My First Visit to the ER
Mar. 13th, 2024 08:32 pm My first visit to the ER happened on February 22nd. This is all related to my breast nonsense, which I hope will be over sometime in the forseeable future. I had an appointment with the breast surgeon on the 13th and she prescribed a hardcore antibiotic to kill the remainder of the infection in the cyst. The point was to reduce the damaged tissue so when I have surgery, she could remove a smaller area.
I began the antibiotic (Bactrim) on February 14th (Wednesday). On Sunday, I started feeling a headache and feverish. I felt the worse on Monday and began taking Tylenol to keep my fever down. I thought it might have been stupid COVID. It was not stupid COVID. I figured I would see if the fever abated after two days, which I read was normal with fevers, but it did not.
I felt horrible. Even with the Tylenol, I still was running a fever of 100-101 and when the Tylenol wore off, it would spike and I was alternating shivering and sweating. I think my temperature rose to 102.5. I mainly spent the day in bed and only got up for an ocassional zoom meeting.
By Wednesday the 21st, I was still feeling terrible and had contacted my PCP an breast surgeon but had not heard back. I taught class in my bed, bundled in shawls and blankets. My husband was in NYC but I was able to reach him and he read up on my antibiotic and speculated that that was the problem. I had had my last dose in the morning (9:00am on the 21st) but he suggested I not have my evening dose. I had still not heard from my doctors.
On Wednesday evening, I also broke out in an itchy rash and had to ask a friend to pick up Benedryl for me as I could barely walk, much less drive.
The next morning around 11:00, my PCP got in touch and told me to go to the ER and that I was having an allergic reaction to the antibiotic. I wasn't sure how to get there but I contacted a few friends including![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
drinkingcocoa who walked me through some options since my fever addled brain was not functioning well. My husband changed his ticket and headed back from NYC but would not reach home until 16.30. Fortunately, I was able to locate a friend to take me to the ER around 15.00. My husband got there around 18.00.
it was the antibiotic. As it turns out, I am part of the 8% of the population that has a Sulfa allergy. They kept me overnight in the hospital for observation, put me on prednisone for 5 days to reduce the hives and immune response, and a different antibiotic. I felt so much better by Friday and am back to normal now, but I never want to have that experience again. I lost an entire weak to a fevered haze.
This past Tuesday, I had one more breast ultrasound and on Friday I meet with the surgeon, to hopefully schedule the surgery to get rid of what remains of the cyst.
My bill for the ER visit and hospital stay came this week - it's about $1160 after my insurance was applied (or it would have been around $3000). I'm not sure how much this surgery will cost - probably more. But I have received good care and I will be thankful when this issue with my chest monster over.
I began the antibiotic (Bactrim) on February 14th (Wednesday). On Sunday, I started feeling a headache and feverish. I felt the worse on Monday and began taking Tylenol to keep my fever down. I thought it might have been stupid COVID. It was not stupid COVID. I figured I would see if the fever abated after two days, which I read was normal with fevers, but it did not.
I felt horrible. Even with the Tylenol, I still was running a fever of 100-101 and when the Tylenol wore off, it would spike and I was alternating shivering and sweating. I think my temperature rose to 102.5. I mainly spent the day in bed and only got up for an ocassional zoom meeting.
By Wednesday the 21st, I was still feeling terrible and had contacted my PCP an breast surgeon but had not heard back. I taught class in my bed, bundled in shawls and blankets. My husband was in NYC but I was able to reach him and he read up on my antibiotic and speculated that that was the problem. I had had my last dose in the morning (9:00am on the 21st) but he suggested I not have my evening dose. I had still not heard from my doctors.
On Wednesday evening, I also broke out in an itchy rash and had to ask a friend to pick up Benedryl for me as I could barely walk, much less drive.
The next morning around 11:00, my PCP got in touch and told me to go to the ER and that I was having an allergic reaction to the antibiotic. I wasn't sure how to get there but I contacted a few friends including
drinkingcocoa who walked me through some options since my fever addled brain was not functioning well. My husband changed his ticket and headed back from NYC but would not reach home until 16.30. Fortunately, I was able to locate a friend to take me to the ER around 15.00. My husband got there around 18.00.it was the antibiotic. As it turns out, I am part of the 8% of the population that has a Sulfa allergy. They kept me overnight in the hospital for observation, put me on prednisone for 5 days to reduce the hives and immune response, and a different antibiotic. I felt so much better by Friday and am back to normal now, but I never want to have that experience again. I lost an entire weak to a fevered haze.
This past Tuesday, I had one more breast ultrasound and on Friday I meet with the surgeon, to hopefully schedule the surgery to get rid of what remains of the cyst.
My bill for the ER visit and hospital stay came this week - it's about $1160 after my insurance was applied (or it would have been around $3000). I'm not sure how much this surgery will cost - probably more. But I have received good care and I will be thankful when this issue with my chest monster over.
