>----- Original Message -----
From: "KathFindlay" <klfindlay@adhesions.org.uk>
To: "Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS"
<adhesions@mail.medispecialty.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 8:26 PM
Subject: Re: adhesion pain in the ER: a nurse's opinion
> Many times I have heard stories of mistreatment by nurses and Drs in US
> hospitals and found it hard to believe that this could all be true, but
> after reading your post, I know it, is true. You should not only be
ashamed
> of admitting to the world that this is how you treat people in pain in the
> US who come to your hospital for help.
>
> You should be ashamed to be a member of the nursing profession. Nurses
are
> known the world over as being angels, caring people and I am sorry to say
> that you give them a bad name. It is time you sat back and took a look at
> your chosen profession and learn how you could be of help to those people
> who spend their every waking hour in chronic pain.
>
> I do believe that from time to time you will find somebody in your ER who
is
> drug seeking but if you were a real professional, you would know the
> difference between an addict and someone who is in pain.
>
> When you have a patient who says s/he is in pain due to adhesions, I
suggest
> that you learn to treat them kindly as statistics go this could easily
> happen to you or one of your family one day if they ever have to have
> surgery. The majority of adhesions are caused by trauma due to poor
surgical
> technique, so if anyone should feel that adhesion sufferers are wasting
> hospital time. Then perhaps they should learn some preventative measures.
> They don't have to try very hard, they can find most of the information,
> Adhesions, treatment and prevention, on this site.
>
> Your statement about adhesions not causing pain shows your very poor lack
> of knowledge. You should refrain from speaking about disorders that you
> obviously have not had any proper up to date training.
>
> Yes...."adhesions are nothing more than layers of scarring that have no
> nerve endings." It is the extent of these adhesions and the type of
> adhesions that determines the amount of pain and risk to the patient.
Loose
> filmy adhesions are divided fairly easily and carry a very low risk or
pain.
> Thick, leathery adhesions present higher risk to the patient and can be
> extremely painful.
>
> Sometimes adhesions are so severe that structures become fused, the
> adhesions attach themselves to various parts of the body and it becomes
> very difficult to divide these structures without some risk of damaging
the
> fused organs. They can twist and pull your internal organs causing extreme
> pain. They can also cause partial or total obstructions to your intestines
> which causes nausea and severe pain.
>
> You also say "Maybe instead of asking for pain medication, you might
benefit
> from talking to a therapist who can help you deal with your "pain"? When
an
> adhesion sufferer has to visit the ER for pain meds, s/he has already been
> evaluated several times and it has been proven that her pain is real. The
> only problem is that some Drs have not learned the difference between
> addiction and tolerance.
>
> Addiction occurs when the person is controlled by getting and using the
> medication for the feeling they get in their head from the medication, not
> for the pain relief. Tolerance happens when the person in pain becomes
use
> to the drug and it no longer gives the same relief it did when the person
> started to use it. This can happen with most pain medications, the pain
does
> not go away as it did before and the person needs more medicine to have
pain
> relief. It is almost impossible for a person in pain to become an addict.
>
> Having x-rays, scans and other diagnostic studies, Yes.. "all those tests
> have been done a million times and they are always negative" The only
test
> that will prove adhesions is a laparoscopy. Are you suggesting that they
> have this done to prove each time that they do suffer from adhesions.
> Because the other tests are a waste of money and will prove nothing.
>
> Please don't just take my word for it, take the word of the experts and
> learn from it and maybe the next time you have a patient in your ER in
pain,
> you will treat them with the dignity and compassion that they deserve.
>
> PS. I truly hope you never suffer from adhesions, as it is a disease that
I
> would not wish on my worst enemy. If my reply to you seem bitter, it is
> because due to adhesions my life has fell apart. I have lost my job, my
> beautiful Victorian Mansion, my dignity, and now that I am in a
wheelchair,
> my freedom. Still maybe if I want some excitement I could go down to my
> local ER.
>
> Join the real world girl and learn about adhesions, addiction verses
> tolerance, or do the world a favour and change your job.
>
> In Friendship
> Katherine Findlay
> United Kingdom Adhesion Society
> mailto:kath.findlay@adhesions.org.uk
> http://www.adhesions.org.uk
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: adhesions@adhesions.org [mailto:adhesions@adhesions.org]On Behalf
> Of anonymous
> Sent: 19 June 2001 21:05
> To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS
> Subject: adhesion pain in the ER: a nurse's opinion
>
> I found this site by accident and have read so many stories of
> "mistreatment" by nurses and doctors in ERs when you come to us in pain.
> I want you to think of it in our terms.
>
> You wander in day and night, most of you walking on your own, in no
> apparent acute distress.
> You register and wait, telling everyone in the busy waiting area that
> you MUST be seen immediately, "because you hurt so badly."
> You take up valuable space in busy trauma and emergency medicine
> departments complaining of terrible pain in your abdomen, and you tell
> us you must get pain meds for the pain.
>
> One a pain assessment scale of 1-10, virtually all of you cite between
> an 8 and a ten. But you aren't perspiring, crying, vomiting, bloated,
> or acting like you are acutely ill.
>
> Many of you refuse to have x-rays, scans and other diagnostic studies
> because you say "all those tests have been done a million times and they
> are always negative" but you demand pain medication!!
> You tell us you have adhesions but adhesions are nothing more than
> layers of scarring that have no nerve endings. How can this cause pain?
>
> I am told "I need 100 mg of Demerol, IM " by someone who refuses to
> allow us to examine them, and when we refuse to give you narcotics you
> become upset.
>
> What do you want from us? If every drug addict walked into my ER and did
> what many of you do, they'd be booted out by Security but for some
> reason, you feel we are treating you unfairly??
>
> Maybe instead of asking for pain medication, you might benefit from
> talking to a therapist who can help you deal with your "pain"?
>
> If we do an MRI or flat plate and see something suspicious., of course
> you'll be treated aggressively, and receive sympathy and medication.
> Otherwise, please understand, we are not a narcotic dispensing
> department for everyone with indigestion or cramps.
>