When I went to the doctor, he said he was concerned about how low was my blood pressure. I commented that it was actually higher for the last appointment I had with another doctor for something else. I also told him my blood pressure for years was too low.
Okay, that went well.
Then, I picked up prescriptions. I asked the pharmacy person the only new prescription was. She said a fluid pill. Okay, I had complained that my feet were still too swollen.
Then, at a different doctor, she commented on my feet. Then, while reviewing meds, she asked me if I were still taking a certain med. I know I looked blank, and sat and stammered. When I asked, she said it was blood pressure med. I still looked blank and slowly said, "No."
My blood pressure was actually high at this visit, so I am sure she thought I was not taking meds I needed. As it turns out, at that appointment, the person doing my pre-doc stuff put the blood pressure cuff below my elbow. My arm is not that big. When the cuff inflated, I felt like I was stabbed and all five digits were extended involuntarily. So, I wonder why my blood pressure was really high? I commented about the position. When I felt stabbed, gasped and complained further!
Now, a week later, my arm and fingers are not back to normal. It feels like lightning strikes down my arm and fingers. The tingling is painful.
I am feeling abused by the medical industry. However, the rest is working well for me, I think. Do you ever have bouts of misuse of their power.
According to medical site, taking blood pressure below the elbow results in a higher blood pressure reading.
When I went to pharmacy to pick up my meds from first doctor, one prescription was too expensive. Why? According to woman at window, not pharmacist, my insurance did not cover it. I asked what it was--cortisone cream. I was puzzled that this doctor would give me something for skin. So, I asked who gave it to me and wrote down the name. I told her I had never been to that doctor, that there must have been a mistake. No, no mistake according to her.
When I came home, I looked up the doctor's name, a pediatrician. ??? I wonder what child did not get te cream needed.
All this happened in three days!
It is a good thing I am still able to be in charge of my own health! Do you ever have bizarre or incorrect info or meds from doctors or people trained for intake?
Wow-I would be darn right pissed if that all happened to me. I'm sorry for your experience. I hate having my blood pressure taken, but it shouldn't hurt once done.
ReplyDeleteSam,
DeleteThe worst part is I am responding to all these things with what I know was a blank look, making me look incompetent when I am on top of things. Before I opened your comment, I was telling Tommy that lightning strikes are going from just below my left elbow to my finger tips. It is really disconcerting. I wonder if the child ever got the prescription. I am going to do some complaining to all these places in just a few minutes.
My wife, an RN herself, doesn’t like to go to the doctor. When she does go to our primary care doc, the routine is that a nurse will check her vitals including her blood pressure, then leaves. When the doctor comes in the room he always takes her blood pressure a second time. The nurse’s BP reading is always higher than the doctor’s BP reading, and we always have thought it was because my wife was more tense at the beginning of the appointment but relaxed as it went along. However, we noticed this last time that the nurse uses a standard size BP cuff but the doctor uses a larger, wider cuff. His pressure is always lower than the one the nurse takes. We think the size of the cuff made the difference. It might even be that one has better hearing than the other. It is a mystery.
ReplyDeleterhymes,
DeleteMy blood pressure is higher when I have to walk down a long hall, sit down immediately and have blood pressure taken while the person is taking my temp and asking questions. I remind them a person should sit still for five minutes before taking bp and sit still without talking during the bp reading. They ALWAYS do it the right way after I remind them. I will have to notice the size of the cuff other than whether it goes on my arm. This place uses a cheap otc cuff, cheaper than the one I own.
I picked up my son's meds one day since he works nights and sleeps days. They had him on 3 BP meds! I questioned this. They called the Dr. and ended up taking off 2. Why wasn't the pharmacist questioning this and calling the Dr. ??? My mother in law just got a new BP med and was really sick after a few days. She called the Dr. no response back and went to her pharmacy - I guess the Dr. ordered 4x's the dose per day and the pharmacist filled it and didn't catch it??? Weird. We now have to watch our own health and what the doctors and pharmacists do to. Wondering when I got my medical degree and when they will start paying me to do their job. Take care. P.S. I worked in the medical field and it is rare to take a BP below the elbow. Only when a ex-lg cuff won't work on a person. Just a lazy person in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteCrystal,
DeleteIt is good you caught that and I wonder why, also, that the pharmacist did not catch it. Scary. It is a wonder your mil did not have worse problems! It is scary when we have to be on guard and cannot trust those with degrees and responsibilities to guard our health. The cuff would go over my arm. She did not half try. She was lazy. These people are not nurses even though you would not know so the way they try to be so authoritative. I call them on the information they dispense.
