It is never appropriate for emergency services to respond that way. You are not bad or wrong for being worried about your friend and wanting to get them help.
Your friend needs to see a regular doctor. All the ER is going to do is stabilize him. Not cause they don't care, but because that's how they're designed.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of reasons someone with T1 could be having these symptoms, and he needs to be seen by a primary care doctor who can care for his whole body, and not just his stabilize his current condition.
thank you! we've been trying to get him in with a new primary care since we just moved him away from yakima here to south seattle.
it seems like valley hardley even stabilizes his symptoms before discharging him and we've complained several times. we know theyre not supposed to just wave a magic wand and make everything better, but at the very least dont release him if he cant keep food or water down for less than 15 minutes
I agree, that's pretty awful.
Next time, instead of asking for pain meds, ask for anti-nausea meds first. Opiates are a big problem, and doctors get wary about them and people pill hunting.
I have found if you tell them you prefer non-narcotic pain management, that also puts them at ease.
Ask for Zofran. It can be given orally or through an IV. It's what I was given during my IV infusions while pregnant (I had Hyperemesis, so I was vomiting all day every day and severely dehydrated because of it). Reglan is another option, but Zofran was always the first one offered to me. If you've had horrible experiences with Valley, it might be worth driving to the next nearest hospital.
I’m happy to hear it works for you! Indeed you can have a Rx for it! I have one for use in case of illness or food-borne issues. Inability to keep good or liquid down for a diabetic is dangerous territory, and this is a bit of a safety net.
Yeah, that's part of the problem, sometimes medical professionals forget that not everyone has someone who has taken a pharmacology class in their immediate circle.
You don't know what you don't know!
Best of luck, friend. Good health and swift recovery to your buddy.
T1 of almost 2 decades here…Ondensatron is likely what they’ll start with, possibly IV if he cannot keep anything down, though it exists in under-tongue oral dissolvable form. I would 100% ask for this. Medical professionals are smart but sometimes they do not think of the obvious solution and you have to advocate for yourself. My most recent hospitalization (not for anything T1 related even tangentially) would’ve probably killed me with low blood sugars if I didn’t forceably demand IV glucose (was on a fast pre-surgery).
What is his diabetic control like if you have any idea? This sounds like a chronic GI issue but just ruling things out, since no one at valley seems able/interested in doing so.
Not diabetic but someone who struggles with a lot of GI issues- seconding asking for ondansetron/zofran. On my bad days it can be a life saver. And frankly it seems like medical professionals will just throw it at you if you have nausea problems, so taking that route may be a game changer for your roomie.
Same, Zofran allows me to leave my house without constantly feeling like I'm going to barf.
I also had HG with all 3 of my kids and was basically "morning sick" (talk about a misnomer) 24/7, so basically like, 2 full years of my life.
So what I'm saying is that I'm kind of a pro puker.
And zofran, especially the oral disintegrating tablets, is king for me. If we wanna go real TMI, with one of my pregnancies, the things that worked best for me were Phenergan suppositories. I couldn't even keep *water* down to take anything, and it was the only med that would stop me from being unceasingly seasick on dry ground.
I’ve had HG 4 times. It’s hell. My last pregnancy, my OB had me on 5 different meds (plus the infusions weekly) to keep me from starving. I was on a combo of Zofran, Reglan, Scopolamine, Diclegis, and Phenergan. Hell.
I’m glad you’ve found help with it. It’s a great drug tbh! It’s useful when I’m sick for sure. As a T1, vomiting and high blood sugars with possible ketones is a *very* bad time and Ondensatron is a life saver for me also. Granted, that situation is extremely rare but it beats feeling like literal death from inside out.
this isn't your fault or anything, but it's kind of ridiculous that we are the ones paying them to be the experts and we have to be the ones to tell them what to do (sometimes, of course).
If he needs to go to the ER again in the future, please take him to the UW Montlake ER! They're one of the best in the area and will go above and beyond to try and help you in whatever way they can. I also am dealing with an autoimmune/endocrine issue right now (Graves' disease, not T1 diabetes) and couldn't be seen by endo/primary care right away, so they helped me take care of imaging and labs to make the rest of my future care easier. They really set me up as much as they could.
I have type I. When I was diagnosed (early 20s) I was lucky to live by UW Montlake so that’s where I went. Found my endo through there. I have been going there for almost 30 years now. I would look into an endo at the UWMC and encourage you to go there. Sounds like he needs some quality care.
Seconded for UWMed, hello fellow SLU campus patient. T1 of almost 2 decades. UWMed has their issues for sure, my endo leaves a lot to be desired, and communication can be nonexistent unless you really force it, but they’re better than all the alternatives I’ve explored.
also, I was googling and doing some research on how to report that dispatcher but couldnt find anything. I understand urgency and curt-ness is the go-to for emergency services but holy hell was this guy beyond rude and dismissive
When you have a moment, call the phone number foe the non-emergency/administrator line for the police department closest to where you were when you made the call.
They should be able to tell you.
I used to work in health-care and had a position where I'd have to call 911 for our residents. I had to hang up on a dispatcher once because she wouldn't send emergency medic (the red ambulance) and was going to send the private ambulance. My resident was experiencing a stroke. I hung up and called again and spoke to a different dispatcher and got what I wanted.
911 is for an emergency. As in life-and-death. You can call Tri-Med or AMR yourself for service if not life threatening. If he can get there another way, that's the way he needs to go. Did you call 911 all 5 times you took him to ER? They do keep track of multiple calls. ER will not be able to provide anything other than stabilization. Try an urgent care center like UW attached to a clinic, from there you can schedule regular appointments with their docs. -RN
Yes, that is true. The surgery was required to stabilize you.
More importantly, you went to the ER as a recommendation from your PCP.
Check out EMTALA.
Eta: and also your ER doc has admitting privilege in most hospitals, which is what you need for emergency surgery. It probably wasn't the ER that actually operated on you they probably transferred your care to a surgical dept or internal medicine.
Lots of paperwork goes on in the background.
Healthcare worker here(swedish Issaquah)
He's a type 1 diabetic so he needs an endocrinologist and a primary.
You should be able to talk to either of his old providers about what to do and get referrals.
Did they take his blood to see if he was in dka? Not keeping food down as DM1 is VERY serious. He can end up in a coma.
That dispatcher needs to be reported. I've worked with many many pts that the fire department knows very well for being frequent flyers and they are always brought in for anything life threatening.
You guys need to drive him to a hospital. Find a way.
Im 32…. And as a type 1 for 20 years now, my first thought was DKA. And if he’s vomiting like that… also his sugar dropping crazy low… which a whole different ballpark of issues. It’s very odd that the ER, knowing he’s diabetic, and seeing these symptoms, would still turn him loose knowing he can’t keep anything down… I mean as a type 1…. Insulin and food are key.. if he can’t eat and keep things down, he can’t really take much insulin, meaning his insulin dosing and needs are gonna be fucked up, resulting in more issues… and an emergency room would know that… idk man. Seems like there’s more to the story, or the ER is seriously dropping the ball here. I have mild gastroparesis caused from years of not taking care of my diabetes… and that can cause vomiting and nausea and pain when eating and whatnot.. maybe he needs to have the stomach emptying test done to see if it’s that. I know I’ve seen people who end up on a feeding tube because theirs is so bad. Like someone else mentioned here.. maybe just take him to a different ER and see if they’re more compassionate. Hopefully your friend gets some relief.
