Venting Psych patients are treated like shit by the physical healthcare system

[willitpass]

I'm still in residential. I recently had to go to the hospital for a severe headache that caused stroke like symptoms. It is a known fact that severe headaches can cause weakness and other symptoms similar to a stroke, and migraines run in my family. I was taken to the emergency room and worked up to make sure it wasn't a stroke, but after that I was completely neglected. I had been begging for pain killers (nothing insane, something as simple as Tylenol would have been more than enough) for hours. Nothing was ever given. They discharged me hours later when I still couldn't walk from the pain.

Well I finally got access to my records from that stay. I was discharged with a label of "suspected fictitious disorder or malingering". For coming in with a severe headache and leaving in the same state because I was ignored and belittled. All because the hospital knows I come from a psych ward and knows my psychiatric history. I am disgusted with the medical system.

 

[an alien]

That's disgusting the way you were treated throughout that (and so much of the treatment you've faced is borderline inhumane, truly) but I am relieved to hear it wasn't a stroke at least cause id hate for the lasting side effects of something like that to be added to your plate. I've been through a somewhat similar situation as I have several notes about my mental issues in my files as well as notes about my weed use so when I ended up in the ER violently ill because I could not stop vomiting for more than a few minutes I was ultimately given nausea meds and told on different visits I was faking it and ingesting something intentionally to do this for attention or it was my weed use.

Turns out I was having a rare but incredibly serious side effect from a prescribed acid reflux medication I'd started taking.

As soon as the medical industrial complex sees you as mentally ill or addicted to anything you might as well be dead to them. It's disgusting.

 

[willitpass]

That's disgusting the way you were treated throughout that (and so much of the treatment you've faced is borderline inhumane, truly) but I am relieved to hear it wasn't a stroke at least cause id hate for the lasting side effects of something like that to be added to your plate. I've been through a somewhat similar situation as I have several notes about my mental issues in my files as well as notes about my weed use so when I ended up in the ER violently ill because I could not stop vomiting for more than a few minutes I was ultimately given nausea meds and told on different visits I was faking it and ingesting something intentionally to do this for attention or it was my weed use.

Turns out I was having a rare but incredibly serious side effect from a prescribed acid reflux medication I'd started taking.

As soon as the medical industrial complex sees you as mentally ill or addicted to anything you might as well be dead to them. It's disgusting.

It's fowl behavior. And it kills. Medical neglect on any grounds it's disgusting, but to know that my mental health will forever and always attach an automatic bias to my medical record is so upsetting. I will never receive unbiased treatment. It will always be tainted with the belief that my mental health is somehow causing it or because I'm depressed I'm also faking it. And to now have a label in my chart of suspected malingering or fictitious disorder is going to cause problem after problem for me in the future because now other providers will see this in my records when they look at them, only further tainting their bias of me.

All because they couldn't be bothered to give me fucking Tylenol.

 

[BlueLock]

That's so disgusting I'm sorry. The healthcare system is just broken when it comes to psych patients. My mom attempted suicide a few weeks ago and during her stay some med student interrogated her about being on "two controlled substances" It was a low dose of Xanax and Adderall, she's been diagnosed with ADHD and depression for years (and her prescriber works at that very hospital, mind you). I don't even know what's to blame more, the treatment of psych patients or how hospitals treat people they view as "drug seeking" even if it makes NO sense, like in your case.

 

[yellowjester]

It's fowl behavior. And it kills. Medical neglect on any grounds it's disgusting, but to know that my mental health will forever and always attach an automatic bias to my medical record is so upsetting. I will never receive unbiased treatment. It will always be tainted with the belief that my mental health is somehow causing it or because I'm depressed I'm also faking it. And to now have a label in my chart of suspected malingering or fictitious disorder is going to cause problem after problem for me in the future because now other providers will see this in my records when they look at them, only further tainting their bias of me.

All because they couldn't be bothered to give me fucking Tylenol.

That's so messed up. Is there a way you can get it erased from your medical record?

I'n my country the medical records aren't universally accessible to all doctors, which makes things lot easier in that regard. It's up to the patient which documents they want to share with a new MD when they introduce themselves. Obviously it is expected you give them all you have, but if you're clever, like I am, you will leave out the ones that would make you "look bad" in their eyes, ie. mentally distressed, vulnerable etc.