wow! what a day. Good thing you asked and didn't take/pay for that prescription that wasn't yours. Makes you wonder how many mistakes they make. I have never had someone take my blood pressure below the elbow. Weird. Just another reason I didn't want that insurance company nurse doing a visit with my mom - we don't need that many people involved getting things wrong/mixed up.
ReplyDeleteOne,
DeleteI don't blame you for not wanting an insurance company nurse getting involved with your mother's health. I called the doctor's office today and related what happened and the pain I am in right now. I am horrified to even think of how many mistakes are made. I am going to alert the pediatrician, too.
please remember that health care professionals have been through 16 months of pure hell.
ReplyDeleteJulia,
DeleteSorry, I cannot cut them any slack.
wow
DeleteI recently went to fill my blood pressure prescription. When I got home I noticed the pill looked way different than I’d been taking. I looked it up and found that it was an anti-seizure medication! I panicked and called the pharmacy, and the lady said to just bring it back. I was saying ‘you don’t understand! Someone who has seizures is taking blood pressure meds instead of their own!’ I was frantic and she just said she’d take care of it.
ReplyDeleteCatrina,
DeleteAnd, you might have been harmed by the seizure med you took. I suppose someone will try to cover it all up. Thanks. I do question when my meds look different.
That to my mind is serious stuff when you are given the wrong meds at the pharmacy!!! From a paediatrician????? Mind you, when I worked in HR one guy tried to get his sick leave approved with a sick note from a gynaecologist!
ReplyDeleteTreaders,
DeleteI think it is very serious! That is strange a man would try that.
Linda, a couple of days ago we were discussing transport chairs. I visited a medical supply place and learned a lot. One of the main things I learned is that they are costly! I have been looking on marketplace, amazon and Craigslist and of course second hand/thrift stores. One of my favorite thrift stores had one for a good price but it was missing the foot rests. I researched and discovered the footrests would cost just under $50. Another of my favorite thrift stores has had one for more than 2 weeks. It was marked $64. I found a worker and asked if the price was negotiable. He asked how much I had in mind. I said $45 so he went to check with his supervisor and she said YES! I am patting myself on the back for finding a great deal! I hated to spend a lot as we only need the chair a couple of times a month.
ReplyDeleteI got a cat! Our last cat died a couple of years ago and we were feeling ready to adopt. He is a 4 year old Tuxedo. I am delighted with him! He is so calm, he got on my lap and allowed me to clip his nails.I have owned a lot of cats but none that were not opposed to nail clipping.
Janet,
DeleteI got a free wheelchair from a yard sale. So, buying a transport chair seems foolish when I need one about once a month or less. The one advantage seems to be they weigh less than the wheel chair I have. I need someone to push...lol.
It sounds like you adopted a gem! I have never cut nails on a cat, but I hear they are averse to nail cutting. How does your husband like the cat?
The advantage to this style wheel chair is they weigh so much less. This one is 22 lbs and I can easily place it in the back seat or in the rear of my Forrester. These are great for Dr's visits and the such. John doesn't like to go out very often. I do hope we can get out of the house more regularly. I think it would do him good to get out of the house and I KNOW it would do me good!
DeleteI know you worry about Tommy having to do heavy lifting and pushing. It is something to consider and if you think it might be good for you, you might shop for a lightweight one on Craigslist or other such sites.
They also make very light weight regular transport wheelchairs.
John likes the cat just fine. I clipped his nails in the hopes that he wouldn't feel the need to scratch up our furniture. After he has been here a little longer I am going to allow him to go out on the deck. There are plenty of places to scratch out there away from furniture. So far he has been a great addition to our family.
Janet,
ReplyDeleteI am going to pursue looking for a lightweight transport chair and just keep this wheelchair for a backup. I hear cats like cardboard boxes to scratch.