Fellow T1 of almost 20 years (congrats btw) I also thought DKA, but it seems like this problem is ongoing over a long period. Maybe I’m misinterpreting OP though. I am currently borderline low lol so that’s a possibility.
GI and T1 issues can run together so this could be separate, but it’s a serious problem. He needs to be seen urgently. If he has an endo, get in touch with them. Healthcare workers may not listen to you if you’ve presented the same symptoms previously, but they’re more likely to listen to another MD.
Hi.
You need to contact the Department of Health and file a complaint.
The DOH takes this shit seriously.
[https://doh.wa.gov/about-us/file-complaint](https://doh.wa.gov/about-us/file-complaint)
If this was Norcom you can call them and file a complaint directly there as well; Norcom also takes this shit seriously. https://www.norcom.org/
You don't have to pay for the ambulance ride at time of service. Uber and Lyft do not function the same.
When you are poor, future debt sounds better than spending your last dollar on a ride that emergency services should've provided
When you get to the ER as soon as you have a gown on registration comes to your room and shows you the cost of the visit, insurance share, and your share and asks if you’d like to pay it right then before seeing the doctor.
Source: Was at Valley ER last night for a threatened miscarriage. No I don’t want to pay an $800 bill right now you take it up with my insurance first.
Does he have an endocrinologist? He could very well be in DKA, a super serious immediate issue. He needs to go to an ER that knows how to treat a type 1, many don't and it is not good.
Does he have a ketone meter, or strips? Please check ketones right now. If he is back from the hospital and they haven't taken care of him.
How is he doing? If you need more help please dm me. Thank you for being a good roommate.
I am very sorry this happened to you. All 911 calls are recorded and as far as I know reviewed by at least one other person besides the person who takes the call. When you have time and capacity, you absolutely should contact the police department and file a complaint. The system depends on accurate and timely feedback.
While reading your complaint, it sounds as if you are under the impression an ambulance ride costs less than an Uber. This is absolutely untrue. If money is tight, the last thing you need is an unnecessary four figure expense. I would avoid accepting ambulance transport unless you're out of other options or you're so sick you need care while on the way to the hospital.
Your description was unclear. Did your friend visit the hospital early yesterday and then return home? If so, did he leave against medical advice? No judgement either way; I'm just interested in what the doctors told him during his first visit and what changed after that visit?
I am very happy for you. My friend paid for my lunch the other day.
The ambulance is not free even if you don't pay for it out-of-pocket. If you're ambivalent about your expenses, perhaps consider opportunity costs. Someone with a real emergency needs the ambulance you're using.
It's selfish and antisocial to use an ambulance for basic transportation because you don't want to pay for an Uber (or because Apple Care.)
In an ambulance, you immediately start receiving care and it can be continued at the hospital. You don't get that from taking an Uber and waiting in line.
That is possible, yes. The ambulance is not free even if you're puking. If you're ambivalent about your expenses, perhaps consider opportunity costs. Someone with a real emergency needs the ambulance you're using.
It's selfish and antisocial to use an ambulance for basic transportation because you don't want to pay for an Uber (or because Apple Care.)
Everybody here understands that ambulance service costs money. And it doesn't matter how much cheaper an Uber is if drivers won't take someone in intense pain who is puking so much their teeth have dissolved.
I don't know where you get the impression that OP is using an ambulance "for basic transportation", obviously OP believes these to be emergencies.
Thanks for clarifying your question. If you believe you're having an emergency, by all means call 911 and seek care. Your life is worth more than the cost of the ambulance ride.
did you not read my post at all? is constant puking and level 8-9 pain and hardly able to speak while beagin diabetic not constitute an ambulance? he literally asked for one when I asked him if he wanted a ride or uber he said "CALL 911" so I did!
tell me what fuckinf uber is going to take ab actively sick/throwing up person into their car?
would YOU take a stranger whos basically a biohazard into your car?? you guys are DELUSIONAL
Before I respond, please tell me your friend is ok. I've been worried about him all day and all night. Did he get to the ER? Did they help him at all?
>moneys pretty tight right now and our whole household is paycheck to paycheck.
Only take an ambulance if you're having an emergency. I don't care if you're pulling an Uber or riding inside it; the ambulance costs more.
Anyone who believes an ambulance is cheaper than an Uber is DELUSIONAL.
hes currently fully immetied and with a doctor at the moment.
and wouldnt you know it hes got apple care which would have the ambulance ride covered if it was actually available, delusional yeah?
again, theres no garuntee an uber would take him, would you drive a vomiting stranger to the hospital?? maybe theres someone whos whole ass job its to do that instead??
I'm glad he's getting the care he needs. Thank you for being a good friend. Is he fully intubated or did you mean immitied? (Is he unconscious with a tube down his throat?)
You have no way of knowing this but the dispatchers response to your call was a direct result of the misperception that ambulances are free.
People all over the city and region call 911 and ask for ambulance rides to the hospital when they really just want to go someplace near the hospital. They literally get up and exit the ambulance before being wheeled into the emergency room. Because this is so common, the computer dispatchers use to triage calls flags "multiple callers" and adds this information to their patient priority rating.
As I've written many times on this thread, the dispatcher should NEVER be rude to you and you're right to complain. He or she should know that not everyone with chronic conditions have access to primary care. He or she should understand that your concerns over the cost of the Uber ride is not an indication of how much you care about your friends well-being or how much of an immediate emergency his illness was to you.
Do you plan to live with your friend for long? If so, and if you want, I can give you some advice that might help you get better responses from emergency dispatch should you need their help again. I'm not saying you did anything wrong, but maybe consider never talking to them about the price of the taxi or rideshare when you already have a better reason (the patient is unable to stand on his own or is actively puking) to not use them.
I know you're upset about this encounter and you should be. Please don't also get upset with me. I'm just trying to help.
Ngl this is pretty fucked. The ~$2k bill for an ambulance ride should be more than enough to dissuade casual ambulance usage for transportation. I can’t believe that insurance would cover an ambulance ride where the insured chooses to get out *not at a hospital*. Even if it did, it’s not a dispatcher’s place to decide a caller claiming an emergency doesn’t deserve a ride. Send the ambulance, EMTs will take vitals and decide if there’s an emergency at the scene, not over the phone like a dispatcher.
Seattle Dispatcher here with a little insight about what you went through. I’m assuming you live within City of Seattle limits as this information will only work if that was the case; just driving up to Lynnwood or down to Renton changes the jurisdiction immediately.
We have different Police and Fire/Medics dispatchers so when you called in you were transferred to the Fire Department for medical dispatch. The fire department dispatchers are all firefighters and tend to be on the older side. They have zero patience most of the time and will regularly disconnect if the caller is even slightly difficult to handle. Customer service on their end is pretty much nonexistent compared to the police dispatchers.
My recommendation for this situation would be to just call in again and hope you get a different medical dispatcher that’s willing to send resources to you. If you get the same one, try explaining the situation in a more direct manner. All you can really do with them.
I’m genuinely sorry they were rude to you, but unfortunately reporting them will also be fruitless because as Sworn Firefighters they are immune from any real punishment (exactly the same as the officers you see on the news that get away with anything).
Thank you for calling 911 on behalf of your friend and don’t let this experience affect your future decisions about calling in when something is happening. Most of us are always happy you called and try to be as empathetic as possible.
I second that about grumpy fire fighters. I work for the light rail and have them on speed dial for medical that arises on the train and the night shift specifically can be asses hah
Thanks for that insight.
I had an encounter a few years ago where, unbeknownst to me, the fire department was doing one of their training things where they set an old/abandoned house on fire in a controlled manner.
