Back Pain And Went To Urgent Care......told Back Pain Due To Constipation

[yelloownumber5]

Hello,

1. We just returned from the VAMC Urgent care and I have a few questions and maybe crazy or have high expectations.

The first question. The room I was put in at urgent care had a lot of ants. I did not see them until the doctor told me but they were on the side of me as in not in the corner at the wall or under a deck. I was not in a r00m with a bed but in a chair and literally like 6 inches from my foot were a darn tribe of ants and then a line of ants toward the front of the chair. The person that put me in the room did not see them, I did not see them, the nurse did not see them but the doctor when he came in made a comment but nobody came to clean them up. My wife and twenty month old daughter came to the room after about 1 1/2 hours later after I had xrays and my wife said OMG ants on your feet, so they were killed, lol.

I asked if we could change rooms b/c of the ants, the guy put us in the next room over on the same side and he went in the room with a yellow bottow which I assume is "raid" and talked about needing to call the exterminator in the morning.

I did take pics and videos of this because it was like a lot of ants and they started running over my feet not that I could feel them but my wife told me, To me that is just nasty to me, the ants looked to be eating something on the floor that was stepped on.

Anyhow, who can I forward this info to outside of the local and regional VA here and would that be acceptable or just too much?

2. My back (lumbar or PGP) I went to UC because I could not get out of bed, could not walk, have fallen probably 20 times in the last two days as this just came out of no where but I have reported lumbar issues and use a tens, meds tramadol and muscle relaxer flexural.I have never hugged the wall in my life but being unable to stand up I learned. My pain to me feels like PGP (pelvic girdle pain) or maybe an annular tear.

My UC Doctor seemed really good but even though I told him of my past back historyand the current issues like my left nut felt like it was going to explode he felt I had kidney stones or something else so Xrays, blood work and urine test went on.

All came back negative but as I told him, no bowel movement in the last 48 hours and the xray showed me backed up which he gave me something to release the bowels. He did not want to give me a pain med because I am constipated and it will make it "worse", so I did not get any pain relief even as he acknowledged my pain level and my attempts to walk and get up.

The kicker and insult to me was my "Diagnosis: Constipation" The doctor said he felt the constipation is causing my back pain. Constipation was not what I came in for, this can be a symptom of what is wrong but they did not do a MRI or Xray on my spine. I do know that Saddle anesthesia or cauda equina syndrome can cause constipation but constipation is a symptom of something not a cause or I might really be crazy can someone help me with this. Also, is there something I can file in my record about my severe lumbar pain vs. constipation.

Oh but look. My nurse went looking for me and this was actually ONE room next to the ant room, nothing closed but she went back up to the front with my script and said "he already left, there's nobody in room XX, he must not have had back pain after all, my wife just shook her head as I could not even drive. Someone even put in morphine for me but I never received it b/c it can constipate me even more and I know this but my back pain is still my first problem as I cannot even get out of bed by myself the the flexerall and tramadol my pcp prescribes for me.

I'm unsure if this site will let you upload videos but I can try in the AM

Thanks and sorry for a dumb post but I appreciate any insight.

YelloowNumber 5

Edited September 3, 2013 by yelloownumber5

[yelloownumber5]

And I guess with some of peoples ideas and the u/c doctor..........I should never get pain meds since I have hypothyroidism and that in it's self "may" cause constipation........ironically the constipation cleared on it's own after I took something else that "may" cause constipation, strange world huh. Ironically, the doctor didn't ask eating habits for fiber and other whole foods, right? never been constipated like this before and I assume nobody here knows of the above conditions that can actually cause the "symptom" of constipation, has anyone here actually been told constipation was the cause of their leg numbness?!?!? severe back pain?

you "may" be hit while walking, but we walk

you "may" not wake up from your sleep, but you sleep

you "may" be involved in a car accident if you drive, but probably most drive

"may" is NOT a reason to deny anyone a medicine for pain!~ that is called XXXXXXXX

ty

Edited September 4, 2013 by yelloownumber5

[71M10]

In my post I clearly indicated they did not address your problem. Then went on to explain why they most likely didn't address your issue to your satisfaction. You went to an ER/urgent care not a specialist appointment. When they detected/discovered a reasonable medical reason for your symptoms they treated it in what they determined was an appropriate manner.

""may" is not a reason to deny anyone a medicine for pain!" By your own admission you admitted/told the doctor you were constipated, and now your upset that he didn't give you a medication that could have worsened a medical condition you had? So what would you be doing if he gave you the pain meds and your constipation turned into a full on bowl obstruction requiring surgical intervention? I guess you would be asking for information on how to file a malpractice claim?

I sure would like some "pain relief" but unfortunately i am allergic to opiates and they won't give me NSAIDS due to blood thinners and additional cardiac risk. So I am waiting on another consult with pain clinic(they don't want to see me until I go to PT, PT doesn't want me back because there is noting they can do) and living with my own personal taser strapped to my back to run enough interference so that I can move.

