Appendix Update

[purple]

Well I spent about 6 hrs at the VA Urgent Care/ER today. That was no fun. I got there and was in extreme pain...I thought they would see me in the ER. Nope. They sent me to Urgent Care to wait! OMG. I saw a doc in Urgent Care and he ordered blood tests and a CT scan. I couldn't walk. So they call for a wheelchair. Go do the lab thing, no problem. Go to CT. Here's where the fun begins. I get handed a large cup of clear liquid and am told to drink it all, then after drinking that they have to wait 2 hrs to do the scan. What?? I'm doubled over in pain. Oh and this "liquid"....is some nasty crap.

So I finish the liquid. Thinking I'm done. Oh hell no. I get handed a 2nd cup...this one they flavored...it's a little better; but not much. Then the CT tech decides to try to start the IV because it's a contrast test. I warn her I have bad veins. She tries but cannot get it. So she takes me to Radiology where they put in a PIC line (for those who don't know, that is painful as hell). Finally got the CT scan done. Then Urgent Care is closed of course, so I'm taken to the ER where I just wait (but at least I get to lay down).

Final verdict? They say my appendix is fine; say it's diverticulitis. Sent me home with a boatload of new meds.

Then I look up my med interactions.....my newest med of last week (Prozac) has a Major Warning with one I'm already on (Trazodone) and some of the complications? All of the symptoms I'm having now........

I so hate the VA.

[mitchell3006]

Purple,

Glad it wasn't your appendix. Stay away from tomatoes and other stuff with seeds with the diverticulitis. Hope you feel better in the morning.

Mark

[Tayo]

Likewise Purple,,,

So glad you went to get checked out. I got really scarred and nervous for a bit.

Tayo

[carlie]

purple,

Stay away from nut of all kinds, (except people that are nutty, lol).

carlie

[purple]

Thanks.....

Of course after the docs tell me this is what I have, they dont' tell me anything about it...no printouts or anything. They didn't even give me handouts with the 3 new meds they put me on. So I'll be spending lots of time on-line.

RN person (my former tdoc-type) saw me there yesterday and waited in CT scan for me (she was worried). She had to leave before they took me back to the ER because she had to be at work at 0500. But I e-mailed her and she said she used to have the same thing...so I'm going to try to pick her brain as well.

The treatment (or lack thereof) in the ER was horrid. They took me there after my CT scan; put me in a room with a male pt (nothing new for the VA) and that was it. They never took vital signs and it was about an hour before a nurse even checked on me. I only saw the doc when I was being discharged and she never examined me. I overheard them say there was only one doc on duty...and this was early in the evening! When the nurse checked on me, I told her my pain level was at an 8...but she said I couldn't have anything for pain.

I so hate the VA. Now I'm off to do their job for them...