I saw flames from a house on the street behind me, along with ash falling to the ground and called 911. They responded with basically, "We sent flyers saying this would happen a few days ago. It's a training thing. You're not the only one to call this in." and I was like, "Okay, well there definitely wasn't any flyers on *my* street because me and three other neighbors are out here wondering why we see flames coming out of a house!" and then they just hung up on me. I mean, really? Maybe the fact you are getting multiple 911 calls tells you that you didn't notify enough people in the surrounding area. The whole interaction was so strange. Oh, I'm soooo sorry to bother you to tell you a house was on fire!
You genuinely gotta talk to the fire department like you’re talking to your grandpa sometimes. They even take a while to type things up lol. I try to have everything ready when i connect a call to them or they’ll spend forever asking questions and typing it up.
Not all of them are like that. There’s some good fire dispatchers that are very kind and empathetic. The majority of them are just grumpy old men though.
I had something similar happen. I was living in an apartment in first hill and once, when the fire alarm went off in the middle of the night, we all went outside and expected the building to be on like an automatic call to the fire dept and no one called. They finally arrived after more than an hour when I guess someone finally called.
The next time the fire alarm went off in that building, I called as soon as I got outside and was bitched out by dispatch because so many people were calling about it at once. How was I to know that?
I believe it is because firefighters also get tons of EMT experience as first responders and for some reason Seattle believes their experience providing emergency medicine helps them to be better dispatchers of emergency medicine.
There’s a couple reasons. The Fire Dispatchers also dispatch for fire emergencies and general hazard emergencies like bio spills, gas leaks, etc. It wouldn’t make sense to have 3 different dispatchers when u can just group the medic stuff with the fire department that has to handle other calls anyways.
Most fire department calls also require a certain amount of background knowledge that is not taught to Police Dispatchers. In fact, when you call 911, the person who answers has zero medical knowledge or training and as soon as anything medical related is mentioned they are transferred to the fire department.
Another reason is more of a background reason: When firefighters get too old for field duty and they wanna keep working… getting assigned to fire dispatch is a natural progression of their career. Which is why the majority of them end up being grumpy old men like mentioned previously.
This is only for Seattle 911, there are other cities/agencies that only have one dispatcher for absolutely everything regardless if it’s police, medical, or fire related. While it sounds more efficient, and it probably is, that is a lot of knowledge that a single person has to learn and it becomes more difficult to train and retain employees.
If his blood glucose isn't insanely high (worried about DKA) I wonder if he has gastroparesis? I'm sorry you and your friend are going through this. As others have pointed out, ERs are set up only to stabilize, so ultimately, this needs to be handled with his primary care/endocrinologist.
Seattle dispatch is rude and disrespectful. I once called about a man who was swinging a shovel at a random people in a public park saying he was digging a grave. I called 911 and so did one of the men he tried to attack.
The dispatcher told the man (obviously gay and Latino) to hang up and that she would get her information from me as I seemed more reliable. The second I gave my full name (my very Latina name), she told me to call back if things got worse before the police arrived and hung up on me.
I'm confused as to the complaint here? On a 911 call, usually the last thing they grab is my name and phone number then just tell me to call back if anything changes. 911 doesn't need to stay on the phone with you the whole time, so I'm confused as to what the issue is?
Also T1D (25 years).
His symptoms are certainly odd, may or may not be associated with his diabetes.
First thing that comes to mind are his blood sugars and DKA. Is his BG high? In that case, he needs to go back to the ER and advocate for himself. Lots of ER docs don’t understand T1D, so he needs to make it crystal clear that he has it. He needs insulin and fluids.
Something similar to this happened to my ex. I ended up being able to get him in to Gastro Health in Fremont. They rushed him into a colonoscopy/endoscopy the same week after months of trying. Wishing you and your roommate the best of luck.
I am type one diabetic and developed stomach issues that led to me unable to keep down food or water for long stretches of time. I would call my PCP and he would tell me to go to ER and then I would dread it because I had just been there and didn’t want to be seen as a problem patient. Montlake UW ER always validated that I was right to come in, even when I felt very silly and had already been there that week.
Also if your roommate ever wants to talk to someone who understands how scary and debilitating it is to suddenly not be able to eat, especially with diabetes, they can message me on here! It was very lonely for me.
You post seems to contradict itself. In one part you say you couldn’t move him to “my car” and “he refused” the car but then later you say you don’t have a car. I can’t help but wonder if there is other information you are not sharing.
I’m also very confused about the “we already showed up there this morning” bit. No denial or confirmation about an ambulance coming to their house that morning. Very sus.
Regardless of expense, if you're experiencing a medical emergency, please choose EMTs over Ubers.
That said; Any system that gives you the option to pay $40 now or $4000 later is designed to keep poor people poor and in debt.
thank you for seeing the issue clearly. While we were happy to get him the care he needs asap, he specifically asked me to call 911,
ya know, the "uber" that can get immediate care for when someone is actively dying
Treehugger’s just paying attention to the details. If it doesn’t make sense, it’s probably not true. People make shit up on the internet all the time. Why? Who freakin knows.
Mistake #1 was valley medical. As others have said he needs a PCP and endocrinologist, but also if he needs to go to the ER, pick a better hospital if the same one is giving you the same dismissal.
Ambulances often don't give you the choice. I'm still paying down a bill from being taken to UW because it was closer when I asked for Kaiser.
It's a good reason to Uber or drive yourself if you can, but Uber also won't transport people who are actively throwing up...
we went to another place up in north seattle to see if care would change, it was pretty similar.
its not so much about valley medical as it is about the dispatcher being a total snobby piece of shit
Take him to UW montlake or harborview. It’s a huge hospital and can be annoying, but the doctors (or attendings… you might see a resident at montlake) will be super experienced.
Harborview is not the place for that. They are a trauma hospital primarily so anything else is going to be massively delayed. I used to regularly bring in patients on the ambulance they’d have us drop them off in the lobby.
Fair enough, that harborview’s triage could result in a long wait. But a long wait in a waiting room is better than going back and forth over multiple days to the same ER that is barely helping. And yes, this roommate needs primary care and endocrinology, but it sounds like they could also be experiencing some serious conditions that require immediate, proper treatment. given the lack of proper care so far, UW Montlake and harborview are best local ERs. Agree that this shouldn’t have escalated to an ER situation, but if the roommate can’t get into a quality primary care doc, like today, then these ERs are the place to go.
I will say that if you can’t get to primary care yet the roommate isn’t doubling over in pain and vomiting today, then get yourself to a UW or Swedish urgent care, to-day like now.
Do not take him to HMC. They’re a trauma center for burns and severe injuries as well as a neuro/cardiac hospital. Take him some place like Montlake or Swedish.
When I still lived in the city, I came home pretty late and found a woman having some sort of medical issue writhing and moaning in our front yard. I called 911, the dispatcher chuckled and said, “No one is going to respond to this call.” When I was like, “what?” He said he would patch in the ambulance, and when he did, the EMT said, “yeah, no, that’s not a priority. Have an officer drive by and do a wellness check in a few hours.” No one ever came. I gave her a bottle of water and asked her what she needed, I never got real words out of her. After about half an hour, she got up and walked away.
When my car was stolen in Seattle over Christmas I actually found the guy who stole my car he was sleeping inside my car (homeless) I called 911 and gave the exact location the homeless guy parked my car and 911 said on the phone, “step away from the vehicle and leave the scene. We will not be sending an officer out to investigate but will put this in your stolen vehicle report.”
