Last night I took the Hydrocodome and felt terrible. I was nauseated, itched all over over, my face and hands were numb, and I felt like I couldn't get a breath. I looked up the side effects and the symptoms for a reaction, and couldn't figure out which was happening (thanks WebMD).
I then made the decision to go to the ER and after an unsuccessful phone call to a co-worker I decided to drive myself (bad knee and all). By the time I reached the ER I was feeling panicked, which didn't help matters when I saw the that the ER and registration area was dark. I knocked frankly on the glass to be greeted by a nurse who blew me off and said, "Someone will be there in a minute" before walking away. Needless to say by the time I was ushered in to the room I was dizzy, nauseated, numb, and hyperventilating.
While I tried to explain through tears that I didn't't feel right, my blood pressure had sky rocketed to 170/100. Apparently I was in the middle of a panic attack, which is also not normal for me. It also didn't help that I had the same nurse who had blown me off minutes before.
After some cajoling by my the doctor, I got myself under control enough to give them a list of symptoms and hand them my medication. Which after an administration of a high dose of Benadryl, I learned that I probably was having another bad reaction to the medicine but not enough to be in a "life threatening" emergency. (Although a male ER nurse told me he would still take the medicine if he was in pain.)
Needless, to say I felt embarrassed. While I might be a science teacher, I am not a medically trained professional. When the medication's side effects are as similar to the symptoms of a reaction, you don't have time to decide what is an emergency or not. Especially when you leave alone. My cars certainly lack the ability to dial 911 or to keep an eye on my breathing should I pass out.
However, if the doctor had just felt it was a mere side effect, I doubt I would have received the Benadryl and the prescription for the EpiPen. I just wish, I had been reassured that my reaction and decision to seek medical help was the right reaction, instead of being made to feel like an overreaction. Don't make the single person feel bad for getting help, especially when it comes to a medication that is highly abused by many patients.
I did speak to my knee doctor since my early morning visit, and we both decided that I would withhold on taking any more prescription pain medicine. As he phrased it, "I would be more concerned about a patient calling for more narcotics after a few days, then calling and saying they don't want to take them."
You see, my familiarity and experience with narcotics is pretty minimal beside my experience with my wisdom teeth at 15. With my mother's battle with prescription pain medicine addiction (Percoset), I have always declined the offer of prescription pain medicine when offered (dental fillings, sports injuries, etc.) in the past because of that fear. However, I now have an even bigger reason to say no, the hypersentivity. For me the side effects negate any of the potential benefits of taking the medicine. (Not to mention I felt like a crazy person.)
On the plus side, my physical therapy went well and I got to enjoy the evening sitting outside with friends with a bottle of wine. I think alcohol will remain my pain medicine of choice during recovery.
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