"Inadequate assessment at Emergency Department"

I presented to Sale E.D recently following 10 days of left lower back/ hip pain that was progressively getting worse. By the time I decided to go in, my pain level ranged from 8-10 on the pain scale and I could hardly walk and had suffered an absolutely agonising night. I was literally screaming having to get up to walk to the toilet. The triage nurse I saw, was exceptional and treated me with kindness, I waited for a reasonable amount of time before beIing assessed, which was not an issue. I was assessed by a lovely, female Dr. who decided to  organise an X ray of my spine and left hip. I was given 2 x panadeine forte to help manage pain while I wait for X- Ray which was welcome. My pain levels reduced from a 10 to a 6 but I still had trouble walking and standing upright on the left leg. When the time came for X Ray, I was asked to walk around, so I limped off to get the imaging done. 

Once in XRay, I was asked to stand with my back against the wall and breath in for my upper, lower spine. I was the asked to pop my left side against the wall with my right facing toward the machine, where they took images of the side of my right hip. I then automatically turned to the right to pop my right hip against the wall so they could image the side of the left hip where there was fluid, bruising and acute pain, I was told that I don't need this side done and to go lie on the bed so they could do the front of my hips. I did think this was very odd considering the worst of my pain is the left hip and upper thing. I recall the radiographer then said, "it's your left hip isn't it?" as they arrange to get images of the front. I nodded and ask if they wanted me against the wall again to get the side of the left hip but I was declined. 

I hobbled back to the treatment area and waited a couple of hours for the Dr. The Dr wanted to check my urine for blood and protein, I explained I was menstruating. I told them it really doesn't feel like an infection but persisted. All clear.

Dr. Came in with discharge papers and a script for 10 X panadeine forte. They explained very politely that I don't have acute fracture anywhere ands probably sciatica or bursitis. I asked about the X ray not being done on the side of the left hip and they said that they could still tell if there was damage. I am told to follow up with a GP for x ray results and possible ultrasound for bursitis. As we are leaving, the Dr. asks for the prescription back as it is not on PBS, and to wait, 15 mins later they come back and explains now they can only give me panadeine so not forte but to take 2 instead of . I am hearing this downgrade and I literally want break down as I am so scared of not having adequate pain management, especially at night, but didn't feel I had a choice. 

The next evening, I was trying to have a shower (very painful experience) and I missed 3 x missed calls from Sale emergency department, with a voicemail from the Dr. that attended me the previous day telling me the x ray report was ready and to call for the results. I immediately call the number back to be transferred to the head nurses department. A person with a thick accent and broken English asks who it is calling, I tell them my name and that I'm returning a call regarding my ultrasound results, they ask what do I want when there is no fracture, mentions something unintelligible regarding osteoarthritis and tells me to manage with anti inflammatories. They then ask why am I calling? I explain again about the missed calls, they then say follow up with your GP and hangs up. I literally broke down after that rude conversation, I was made to feel like I was carrying on, wasting everyone's time. I am absolutely devastated.

So at 2am the night after my E.D discharge, in acute pain struggling to walk, pain level a 6 when lying down and a 10 when trying to walk. I feel so defeated that I wasn't taken seriously. I have a very strong pain threshold and I am not coping. I really thought acute pain that interferes with daily life was a medical emergency and I could get to the bottom of it, but apparently not. I am now going to have to wait until early next week to go through the GP rigmarole just to get to try the bottom of this acute pain and movement restriction. I am so nervous to present back to E.D as I just feel I'll be dismissed.