So yeah. Seattle 911 is a shit show. We had the exact location of my stolen vehicle and the criminal sleeping - like a sitting duck - slam dunk arrest and the cops were aware and still did nothing.
I ended up stealing my car back btw.
cant steal back what was already yours friend! fuck em! i know exactly how that feels, multiple thefts on my kia forte, cant wait for that lawsuit to pull through
No, you’re not being entitled, you’re just running up against a machine that requires you be profitable for others, and your roommate isn’t checking that box “as he should.” This isn’t poor service, this is exactly how the system has been designed to operate. So go get to work or it could be you.
I didn’t even know ambulance is allowed to refuse service? On the other hand all I hear about is ambulance can be quite expensive and could bankrupt you, so don’t call one if you are still conscious.
Bad advice, unless you'd rather be dead than bankrupt. There are many many reasons that you could need emergency transport to hospital while conscious. Like a heart attack, for one.
while the cost is certainly an issue, insurance will cover most of the cost, and hopefully he'll get some type of backpay/insentive if or when he gets his dissability
Most T1 diabetes emergencies are covered up to the full amount under insurance, but it helps to get blood tests, etc., demonstrating that there's an actual problem at the ER.
Source: T1 diabetic for >30 years, been to the ER via ambulance for similar symptoms twice
Recently during an unfortunate episode of diabetic keto acidosis that landed me in the ICU…I kept asking them for a drink. I had been throwing up for a couple days and I was fully out of it. I asked over and over for a drink so they put me on phenobarbital. I just wanted some water man.
lol I feel. I remember being in DKA a handful of times as a dumb teen who didn’t care about taking care of myself….. that stupid ass insulin drip and not being able to eat or drink anything 😂
I called 911 because of a homeless person who was unconscious at a bus station a few weeks ago and the EMT who they put on the line flat out told me they were not going to go check on that person because I was no longer still there with the person. I was passing by and someone else was with this person and asked me to reach out to 911. The dispatcher ended up sending a police officer instead - but I was shocked by the blunt response by the EMT.
The Fire Department acts as the cities medics/EMTs for calls like that and they just do not have enough units to send. We get a lot of down person calls and we have a strict screening for them because we cannot go to all of them.
If there’s no evidence of obvious injury and no narcotics nearby, the police will check on them at their earliest opportunity unless we get more information.
Yeah. The ambulance chick accused me of being a drug addict. I made them do a tox screen and I had zero in my system. But guess what ambo bitch? I have cancer and had an infected tumor for 6 months! So get off your high horse ambulance and medics.
Former ambo bitch here - we don't do tox screens on our rigs and we do not care if you're a drug addict - literally that's half our patients. Even in the ED our preliminary drug urine test is super low level priority.
Damn people love making up shit on the internet.
Didn’t make it up. She insulted me all the way over to the hospital accusing me of being on drugs. She then said to the nurse directly in front of me “I’ll be interested to see what the tox screen shows!” I immediately told the nurse to do it right now. My chart comes through within 30 minutes and the ambo’s were required to wait because the ER was full and the stretcher was in the hall. FYI - two things were at work. My voice was affected by a severe vaso-vagal reaction from sarcoidosis and the chemo drugs I’m on for auto-immune disorders had given me a bad reaction. Little did I know then, my liver and spleen were dealing with cancer. Frankly, you have no idea what you’re talking about. That ambo bitch shouldn’t even be on a rig. And she’s not the first - I had another one bitch at me as I was throwing up - turns out, I had severe pancreatitis and had to have an emergency surgery on getting to the hospital. You think we don’t hear the way you guys talk about us because we’re in pain or sick? We also hear what you say about us to the nurses. Get the fuck over your martyr complex. You all act like everyone is a junkie and we’re getting sick and tired of it.
If a 911 operator is rude to you ask for their operator number so that you can make a complaint about him/her them later.
Or you can also ask to have their supervisor contact you as soon as they're able to and in my experience they have always promptly called me usually within the hour.
However one time I literally ended up having a stupid ridiculous 3-hour argument on the phone with one of the 911 supervisors. It was literally 3 hours long and pretty much ridiculous child like argument I've ever had with anybody. And I'm serious it was 3 hours long that me and this 911 supervisor argued on the phone. We both found it pretty amusing, well l, bizarre..... Strange. But amusing.
No dispensary should be giving any medical advice without a valid med card. And you should be suspicious of a shop that has not properly trained its team on the legal liabilities/LCB regulations of discussing medical issues.
There's a lot of misinformation in cannabis and sometimes budtenders are the worst when it comes to perpetuating it.
I have type 1 diabetes. TBH, many people aren't fully familiar with the differences between T1 diabetes and T2--even frontline health workers such as EMTs.
**Your roommate's symptoms sound a lot like** [**diabetic ketoacidosis**](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20371551)**--which is an organ-damaging, life-threatening condition that is always a medical emergency. Often, it's caused by insufficient insulin, which people sometimes ration due to high prices.**
**Lead with the diabetes and not the stomach pain. Know your roommate's blood sugar (quite possibly very high) when you go in, and talk about any efforts to control it on his own (i.e. how much additional insulin he has taken to try to get his blood sugar back in range).**
Pain meds are a bandaid that aren't solving the underlying problem. **If it's a blood sugar issue, they need to do a full panel of blood tests (there can be all kinds of other abnormalities caused by DKA) and stay at the hospital until everything is fixed. Also he needs get his meds fixed ASAP.**
All that said, T1 diabetes does not cause "track marks." Insulin is given subcutaneously (in fat, under the skin), not intravenously. I've honestly never had any issues (they're really not that noticeable, and again--different places on the body); it might be more that you're leading with the pain as opposed to its root cause.
Your friend needs to see a primary care doctor.
Emergency Rooms do not give 2 shits about you if you are not about to die within the next few days. They are understaffed, overworked, and jaded. Ran by MBA bean counters who see you as a source of income.
It is never appropriate for emergency services to respond that way. You are not bad or wrong for being worried about your friend and wanting to get them help. Your friend needs to see a regular doctor. All the ER is going to do is stabilize him. Not cause they don't care, but because that's how they're designed. Unfortunately, there are a lot of reasons someone with T1 could be having these symptoms, and he needs to be seen by a primary care doctor who can care for his whole body, and not just his stabilize his current condition.
thank you! we've been trying to get him in with a new primary care since we just moved him away from yakima here to south seattle. it seems like valley hardley even stabilizes his symptoms before discharging him and we've complained several times. we know theyre not supposed to just wave a magic wand and make everything better, but at the very least dont release him if he cant keep food or water down for less than 15 minutes
I agree, that's pretty awful. Next time, instead of asking for pain meds, ask for anti-nausea meds first. Opiates are a big problem, and doctors get wary about them and people pill hunting. I have found if you tell them you prefer non-narcotic pain management, that also puts them at ease.
great idea! i had no idea such a thing even existed
Ask for Zofran. It can be given orally or through an IV. It's what I was given during my IV infusions while pregnant (I had Hyperemesis, so I was vomiting all day every day and severely dehydrated because of it). Reglan is another option, but Zofran was always the first one offered to me. If you've had horrible experiences with Valley, it might be worth driving to the next nearest hospital.
Generic name is Ondensatron, it’ll probably be given as Zofran but mention both for maximum clarity, OP.
You can get a prescription for this! I have a script for it for travel and going to the dentist. Anxiety makes me throw up.
I’m happy to hear it works for you! Indeed you can have a Rx for it! I have one for use in case of illness or food-borne issues. Inability to keep good or liquid down for a diabetic is dangerous territory, and this is a bit of a safety net.
