maybe tmi but im deathly scared!!

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Replies

  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    yes i told the er dr that it has been going on for months now and he did a pregnancy test that came back negative and did a blood test and said my hemoglobin (sp?) is fine.... which surprised the heck out of me because how i feel. after that test came back he said it was just a bad period and common for my weight and to go see a gyno regularly. i told him no gyno will take me without insurance and he suggested i see my primary dr. ii called primary dr and he said he doesnt handle that kind of stuff. so im stuck until monday to see when health dept can take me. i have 3 hospitals in area tho so im going to go try another one tonight.

    Ok it sounds like they examined you to ensure you're not in immediate danger at least from the bleeding. I think in that case it's reasonable for them to tell you to follow up with a regular doc. I'm not sure what everyone is expecting here other than that. Unless your condition has gotten worse since that visit I would go to the health dept on Monday.
  • supplemama
    supplemama Posts: 1,956 Member
    Why is the story changing?? First no doctor because of lack of insurance, then you claim you went to the ER, told them you'd been bleeding for 5 months straight with severe clotting, your feet are so swollen you can't wear shoes but the doctor told you it's just a bad period? I find that hard to believe. If you're telling the truth you need to also find a medical malpractice lawyer because that is incredibly poor medical treatment you were given that could result in all sorts of negative fallout on you. At the very least file a complaint with the hospital.

    You really do need medical attention right now. Go to another hospital or urgent care center ASAP. This is urgent.
  • YesIAm17
    YesIAm17 Posts: 817 Member
    A lot of people reading this thread seem fixated on the bleeding, which while serious is not the only issue, and very possibly not the most important concern.

    The amount of retention, the swelling, the weakness, etc, are possible signs of some very serious life or death medical issues wherein a few minutes can literally be the difference between living or dieing. In some cases when the symptoms get bad enough that you realize you need to call 911 it can already be too late and you may die on the way to hospital.

    The RN and the paramedic urging the OP to go to the hospital now are likely all too familiar with such cases.
  • andreagenther
    andreagenther Posts: 67 Member
    I would go to the Emergency room. This is serious.
    When you get the bill later from the hospital call them FIRST off and arrange for payment or you maybe they can cut you a deal.
    How much longer can you really wait? Until you pass out and can't leave by yourself and you need an ambulance?
    Best of luck and please take care.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Were your feet swelling the last time that you went to the ER?
  • sorry for the confusion. i have been to the er i have NOT been to a gyno. i CAN afford to go to gyno and get health insurance BUT no gyno in the area will see me without insurance and my insurance wont start til january. er dr said my levels are fine but i gained the weight and got swollen feet AFTER seeing him. thank you for all the concerns and opinions. i am going to er now to check out the swelling and weight gain and will call health dept first thing monday morning. please dont judge me or call me crazy or anything. i just wanted a second opinion so i dont feel stupid or alone. sorry!
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    This thread demonstrates absolutely everything wrong with the American health care system. So broken it makes me angry and I don't have to use it.
  • supplemama
    supplemama Posts: 1,956 Member
    Ok it sounds like they examined you to ensure you're not in immediate danger at least from the bleeding. I think in that case it's reasonable for them to tell you to follow up with a regular doc. I'm not sure what everyone is expecting here other than that.

    The fact that her feet are so swollen she can't wear shoes and is weak is extremely concerning. I am not a medical professional but I have had extended bleeding, weakness, swelling, etc. of this sort (not this long; I went to the doctor after 2 weeks) and when the doctor saw my swollen ankles and feet she gasped and immediately got to work. I had to be admitted to the hospital. Turned out to be something quite serious. I won't say what as to not scare the OP (and really, it could be any number of things) but I would not let this go another day, another moment even.
  • teamAmelia
    teamAmelia Posts: 1,247 Member
    I'm not sure where you live, but if you're in the US, isn't this what Obamacare is for?
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    Ok it sounds like they examined you to ensure you're not in immediate danger at least from the bleeding. I think in that case it's reasonable for them to tell you to follow up with a regular doc. I'm not sure what everyone is expecting here other than that.

