Infection
Posted , 4 users are following.
Ok my mother is currently in the hospital on IV antibiotics. They are doing lots of tests and I'm still waiting to find out what exactly is going on. She apparently has some sort of infection. She has oral thrush and a suspected urinary tract infection and they think the infection has embedded itself in one of her joints. Think this is called Septic arthritis.
Anyway, she was in immense pain for at least 5 days before being admitted to the hospital. She saw 2 doctors and n A & E nurse during this time. Not a single one of them considered that she might be suffering from an infection! They just assumed it was an arthritis flare up. One doctor told her to take paracetamol for the pain and when I asked him if it could be anything else causing the pain he said 'like what?' They didn't ask her any questions and they didn't run any tests when recent blood tests had shown her CRP levels were in the 50s. Is is common for arthritis sufferers to be treated this way?
0 likes, 4 replies
sherry29159 annemarie75
Posted
That is awful. Was it the RA doctors not picking up on it? I have had a few bad experiences in hospital recently. I always tell people to complain but many seem afraid to. If we don't complain we are just leaving the next patient to suffer. I recently had infusions of a biologic and the staff didn't have a clue what they were doing. Potentially very dangerous. I am composing a letter to send to the RA consultant copied to PAL.
annemarie75 sherry29159
Posted
I am definitely going to complain. It's shocking that she saw two GP's and a nurse, even going to the emergency room about the pain and all of them just ASSUMED it was a flare-up of arthritis. One gave her paracetamol, the other gave her dihydrocodeine and the nurse said there was nothing they could do and she would have to see her doctor! And all the time she was suffering from this infection which is a medical emergency. To say I am furious is an understatement as I remember asking this first doctor if it could be anything else and his arrogant reply was 'like what?'
I also remember asking the nurse if it could be anything else, perhaps she had injured her hip in some way and the nurse just shaking her head saying 'I doubt it'. They all just assumed it was a flare up. None of them even considered the possibility of anything else. That's what's scary. And to make matters worse, my mother suffers from a long term mental illness (she is on medication and it is under control) and I think these doctors and the nurse were influenced by that.
sherry29159 annemarie75
Posted
So your RA doctors were not involved? Who were the two doctors. The nurse can be forgiven as she was out of her depth I think. But assumption is a common mistake doctors make. They seem blinkered by what they think is obvious and to me that is a sign of a poor doctor. That doc who said 'such as?' needs bringing down a peg or two. There is a procedure in GP practices to make complaints. But I ASSUME he will deny saying that! But I like to think that if he speaks like that then you won't be the first to complain. I hope your mum is more comfortable now.
Paula2212 annemarie75
Posted
So sad to read about your mums poor experience AnneMarie. I hope she gets well soon and I'm so pleased she has you to advocate for her at a time when she must be feeling really rotten.