People attempted to help explain what happened and ways to get a better resolution, but those who pointed out the meds you were on could cause constipation are accused of being part of the crowd that want to deny you, your pain relief.

I hope something can be worked out for you long term to address your pain, but the medical community is on a crusade to "prevent abuse of perscription medication" and we are just collateral damage.

[yelloownumber5]

@71m10,

I appreciate the insight.

All I basically said I've been on flexerall and tramadol and NEVER had constipation. I have Hyptothroidism and it "can" cause it, maybe this was acting up. Yes, I admitted to the doctor I have severe leg weakness and cannot walk also for some reason been constipated for the 1 1/2 prior.

A point is if we are in such fear of something that "can" do some damage despite the great upside to something then we would never get anywhere nor would America ever been founded. Ironically, they wanted to give me a shot of NSAIDS which I am Allergic to, simple! It is documented in my VA record, Simple. Maybe there is no other choice than for them to wheelchair me back to the car.

Knowing all this constipation is a symptom of something which it was not a symptom of taking tramadol because they do not touch my pain and I really do not take them. I wear a Tens which I do not believe it causes the constipation and for flexural I couldn't even get up to get it the two days which really sounds pitiful on my part but now I keep them and a bottle of water at the bed, lesion learned.

I understand things can get worse, however, it is really difficult to tell a person in severe pain that you cannot have this because we fear that and then you basically send them home. I did take a pill that "can" cause constipation when we got home and I felt better and I had no constipation in the am.

not, your fault............all I asked is those that chimed in if they knew of the conditions (of the spine) I listed because they can cause you to be constipated as it can cause involuntary bowel movements and urine as well because someone else may have been dx'd this way. Symptom is constipation not problem and I get the meds can cause symptoms of constipation.......I was asking everyone about my back and the conditions unless I got very off track and with the darn ants and what not.

The constipation (since this is how I was dx'd) also made my one nut feel like it was going to explode and they did check the prostrate which was okay.

Constipation gone - back pain still here but I have a long history of back pain as i'm also rated from but the weakness was/is SEVERE.

Yes, I need to see my pcp asap!

Thanks.

In my post I clearly indicated they did not address your problem. Then went on to explain why they most likely didn't address your issue to your satisfaction. You went to an ER/urgent care not a specialist appointment. When they detected/discovered a reasonable medical reason for your symptoms they treated it in what they determined was an appropriate manner.

""may" is not a reason to deny anyone a medicine for pain!" By your own admission you admitted/told the doctor you were constipated, and now your upset that he didn't give you a medication that could have worsened a medical condition you had? So what would you be doing if he gave you the pain meds and your constipation turned into a full on bowl obstruction requiring surgical intervention? I guess you would be asking for information on how to file a malpractice claim?

I sure would like some "pain relief" but unfortunately i am allergic to opiates and they won't give me NSAIDS due to blood thinners and additional cardiac risk. So I am waiting on another consult with pain clinic(they don't want to see me until I go to PT, PT doesn't want me back because there is noting they can do) and living with my own personal taser strapped to my back to run enough interference so that I can move.

People attempted to help explain what happened and ways to get a better resolution, but those who pointed out the meds you were on could cause constipation are accused of being part of the crowd that want to deny you, your pain relief.

I hope something can be worked out for you long term to address your pain, but the medical community is on a crusade to "prevent abuse of perscription medication" and we are just collateral damage.

Edited September 4, 2013 by yelloownumber5

[yelloownumber5]

One last question and one comment.

1. I've received my medical records from the "release of information" office before, but is there also "nurse notes" that you can receive from appointments and urgent care/emergency room visits at the VAMC? I wouild like the "nurse notes" if that is something they have. I never received them before as I wanted them from my Pain Clinic days. So has anyone received these and if so did you to note anything special/other than "all records".

2. The doctor here in the Urgent Care was actually a "Plastic Surgeon" on his "Fellowship". I just got tickled about this part.

Cheers,

Y#5

[71M10]

I do know in my HealthyVet you can get the notes from visits, it shows the nursing entries and entries by the physician. Not sure if UC is working of the same templates in the system *I would think they Should).

Best regards,

[yelloownumber5]

@71m10,

Thanks it worked for the u/c............i'm blitzed by reading this. they said no neurological problems reported.......isn't that a neurological problem? I think i'm all through with VA now. I know it's an "ER" report but don't you still have the ability to add information about this in your record......maybe addendum to it or something?

do know in my HealthyVet you can get the notes from visits, it shows the nursing entries and entries by the physician. Not sure if UC is working of the same templates in the system *I would think they Should).

Best regards,

Edited September 6, 2013 by yelloownumber5