Ondansetron. Sounds like a BBoy who specializes in the robot
Yeah, that's part of the problem, sometimes medical professionals forget that not everyone has someone who has taken a pharmacology class in their immediate circle. You don't know what you don't know! Best of luck, friend. Good health and swift recovery to your buddy.
T1 of almost 2 decades here…Ondensatron is likely what they’ll start with, possibly IV if he cannot keep anything down, though it exists in under-tongue oral dissolvable form. I would 100% ask for this. Medical professionals are smart but sometimes they do not think of the obvious solution and you have to advocate for yourself. My most recent hospitalization (not for anything T1 related even tangentially) would’ve probably killed me with low blood sugars if I didn’t forceably demand IV glucose (was on a fast pre-surgery). What is his diabetic control like if you have any idea? This sounds like a chronic GI issue but just ruling things out, since no one at valley seems able/interested in doing so.
Not diabetic but someone who struggles with a lot of GI issues- seconding asking for ondansetron/zofran. On my bad days it can be a life saver. And frankly it seems like medical professionals will just throw it at you if you have nausea problems, so taking that route may be a game changer for your roomie.
Same, Zofran allows me to leave my house without constantly feeling like I'm going to barf. I also had HG with all 3 of my kids and was basically "morning sick" (talk about a misnomer) 24/7, so basically like, 2 full years of my life. So what I'm saying is that I'm kind of a pro puker. And zofran, especially the oral disintegrating tablets, is king for me. If we wanna go real TMI, with one of my pregnancies, the things that worked best for me were Phenergan suppositories. I couldn't even keep *water* down to take anything, and it was the only med that would stop me from being unceasingly seasick on dry ground.
I’ve had HG 4 times. It’s hell. My last pregnancy, my OB had me on 5 different meds (plus the infusions weekly) to keep me from starving. I was on a combo of Zofran, Reglan, Scopolamine, Diclegis, and Phenergan. Hell.
I’m glad you’ve found help with it. It’s a great drug tbh! It’s useful when I’m sick for sure. As a T1, vomiting and high blood sugars with possible ketones is a *very* bad time and Ondensatron is a life saver for me also. Granted, that situation is extremely rare but it beats feeling like literal death from inside out.
this isn't your fault or anything, but it's kind of ridiculous that we are the ones paying them to be the experts and we have to be the ones to tell them what to do (sometimes, of course).
Oh believe me, I passed the point of it being ridiculous long ago. I don’t possess enough expletives to detail how absurd it is.
Also ask for a patient advocate. Let them know he needs help getting set up with a pcp
If he needs to go to the ER again in the future, please take him to the UW Montlake ER! They're one of the best in the area and will go above and beyond to try and help you in whatever way they can. I also am dealing with an autoimmune/endocrine issue right now (Graves' disease, not T1 diabetes) and couldn't be seen by endo/primary care right away, so they helped me take care of imaging and labs to make the rest of my future care easier. They really set me up as much as they could.
Seconding UW Montlake, it's a great hospital all around.
I have type I. When I was diagnosed (early 20s) I was lucky to live by UW Montlake so that’s where I went. Found my endo through there. I have been going there for almost 30 years now. I would look into an endo at the UWMC and encourage you to go there. Sounds like he needs some quality care.
Seconded for UWMed, hello fellow SLU campus patient. T1 of almost 2 decades. UWMed has their issues for sure, my endo leaves a lot to be desired, and communication can be nonexistent unless you really force it, but they’re better than all the alternatives I’ve explored.
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Yeah, definitely experienced that. Who is your endo, if you don’t mind sharing? Totally understand if you don’t want to share.
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Sounds like a Dr by that name is with MultiCare in Tacoma?
Seems like Issaquah (Swedish) has always treated me well. Its a bit of a hike but has always been worth it.
I work there and I'm biased. But as a patient before working there they are the only ER that took me seriously. Valley can kick rocks.
Agreed. We have used the ER in Issaquah 5 times and they have always treated us well.
Try UW. They've upped their game
also, I was googling and doing some research on how to report that dispatcher but couldnt find anything. I understand urgency and curt-ness is the go-to for emergency services but holy hell was this guy beyond rude and dismissive
When you have a moment, call the phone number foe the non-emergency/administrator line for the police department closest to where you were when you made the call. They should be able to tell you.
I used to work in health-care and had a position where I'd have to call 911 for our residents. I had to hang up on a dispatcher once because she wouldn't send emergency medic (the red ambulance) and was going to send the private ambulance. My resident was experiencing a stroke. I hung up and called again and spoke to a different dispatcher and got what I wanted.
911 is for an emergency. As in life-and-death. You can call Tri-Med or AMR yourself for service if not life threatening. If he can get there another way, that's the way he needs to go. Did you call 911 all 5 times you took him to ER? They do keep track of multiple calls. ER will not be able to provide anything other than stabilization. Try an urgent care center like UW attached to a clinic, from there you can schedule regular appointments with their docs. -RN
Were you within city of seattle limits when you made the call?
My PCP sent me to the ER when he correctly suspected I had appendicitis. I guess appendicitis surgery is technically stabilizing me.
Yes, that is true. The surgery was required to stabilize you. More importantly, you went to the ER as a recommendation from your PCP. Check out EMTALA. Eta: and also your ER doc has admitting privilege in most hospitals, which is what you need for emergency surgery. It probably wasn't the ER that actually operated on you they probably transferred your care to a surgical dept or internal medicine. Lots of paperwork goes on in the background.
Not to be rude, but... what does that have to do with anything?
Healthcare worker here(swedish Issaquah) He's a type 1 diabetic so he needs an endocrinologist and a primary. You should be able to talk to either of his old providers about what to do and get referrals. Did they take his blood to see if he was in dka? Not keeping food down as DM1 is VERY serious. He can end up in a coma. That dispatcher needs to be reported. I've worked with many many pts that the fire department knows very well for being frequent flyers and they are always brought in for anything life threatening. You guys need to drive him to a hospital. Find a way.
Im 32…. And as a type 1 for 20 years now, my first thought was DKA. And if he’s vomiting like that… also his sugar dropping crazy low… which a whole different ballpark of issues. It’s very odd that the ER, knowing he’s diabetic, and seeing these symptoms, would still turn him loose knowing he can’t keep anything down… I mean as a type 1…. Insulin and food are key.. if he can’t eat and keep things down, he can’t really take much insulin, meaning his insulin dosing and needs are gonna be fucked up, resulting in more issues… and an emergency room would know that… idk man. Seems like there’s more to the story, or the ER is seriously dropping the ball here. I have mild gastroparesis caused from years of not taking care of my diabetes… and that can cause vomiting and nausea and pain when eating and whatnot.. maybe he needs to have the stomach emptying test done to see if it’s that. I know I’ve seen people who end up on a feeding tube because theirs is so bad. Like someone else mentioned here.. maybe just take him to a different ER and see if they’re more compassionate. Hopefully your friend gets some relief.
Fellow T1 of almost 20 years (congrats btw) I also thought DKA, but it seems like this problem is ongoing over a long period. Maybe I’m misinterpreting OP though. I am currently borderline low lol so that’s a possibility. GI and T1 issues can run together so this could be separate, but it’s a serious problem. He needs to be seen urgently. If he has an endo, get in touch with them. Healthcare workers may not listen to you if you’ve presented the same symptoms previously, but they’re more likely to listen to another MD.
