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A problem with medicine today

Are we being denied pain relief completely? Recently I went through an extremely painful medical emergency that has left me in shock in more ways than one. It started when I strained on a case of bottled water in my car even though I tried to do so carefully. The next morning I had extreme pain in an area where years ago I’d had hernia surgery and a screen was put in. The pain was so bad I could hardly get to a nearby bathroom without fainting. I felt nauseous and my heart was irregular. I couldn’t keep from crying out due to the pain. This would bring my German shepherd dog, who would put out her paw anxiously wanting to help me.

I waited three days hoping nature would heal. On the fourth day I called my good doctor’s nurse and she said he wanted me to see the surgeon familiar with my hernia history. Before I was scheduled for that I called back to say I was going to the ER because it was so unbearable. At the ER, the doctor asked why I was there even though they knew what brought me in. He asked what did I think they could do. Bloodwork and a cat scan was done but showed nothing so they were sending me home with orders to take Aleve. When I stated over-the-counter pain meds never help me they insisted that was what I was to do. As my sister and I left, I told her I could cry, “Guess they think I’m shopping for drugs and not really in pain.”

She purchased the Aleve and for three days I took that. Same pain but now I had an upset stomach and bleeding from colitis so stopped the Aleve. Without my lift chair I would never have been able to get to my feet at all. With a cane and dragging my foot for two days I barely got to the bathroom and refrigerator without passing out. I lived on nutritional drinks. On day eight I saw a surgeon who could not find any problem so he sent me home as is. Once again nothing for pain. I left feeling again “he thinks I’m drug shopping, too.”

I am better pain wise now, but seems like something for pain and inflammation in the beginning might have made sense. It certainly would have saved my insurance company a lot too.

Are doctors being forced not to give out pain meds even when warranted? How many more are living in unbearable pain unnecessarily? Severe pain shortens lives. I experienced shock, loss of appetite, irregular heart (I have a mitral valve condition) that could have caused something more serious, low sugar, shakiness, etc. that I am still having problems recovering from.

I normally avoid pain meds of any sort even though I have had fibromyalgia my whole life and other chronic issues that cause constant pain. One should be able to get help when their health conditions are valid. I listen to folks at church during our prayer request time talk about loved ones in so much pain they are planning on suicide. They don’t want to die that way. They just reach a breaking point. It’s hard enough to have cancer spreading through your body without having to endure the untreated pain etc.

This unsettling experience has me wondering what happens the next time. Where is the “best of care attainable” local TV ads keep espousing? Have we been thrown under the bus? What good does it do to have good insurance (I do) but get treated this way? This is scary. It wasn’t like this a year ago.

Sondra Frederick

Little Hocking

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