It's less convenient, but hearing these kinds of stories makes me grateful our system works like this. I also edited out an unfavorable suspected diagnosis once that was given to me by a psych in the ER who only saw me for 10 minutes. I would have been in such deep shit if every doctor I saw had access to that.

I'm sorry for the continued abuse you're enduring. Hope your situation improves soon.

 

[ceilng_tile]

Coming from the medical system, I can definitely confirm how horribly we treat patients with mental illness (or those we suspect have mental illness). I had an attending refuse to have a conversation with her patient because "You can't tell her anything. She just shuts it out." A friend of mine had a senior neurology resident tell her that "If the chart says 'autism' it's a red flag for attention-seeking behavior." There is so much judgement and people's pain isn't taken seriously.

And don't even get me started on how physicians with mental health issues are treated--they're often referred to abusive Physicians Health Programs that force them into non-evidence-based treatment and hold their medical licenses ransom for tens of thousands of dollars.

 

[willitpass]

Coming from the medical system, I can definitely confirm how horribly we treat patients with mental illness (or those we suspect have mental illness). I had an attending refuse to have a conversation with her patient because "You can't tell her anything. She just shuts it out." A friend of mine had a senior neurology resident tell her that "If the chart says 'autism' it's a red flag for attention-seeking behavior." There is so much judgement and people's pain isn't taken seriously.

And don't even get me started on how physicians with mental health issues are treated--they're often referred to abusive Physicians Health Programs that force them into non-evidence-based treatment and hold their medical licenses ransom for tens of thousands of dollars.

I also work in healthcare, so I've seen it from the other side as well. It honestly was even more frustrating having the inside knowledge because I could tell while I was there that I was simply being treated like some psych patient who was faking to get some time out of the ward. As shocking and disgusting as it was to read, I wasn't very surprised to open my chart and see how the doctor presented the case on paper. God forbid someone with psych issues experience true physical illness.

 

[sancta-simplicitas]

I'm so sorry you went through that, discrimination is soul-sucking. I wish I was more surprised. In my country people with psychiatric diagnosed have a 15 - 20 years shorter life expectancy solemnly due to the combination more likely to get sick + less likely to get healthcare due to discrimination.

 

[dontwakemeup]

That's horrible and disgusting to treat someone like that! If the Dr assumed that was the appropriate diagnosis then they should have transferred you to psych! The healthcare system is not the same anymore. It seems anyone complaining of pain is drug-seeking or lying to them. They could have easily given you something for pain, they forget, it's true to you! I'm not shocked at all unfortunately.

I agree, they treat psych patients like crap! This is partly why a lot of people don't seek care anymore because of their behavior.

 

[SVEN]

And, right there, is a major reason why I say to be very careful indeed before raising psychiatric issues with any health professional. In their mind & that of every healthcare worker who sees you from then on you will be viewed very differently from another patient who presents with a similar ailment, but without that mental health stigma.

 

[willitpass]

I agree, they treat psych patients like crap! This is partly why a lot of people don't seek care anymore because of their behavior.

I actually had been in pain for days and spent the hours leading up to going to the ER begging them not to take me. I have had so many negative experiences in hospitals due to my psych history that I knew it would likely be a repeat and I didn't want that. The pain finally reached a point where I was practically incapacitated before I finally agreed. And what do you know, exactly what I feared is exactly what happened.

 

[dontwakemeup]

I actually had been in pain for days and spent the hours leading up to going to the ER begging them not to take me. I have had so many negative experiences in hospitals due to my psych history that I knew it would likely be a repeat and I didn't want that. The pain finally reached a point where I was practically incapacitated before I finally agreed. And what do you know, exactly what I feared is exactly what happened.

That's so sad. I'm sorry this happened to you. Nobody should ever have to suffer in pain to the point someone has to convince you to go to the ER! We are so stigmatized that they no longer see us as patients anymore. Once they see the psych diagnosis, it quickly changes the course of their plan of care. Unfortunately, you was correct and predicted the outcome.