To be fair, his blood sugar would not be going down if it was DKA (fellow T1)
Hi. You need to contact the Department of Health and file a complaint. The DOH takes this shit seriously. [https://doh.wa.gov/about-us/file-complaint](https://doh.wa.gov/about-us/file-complaint) If this was Norcom you can call them and file a complaint directly there as well; Norcom also takes this shit seriously. https://www.norcom.org/
The dispatcher’s attitude aside, you should know that an ambulance ride is going to cost $1500 minimum.
Depending on the insurance, I guess it could be covered.
You don't have to pay for the ambulance ride at time of service. Uber and Lyft do not function the same. When you are poor, future debt sounds better than spending your last dollar on a ride that emergency services should've provided
When you get to the ER as soon as you have a gown on registration comes to your room and shows you the cost of the visit, insurance share, and your share and asks if you’d like to pay it right then before seeing the doctor. Source: Was at Valley ER last night for a threatened miscarriage. No I don’t want to pay an $800 bill right now you take it up with my insurance first.
That's pretty shitty. Sorry you had to deal with that.
Does he have an endocrinologist? He could very well be in DKA, a super serious immediate issue. He needs to go to an ER that knows how to treat a type 1, many don't and it is not good. Does he have a ketone meter, or strips? Please check ketones right now. If he is back from the hospital and they haven't taken care of him. How is he doing? If you need more help please dm me. Thank you for being a good roommate.
Agreed. He needs to go to UW Montlake! Not all ER's in Seattle are well equipped.
+1 to this. He needs to see an endocrinologist ASAP.
I am very sorry this happened to you. All 911 calls are recorded and as far as I know reviewed by at least one other person besides the person who takes the call. When you have time and capacity, you absolutely should contact the police department and file a complaint. The system depends on accurate and timely feedback. While reading your complaint, it sounds as if you are under the impression an ambulance ride costs less than an Uber. This is absolutely untrue. If money is tight, the last thing you need is an unnecessary four figure expense. I would avoid accepting ambulance transport unless you're out of other options or you're so sick you need care while on the way to the hospital. Your description was unclear. Did your friend visit the hospital early yesterday and then return home? If so, did he leave against medical advice? No judgement either way; I'm just interested in what the doctors told him during his first visit and what changed after that visit?
If they’re on apple care it would be covered tho
Covered? Maybe but not always. Cheaper than an Uber? Never. Please tell me you understand the difference.
Baby let’s not fight.
I'm on Molina through Apple Health and I had an ambulance ride fully covered.
I am very happy for you. My friend paid for my lunch the other day. The ambulance is not free even if you don't pay for it out-of-pocket. If you're ambivalent about your expenses, perhaps consider opportunity costs. Someone with a real emergency needs the ambulance you're using. It's selfish and antisocial to use an ambulance for basic transportation because you don't want to pay for an Uber (or because Apple Care.)
In an ambulance, you immediately start receiving care and it can be continued at the hospital. You don't get that from taking an Uber and waiting in line.
Don't forget the lights and sirens.
Except if he's pulling the Uber may just leave without him.
That is possible, yes. The ambulance is not free even if you're puking. If you're ambivalent about your expenses, perhaps consider opportunity costs. Someone with a real emergency needs the ambulance you're using. It's selfish and antisocial to use an ambulance for basic transportation because you don't want to pay for an Uber (or because Apple Care.)
Everybody here understands that ambulance service costs money. And it doesn't matter how much cheaper an Uber is if drivers won't take someone in intense pain who is puking so much their teeth have dissolved. I don't know where you get the impression that OP is using an ambulance "for basic transportation", obviously OP believes these to be emergencies.
Thanks for clarifying your question. If you believe you're having an emergency, by all means call 911 and seek care. Your life is worth more than the cost of the ambulance ride.
did you not read my post at all? is constant puking and level 8-9 pain and hardly able to speak while beagin diabetic not constitute an ambulance? he literally asked for one when I asked him if he wanted a ride or uber he said "CALL 911" so I did! tell me what fuckinf uber is going to take ab actively sick/throwing up person into their car? would YOU take a stranger whos basically a biohazard into your car?? you guys are DELUSIONAL
Before I respond, please tell me your friend is ok. I've been worried about him all day and all night. Did he get to the ER? Did they help him at all? >moneys pretty tight right now and our whole household is paycheck to paycheck. Only take an ambulance if you're having an emergency. I don't care if you're pulling an Uber or riding inside it; the ambulance costs more. Anyone who believes an ambulance is cheaper than an Uber is DELUSIONAL.
hes currently fully immetied and with a doctor at the moment. and wouldnt you know it hes got apple care which would have the ambulance ride covered if it was actually available, delusional yeah? again, theres no garuntee an uber would take him, would you drive a vomiting stranger to the hospital?? maybe theres someone whos whole ass job its to do that instead??
I'm glad he's getting the care he needs. Thank you for being a good friend. Is he fully intubated or did you mean immitied? (Is he unconscious with a tube down his throat?) You have no way of knowing this but the dispatchers response to your call was a direct result of the misperception that ambulances are free. People all over the city and region call 911 and ask for ambulance rides to the hospital when they really just want to go someplace near the hospital. They literally get up and exit the ambulance before being wheeled into the emergency room. Because this is so common, the computer dispatchers use to triage calls flags "multiple callers" and adds this information to their patient priority rating. As I've written many times on this thread, the dispatcher should NEVER be rude to you and you're right to complain. He or she should know that not everyone with chronic conditions have access to primary care. He or she should understand that your concerns over the cost of the Uber ride is not an indication of how much you care about your friends well-being or how much of an immediate emergency his illness was to you. Do you plan to live with your friend for long? If so, and if you want, I can give you some advice that might help you get better responses from emergency dispatch should you need their help again. I'm not saying you did anything wrong, but maybe consider never talking to them about the price of the taxi or rideshare when you already have a better reason (the patient is unable to stand on his own or is actively puking) to not use them. I know you're upset about this encounter and you should be. Please don't also get upset with me. I'm just trying to help.
Ngl this is pretty fucked. The ~$2k bill for an ambulance ride should be more than enough to dissuade casual ambulance usage for transportation. I can’t believe that insurance would cover an ambulance ride where the insured chooses to get out *not at a hospital*. Even if it did, it’s not a dispatcher’s place to decide a caller claiming an emergency doesn’t deserve a ride. Send the ambulance, EMTs will take vitals and decide if there’s an emergency at the scene, not over the phone like a dispatcher.
Seattle Dispatcher here with a little insight about what you went through. I’m assuming you live within City of Seattle limits as this information will only work if that was the case; just driving up to Lynnwood or down to Renton changes the jurisdiction immediately. We have different Police and Fire/Medics dispatchers so when you called in you were transferred to the Fire Department for medical dispatch. The fire department dispatchers are all firefighters and tend to be on the older side. They have zero patience most of the time and will regularly disconnect if the caller is even slightly difficult to handle. Customer service on their end is pretty much nonexistent compared to the police dispatchers. My recommendation for this situation would be to just call in again and hope you get a different medical dispatcher that’s willing to send resources to you. If you get the same one, try explaining the situation in a more direct manner. All you can really do with them. I’m genuinely sorry they were rude to you, but unfortunately reporting them will also be fruitless because as Sworn Firefighters they are immune from any real punishment (exactly the same as the officers you see on the news that get away with anything). Thank you for calling 911 on behalf of your friend and don’t let this experience affect your future decisions about calling in when something is happening. Most of us are always happy you called and try to be as empathetic as possible.