    The fact that her feet are so swollen she can't wear shoes and is weak is extremely concerning. I am not a medical professional but I have had extended bleeding, weakness, swelling, etc. of this sort (not this long; I went to the doctor after 2 weeks) and when the doctor saw my swollen ankles and feet she gasped and immediately got to work. I had to be admitted to the hospital. Turned out to be something quite serious. I won't say what as to not scare the OP (and really, it could be any number of things) but I would not let this go another day, another moment even.

    I know this. I'm one of the people who highlighted the seriousness of the bloating to her. The she posted about having been to the ER and having blood tests, including hemoglobin. She wasn't clear whether they checked out her bloating as well but if they did blood tests and she had mentioned it to them then they should have and there was nothing in her post to indicate they didn't. In any case she now clarified that the bloating happened after that visit and that she will go again.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    sorry for the confusion. i have been to the er i have NOT been to a gyno. i CAN afford to go to gyno and get health insurance BUT no gyno in the area will see me without insurance and my insurance wont start til january. er dr said my levels are fine but i gained the weight and got swollen feet AFTER seeing him. thank you for all the concerns and opinions. i am going to er now to check out the swelling and weight gain and will call health dept first thing monday morning. please dont judge me or call me crazy or anything. i just wanted a second opinion so i dont feel stupid or alone. sorry!

    You don't have to be sorry. This all makes more sense now, and you have the right plan in place now. Good luck!
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    This thread demonstrates absolutely everything wrong with the American health care system. So broken it makes me angry and I don't have to use it.

    Same here.
  • YesIAm17
    YesIAm17 Posts: 817 Member
    I'm not sure where you live, but if you're in the US, isn't this what Obamacare is for?

    lol no not really, unfortunately many are still without coverage. Much good and bad, rightly or wrongly, can be said about "Obamacare" but in this specific situation, as far as I am aware it does not help the OP.

    ETA: To others... Can we NOT make this a bash/praise Obama/Obamacare thread, please. Thanks.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    sorry for the confusion. i have been to the er i have NOT been to a gyno. i CAN afford to go to gyno and get health insurance BUT no gyno in the area will see me without insurance and my insurance wont start til january. er dr said my levels are fine but i gained the weight and got swollen feet AFTER seeing him. thank you for all the concerns and opinions. i am going to er now to check out the swelling and weight gain and will call health dept first thing monday morning. please dont judge me or call me crazy or anything. i just wanted a second opinion so i dont feel stupid or alone. sorry!

    Baby Doll, you are not alone. I hope that it's nothing more serious than irregular periods. Better safe, and feeling foolish, than sorry.
  • underthecherrytree
    underthecherrytree Posts: 532 Member
    If there is a Planned Parenthood in your neighborhood, they do free gynecological services.
  • supplemama
    supplemama Posts: 1,956 Member
    sorry for the confusion. i have been to the er i have NOT been to a gyno. i CAN afford to go to gyno and get health insurance BUT no gyno in the area will see me without insurance and my insurance wont start til january. er dr said my levels are fine but i gained the weight and got swollen feet AFTER seeing him. thank you for all the concerns and opinions. i am going to er now to check out the swelling and weight gain and will call health dept first thing monday morning. please dont judge me or call me crazy or anything. i just wanted a second opinion so i dont feel stupid or alone. sorry!

    In the future though forget what anyone else thinks, or needing others' opinions to help you not feel 'stupid', this is YOUR life and at the end of the day no one else is going to take responsibility for it. You could just have easily had people on here telling you this is no big deal, that you could bleed and swell up no problems until January when your insurance kicks in. People on an internet message board are not a valid source for a second opinion. Other doctors are. So glad you are getting this checked out. I do hope you will be ok.
  • Oh_Allie
    Oh_Allie Posts: 258 Member
    Go to emergency room, they have to take you.[/i]

    ^^^^
  • miller930
    miller930 Posts: 31 Member
    A lot of people reading this thread seem fixated on the bleeding, which while serious is not the only issue, and very possibly not the most important concern.

