Apologising for being sick!

[Pipido36]

I don't know if this has happened to any of you? I had a rough night with chest pain, neck pain, tinnitus, headache, shoulder and arm pain, sweats and vertigo! Ended up going to A&E. The nurse I saw first was so rude and told me that I was wasting their time coz I was not sick! She said she was sending me home or I had to go to a walk in centre. She was asking me what Lupus was and Empty Sella syndrome was. She said from looking at me my pain score must be a 4 over 7 without asking me! Told me that did not give me the right to just come to A&E for treatment. i explained to her how I was feeling and apologised for coming there. She shouted at me saying I had to go! I felt so embarrassed and so stupid and because of the pain could not say anything more but just say "I am so sorry, it's ok I can go". The doctor overhead and came in. He looked at my papers and told me to take a sit whilst he finished with another patient. Later he saw me and I apologised again! Lol I think I had lost the plot! He said he was the one who had to apologise. Anyway ended up getting treatment for not being sick! My right side is inflamed and my inner ear and neck which is why I was having that pain and not forgetting I also have Fibro! Thanks to such a lovely doctor. Got treatment at last!!

[Hidden]

Hope you are feeling better. It's hard enough dealing with being ill but there is something particularly hurtful about being spoken to so harshly by the very people meant to look after us. Thank goodness for compassionate medical staff, like your doctor, who take the time to listen first. Maybe she had had a rough night - Saturdays in A&E must be hell - but still no reason for being so insulting.

[Pipido36 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the reply. I thought she must have had a bad night as well! But anyway it won't put me down as I know there are compassionate people out there. I guess this job needs people with long hearts! it's only that you don't expect it from people who are supposed to be helping us! Anyway thanks and take care and keep on keeping on! X

[Hidden in reply to Pipido36]

How awful for you - what a relief that the good doctor overheard.

I had a horrible experience with a nurse after a gallbladder operation in July. I was flaring having not been able to take my Prednisolone that day and the anaesthetic had worn off and I'd been given Oramorph. At 4am I rang the bell because I was desperate for a pee but too pained to move by myself. The nurse came and told me that if I needed to pee I'd just have to move wouldn't I - unplugged my drip and almost threw my shoes at me then walked off! Like you I apologised and managed to get up somehow - passed out in the corridor. I was helped up by a fellow patient who was wearing nothing from the waist down!

I live in a very small place but did complain about this nasty nurse later to the ward sister when I was back in for a wound infection and she told me off for apologising! I saw the nasty nurse in Tesco the other day and she glared at me so I think she had a row from her boss!

I was also subjected to a very brutal young SHO who was just about to leave to work in Manchester A&E. She shoved a cannula into a vein in my hand despite my protests and even a loud scream of pain! The good doctors and nurses are in the majority I've found but nothing compensates for a bad experience when you are vulnerable.

[Whathappned]

Hi

So sorry to hear about your ordeal with a dreadful nurse. I hope she got an official reprimand. Was she actually trained as she certainly wasn't following her Code of conduct.

I used to think was a code of conduct really needed but obviously some people are in the job who shouldn't be.

We all get tired, have bad days and there are cases that we don't understand the diagnosis but who was she to decide if you where Ill or in pain especially if she had no knowledge of your illness.

It really makes me mad. It gives all those in the profession a bad name when really they are working with their backs against the wall in this modern NHS and they do care.

[Pipido36 in reply to Whathappned]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I am still in pain though feel I got the treatment I needed after that. I thought so myself that maybe some people do this job without enough knowledge! My children where fuming and said they are going to file a complaint. I am not sure why she said that coz there where a lot of people who had come in with headaches and chest pains but she decided to give me a go. Anyway she is one in a million, there are a lot of professional and caring people out there! Let's keep on keeping on! X

[Djlr]

Here in the States, doctors only get one hour of Lupus training. I went to my GP and was talking with my Nurse and told her I'd ask SLE - she asked me, " what is that "?

That's sad when we have to explain to my doctors and nurses what we have and then we have to help them to come up with our treatments.

I understand, Lupus affects everybody in such different ways it is so hard to pin down, but at least they should be trained on it in medical school !