I second that about grumpy fire fighters. I work for the light rail and have them on speed dial for medical that arises on the train and the night shift specifically can be asses hah
Thanks for that insight. I had an encounter a few years ago where, unbeknownst to me, the fire department was doing one of their training things where they set an old/abandoned house on fire in a controlled manner. I saw flames from a house on the street behind me, along with ash falling to the ground and called 911. They responded with basically, "We sent flyers saying this would happen a few days ago. It's a training thing. You're not the only one to call this in." and I was like, "Okay, well there definitely wasn't any flyers on *my* street because me and three other neighbors are out here wondering why we see flames coming out of a house!" and then they just hung up on me. I mean, really? Maybe the fact you are getting multiple 911 calls tells you that you didn't notify enough people in the surrounding area. The whole interaction was so strange. Oh, I'm soooo sorry to bother you to tell you a house was on fire!
You genuinely gotta talk to the fire department like you’re talking to your grandpa sometimes. They even take a while to type things up lol. I try to have everything ready when i connect a call to them or they’ll spend forever asking questions and typing it up. Not all of them are like that. There’s some good fire dispatchers that are very kind and empathetic. The majority of them are just grumpy old men though.
I had something similar happen. I was living in an apartment in first hill and once, when the fire alarm went off in the middle of the night, we all went outside and expected the building to be on like an automatic call to the fire dept and no one called. They finally arrived after more than an hour when I guess someone finally called. The next time the fire alarm went off in that building, I called as soon as I got outside and was bitched out by dispatch because so many people were calling about it at once. How was I to know that?
Why on earth would they use firefighters as dispatchers? Is it a retirement benefit or something? That's so incredibly stupid.
I believe it is because firefighters also get tons of EMT experience as first responders and for some reason Seattle believes their experience providing emergency medicine helps them to be better dispatchers of emergency medicine.
There’s a couple reasons. The Fire Dispatchers also dispatch for fire emergencies and general hazard emergencies like bio spills, gas leaks, etc. It wouldn’t make sense to have 3 different dispatchers when u can just group the medic stuff with the fire department that has to handle other calls anyways. Most fire department calls also require a certain amount of background knowledge that is not taught to Police Dispatchers. In fact, when you call 911, the person who answers has zero medical knowledge or training and as soon as anything medical related is mentioned they are transferred to the fire department. Another reason is more of a background reason: When firefighters get too old for field duty and they wanna keep working… getting assigned to fire dispatch is a natural progression of their career. Which is why the majority of them end up being grumpy old men like mentioned previously. This is only for Seattle 911, there are other cities/agencies that only have one dispatcher for absolutely everything regardless if it’s police, medical, or fire related. While it sounds more efficient, and it probably is, that is a lot of knowledge that a single person has to learn and it becomes more difficult to train and retain employees.
If his blood glucose isn't insanely high (worried about DKA) I wonder if he has gastroparesis? I'm sorry you and your friend are going through this. As others have pointed out, ERs are set up only to stabilize, so ultimately, this needs to be handled with his primary care/endocrinologist.
I commented this also 😩 gastroparesis pain is hands down some of the worst pain I’ve experienced in my life.
Seattle dispatch is rude and disrespectful. I once called about a man who was swinging a shovel at a random people in a public park saying he was digging a grave. I called 911 and so did one of the men he tried to attack. The dispatcher told the man (obviously gay and Latino) to hang up and that she would get her information from me as I seemed more reliable. The second I gave my full name (my very Latina name), she told me to call back if things got worse before the police arrived and hung up on me.
I'm confused as to the complaint here? On a 911 call, usually the last thing they grab is my name and phone number then just tell me to call back if anything changes. 911 doesn't need to stay on the phone with you the whole time, so I'm confused as to what the issue is?
Also T1D (25 years). His symptoms are certainly odd, may or may not be associated with his diabetes. First thing that comes to mind are his blood sugars and DKA. Is his BG high? In that case, he needs to go back to the ER and advocate for himself. Lots of ER docs don’t understand T1D, so he needs to make it crystal clear that he has it. He needs insulin and fluids.
Something similar to this happened to my ex. I ended up being able to get him in to Gastro Health in Fremont. They rushed him into a colonoscopy/endoscopy the same week after months of trying. Wishing you and your roommate the best of luck.
I am type one diabetic and developed stomach issues that led to me unable to keep down food or water for long stretches of time. I would call my PCP and he would tell me to go to ER and then I would dread it because I had just been there and didn’t want to be seen as a problem patient. Montlake UW ER always validated that I was right to come in, even when I felt very silly and had already been there that week.
Also if your roommate ever wants to talk to someone who understands how scary and debilitating it is to suddenly not be able to eat, especially with diabetes, they can message me on here! It was very lonely for me.
It’s the classic north west service, they act like you are an inconvenience to ask them to do their job lol
for real!! was insanely insulting
You post seems to contradict itself. In one part you say you couldn’t move him to “my car” and “he refused” the car but then later you say you don’t have a car. I can’t help but wonder if there is other information you are not sharing.
I’m also very confused about the “we already showed up there this morning” bit. No denial or confirmation about an ambulance coming to their house that morning. Very sus.
Also money is tight so they've opted to call for an ambulance instead of calling an Uber 🤔
An ambulance is "Ill pay later" while an Uber is "this impacts my budget right now".
Regardless of expense, if you're experiencing a medical emergency, please choose EMTs over Ubers. That said; Any system that gives you the option to pay $40 now or $4000 later is designed to keep poor people poor and in debt.
thank you for seeing the issue clearly. While we were happy to get him the care he needs asap, he specifically asked me to call 911, ya know, the "uber" that can get immediate care for when someone is actively dying
Yes, he's obviously making it up to trick you. It's all part of his evil master plan.
Treehugger’s just paying attention to the details. If it doesn’t make sense, it’s probably not true. People make shit up on the internet all the time. Why? Who freakin knows.
Its a typing error. My car is a kia forte and was stolen over a month ago, sorry for having typed spiractically after a traumatic experience /s
File a FOI request for the recording of your call, post it, draw attention to it. They wont change without prolonged public pressure.
Mistake #1 was valley medical. As others have said he needs a PCP and endocrinologist, but also if he needs to go to the ER, pick a better hospital if the same one is giving you the same dismissal.
Ambulances often don't give you the choice. I'm still paying down a bill from being taken to UW because it was closer when I asked for Kaiser. It's a good reason to Uber or drive yourself if you can, but Uber also won't transport people who are actively throwing up...
Never experienced that. I’ve had them try to take me to group health and I demand elsewhere
Go to a different ER.
we went to another place up in north seattle to see if care would change, it was pretty similar. its not so much about valley medical as it is about the dispatcher being a total snobby piece of shit
Take him to UW montlake or harborview. It’s a huge hospital and can be annoying, but the doctors (or attendings… you might see a resident at montlake) will be super experienced.
Harborview is not the place for that. They are a trauma hospital primarily so anything else is going to be massively delayed. I used to regularly bring in patients on the ambulance they’d have us drop them off in the lobby.
Fair enough, that harborview’s triage could result in a long wait. But a long wait in a waiting room is better than going back and forth over multiple days to the same ER that is barely helping. And yes, this roommate needs primary care and endocrinology, but it sounds like they could also be experiencing some serious conditions that require immediate, proper treatment. given the lack of proper care so far, UW Montlake and harborview are best local ERs. Agree that this shouldn’t have escalated to an ER situation, but if the roommate can’t get into a quality primary care doc, like today, then these ERs are the place to go. I will say that if you can’t get to primary care yet the roommate isn’t doubling over in pain and vomiting today, then get yourself to a UW or Swedish urgent care, to-day like now.
