I have been having what I thought were chest pains (It felt like a jolt in my right side) since March 2010. I thought that there might be some heart trouble since I have a strong family history of heart disease in both sides of my family. Since March I had also been in either a pain from my stomach or a bloating feeling. I typically didn't think about my pain (because it wasn't severe enough) and I started carrying around some Tums around for after meals when I became more uncomfortable. In June heart trouble was ruled out after having a stress-test done. I then assumed it was an ulcer or I was having panic attacks since I know I have high anxiety.This beginning of August I had eaten a surprisingly large meal at the Crab Pot in Seattle I was engulfed in pain coming from my upper right abdomen. Thinking that it was just because of food that I was not used to being in my diet and eating so much of it I laid there to let it pass. Two nights later I came home from a friend's fish fry and I had the same pain. The next morning I was in the doctor's office who felt around and thought my gallbladder was inflamed and ordered some blood tests and an ultrasound. She also sent me to Pharmaca to buy Castor Oil, which I was to put on a cloth and then over the area I felt my pain, and a water bottle which I was to put hot water in and put over the cloth. Two days later on a Saturday I went in to my ultrasound where the doctor there consulted me along with the radiologist that I had gallstones all around a centimeter in diameter and many of them. I was advised to have it removed by the doctor at that clinic. He said that if I wanted it removed and if I was in constant pain (I have been since March) to go to the ER and have it removed. If I felt that I could wait then I should go in the ER again only on Monday so that I had my choice of surgeon. I choose to wait, but Sunday early morning I felt that severe stabbing pain in my side again and we decided to pack bags and head to the ER. (Mostly my boyfriend just packed my bag since I felt terrible) To the ER we went and once there and in a room I was hooked to an IV and more blood was drawn. I signed all in and the doctor took a look at me. But instead of removing my Gallbladder like it was advised they sent me home with a prescription for vicodin and advice to get some rest and a referral to a surgeon I could see on Monday morning. Monday morning I called the surgeon they referred me to and realized that she didn't take my insurance. Over the course of the next three hours I called all the hospitals in the area asking if they knew which doctors took what insurance. I called a referral system that completely failed as they contacted me with a plastic surgeon. I called around to which surgeon's I cold find on the internet but none of them took my insurance either. I called the referral system again getting desperate and a different lady referred me to the same plastic surgeon's office. So I went back online and I finally found one that had all the credentials for the surgery I am to have. Praying to GOD that I had finally found someone who took my insurance I called one last office. I had finally found someone who took my insurance and could do my surgery. Not only that but the receptionist there was very responsive about how real my pain is and looked for a place to have my surgery that also takes my insurance. But there's a catch: this particular doctor that I had FINALLY found was on vacation for the week and I wouldn't be able to see him until next Monday. But I took the opportunity that I had found the surgeon who was to do my surgery and with the confirmation that if I ran out of pain medication I could get more I've been waiting. My consultation with the surgeon is this upcoming Monday morning.
Has anyone else had this much trouble with finding someone to do their surgery and get a run around with an ER that doesn't understand the amount of pain you're in?