I may have broken my elbow
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Anonymous
Can anyone. translate this? I don't think it's my learning disabilities keeping me from understanding this one. |
Anonymous
| New poster. Would an Urgent Care have access to OP's previous ER visits? |
Anonymous
| It's possible that OP does not want to be questioned about domestic violence by any medical provider. |
Anonymous
| Go to OrthoVirginia’s urgent care for your elbow. And then the Women’s Center in Vienna for confidential help with therapy, surviving abuse, and/or whatever else you have going on. |
Anonymous
I don't think she likes their portal where doctors can see your medical history for all past visits to that hospital system (and to any associated doctors). Maybe there were some past findings or diagnoses she doesn't want shared. This kind of online medical history is the norm in many countries in the world with centralized health systems. I got so annoyed with schlepping records from one doctor to another that I actually try to choose specialists who are all on MyChart. Each one can see all test results and trends. That's because I need coordinated care. |
Anonymous
It depends if they use the same portal. |
Anonymous
If they are not part of the same medical system, then no. If they arw, then yes. But if anyone- doctor, nurse, etc- accesses a portion of your medical record that is not necessary for them to view, it is illegal. |
Anonymous
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OP, I broke my elbow in a slip and fall on ice a few years ago - came down hard and extended my arm slightly behind me and ended up jamming my lower arm bone into the upper so hard that I broke a part of the elbow joint called the coronoid process, plus I ended up having a bone chip in the joint that I had to get surgically removed several months after recovery.
I went to the ER and this is what they did - xray to verify fracture, immobilization in a pre-formed half cast with an ace bandage wrap and a sling. In order to preserve joint mobility, they will not put a broken elbow in a cast (usually). If your concern is that you don't want to ho to the same ER as you have been to before for other fractures, then go to an ER in a different network, e.g. Georgetown is a Medstar network hospital and Sibley is a John Hopkins network hospital and your insurance will likely cover either. Doctors from Medstar can't see your records at JHU and vice versa without your permission. If your concern is that any ER setting will suspect abuse and ask questions, you should know that you can decline to answer any medical questions you want and must still be provided treatment. If you are an adult, there is no "mandatory reporting". Hospitals aren't required to report potential acts of abuse to the authorities, and they can't do so voluntarily without your permission. Domestic violence is common, and ER docs are trained to ask questions about it so they can direct you to resources, not because they are going to report you to the police or shame you. If you really don't want to go to any ER, you probably could wait until tomorrow and then go to an orthopedic office. It won't seem strange - you can just say it didn't seem that bad last night and you thought you just jammed it plus it was late and you didn't want to spend hours at the ER in the middle of the night. Take some ibuprofen, ice it and put it in a sling - you can google on how to improvise with a scarf. But, please do see a doctor tomorrow at the latest. You want it to be immobilized properly so it will heal correctly and so you don't lose normal mobility. |
Anonymous
| OP if you think you’re going to raise red flags of abuse or something else then please step back and look in the mirror at your situation. You sound paranoid. If there is something going on, appreciate whatever help or intervention can come of this his. If not for yourself then for your children. This isn’t a way to live. Your elbow indeed sounds fractured. You could be developing a clot and at least for your children need to have proper medical care asap. If it’s not an abuse situation then get help for the paranoia! |
Anonymous
What does that even mean? |
Anonymous
| It means one of two things. 1. OP has a mental illness (maybe paranoia) that causes her to think there is a Big Brother type medical cabal linked by MyChart; or 2. OP is a victim of domestic violence and worries that presenting at an ER with yet another fracture will alert authorities. |
Anonymous
The five pound weight is not a good test. I broke my elbow badly and was still doing farm chores including lifting 50 lb bags of grain. I could feel the bones grinding together and just found it annoying. I have a high pain tolerance. Now I have 2 plates and 8 screws holding it together. OP needs an X Ray. I don’t ever believe I have a real problem until I can see it on films. I just don’t have the same pain senses most people do. |
Anonymous
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My mom vacationed with me for a week after a fall where she fractured her upper arm bone. When she fot home, she went to doctors because the bruising looked horrible. The doctors forbid her to drive for a month or so. And she had it semi-immobilized.
An elbow is serious because you need to preserve range of motion. Get it seen to. |
Anonymous
DP. Fair enough, but a possible diagnosis of domestic violence would be relevant in any medical visit. That being said -- OP, you might be asked about it, but nobody can force you to accept help without your consent. But it would be appropriate to ask questions, and it's reasonable to expect you to answer them, although you can decline to answer. You can decline to answer, to give additional information, or to accept help. |
Anonymous
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OP here -- I was able to get a video consult with a Kaiser nurse who considered that, after four days, and that I had mobility in my arm, it's not a broken elbow, just really badly bruised.
My challenge is that I am right handed, and it's my right elbow so I need to use my arm to work (type, mouse, etc.). And it's very painful, still, after a week but from what I see online the bruising can take up to six weeks to settle out. I may get the xray to be sure it's not some sort of hairline fracture. I'm new to Kaiser so the online nurse didn't have access to my other ER visits at INOVA, nor did she really question what happened and for that I'm grateful. I don't need the third degree. I just need a solution to my pain. |