One Hospital, Two Different Worlds.

[Fadeaway]

This thread is based on my recent experiences while hospitalized for a medical condition and the night and day differences between medical professionals who understand PTSD and those that don't.

A breif recap. A few weeks ago I posted this thread. https://www.myptsd.com/threads/fear-of-being-labled-a-hypochondriac.54342/ Well, it turns out it was more serious than I imagined. and I was bleeding internally. I saw my Dr. this last monday and asked if my worsening weakness and clod sensitivity could be anemia since thyroid had been ruled out. It was. My Dr. said if i hadn't gone in and got that test I would have been dead by the end of the week. The only reason he didn't call for an ambulance was that my husband was driving.

Here is where PTSD knowledgeable medical professionals versus non knowledgeable comes in to play. I went into the hospital through the E.R. As they were preparing me for a blood transfusion I started panicking. The thought of being given someone else blood started freaking me out. For the record, I was totally unaware that I was hyperventilating, not even sure i really was, even though they kept saying I was.

My husband informs them that I have PTSD and asks them to give me a minute to calm down. My husband who isn't always the most supportive person went into supper supportive overdrive and had me about 85% calm when the Dr.s showed back up with 4 security guards and told them to hold me down and that they were giving me an injection of haldol.

My husband was like "No way!" and they told him they were kicking him out of the hospital if he didn't get out of their way. They held me down and gave me the injection while i was screaming, "I don't consent, I don't consent" Afterwards they kept telling me how much calmer I was, but I didn't feel it and kept sobbing.Something I wasn't doing before.

Fast forward about 5 hours later and I am getting settled after being admitted. Upstairs away from the E.R. It was like a different world. They were so calm and patient with me. They went out of their way to explain everything in detail today me and put my mind at ease. They recognized when I was having flashbacks, and while they knew that I had PTSD, with out me having to tell them, they figured out that I had a traumatic experience that I associated being in the hospital with.

I'll be the first to admit that I was being a difficult patient, and horribly unreasonable at times. I would apologized later fearful I had made such incredibly supportive people angry at me. They just explained to me that they understood that, and I quote "Was dealing with amygdala hijacking."

They brought in an awesome psychiatrist to see me, who is going to take me on as a regular patient. One of the nurses also went out of their way to help my husband understand how better to support me. Between the staff and my husband doing a complete 180 when it comes to supporting me, I seriously have never felt that kind of support in my life, and it has made a world of difference.

I guess where I am going with this is how much of an impact both knowledgeable and knowledgeable professionals can have. They can do so much harm, but they can also do a lot of good. I have always been painfully aware of how much damage can be done from people who don't get it, but I never really saw that the opposite can be true as well. I am still upset about what happened in the E.R. but I am thankful I got to experience the reverse as well.

 

[scout86]

Nearly all my dealings with the medical profession have been along the lines of your ER experience. Which is why I'd more than likely die at home before I'd go to the hospital. The second part of your story is amazing. It sounds like a nice fairy tale with an actual happy ending. I'm glad you shared this! How is it these people have such an amazing understanding of dealing with this stuff? What makes them so wonderfully different?

Glad you found them and that you're doing better!

 

[Ed Norton]

Maybe I do belong in the ER afterall

 

[InvisibleSun]

I am so sorry to hear about your awful experience but I am so glad you were able to find the support and compassion you needed by the time it was said and done. That is so important..Medical trauma was not really recognized during the time of all my hospitalizations and I spent way too much of my childhood trapped inside a straight jacket screaming and crying. It is good to know medical professionals now have a better understanding the impact that these hospitalizations can have on patients.

 

[Changing4Best]

The ambulance folks here will do a complete vitals check and even test my blood sugar without being asked to do so. Then they give me the results and ask me if I want to go to the hospital. They have done this several times for me and never once complained, even though I decided each time that I would stay home. They even tell me to call them back if I start to worsen. They say that is what they are here for. I am so grateful. I've never told them that I have PTSD, nor that I am a suicide survivor. If they suspect that I am, they don't give any indication that they know. I am sharing this, in case anyone else does not know that this service is available to them at home.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Maybe I do belong in the ER afterall

I'd say so. We need allies in the ER who don't automatically switch to "medicate and call security" mode. Completely uncalled for IMHO.

 

[Chava]

Glad you're okay!

I guess where I am going with this is how much of an impact both knowledgeable and knowledgeable professionals can have. They can do so much harm, but they can also do a lot of good.

Yes! It's been very hard for me to advocate for myself with lots of health stuff. But I've been very lucky to find a good and patient GP who understands I have a trauma background without needing a load of details. She doesn't rush or do anything without explaining it, she gives me the feeling I have some time to ask questions and she makes sure I know all procedures are my choice (and I usually have a load of questions if she is suggesting some procedure or test and she's very patient in answering). My ob/gyn is the same. She was really quick to notice I nearly fainted (went limp) and she and her nurse got me back to the real world.

I understand medical people can't know everything about everything. I appreciate that we have specialists. But I assume that in good clinics there is some background in training that involves trauma....kind of like how as a teacher I've had training in general recognition of mental health or child abuse. Of course in any profession there are those who do their work best by remaining cool and objective. If they have the smarts to save my life, that's great. But it's surely a bonus if they are also able to read that I'm terrified. Seems like nurses have been most helpful in this regard (I have not been to ER for over a year but had been a frequent flyer and the nurses were always very kind and gentle...even if they don't know my background, they know you're super freaked out because you are in ER hoping you aren't dying or something).

Hopefully you can keep the positive experiences in mind. I get pissed off with clinics but remember how good my GP and Ob/gyn have been, and how important that has been to me.

ETA: I also understand ER staff being under a load of pressure, and probably changes a lot through any given day. Usually I've bumped into okay staff and circumstances, even with the stress on both ends, but the worst was maybe waking up in ER with my arms in restraints (I think I had been trying to hit everyone who got within arms reach)

 

[Fadeaway]

@scout86 Given that this level of support is something i have not experianced before, I would have to say yes, it did feel like a fairytale.

@Ed Norton Yes!

@InvisibleSun That must have been horrific. The medical profession still has a long ways to go though.

@SheilaKathy I was completely unaware of this. Good to know.

@itsKismet agreed

@Chava I would hope that the goal would be that all hospitals and clinics have some form of training. I do think this experience will help me when dealing with the medical profession in the future. At least I hope so.

 

[Neverthesame]

Thank you for sharing that. All I have been hearing lately it seems from both here and the people I talk to in person as well as my own experiences of late. Is nothing but horror story after horror story. It's been so depressing to see the field of health care declining so much in the way of patient care, especially when our knowledge of medicine is only increasing. That the most fundamental principle of health care, 'care' is being eroded away due to silly rubbish such as funding problems.

When staff are so overloaded that they can no longer be able to diffuse a combative patient , but instead choose to subdue them as a primary course of action, something is desperately wrong.

It is so very good to hear that there are still health care professionals who choose to conduct themselves in a manner that represents the medical field in its intended light. Helping people.

Once again, thank you for sharing. This put a smile on my face.