Confidentiality in the ER with IV DU induced infections

[goodnightdclxvi]

I have searched and my exact question has yet to be answered...


​If a patient were to enroll oneself into the ER because they do not have a primary doctor to get help with an intravenous drug use infection ,i.e..an abscess, would they be put down as IV drug user? Also, I have read iffy articles about how the ER handles patient confidentiality and would just like to know for sure the scheme of how it would play out and how the situation would be handled.

fillers:
Just incase it is important,
said patient has insurance.
said patient is 18 years old.
said patient has no previous records of drug use or drug charges and has a clean record.

First thread and new to the community, yet have always utilized the website as a nonuser.
Am nervous, but would love some personal accounts or just feedback in general. much thx

 

[alpha_centauri]

If you have abscess from shooting up drugs go to a hospital.

People have died and lost arms from abscesses and infections due to shooting up drugs.

 

[Silverspoon13]

United States answer....

Typically you will be tested for drugs as well as other labs (CBC AND BMP)

Your results will be recorded in the EMR. Usually it's subjective data they enter. If you tell them the truth, it's charted. If you sign on your HIPAA form you DO NOT want your records shared, you should be fine.

To answer more in depth....are you concerned your doctor will know or others outside of medicine?

 

[Shelly320]

You will be labeled in Florida, if they suspect it they will just drug test you and if positive they mark the social security number

 

[goodnightdclxvi]

labeled as IV drug user? see thats what is trying to be avoided. this particular situation is in TN, I just uh, don't want to risk my health due to the fear of being labeled as such. I have a very weak immune system due to chronic Lyme disease, which is the most probable reason such events have occurred. but, is there ways around it? and if labeled how does that affect you?

 

[goodnightdclxvi]

Tell them the truth as in "this was caused from IV drug use", I've heard of people saying that they were spider bites, etc. and had avoided being labeled, even when they did test positive for drugs.

Should I tell the truth? I have chronic lyme disease, which is why i think it happened, because i don't do IV methods ever, but i have before to try like morphine, which is what I did to cause this to pop up. it grew so large in such a short time. Ive looked up home remedies to avoid the anxiety of such but they all seem too risky, especially with my health issues.

I'm just afraid, I guess.. I just don't want to be labeled and it hinder me later in life. I've been very stressed.

 

[bluemonkey]

Personally i would go to an er you never want to go to again. I have had places think my migraines were W/d and other than having a hard time at that hospital it has not affected anything. Although I am just on an Rx. So, I don't know about IV use.

 

[Lilmissfit]

GO TO ER, but for those who refuse some practical advice

I will tell anyone who has an iv drug induced abscess GO TO ER PLEASE. I have watch 5 people I know die because of this over the past year! However, I personally was treated so badly, there was open hostility from the ER Dr I had I haven't been able to return and have had 2 or 3 since...I want to offer advice to those who refuse to go....NEVER EVER APPLY HEATING PAD TO IT!This can send into your system and once in blood/organs there is little to be done! Ibuprofen is a life saver while waiting for it to burst... (IT IS A HORRIBLE PROCESS TO DO THIS WAY) but I believe that people should know. ..when it breaks it NEEDS TO DRAIN! Get non-stick large pads and change often MAKE SURE IT ISNT TIGHTLY COVERED...but ALSO triple ANTIBIOTIC ointment. ..LOTS....Do not get wet till all poison drains...I STILL URGE THE ER where you can get ANTIBIOTICS and the pain is over a lot faster. ..but I know there are some who just WON'T go....

 

[Jabberwocky]

One thing to take into consideration however is that the hospital staff will likely remember you if you were to come back for something else. In the cases of good ER departments who can handle dealing with this stuff compassionately and professionally, this isn't an issue. But being identified with IDU carries a significant stigma at centers with less compassionate, less professional staff. These places seem more common than the former I the states (some parts of the country are more discriminatory than others with this though).

Needle exchanges and local harm reduction organizations are good places to find resources on locating a hospital with compassionate and professional staff with a good track record handling complications related to IDU.

 

[LucidSDreamr]

You will be labeled in Florida, if they suspect it they will just drug test you and if positive they mark the social security number

do you have more info on this?

In Florida went to the hospital for an opioid overdose and severe stomach pain from withdrawals. Don't know about being labeled anything but I was able to get oxycodone, fentanyl and hydroconde scripts from many different doctors without a problem. Seems like If i had some sort of flag on my record that that wouldve been a problem.

 

[leahloveslayne]

My experience only
I live in Northeast USA Ohio
I went to the ER before for endocarditis due to IVDU. Got admitted for 8 weeks , heart surgery and all. Even got a shit ton of dilaudid whole there so no withdrawals.
I was not labeled an IVDU the Cleveland Clinch has a patient access medical records website and the endocarditis was only put down due to a unknown source of bacteria in the blood. Well have had no problems since then obtaining opiate prescriptions. Even with doctor shopping record. (Not with that hospital obviously )
I'd say f it and even if it is a small local community hospital that will label you a drug user it is so insignificant compared to the risks. But on the other hand I do understand your worries.
But IMHO
with you having insurance and being able to pay for the devices I do not think you should run into any problems.

Again my experience only

Stay safe
Xxxxxxx

 

[Kaiser De Quincey]

Same here. Got admitted for 6 weeks then had to come to hospital daily for anti-biotic infusionsnfor an additional 3 weeks. I'm somewhat clean cut, the nurses were shocked " such a nice guy" like me could be doing such. They were great though. Never questioned me. Went above and beyond what I thought nurses did. Anyone else who's had Endocarditis can tell you it's the WORSE. Everything was painful. Right down to my knuckles. Fevers. Puking. Headache. I was on a morphine shot every 4 hours for the pain. NEVER AGAIN I told myself. This may sound silly but I remember saying that if there were some magical button that would have killed me I would have pressed it. That's how bad it was.

 

[keeping]

i'd rather be a labelled IVDU with all my limbs than the alternative ༼ ༎ຶ ෴ ༎ຶ༽

 

[coopaloop1984]

That is horrible advice no offense, but you need methicillin resistant staphylococcus aurreous type antibiotics!!! Like Bactrim DS, or clindomycin. And if it is near vital organs or in your blood at to high of levels, you may be admitted to go on iv antibiotics via saline drip........ Really even if you have a MRSA anti biotic, you still should go get a culture done, also when the abcess comes to a head it needs to be knicked, aka lanced so you can get the puss/infection out. And a warm was closed or heart pad isn't bad it promotes blood circulation to the infected areas, and the antibiotics travel through your blood. If yo miss your shot put the swelled area under hot water until you can't take it, then switch it to ice cold til it gets a little numb then back to hot, repeat this cycle for 20-30 min right after you missed your shot....... This may prevent an abcess from development!!! Remember pre trea the area you poke with alcohol and wipe with alcohol after.... Hepatitis C makes a chance for abcesses to occur almost three times more likely. Take care of your shit before you can have a chance to regret it. TRUST ME