    The amount of retention, the swelling, the weakness, etc, are possible signs of some very serious life or death medical issues wherein a few minutes can literally be the difference between living or dieing. In some cases when the symptoms get bad enough that you realize you need to call 911 it can already be too late and you may die on the way to hospital.

    The RN and the paramedic urging the OP to go to the hospital now are likely all too familiar with such cases.

    THIS! ^

    I'm currently a 911 Dispatcher and a former active EMT. The sudden large weight gain and pedal edema (foot and ankle swelling) alone is cause enough for immediate care. The body is filling up with fluid. Please listen to Your health workers, it's our 24-7 job to look out for the welfare of others! Well wishes for the OP. Please update us if You can!
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    No one thinks you're stupid or crazy! Good luck!
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I'm not sure where you live, but if you're in the US, isn't this what Obamacare is for?

    That doesn't kick in until January.
  • hstnljean
    hstnljean Posts: 52 Member
    I found my self in a spot a while ago and was scared to death not about the fact that I had cancer but the fact that I would be off work for 4 - 6 weeks. I had the only income in our home we couldn't get any help other them food stamps. Then to top it off my hubby was in the hospital 1 week after my surgery. Hospitals and some Doctors offices have help for people that are not insured and can't pay. You have to ask because most likely they will not tell you. when this started I was going to a walk-in clinic and they told me that I needed to get established with a primary doc. and once I did she help me with information on getting help. Keep asking for help and see someone ASP please. My mom has congestive heart frailer and her Doc sad that if she puts on more then (I think it was) 3 lb in a couple of days she needed to see him. :flowerforyou:
  • TallGlassOfQuirky
    TallGlassOfQuirky Posts: 282 Member
    I was once morbidly obese, uninsured, retaining scary amounts of fluids, and bled heavily (yes, including the disgusting clots) for an entire year.

    Here's the thing... It's great that you are eating well and trying to lose weight. Don't stop doing those things as many health factors will start to improve, but...

    Don't ignore this. Don't expect us to be able to diagnose you. Hell, they never did figure out what was wrong with me. They just took it all out.
    I hope it doesn't come to that for you but my point is that we can't diagnose you. We can only tell you what you could find on Google as easily as we can: This level of bleeding is not normal. You need to see a doctor. Go to the ER. They will at least rule out the scariest issues (tumors, blood clots, etc) and then you can find a doctor who will take you as a self-pay to follow up. I guarantee that unless you live in a tiny town, you can at least find one willing to work with you.

    Good luck. Being broke from hospital bills is infinitely preferable to being dead.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    I had a similar problem, but my bleeding was not quite as severe; turns out I had a huge tumor in my uterus. I felt pretty stupid for going to the ER, too, but was eventually very glad I did. You obviously know something is very wrong, please, go back to the ER. Maybe the Dr on duty won't be a douche this time.
  • G__Force
    G__Force Posts: 280 Member
    ER, before you drop dead! ps start taking iron pills to build iron level!!
  • chatogal
    chatogal Posts: 436 Member
    After all the hysteria, one thing I noticed. The OP mentions using 280 pads (I assume over the 5 month period) which works out to 2 pads per day. Not exactly excessive. Annoying, but not excessive.

    Seems she had been to the ER, was seen and advised to attend a gynaecologist, sensible advice.

    I found the inference that she may have a pulmonary embolism/congestive cardiac failure fascinating as nowhere does the OP mention that she is breathless which is surely a sign of both these conditions besides which a PE would (generally) cause considerable pain. I assume that the swollen ankles was a clue to this particular poster as being significant of a DVT. Again, a DVT would generally be associated with quite considerable calf pain and would unlikely be bi-lateral. Of course, not impossible.

    I Hope the OP keeps this thread informed about the outcome of her second ER visit.

