Rheumy nurse made me cry!!!: Wow what a day! After I... - NRAS

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Rheumy nurse made me cry!!!

Phoo2 profile image
25 Replies

Wow what a day! After I left my emergency appt at Kings , I was a blubbering, sobbing wreck!

I had a horrendous flare up on sat. Couldn't move the whole left side of my body and started steroids upon the advice of my mother in law, who is a nurse and also has rA. Well she told me off for that. She told me I should have gone to a and e ! Never in my 25 years of having this condition have I ever been advised that! She also told me off for wasting injections. I had one problem which wasn't my fault and she is telling me off! I haven't wasted any injections for 15 years!

When you are terrified that your injections aren't working and you might have to take more time off work due to ill health , I really didn't need her unsympathetic uncaring attitude. I said I would do what ever I needed to to work again. This time last year, Kings college hospital left me in agony for 9 months and I was unable to work for 7 moths. I never want to be in that position again so have some spare prednisolone in case . It is horrible knowing that you are completely reliant on the drugs that these people prescribe. Absolutely terrifying.....as I am sure you know!

Well we left it that I come off steroids slowly to see if humid a is working.( fingers crossed) and I left and made a formal complaint about her ( after I had stopped crying!!) I feel better now!!!!!

Hope u guys having a good day😊😊

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Phoo2
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25 Replies
Matilda_1922 profile image
Matilda_1922

I'm sorry to hear you are feeling unwell together with no support by the nurse specialist.

Hope your complaint works you shouldn't be spoken to like that. This illness is bad enough without extra stress from your nurse as well

popsmith1874 profile image
popsmith1874

Hi you done the right thing in complaining, I know the nurses are overworked and under paid but there is know way they should be treating patients in that manner as it's bad enough trying to deal with this disease, hope your feeling a bit better now, chin up and keep fighting xxx

Phoo2 profile image
Phoo2 in reply to popsmith1874

Thank u lovely people . I just felt so powerless and out of control - it was horrible - thanks for making it slightly better 😀😀

Lesley_1 profile image
Lesley_1 in reply to Phoo2

Invisible illness is horrible. My OWN 30 year old daughter who had been having a bad day accused me of not really being sick at all and that if I chose to I could lose weight and be more of a help to her! Still feeling devastated over my own child not getting it

Gnarli profile image
Gnarli

I reckon a lot here have had similar experiences. I know we can all have bad days but infantalising, belittling and disbelieving frightened and suffering people is just plain cruel. Health care professionals who behave like this should be ashamed at their lack of simple humanity. Huge hugs

J

Phoo2 profile image
Phoo2 in reply to Gnarli

I just think that's the way she is - clinical , mechanical , eager to get things done without any real understanding about the patient . A real jobs worth !!!

Gnarli profile image
Gnarli in reply to Phoo2

She misses so much...

sylvi profile image
sylvi

You might want to report her the hospital P.A.L.S. department. Tell them about her useless attitude.xxx

KayEP profile image
KayEP

So sorry you had to go through that. Hopefully, you will get to see another Nurse on your next visit. I had a similar experience, in France, with a young Rheumy who told me that it wasn't really urgent that I had a cortisone injection in my wrist when I was going through a major flare. I walked out in tears and consequently found myself a new Rheumatologist.

Beverley-NRAS profile image
Beverley-NRAS

Hi phoo,

like everyone else, so sorry and appalled by the way the nurse treated you. There are no excuses. They are professional people and should behave as such no matter how their day is going. It comes with the job.

Glad you are feeling better.

Beverley

Phoo2 profile image
Phoo2

Thank u guys for such lovely comments. I have been a bit of a wreck all day and wondering if I overreacted. But the more I think about it the more I thought, goodness just use your common sense!!!!!!!! The injections weren't working, I was going to have more time off work ( unpaid as I used up all my sick pay last year when it took me 6 months to get a prescription for steroids) which I cannot afford to do neither do I want to sit at home and feel sorry for myself!

