Oh, Woe!

On a wheeler

Yesterday morning was quite an ordeal in the Orthopaedics out-patient clinic. The discussion with Mr. R about the usage of NSAIDs which are contraindicated in a patient with past history of peptic ulcer but with presenting history of painful gouty arthritis came to a verge of critics involving ethical issues. "Patient comes to you for treatment and you're not doing anything. You send him back, the pain will not be relieved. Your job is to treat your patient. There are analgesics that have lesser GI side effects. Some people just want to cover their own asses by doing nothing." The closing sentence cracked an involuntary laughter among us as we watched him from propinquity, issuing a prescription for celebrax (generic name: celecoxib) with clear instructions to the patient. 'Take it only when there is pain.'

A couple of minutes later, I suffered a near syncope from the toilsome abdominal cramps I had on and off since morning. I had a similar attack some time back, but not the same aesthesis, cuz that was due hypoglycemia and this time, a vasovagal attack. My head was swirling in a high rotational motion and my pair of hands were numb. Cut the tale short, my friends were running to mini mart to get me some source of glucose for they thought I was hypoglycemic and one was trying to resuscitate me from fainting. I must have created such a flimsy scene before the crowd, a thoughtful lady, who would have been someone's mother, was rubbing my neck with that tender care while Chin was rubbing my tummy. I could hardly maintain my consciousness. The pain was so excruciating, all I asked for was pain relief. IV line would be awesome. The girls ran all around looking for the i-asked-for mefenamic acid and returned with 2 capsules of 250mg. We had forgotten all about celecoxib, that is. A medical assistant came and nearly brought me into an ambulance. They were all ready to wheel me to the A&E before I excused myself and claimed, 'I'm feeling better.' The whole drama subsided when I finally regained some amelioration. The next thing that struck my mind was, LOL! Omaegawd! That was funny! It was so embarrassing to make a scene in the OPD when everyone's eyes are on you and they were actually concerned. Everyone around was trying to make me feel better. Roar. The cramp and agony are minor criteria which fits in PMS. That was just the P state of M. I wasn't even having M. Sometimes, being female just doesn't cut it.

Now, the verdict concluded from Mr. R's averment - pain relief is necessary albeit the side effects that might arise from consumption, but who cares? It's the immediate pain management that matters, seriously. It's baffling, how I'm dependent on mefenamic acid every monthly when I'm a victim of gastric disease and reflux myself. I take these pills often even on empty stomach. Do remind me, I'm a bad role model. But yeah, you won't know painkillers are essentially needed to alleviate a patient's anguish. If not cure, at least palliation will make a do. It's not an absolute contraindication after all.