Ever been to the emergency room?

[microAmp]

Went to an ER on a Summer Saturday night at 11'ish PM. I felt like I had gas in the stomach that got progressively worse, started to become painful, couldn't stand up straight or lay down straight. Doctor started his test, wanted to do an X-Ray to see if it was appendix related had to drink some kind of orange liquid and wait a bit for it work through the system.

While waiting for that, he did his pressure test, my right side was painful when he pressed, not the left, back and forth. He figured my appendix busted and moved me into surgery on Sunday 1AM. My birthday gift to me, appendix had popped, 1 hour of surgery, 1 hour in post-OP, 1 week hospital stay since it got infected, then took another week off from week, Dr. allowed me to have up to 2 weeks, should have taken him up on the offer.

$17,000 for that, I only had to pay 10% of that with insurance coverage I had.

 

[vhx]

I've been twice. First when I broke my wrist back in the day. I went to a military hospital. I end up going into the emergency room, of course no one is at the desk in there. So I take a form to fill out, 15 minutes pass, no one there. Finally someone comes up and acts like I am an inconvenience, they take the paper, another 15 minutes pass. Finally someone calls for me, get taken to a room where I wait another 15 minutes. Doctor finally comes in, and discovers indeed my wrist is broken. Shocker! So they try to figure out what to do. At one point they were wanting me to actually go home with the broken wrist, and come back the next day. WTF? I wasn't having any of that. So they ended up drugging me up, then tell me it's possible the drugs could cause my heart to stop (goody!) but they inject me and tell me to count back from 10. I was thinking, I am not sleepy at all, or will it hit me all at once? I wonder if I can make it to 1! 10...9...8...7...6... la la land! They set my arm and put me in a sling until they could get a cast on me on some other day.

Second time I went I was in pain and peeing blood. Probably not a good sign. So we finally get to the hospital, fill out some forms. Some other person gets there after me, and goes in before me. Just what I love to do when in terrible pain, wait longer. Finally I get called back where they need a sample, which is basically pure blood. They tell me it's probably a kidney stone. Anyways they hook me up to an IV, spilling my blood all over the floor and almost making my mother faint in the process. They gave me two shots, one for pain, one for nausea caused by the pain one. They take blood and send me to MRI (I guess?) to scan me. Anyways spent maybe 2 hours there, before I was able to come back home. $5,000 bill. LOLZ They double charged me on some things and it has taken 5 months for me to get a hold of someone to confirm it. I have been told I'd be getting a refund, but it's been over a month, looks like I have to bother them again.

EDIT: I knew people that worked at the hospital... ahh the stories. Like how this guy passed out in the hospital area. So they call the ER section of the hospital (which is a hallway away), and they wouldn't come get him. What did they want them to do call 911? "Yeah, there is this passed out man in front of my window." "Where are you?" "Inside the hospital." "Uhh.... ok?". Anyways the guy eventually ended up waking up and walking off.

 

[mattpegher]

OP, Although your problem seems chronic in nature, the recent symptoms you describe could indicate a life threatening problem.

Get into the ER.
Realize they will check to see if any life theatening process is occurring and initiate any treatments that are necessary at the time. However, donot expect that they will be able to with certainty be able to determine why you have been sick. This may require the specialist to which you were referred to examine you and mostlikely to perform an endoscopy. This may or maynot be urgent.

As an ER physician, I often am able to exclude all the dangerous causes of someones symptoms yet not determine the true cause. Often, I am unable to find a reason to force a subspecialist to come in and see you or to have you admitted to the hospital. These other physicians are not under my control.

The ER is not a one-stop-shop. It is our job to find life threating disease and to stabilize and initiate treatment.

 

[narzy]

OP, go to an urgent care clinic, they are better able to help you, they will be able to take the time you need and should be able to get some lab work rolling for you. They can also check your iron levels and hydration levels and may give you an IV if the case warrants it. Probably not an ER case. Is your stool bloody? red or black tar looking? anemic doesn't necessarily mean your losing blood just means you have low iron. would be nice to know what is causing it however.

Also get a new Doctor, sounds like the practice you are seeing is ill equipped to deal with your issue.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
I put a Dremel with a sidecutter bit spinning at probably ~15k RPM through the palm of my left hand about a month ago. When it happened, I didn't really think much of it - I could look into the wound and see bone :Q but there wasn't much blood and it wasn't all that painful, so I put a band aid on and went about my business.

Maybe 9 - 10 hours later, I went to take a shower and noticed my whole hand was red and swelling up, hurt to make a fist, and the skin felt spongy (like there was air under it). So I checked myself into the ER. They gave me X-rays, an IV antibiotic, a tetanus shot, a prescription for a pill antibiotic to take for the next week, and some other stuff.

The ER bill came to $2100, plus over $500 for a hand specialist that I was referred to. I ended up paying ~115 total out of pocket when all was said and done - unless there are more bills that I just haven't received yet. Insurance covered the rest.

Ouch! I've always wondered what a spinning dremel disc could do to skin. I'm glad I'm not the one that found out for myself.

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
I put a Dremel with a sidecutter bit spinning at probably ~15k RPM through the palm of my left hand about a month ago. When it happened, I didn't really think much of it - I could look into the wound and see bone :Q but there wasn't much blood and it wasn't all that painful, so I put a band aid on and went about my business.

Maybe 9 - 10 hours later, I went to take a shower and noticed my whole hand was red and swelling up, hurt to make a fist, and the skin felt spongy (like there was air under it). So I checked myself into the ER. They gave me X-rays, an IV antibiotic, a tetanus shot, a prescription for a pill antibiotic to take for the next week, and some other stuff.

The ER bill came to $2100, plus over $500 for a hand specialist that I was referred to. I ended up paying ~115 total out of pocket when all was said and done - unless there are more bills that I just haven't received yet. Insurance covered the rest.