    From what I read initially, the OP was not asking for advice, just asking for information from anyone else who had suffered similar symptoms. It is not unusual to suffer abnormal periods when you are vastly over-weight. That is because fat cells produce extra oestrogens. However, one cannot assume that this is the case and I find it hard to believe that it is so difficult to be able to attend a gynaecologist in the USA if you have the money. Heck, who wont do a job they are trained for if they are paid for it??

    Good luck OP, hope you get it sorted :-)
  • Nimnyn
    Nimnyn Posts: 69 Member
    A lot of people reading this thread seem fixated on the bleeding, which while serious is not the only issue, and very possibly not the most important concern.

    The amount of retention, the swelling, the weakness, etc, are possible signs of some very serious life or death medical issues wherein a few minutes can literally be the difference between living or dieing. In some cases when the symptoms get bad enough that you realize you need to call 911 it can already be too late and you may die on the way to hospital.

    The RN and the paramedic urging the OP to go to the hospital now are likely all too familiar with such cases.

    THIS! ^

    I'm currently a 911 Dispatcher and a former active EMT. The sudden large weight gain and pedal edema (foot and ankle swelling) alone is cause enough for immediate care. The body is filling up with fluid. Please listen to Your health workers, it's our 24-7 job to look out for the welfare of others! Well wishes for the OP. Please update us if You can!

    This is totally what frightened me too. Flashbacks for me to preeclampsia and risk of stroke during pregnancy. which she most certainly *isn't*, but I'd assume that something causing similar symptoms to that would likely have similar risks :(
  • YesIAm17
    YesIAm17 Posts: 817 Member
    After all the hysteria, one thing I noticed. The OP mentions using 280 pads (I assume over the 5 month period) which works out to 2 pads per day. Not exactly excessive. Annoying, but not excessive.

    Seems she had been to the ER, was seen and advised to attend a gynaecologist, sensible advice.

    I found the inference that she may have a pulmonary embolism/congestive cardiac failure fascinating as nowhere does the OP mention that she is breathless which is surely a sign of both these conditions besides which a PE would (generally) cause considerable pain. I assume that the swollen ankles was a clue to this particular poster as being significant of a DVT. Again, a DVT would generally be associated with quite considerable calf pain and would unlikely be bi-lateral. Of course, not impossible.

    I Hope the OP keeps this thread informed about the outcome of her second ER visit.

    From what I read initially, the OP was not asking for advice, just asking for information from anyone else who had suffered similar symptoms. It is not unusual to suffer abnormal periods when you are vastly over-weight. That is because fat cells produce extra oestrogens. However, one cannot assume that this is the case and I find it hard to believe that it is so difficult to be able to attend a gynaecologist in the USA if you have the money. Heck, who wont do a job they are trained for if they are paid for it??

    Good luck OP, hope you get it sorted :-)

    You've misunderstood. The suggestion was not that she had a PE but rather that she could end up with one if retention continued nuntreated, and IF she waited till she had one to call 911 she literally might not survive the trip to the hospital. At that point minutes mean life or death. Additionally other symptoms reported by OP could have been signs of CHF which itself can be caused by the retention.

    When the OP last went to the ER she had no retention, but experienced 14 lbs gain in a week plus very significant swelling after that visit, most likely due to water retention. That amount is more than enough to make PE and CHF very real concerns in the immediate future and most definitely calls for immediate medical attention before thst happens, once you've got PE and or CHF it very well may be too late. That's not hysteria.
  • janatarnhem
    janatarnhem Posts: 669 Member
    OP...read this post late...I hope you did book into the ER and you are on the way back to feeling better.
    Experiencing oedema like this is so serious...your cardiovascular system under strain. As an R N, you presenting with such symptoms needs urgent medical attention.
    All the best.
    (Thank g*d for the NHS)
  • Go to emergency room, they have to take you.

    ^^^This.

    Sounds like you are retaining a lot of water. Results of this can become VERY serious if not treated quickly. Calmly go to the ER now.


    Yes, please go. I hope you are feeling better now.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    This thread demonstrates absolutely everything wrong with the American health care system. So broken it makes me angry and I don't have to use it.
    Get out of my head.