I have an allergy to contrast dye. I needed an MRI and the doctor needed one with contrast. Okay, so there's steroid prep for that, right?
The first appointment got messed up because of the 5 people I talked to and told about my allergy, no one actually told me what the prep and no one put in an order for it. So I show up, wait 3 hours in the confusion before being sent home because they can't do the MRI if I didn't do the prep. Valid.
Take 2. I did the prep, I got the MRI. I had a mild reaction towards the end and was starting to get super itchy but also having trouble ordering my thoughts. They had told me that I would need to be monitored for a reaction for 2-3 hours afterwards no matter what. The nurse tells me they don't do that.
So instead of the nurse/Dr in the hospital's imaging department ordering a simple steriod/benadryl injection, they sent me over to the ER. Who ignored me. I'm a chick who might be having an anaphylaxitic reaction, all I need is a couple meds, and someone to make sure I keep breathing for a few hours. But nope.
I was constantly itchy and miserable and once the 2 hours of waiting (literally waiting in the waiting room, which was itself just a hallway with chairs), I told the triage nurse to forget about it and I bounced.
I started sobbing uncontrollably when I got in the car. I was so uncomfortable and so frustrated. Once I was done, I got home, took benadryl, took some prednisone I had around, a klonopin to calm the fuck down, and a Tylenol for the massive headache I'd gotten from the combination of MRI noise, suffering, and crying. I called my primary care to send over a fresh epipen to my pharmacy because there's always a chance of a delayed reaction once the meds wear off. My roommate is picking that up on his way home from work, by which time I hope to have fallen asleep watching Outlander into a soft drug induced coma and be none the wiser.
I will be calling the imaging department on Monday and severely encouraging them to change their procedure when they have someone with contrast allergy have a reaction (something they should already be prepared for). Just goes to show that no one knows what the hell is going on in a hospital and, as the patient, you are the only one you can count on. Be careful out there, my darlings. Stay safe.