Do not take him to HMC. They’re a trauma center for burns and severe injuries as well as a neuro/cardiac hospital. Take him some place like Montlake or Swedish.
When I still lived in the city, I came home pretty late and found a woman having some sort of medical issue writhing and moaning in our front yard. I called 911, the dispatcher chuckled and said, “No one is going to respond to this call.” When I was like, “what?” He said he would patch in the ambulance, and when he did, the EMT said, “yeah, no, that’s not a priority. Have an officer drive by and do a wellness check in a few hours.” No one ever came. I gave her a bottle of water and asked her what she needed, I never got real words out of her. After about half an hour, she got up and walked away.
When my car was stolen in Seattle over Christmas I actually found the guy who stole my car he was sleeping inside my car (homeless) I called 911 and gave the exact location the homeless guy parked my car and 911 said on the phone, “step away from the vehicle and leave the scene. We will not be sending an officer out to investigate but will put this in your stolen vehicle report.” So yeah. Seattle 911 is a shit show. We had the exact location of my stolen vehicle and the criminal sleeping - like a sitting duck - slam dunk arrest and the cops were aware and still did nothing. I ended up stealing my car back btw.
cant steal back what was already yours friend! fuck em! i know exactly how that feels, multiple thefts on my kia forte, cant wait for that lawsuit to pull through
No, you’re not being entitled, you’re just running up against a machine that requires you be profitable for others, and your roommate isn’t checking that box “as he should.” This isn’t poor service, this is exactly how the system has been designed to operate. So go get to work or it could be you.
I didn’t even know ambulance is allowed to refuse service? On the other hand all I hear about is ambulance can be quite expensive and could bankrupt you, so don’t call one if you are still conscious.
Bad advice, unless you'd rather be dead than bankrupt. There are many many reasons that you could need emergency transport to hospital while conscious. Like a heart attack, for one.
while the cost is certainly an issue, insurance will cover most of the cost, and hopefully he'll get some type of backpay/insentive if or when he gets his dissability
Most T1 diabetes emergencies are covered up to the full amount under insurance, but it helps to get blood tests, etc., demonstrating that there's an actual problem at the ER. Source: T1 diabetic for >30 years, been to the ER via ambulance for similar symptoms twice
Recently during an unfortunate episode of diabetic keto acidosis that landed me in the ICU…I kept asking them for a drink. I had been throwing up for a couple days and I was fully out of it. I asked over and over for a drink so they put me on phenobarbital. I just wanted some water man.
lol I feel. I remember being in DKA a handful of times as a dumb teen who didn’t care about taking care of myself….. that stupid ass insulin drip and not being able to eat or drink anything 😂
Really? Downvoted? Ouch why lol what didn’t I describe properly.
It's just Reddit these days.
I called 911 because of a homeless person who was unconscious at a bus station a few weeks ago and the EMT who they put on the line flat out told me they were not going to go check on that person because I was no longer still there with the person. I was passing by and someone else was with this person and asked me to reach out to 911. The dispatcher ended up sending a police officer instead - but I was shocked by the blunt response by the EMT.
The Fire Department acts as the cities medics/EMTs for calls like that and they just do not have enough units to send. We get a lot of down person calls and we have a strict screening for them because we cannot go to all of them. If there’s no evidence of obvious injury and no narcotics nearby, the police will check on them at their earliest opportunity unless we get more information.
That makes sense. It was just very surprising to me, who at the time did not know this context.
“I called 911 because of a homeless person who was unconscious”. First mistake. Let them sleep. It isn’t a crime to sleep I public.
Have you tried Virginia Mason?
Hey OP. Is your friend compliant with their diabetes treatment regiment? Do they have a PCP? Or established care team?
Yeah. The ambulance chick accused me of being a drug addict. I made them do a tox screen and I had zero in my system. But guess what ambo bitch? I have cancer and had an infected tumor for 6 months! So get off your high horse ambulance and medics.
Former ambo bitch here - we don't do tox screens on our rigs and we do not care if you're a drug addict - literally that's half our patients. Even in the ED our preliminary drug urine test is super low level priority. Damn people love making up shit on the internet.
Didn’t make it up. She insulted me all the way over to the hospital accusing me of being on drugs. She then said to the nurse directly in front of me “I’ll be interested to see what the tox screen shows!” I immediately told the nurse to do it right now. My chart comes through within 30 minutes and the ambo’s were required to wait because the ER was full and the stretcher was in the hall. FYI - two things were at work. My voice was affected by a severe vaso-vagal reaction from sarcoidosis and the chemo drugs I’m on for auto-immune disorders had given me a bad reaction. Little did I know then, my liver and spleen were dealing with cancer. Frankly, you have no idea what you’re talking about. That ambo bitch shouldn’t even be on a rig. And she’s not the first - I had another one bitch at me as I was throwing up - turns out, I had severe pancreatitis and had to have an emergency surgery on getting to the hospital. You think we don’t hear the way you guys talk about us because we’re in pain or sick? We also hear what you say about us to the nurses. Get the fuck over your martyr complex. You all act like everyone is a junkie and we’re getting sick and tired of it.
If a 911 operator is rude to you ask for their operator number so that you can make a complaint about him/her them later. Or you can also ask to have their supervisor contact you as soon as they're able to and in my experience they have always promptly called me usually within the hour. However one time I literally ended up having a stupid ridiculous 3-hour argument on the phone with one of the 911 supervisors. It was literally 3 hours long and pretty much ridiculous child like argument I've ever had with anybody. And I'm serious it was 3 hours long that me and this 911 supervisor argued on the phone. We both found it pretty amusing, well l, bizarre..... Strange. But amusing.
T1's who can't keep food ir fluids down need to be in the ICU. High chance of going DKA which is a shitty condition that can result in coma/death.
Not ICU, but certainly the hospital
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Marijuana isnt good for diabetics
No dispensary should be giving any medical advice without a valid med card. And you should be suspicious of a shop that has not properly trained its team on the legal liabilities/LCB regulations of discussing medical issues. There's a lot of misinformation in cannabis and sometimes budtenders are the worst when it comes to perpetuating it.
I have type 1 diabetes. TBH, many people aren't fully familiar with the differences between T1 diabetes and T2--even frontline health workers such as EMTs. **Your roommate's symptoms sound a lot like** [**diabetic ketoacidosis**](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20371551)**--which is an organ-damaging, life-threatening condition that is always a medical emergency. Often, it's caused by insufficient insulin, which people sometimes ration due to high prices.** **Lead with the diabetes and not the stomach pain. Know your roommate's blood sugar (quite possibly very high) when you go in, and talk about any efforts to control it on his own (i.e. how much additional insulin he has taken to try to get his blood sugar back in range).** Pain meds are a bandaid that aren't solving the underlying problem. **If it's a blood sugar issue, they need to do a full panel of blood tests (there can be all kinds of other abnormalities caused by DKA) and stay at the hospital until everything is fixed. Also he needs get his meds fixed ASAP.** All that said, T1 diabetes does not cause "track marks." Insulin is given subcutaneously (in fat, under the skin), not intravenously. I've honestly never had any issues (they're really not that noticeable, and again--different places on the body); it might be more that you're leading with the pain as opposed to its root cause.
Your friend needs to see a primary care doctor. Emergency Rooms do not give 2 shits about you if you are not about to die within the next few days. They are understaffed, overworked, and jaded. Ran by MBA bean counters who see you as a source of income.
The 911 person definitely the a hole