the morning I will feel like crap again. I don't want to go into the ER saying that I feel fine, but I may feel bad again in the morning. And I really can't wait till tomorrow again, because my mom works and the same thing will happen all over again. Should I go and just say how I've been feeling lately? I mean, this morning I really thought that I was going to die from the pain. Oh, I really am conflicted in what I should do.
Can you call your doc and ask? If not, I would still go....yes you may be ok right now, but you went thru something horrible this morning, and you have a gut feeling it could be your shunt which could be very serious.

Please keep us posted.
 
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mismaris777

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Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

Can you call your doc and ask? If not, I would still go....yes you may be ok right now, but you went thru something horrible this morning, and you have a gut feeling it could be your shunt which could be very serious.

Please keep us posted.
My doctor always just says that if I have that severe of a headache, then I should go to the ER and there is nothing that they can do at that particular moment. I would just feel horrible if I went in though and made my parents pay for that and then have everything turn out to be fine, and have nothing be wrong. It's happened before, and I know I will never hear the end of it from my father.
 

snake_lady

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Originally Posted by mismaris777

My doctor always just says that if I have that severe of a headache, then I should go to the ER and there is nothing that they can do at that particular moment. I would just feel horrible if I went in though and made my parents pay for that and then have everything turn out to be fine, and have nothing be wrong. It's happened before, and I know I will never hear the end of it from my father.
Is there any way at all, that you could arrange someone to take you tommorrow if the need arises? ( a neighbour, friend, anyone?)

Could the shunt adjustment possibly have caused this episode?

I do understand what you mean about going in fine, and feeling guilty if there is nothing wrong. I really don't know what I'd do....well, I know what I would do but I don't know that I'd recommend it in your case because your situation is different. I'm no help.

I'd consider staying home if you can arrange a back up plan for if it happens tomorrow....
 

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Originally Posted by mismaris777

I really don't know whether or not I should go to the hospital today- at the moment, I'm feeling fine. But I'm almost sure that in the morning I will feel like crap again. I don't want to go into the ER saying that I feel fine, but I may feel bad again in the morning. And I really can't wait till tomorrow again, because my mom works and the same thing will happen all over again. Should I go and just say how I've been feeling lately? I mean, this morning I really thought that I was going to die from the pain. Oh, I really am conflicted in what I should do.
I think you should absolutely go to the ER this evening. As you mentioned, the last thing you want is to repeat todays pain. Not that it compares, but one can have a throbbing toothache that may dissipate temporarily, but we know it is going to come back!
 

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I agree you should go just to get everything checked out. You feel better now....but how much pain meds did you take? I doubt you can feel much of anything right now! If there is a problem the meds are just masking the symptom not fixing the problem, which is what you needed at the time definitely! But, if you have a way now, I would go. Even if it costs to go in and find out it was just a freak thing, it's better than NOT going and waking up in even worse pain tomorrow and find out there IS something wrong.

Whatever you decide I hope you feel better soon!!
 

carolina

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Oh Honey - I am sorry you are going through this... for nothing to be wrong with your shunt...
I do have migraines, and today I had a day like yours... in severe pain and nausea, throwing up all day... ice packs all over my head... yuck...
When I am in critical pain like this, my doctor gives me an anti-inflammatory shot, and it works like a charm. I couldn't get one today, as I have no health insurance, so... But can you ask your doctor about it? If they won't do anything, and anti-inflammatory shot can work like a charm...
many many for you
 
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mismaris777

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Originally Posted by calico2222

I agree you should go just to get everything checked out. You feel better now....but how much pain meds did you take? I doubt you can feel much of anything right now! If there is a problem the meds are just masking the symptom not fixing the problem, which is what you needed at the time definitely! But, if you have a way now, I would go. Even if it costs to go in and find out it was just a freak thing, it's better than NOT going and waking up in even worse pain tomorrow and find out there IS something wrong.

Whatever you decide I hope you feel better soon!!
Well, I've taken enough medication to not have to deal with that headache, but not nearly enough to be dangerous or anything. So for the time being, it's a temporary fix. But it can't go on very long. I will be calling my doctor first thing in the morning and telling them what's going on, and hope that they have the x-ray results in. If not, I'll see what they say.

Originally Posted by carolinalima

Oh Honey - I am sorry you are going through this... for nothing to be wrong with your shunt...
I do have migraines, and today I had a day like yours... in severe pain and nausea, throwing up all day... ice packs all over my head... yuck...
When I am in critical pain like this, my doctor gives me an anti-inflammatory shot, and it works like a charm. I couldn't get one today, as I have no health insurance, so... But can you ask your doctor about it? If they won't do anything, and anti-inflammatory shot can work like a charm...
many many for you
I've never heard of an anti-inflammatory shot for headaches. Sounds like it might work. I doubt that my doctor would do that for me though if I mentioned it. He's very anti-medication lol. I bet it would help with my shoulder, too. It's very sore from lying down constantly. It doesn't matter what position I'm in, it still hurts. I can even feel a knot in the muscle where it hurts. I've had the heating pack on it all day. Man, if it's not one thing, it's another!
 
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