Not vagina related, but need some advice - headache - gets long and complicated, but please read.

[ldy-shadow.livejournal.com]

You are the most supportive community I think I've ever encountered when it comes to all things woman-related, and even some of the non-woman general health stuff.

Here's the thing. I've always had migraines. I've been having migraines that are atypical from my norm for almost six months. The first one landed me hospitalized for the better part of a week.

I have that exact headache today. Well, I've had it since last tuesday, but it's finally come to it's peak today. None of the meds and med combinations I've been told to try have worked. The past couple of days I've been able to at least keep the edge off with them to be functional, but today is a desperate struggle. I didn't sleep because being horizontal changes the pain from a sharp, stabbing ache to a sharp pulsating knife-embedded ache, and aura I've had turns to tunnel vision.

None of that worries me in particular.

I called my gp for a scrip for something different to try, they referred me to my neuro. My neuro said absolutely not, they won't call anything in and they won't see me, as I was treated in the emergency room two weeks ago for a minor concussion. They said that if I want help, I need to be seen in the ER where they can do immediate scans to rule out complications from the trauma.

This makes complete sense, and I'm amenable to the idea with one caveat:

I'm extremely stoic when it comes to pain. Right now, I have to be "normal," as I have my four year old daughter and my six month old niece with no one to relieve me from caring for them until around 5 pm.

Last time I went in, it took two visits to convince them that I really was in pain. Before they finally got it, they treated me like I was drug seeking.

I'm bi-polar. Because of this headache, I haven't been sleeping. Lack of sleep in someone with bi-polar disorder is very dangerous - particularly for me. It triggers severe mania, which means going from suicidal to feeling like I'm on speed, to being in a dangerous rage over totally innocent things.

Given that I'm already so close to such a dangerously manic state, having them treat me that way would very likely land me hospitalized in a much more serious and far less pleasant manner. (No hospital visit is pleasant, but being in hard restraints under suicide watch is probably pretty high up there on the list of "worst hospital stays ever."

If I don't get some relief of some sort (I don't even care if they don't break out the big gun narcotics. They could smear my forehead with dirt and pig's blood after spitting in my palm and turning me around three times and I wouldn't care, as long as there was a shot that it would work.)

There IS also that minor concern that this could be related to the concussion.

What I'm asking, after all that pretense, is how do I go in there without faking hysteria (though, I'm sure if I thought about it, I'd eventually give in to the pain and lose my normally stoic nature and lose it completely) and have them not treat me as if I'm some junkie jonesing for a clean fix?

I went alone last time. Would it help to have someone with me? My convoluted thought behind that is that perhaps if they see that I'm feeling poorly enough to need someone to accompany me, that I'm not faking and I really am miserable.

I'm open to suggestions.

I'm a little nervous and absolutely miserable, complete with auditory hallicinations and nausea/vomiting with minor dehydration. In all likeliness, I will go in anyway when someone gets home with a vehicle. I'm just looking for ways to get them to take me seriously and not treat me like a "degenerate."

x-posted a couple of places in essentially the same format.

Comments

[archangelbeth]

*offers a hug and an eek*

It might help to have someone accompany you. Especially someone male, if you happen to get someone who has fixed opinions about "female hysteria." Someone who can give all this information in very firm repetition, possibly with escalation of, "Okay, I'd like to speak to your immediate superior" when necessary.

Alternatively or as well, you might want to ask your GP or neuropath to please write a note for you, or fax it over to the ER. Something like, "ldy_shadow is our patient and is known to suffer from bi-polar and migraines. We cannot prescribe anything for her because we can't scan her for trauma from her prior concussion. Please see if her current symptoms are due to the concussion, and if so, prescribe something appropriately."

Basically, if you can get someone to vouch for you as an "authority," you'll hopefully be taken more seriously.

Good luck! Can you try holding small sips of water or ice in your mouth, to at least get some liquids absorbed that way? (I had to do a long drive with a 24-hour stomach bug that would not let me keep anything down. The best I could manage was tiny sips of water that my stomach wouldn't notice.

Again, *hugs*. O:(

[righteousbean.livejournal.com]

I agree about the note from someone seen to be in authority.
To add about the small sips of water, try also eating crushed ice if you can.

[drownophelia.livejournal.com]

ditto on the note. you have a medical history which proves that pain meds are a medical necessity, and if your neuro or GP won't see you, they are certainly obligated to make sure whomever they have sent you to (in this case, the ER docs) know that your pain is legitimate, and not evidence of drug-seeking behavior. I would even go as far as requesting a number where they can be reached off-hours, so the ER staff can consult with your regular physicians about your health.

[ldy-shadow.livejournal.com]

A friend donated some compazine to me last night after I realized that today is thursday and my daughter will be leaving with her dad for a couple of days. I'd rather be impaled than not spend that time with her before she leaves.

I have a scrip for thorazine, as well, so with the compazine and the thorazine I was able to both drink and put something in my stomach, as well as get a couple of hours of sleep.

I'll be going in as soon as my kiddo leaves in about an hour, and I have someone to go with me.

[righteousbean.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry that you're going through this.
I think that if you showed up with someone else there with you they will be less likely to think you're drug seeking. Do you have an older relative or friend who could go with you? I know you're an adult, but from experience, when you have someone significantly older than yourself saying the same thing they take you a little more seriously. They did with me when I had severe stomach pain.

[yahm.livejournal.com]

*big hugs*

[storychick.livejournal.com]

I would go in telling them that your neuro told you to, and giving your recent history I would hope they would take it seriously. Do you have access to a different hospital?

I'm sorry you are going through this. I have migraines too and I wouldn't wish the experience on anyone. I hope you get relief soon.

[violet-tigress1.livejournal.com]

If you tell them that you had a concussion & now you are vomitting, they'll probably listen. Especially if you go to the ER & take kids with you.

[ldy-shadow.livejournal.com]

I couldn't take kids with me, my neice is immunocompromised.

[mydocuments.livejournal.com]

OK, everything that you said here, you need to write down, and tell a doctor. Make sure that your history of migraines is noted on your chart, as well as your previous concussion. If you have a list of symptoms, providers are typically more likely to take you seriously -- they realize that it's affecting you enough that you're taking it seriously.

Furthermore, if you're really in pain, then there is going to be stuff that you can't fake. You're probably going to be pale, clammy, sweaty, your pupils are going to be dilated most likely. No health care provider worth their salt should ignore signs like that.

But yeah, you should definitely see someone. God forbid that it's a side effect from your recent head trauma. You should see someone just to rule that out, at least. But I don't think they're going to consider it drug seeking behavior, since the sort of drugs they give for migraines aren't the typical sort of pain relievers.

Good luck!

[missfreyja.livejournal.com]

That, to the above responder. Your concussion could have progressed to compression(which has usually delayed symptoms, especialy after cases of concussion), which could be potentially fatal. I would deffinately go in ASAP, especialy if the symptoms are atypical of your normal migraine.

Hope you are ok and that you get the help you need, for you and your kids sake <3

[glasspumpkin.livejournal.com]

Have you tried posting in migraines? I love that comm.