"ED admission"

Went to Maroondah Hospital recently after being told to do so after a GP visit, my doctor did a support letter to assist at ED as it would be faster than waiting for tests from her.

I was experiencing severe back pain that was radiating down my right side, toes had a bluish tinge and my hamstring was in excruciating pain. I had a Knee operation 12months prior with a quad graft and didnt know if i had damaged my quad.

I can normally handle pain, but this pain was bringing me to tears.

I presented to ED and triage nurse was lovely, I was offered panadol but I had already taken some as that was what I'd been doing for 7 days I'd been dealing with the pain.

I was asked to take a seat was a bit bemused by this as I was unable to sit as it increases the pain. Three and a half hours of waiting, standing in agony, no offers of more pain medication, three and a half hours of watching patient after patient come and go before me.

I went to the desk to ask for some more pain killers, Ten minutes of waiting at the window without one person answering me I gave up to go stand back against my window. I know they were busy so I thought I'll just persevere through the pain.

When I was called in a short time later, I was grateful to receive help. I was given pain meds and gone over what was happening, i then had a really awful experience with one of the doctors. They made me feel like I was being silly, I was too young to have sciatica, stress related, normal muscle aches etc.

I believe they didn’t really take the time to examine me, when I could hardly walk due to the back pain, I felt they did not help me or even listen to me, didn't give me any advice on things that may help besides offering pain medication.

I was advised they can't do scans through ED anymore and has to be done as an outpatient.

I was so sad by wasting so many hours for no help or relief.

I begged the doctor to feel my Hamstring as it cramped up and shot the pain. Luckily they did as I know I was going to be sent home.

They decided to then admit me to Short stay over night. What a waste that was, just had the normal tests BP and temp all night.

No bloods or talk of scans.

Come the morning Im told that I'm free to go home and to book a dr appointment in 5 days if im still in pain. I started crying and became upset, extremely frustrated and still in severe pain. I may have cracked it a bit and said they have done nothing at all and im no closer to knowing why im in pain and that I wasn't happy as I started packing my things.

5 min later they came back to do a blood test, showed inflammation markers were up but still discharged me.

I had a pre booked physio appointment at the hospital as im 3 months post knee op on left. So I stayed for that and I told my physio my pain and he checked me over and organised a scan. Turns out I have two herniated discs in my back and its compressing my Sciatic Nerve. We are now working out a recovery plan involving physio and possible surgical intervention.

It was a really awful way to walk to be sent out of hospital And made to feel like I'm a liar and to have my pain completely dismissed.

If it wasn't for my Physiotherapy Appointment I would never have received the help I clearly needed.