I have had what we thought was merely an upper respiratory infection for almost 3 weeks now. Today I finally had to leave my long-term teaching job and am waiting for yet another call from the doctor, hopefully to be admitted to the hospital.

I've been through Z-pack antibiotics, steroids in both systemic and inhaled form, many other medications. And yet, my bronchial tubes feel like they are in a protracted spasm.

My doc's office says to go through the ER. Why do I have to go through the ER when I have a private physician? Why do I have to waste ER time? It's time for an IV steroid and possibly an IV antibiotic.

You'd think having had 2 heart attacks, they wouldn't want to take the chance making me sit in an ER, and would, for no other reason than their own malpractice, do a direct admit.

And to think some out there would have us believe that to change over to "universal" health care, we'd actually see "better" medical care! Yeah, right!

Well, I'm waiting, taking breathing treatments every 1-1/2 to 2 hours... and waiting to see if they'll admit me to the hospital.

Good luck Terrie! And feel better!

I just remembered a few minutes ago that, 14 years ago, I had a collapsed lung. You'd think they'd admit me!

If I go to the ER, and the ER doc doesn't admit me, my BC/BS will penalize me for "misuse" of the ER! Doesn't that just make absolutely no sense, when it's my personal doc who is actually insisting on this "misuse?

I'm just so annoyed at "the system"... but I do have an appointment (yet again) at the office tomorrow at 11:30... I hope they agree to admit me, even if it's only a 12 to 24 hour "accommodation" and then send me home with the IV. After all, I am certified to manage an IV at home!

That sounds so frustrating. Hope you get better soon & things go better for ya. Prayers just said for ya & vibes sent...

Hope you're feeling better soon Terrie. Sending {{{{healing vibes}}}}

Please let us know how you're doing.

Oh Man... Terrie I hope you get some treatment soon and start to head down the path of feeling better soon.
I think that your doctor is recommending that you go to the E.R. is because the hospitals have better equipment and the facilities to take care of you than the doctors office would. Maybe you have had some bad experiences in the past but I can tell you that when I was taken to the E.R. for chest pains (my family has a history of heart attacks at a young age, the youngest being 37) they took me right away. There was no waiting. But I agree with you. I don't understand why your doctor isn't admitting you for more extensive test? In any case, I wish you well and hope that you get to feeling better soon. Please take care of yourself and don't let up on the pressure on your doctor.

Terrie....many prayers and blundervibes your way....
may healing begin for you....

Heading out to doc's office shortly. They'll admit me from their office, just not over the phone. In all my years with an asthmatic child, I've yet to see a doc not admit over the phone. It's not just the time sitting in the ER, it's the misuse of the ER facilities that my insurance company objects to... and the expense. So they penalize the patient by charging us a "deductible" or "copay" for using the ER if the ER doc doesn't admit the patient. It really makes you think twice about going to the ER since they don't usually admit most of the time anyway.

Unfortunately this is true. I guess it depends on the State you live in because in NH they have to take you even if you do not have insurance. I don't know how they work out payment as I have never been in this situation but I can see where the insurances would try to clamp down on the E.R. usage. I just checked my insurance policy for the heck of it and I as well have a deductible for E.R. visits. In any case I wish you well and hope that you get better soon.
-Eric

terrie, i can feel and relate to what you have been and are going thru.
hope you are doig well and wish you even better.
i just had my own incidense (spck) last week where i was refused treatment 2 TWICE from the ER on thur 25 oct and had to drive 45 minutes to another ER to fight w/ them another 4 to 5 hours before i was finally admitted and finally leaving today (10/30) after a 5 day stay.
its very frustrating and sickening that anyone has to go thru any of this just to get even half way decent treatment and not depending when the nurses are striking every month

I went to the doc's office this morning and she explained to me that they just don't admit adults for respiratory problems from their office. If I want to be admitted, I'd have to go through the ER and take my chances with the insurance company's penalty. What a ridiculous policy!

Anyway, she gave me a shot of steroid into my hip (boy does it burn!) and increased my oral steroid. If I'm not better by 10 tomorrow morning, I go back for another shot.

She thinks at this point that I have what might be COPD... emphysema. So, for those of you who are still smoking, well... I quit 3 years ago after my first heart attack... at the age of 50! My second heart attack was last May. And now this. Quitting's probably one of the hardest things you'll have to do, but it's super-easy when you're in the ICU hooked up to all sorts of stuff... imagine asking a nurse to unhook you to take you outside for a smoke! And so, that's how I finally managed to quit. It wasn't by choice, it was forced cold-turkey. By the 3rd day in ICU, I didn't even crave a smoke... and I've never looked back. I hope you can quit without having to go through what I've gone through.

Oh, I don't mean for this to sound "preachy" at all. Just letting you know what I'm going through.

COPD can get you even if you quit smoking years and years ago...my mom quit smoking in 1977...but she's got some emphysema; she was diagnosed with it five years ago The last time she had an upper respiratory infection, she ended up on oxygen for a short time.

Sue, I'm sorry to hear about your mom. I'd really hoped to have beaten the odds on that one cause I already have the heart problems. I figured I'd have or the other, but not both. I'm hoping that these steroids kick in fast.

Michael and my sister are coming to visit on Nov 9th (that's been planned for a long time), and we have a lot of hiking to do... all MY idea! And I've been so looking forward to taking them down to White Sands to go sledding on the dunes, and the sunset stroll. Then we head to the Malpais (the lava badlands) to hike the caldera, then over to climb to the top of a crater, then to El Morro where the conquistadors signed the hugh rock bluff on their way to conquer the Indians living in the area.

Thanks, everyone, for your comments and well-wishes. I do appreciate them all. Oh, Sue, did you read the PM I sent you awhile back?

I think Mikes cousins hubby has COPD. He has to use a nebulizer. Hope Terrie & Freaky are feeling better. Healing vibes to you both & more prayers just said...

Terrie, I'm so sorry about the things you have to go through. I'm sending my healing vibes to you and hope that the treatment will help you soon. Emphysema can also come form asthma that isn't treated right, cause your lungs have a constant pressure trying to exhale all of the breath against a constricted bronchial system. At a certain level of asthma it is necessary to take cortisone (oral or when worse pills) permantly and if there is an acute constriction a spray (e.g. Salbutamol) to dilate the bronchial tubes before taking the cortisone spray so this can be effective allover. We are still lucky enough over here to be able to go to specialists for lung diseases of our own wish if we are not satisfied with the general practician.
Wishing you all the best
Brigitte