u/ArtemisMightBeMyName

I trust you all so much. Help, advice?

I’m on meds so I’m trying my best.

I’m at the point where my PCP can’t (understandably) prescribe me anything else. I can’t take these pain meds. They keep me up and I haven’t really been sleeping and I’m so exhausted. My PCP said it was best to speak with a specialist.

I (finally) booked my specialist for July 14. Since my PCP can’t help me and I won’t see a specialist until July - do I have to go to the ER if this continues?

My dumb self drank not one, but TWO, cups of coffee yesterday morning. I wasn’t thinking. I drank a normal cup of coffee at the house. Then, on the way to the doctor… I was so excited to be out of the house that I wanted to treat myself to Scooter’s Iced Sugar Free Caramelicious®.

They asked me if I wanted a large, I said yes.

I was crying by the time my PCP saw me.

Have really slept since then - yesterday morning.

I really don’t want to go to the ER again. I’m on my wife’s plan and I’d hate to end up creating another bill because I drank coffee.

This is so embarrassing.

I need to vent, and I'm on drugs. I got a shot in my butt at the doctor's today, and she said it would make me sleepy. However, I cannot sleep until I get this off my chest.

My "healthcare" experience has been so frustrating. Sometimes it's the people, but most of the time it's obvious that there is a deep-rooted issue with this money-hungry excuse for healthcare.

I'm willing to share my healthcare data because others could learn from my experience.

My first stop at a new primary care San Marcos Family Medicine was pleasant and helpful. Vip Mangalick was great. I scheduled this appointment weeks ago, and was sick on the day of the appointment. He answered the biggest concern I had at the moment, "Should I go to the ER?"

He was direct with his response and what to expect from him. Tests could take weeks on his end, and he thought it was better that I go to the Emergency Room if I needed immediate medical attention (IV fluids). Not only did he address my biggest concern, but he also addressed helpful primary care needs. 10/10

Going to the ER is a big deal for me. I never think I'm worthy or in enough pain to go to the ER. Plus - it's a big, huge, unfair, astronomical, ugly BILL. The prices feel like a scam. However, both my primary care doctor and my Wife thought the Emergency Room was the best solution.

By this point, I'm fairly weak and dizzy, and I just need to get to the closest ER. Ascension Seton Hays was only 20 minutes away. Terrible place. I'm fairly certain that the woman and I at check-in did not speak a word. There was a slip of paper to fill out and a small line for "reason for visit". Oh, she did speak to me! "ID and insurance" and nothing else.

Got to the back in less than 20 minutes. The nurse was nice, but the doctor was terrible. He was clearly just trying to pump people in and out of the ER. Dr. Matthew Fan, MD, walked into the room, stating, "It looks like this is a common case of gastritis; you'll be out of here in no time". This immediately rubbed me the wrong way, but I shook it off like a duck and told him my situation. I'm in pain, I can't eat or drink, I can't sleep because of this, and both my wife and doctor advised me to come to the ER.

Next steps were a blood test and an IV with Zofran for nausea. Zofran has been a miracle for me in the past, so I was hopeful for some relief. Then they sat me in a "results pending room" which was 6 chairs numbered for the staff to identify the patients.

This is the moment I started to feel that something was really wrong. The Zofran wasn't helping me, and the chair was getting more uncomfortable; the pain was moving from my stomach to my back. I needed to do something to distract myself, so I read all the literature on the wall.

I discovered that I could see my test results online, and my blood test was ready. I was disturbed to discover some findings:

ALT: 688 (normal range: 10-60)
AST: 277 (normal range: 5-34)

My liver enzymes are out of control - yikes.

Enter my wonderful, supportive, and amazing wife, Ericka. I screenshot the test results and sent them to her. She immediately leaves work, and she is repeatedly texting me, "Do NOT let them discharge you, something is wrong".

As she's frantically texting me to advocate for myself, a nurse calls my chair number for discharge. He told me to CARRY MY IV (which I thought was outrageous) to the discharge room.

Dr. Matthew Fan enters and says that I have gastritis and he will prescribe me Zofran.

I'm trying to make a point. "The Zofran isn't working, and this has never happened in the past."

Dr. Matthew Fan suggests over-the-counter medication.

Trying to further my point. "I've already taken some today and last night, and the pain kept me up all night."

Dr. Matthew Fan asks if the liquid medication he gave me worked.

I am confused. "What liquid medication?"

Dr. Matthew Fan insists he gave me liquid medication, and it should numb me. Proceeds with discharge information.

I'm splitting my focus between my Wife's texts telling me to stay and the doctor telling me that I'm leaving. I just blurted out, "My wife said not to leave because of my liver enzymes!"

Dr. Matthew Fan tells me to call my Wife, and I do. He explains that I just need to eat healthier and quit drinking, and there's nothing he can do for me. My wonderful Wife is in her s3xy (loud) truck, probably couldn't hear a thing. It was a mess. I had to hang up.

I'm pleading at this moment, "Zofran has always helped me in rare instances in the past, and this isn't helping. Can you at least give me something for the pain?" (btw- I have only asked this question to a doctor ONCE in my life)

Dr. Matthew Fan then says, "I can't help you", turns around, and walks out the door. I assumed I was done with my care and followed towards the only to have Dr. Matthew Fan SLAMS THE DOOR IN MY FACE! Then he reopens the door and said, "The nurse is going to take out your IV, follow up with your primary care doctor".

Then the nurse gave me the liquid medicine that Dr. Matthew Fan said he had administered (but did not). The "medicine" made me sicker. It numbed my throat my burned my stomach, and shot pain through my back. I could hardly drive home.

I'm frustrated. My primary care doctor told me to go to the Emergency Room, and the Emergency Room told me to go to my primary care doctor. Both of them got paid; I feel sicker.

My incredible wife agreed to take me to yet another ER. I'm in no shape to drive at this point. We decided to try St. David's HealthCare South Austin Emergency Center. I think it was Megan Carter who helped me. She listened to me, she looked at the labs from Seton, and she ordered labs for me.

I could tell from my interaction with Megan that I was not the only person who was dismissed from Ascension Seton and sought care at St.David's. Megan was concerned that my liver enzymes had increased since seeing Dr. Matthew Fan a few hours earlier. Megan was also confused that Dr. Matthew Fan did not test for Lipase if my liver enzymes were 10X normal.

Before we even got the results for the Lipase test, Megan said she was going to give me medicine for the pain. I did not even ask; she just prescribed. This was completely different from begging Dr. Matthew Fan for anything to help with the pain. He should have shown mercy with his pain meds because my Lipase test revealed 3X normal levels - pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis is considered one of the most severe and intense pains a human can experience. I'm furious that Dr. Matthew Fan couldn't give me anything for the pain, especially as it was my first visit to his facility.

AST: 277
ALT: 688

Diagnosed pancreatitis
Said liver is normal