Ouch! I've always wondered what a spinning dremel disc could do to skin. I'm glad I'm not the one that found out for myself.

Wasn't a disc...it was one of these guys.. I think I would probably have preferred the disc. The cutting bit poked all the way through my palm before I even knew what happened.

Needless to say, I'm a bit more careful with that thing now.

 

[heymrdj]

Went to the ER after I spun out in the rain. Waiting in the waiting room in alot of pain for 45 minutes, then in the "doctors" office another 30 min. They came in and gave me this concoction of pain meds and it was another 20 minute wait. He came in, ordered x-rays. Got the xrays, 9 total, and waited for the doctor another 30 minutes. Got alot of pain pills for some fairly bad whiplash, back problems, ect.

Tricare Champus Military Insurance: Cost, 983$, I paid 21$.

 

[KMFJD]

Been to emerg a couple of times, always charged the same amount - $0

 

[meltdown75]

once. was riding my 1985 Honda CR80 back in the day, going too fast on fresh gravel, came to a turn in the road and panicked. pulled front brakes, went over the handlebars. open face helmet and no gloves, face meet gravel road. hands were skinned to the bone in both of my palms. came to 1/2 in and 1/2 out of the ditch, picked up my bike and started walking it down the road. i was in shock big time. my buddy that i was riding with turned white when he saw me and told me my face was f*cked. we went to a nearby farmer's house and at first he didn't want to let us in because i was a bloody mess. then he changed his mind and let us in, and led me to his bathroom. he filled up the sink with hot water and then dumped a bunch of salt in it. he made me dunk my face in it. my knees gave out from the pain and i almost passed out.

My Dad came to pick me up and bitched at me the whole 1/2 hr drive to the hospital. tough love. when i got to the ER, they stitched up my face and bandaged my hands. my parents made me go to school the next day - i was in grade 9. i looked like a freak, my face was pretty much hamburger and my upper lip was swollen out like a motherf*cker. good times, good times.

cost $0

 

[TwiceOver]

Went to emergency room. Put into a morphine haze. They took my appendix and ~$2000 and I got a plastic water cup. I now refer to that cup as my $2000 cup.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: keird

Originally posted by: KingGheedora
I've been really sick the past few weeks and I really think I might have to go into the ER. The way the doctors are dealing with this so far, it's going so slowly. I've been there 4 times in the past four weeks, and still no diagnosis... just an appointment for an endoscopy which isn't until a MONTH from now. Meanwhile I'm supposed to waste away from chronic diarrhea. I've already lost 12 lbs in around 4 weeks.

Anyways, I've always been weary of medical stuff. Can you let me know what to expect if I go to the ER? I'm pretty sure I'll be in the waiting room all day before they even start examining me. Do they have the right to do whatever they think will fix me? And how much does it all cost? I have insurance and so far I've only had to pay like 30$ co-pays. I'm not sure if there's a limit to what they will cover, and not sure how to find out.

I don't want someone to decide to give me surgery without me being able to explore other options. Will they leave the choice up to me for anything like that?

Also, how do you go about researching which ER to go to? For the doc visits i've been going to the hospital right near where I live, but I don't trust them too much now. What's the best way to research that kind of thing? Like which hospitals may specialize in certain kinds of illnesses?

What, exactly, is the Emergency?

??? dont be an ass, anybody with diarrhea for that long is an emergency.

 

[blackdogdeek]

i went once because something abraded my cornea while i was blowing the leaves. hurt like crazy and i couldn't open my eyes. i probably waited for an hour. they numbed my eye, put on some dye then hit it with a UV light and flushed it i think to get rid of anything that might still be there. then they put some ointment and gave me the script for it and sent me home.

i have no idea what it cost unfortunately. that's the ignorance of which i am guilty due to having insurance.

i think i was there for a total of 2 hrs.

 

[buck]

Quite a few times.
concussion
broken arm
snake bite
burnt plastic on my eyeball
another concussion
kidney stone (didn't know what it was)
appendicitis
stomach problems from food poisoning in Costa Rica
I am sure i am missing a couple more.

 

[Kntx]

Been probably 10 times,

Sprained a few things. Broke an arm. Got this piece of metal jammed in my eye (ouch!). Appendicities (note if your stomach is really sore for 4 or 5 days, don't wait until you can barely move! Go see your doctor!).

Hospitals are free. No financial impact.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

36 stitches in my forehead from playing dodgeball. LAWL However, at the time it was not funny. By the time they saw me in the ER, they had to clean all the crusted blood out from the wound before stitching it back together. No anesthesia either because they were worried about concussion. Covered by HI + I was like 9 so no clue how much it cost.

Punctured eardrum from an inner ear infection. Shot of penicillin. 7 years old, no clue on cost.

Botulism. After shitting blood for an hour I became concerned, but waited for the pain to start before going to the emergency room. By the time I got there I thought I literally had a live animal in my stomach trying to claw its way out. My frequent bowel movements which were black with blood did not seem to rule out the possibility. I waited in the ER over 3 hours, and by the time they finally saw me, I wished to be dead. I didn't eat again for 4 days. $1,100.

I was flush cutting a nail off with a Dremel, when the cutoff wheel shattered. After two days I finally went to the ER where they removed a tiny shard of metal. It was so small I could not see it in my eye and even out it was hard to see, but that damn thing felt like a good sized boulder. $2,400

Nothing to speak of really. I took my ex-girlfriend there after she showed up at my house not being able to talk so well. She didn't want to go, but my initial feeling was "stroke" so I dragged her in. A CT scan, PET scan, MRI, and 12 specialists later, it was determined she had indeed had a small ischemic stroke at age 24. $78,000.