ER Doctors (xray, pain, kidney stones, infect) - Doctors, illness, diseases, nutrition, sleep, stress, diet, hospitals, medicine, cancer, heart disease - City-Data Forum

TouchOfWhimsy · 08-23-2009, 05:34 PM

Has anyone ever gone to an ER and been misdiagnosed?

Is it crazy to go to the ER on the advice of your doctor (because the office is closed), then to go to your own doctor the next day and ask for a re-check because you think the ER docs made a mistake?

tilli · 08-23-2009, 05:46 PM

Getting a second opinion is never crazy, especially if you think there has been a mistake. Doctors are not infalliable.

SookieStackhouse · 08-23-2009, 08:28 PM

Ive known some people who had the ER Docs miss it by a mile.

returningtonepa??? · 08-23-2009, 08:38 PM

i know some of those er docs round my area and they could not diagnose an ingrown toenail!

Jillaceae · 08-23-2009, 09:02 PM

The job of the ER doc is basically to make sure you are not having an "emergency", and if you are, to stabilize you. It is also a good way to get tests done really quickly if they are otherwise going to be difficult to schedule. But every ER I have been to recommends following up with your doctor within a day or two. Depending on your symptoms, the ER really may not be there to diagnose you, so I think following up with your doctor actually sounds pretty normal.

*Danielle* · 08-24-2009, 06:00 AM

My brother just experienced a ruptured apendix and the ER doc tried to send him home on pain meds for kidney stones. He about died. Literally. AND...he (my brother) is a medical malpractice attorney to boot!

TouchOfWhimsy · 08-24-2009, 07:29 AM

Yesterday, my daughter was complaining that it hurt when she took a breath. She started crying about it, and I was worried, so I took her in. (We would never consider going to an ER if it were not a dire matter.) After waiting for four hours in the waiting room, she was feeling better. They did a chest xray and a urinalysis, and by then, she was happy as a clam. The ER doc said "Oh, she has a UTI, here's your antibiotic." Huh? She has had no urinary issues whatsoever, no urgency/burning/frequent going, no lower stomach pain. She had some artichoke and cheese dip in the morning, and my guess is that she was just having bad gas pains. So now we have this prescription that I really have no intention of filling, since she is perfectly fine as of this morning. I'm going to take her in to see the ped just to be sure... I think they just wanted to give us *something* to get us out of there, to be honest. DD is six years old and has never had an antibiotic... I really don't want her to have it if it's not necessary!

*Danielle* · 08-24-2009, 08:04 AM

They must have seen something in the UA (indicating an infection) for them to write a script. But certainly take her to the doc for a second opinion if in question.

Jillaceae · 08-24-2009, 08:04 AM

It is possible she does have a UTI. You can have a UTI and be totally asymptomatic. But I certainly agree that with her age, a second opinion would be nice!

deckdoc · 08-24-2009, 09:27 AM

I'm sure an overworked ER doctor who is not familiar with a given patient or their medical record is a long way from infallable but any time I went into an ER I was correctly diagnosed and taken care of!

Your leg is broken~ we'll have to set it!
nail through your foot? We have to remove it!
That is a nasty gash~ we'll have to sew it together!
Two inches of nothing on your arm where tendons used to be? Gotta take you to surgery for repair!