Also she prescribed me steroids anyway so I just saved myself 3 days of agony and so why was she such a cow?!!!!!! I just used my common sense! Blooming jobs worth..... Xxxxx

Hope u guys having ok day 😄

Phoo2 profile image
Phoo2

I am literally in tears today reading through your comments cos that nurse shattered my confidence and as I am sure u know - sometimes when the meds aren't working ( this has been going on since July last year!!) it can seem like u r living in a nightmare...they work for a while.... Then they fail.....then u try new drugs and they have nasty side effects..and then you can't tolerate them so u have to go through a wash out period etc etc!!!..I know that there are MANY MANY people who are far worse off then me and I know I should consider myself lucky to be recieving free health care, access to great expensive drugs. etc, but at the end of the day, day to day life is difficult for me and so many of us ......and our difficulties should not be ignored or belittled

xxxx

Sweetheart0377 profile image
Sweetheart0377 in reply to Phoo2

Totally agree with you there hun, they have no idea what we go through and how hard times are when you can't even do the simplest of tasks . If anything they should admire us as we are going through hell with this condition and are still determined to carry on dealing with every chores as best we can , I bet half of them couldn't deal with what we deal with . People are so judgemental it's horrible , but just remember had you not gone through all them rough times it wouldn't of made you into the strong and compassionate lady you are today . So chin up Hun and don't let other people's opinions and views knock you down . Xx

Phoo2 profile image
Phoo2 in reply to Sweetheart0377

Double kisses❤️❤️

Damaged profile image
Damaged

That just SUCKS. Like you do not have enough to deal with. Follow through on your complaint. Ensure she does not do this to anyone else. I am so sorry you had to face that from 'care giver'. I am beginning to feel my treatment is far worse than this disease. Keep hanging in there. It is hard to keep working with this situation. Not knowing from one day to the next how you will feel. I hope the rest of your week is better for you. Big 🤗

Vonnie10 profile image
Vonnie10

The cow that's all I'm saying

Vonnie10 profile image
Vonnie10

Ring the matron who is over that team, switch The main phone operated will give you her number .

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17

Gentle hugs and so sorry this nurse had a bad attitude. I refused to see one several years ago as she phoned me up and called me a liar when she couldn't find my blood test results, accusing me of never having been for them! Also I asked for some advice on stopping Sulphasalazine when I was due a GA for a gynae procedure and she was so agitated and annoyed and screamed at me over the phone. "You've phoned me to ask me that??" I told her I didn't want to deal with her again. She was too volatile and shrieky and never answered your questions anyhow. I used to hate seeing her. Was ecstatic when she retired. The consultant asked me why I wouldn't see her again so I told my rheumy the truth. She was not happy. If this is a one off for you to experience her being so rude, Phoo then maybe her manager could have a word, but if it's all the time then higher up the chain need to know. xx

FionaHerts profile image
FionaHerts

This is why this site is so important. Many here will understand exactly why you are so upset, the hell of living through a bad Rheumatoid flare, the fear of it returning and why you are so upset at your nurse's uncaring and unprofessional attitude.

It's a shame Rheumatoid nurses can't be recruited who have the condition themselves, then they'd understand!

Hope you are feeling better very soon.

Vonnie10 profile image
Vonnie10 in reply to FionaHerts

I fully agree there under pressure but there is no excuse for bad manners I would be hauled over the goals by my manager if I was rude to anyone and rightly so.

Birthdaygirl profile image
Birthdaygirl

Hi

Sorry to read about your experiences. My previous Rh Nurse told me that if the consultant or her ever suspected that I was not taking my medication correctly 'they would wash their hands of me'. I remember feeling very fearful. Diagnosed late and nearly in a wheelchair and about to embark on a dangerous drug regime I was being threatened.

Who has empowered these people to speak to patients like this? It is clearly not just one hospital.

I was not as brave as you at the time. Well done. I hope your story inspires others to speak up and say no to bullying and unacceptable behaviour by people who should be caring for us, respecting us and not making us cry.

BG

Phoo2 profile image
Phoo2 in reply to Birthdaygirl

Kings hospital sent me an apology today and they will let matron of rheumatology aware so she is talked to. Happy days!!!

Now to deal with the terror of poss my 3rd injection not working ...... one day at a day yeah???!!!! Hope u all well x

Sweetheart0377 profile image
Sweetheart0377 in reply to Phoo2

Nice one , I hope they gave her a good telling off . Xxx

Birthdaygirl profile image
Birthdaygirl in reply to Phoo2

Well that's good news. I am really glad you shared your story as it stops us thinking we are alone with these sort of situations in our individual hospitals. Really hope the next injection goes well for you. Best wishes BG

Vonnie10 profile image
Vonnie10 in reply to Phoo2

Made up for you❤️

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