Dr will not release me

I am sitting in a major hospital 5 hours from my home. Came here for an alcohol septal ablation

Ablation success. Came down with infected blood and low platelets. Have been here for two weeks getting daily blood drawn. Have been infection free for four days. Platelets are at 115.

Dr of health insists I need to spend two more weeks in hospital before going home. I would get home health care

I am currently wearing a temporary pacemaker on my right chest.if I feel well, why can't I leave. Other drs all say I can leave but this one dr refuses. I am at my wits end. I just want to go home

Help. Please

4 Comments

Release

by Zia - 2013-12-10 02:12:18

Both of the above are right, you may need more care than you think you do. One right you do have is to be told why they want you to stay instead of just saying "no, you can't go". When you know the reason, you may change your mind, or maybe not, but you really should know what that reason is.

Best of luck to you

AMA release

by Theknotguy - 2013-12-10 03:12:07

I'd start asking why this doctor wants you in the hospital for a couple more weeks. He may be more right than you'd like.

I've had several hospital stays because of heart issues. At each stay I've heard of patients checking themselves out AMA (Against Medical Advise) and then end up being back in the hospital within two days in worse shape than if they would have stayed. ( I didn't hear about the ones who didn't make it back and had a funeral.)

A lot of people hate to give up control of their lives, BUT the consequences of keeping control and dying isn't the best way to go.

Also, as indicated above, in the USA, you aren't allowed to leave the hospital with an IV port or a temporary pacemaker. No doctor will risk his job, invite a lawsuit, or lose his license by letting you out of the hospital with such equipment.

I don't like being in a hospital and out of control of my life, but I hate being dead much more. So, in the past, I've just bitten my tongue, been courteous to all the medical staff and hung in there until they let me go home. It's worked out better that way.

Theknotguy

Alcohol septal ablation

by golden_snitch - 2013-12-10 03:12:10

Hi!

If you had an alcohol septal ablation, you have a hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, right?

I have heard from another person having undergone this procedure, and although there were no complications at all, she had to stay in the hospital for ten days. Apparently, it can lead to serious arrhythmias within the first couple of weeks.

Now, you have had an infection in your blood as a complication, so I'd expect that your stay in the hospital needs to be a lot longer. Better be safe than sorry. I guess doctors just want to make sure that the infection is really gone. Also, I think you cannot leave the hospital with a temporary pacemaker. In Germany they are not even allowed to release you with a simple I.V. access (I think because of the risk of infection).

Do you know, if the pacemaker is working at the moment or if it's just a precaution? If it needs to work, maybe the doctors want to wait a little longer to see if the arrhythmia disappears or, in case it doesn't, want to implant a permanent pacemaker.

I can understand that all you want is to go home, but with having just had a major infection, still having the temporary pacemaker, and given that you have a serious condition and just had a procedure where they intentionally caused a heart attack (after all that's what an alcohol septal ablation does) - maybe it's still a little early to go home? Like I said, better be safe than sorry.

Hang in there!

Inga

stuck

by Tracey_E - 2013-12-10 05:12:45

So sorry you can't get out yet! What a pain, but it's probably for the best. You could check yourself out AMA, but probably not with a temporary pm. Are you in the US? Because insurance is super strict about requirements to stay in the hospital. If you could have a home nurse, if you didn't need round the clock care without question, the insurance would be kicking you out. It's safe to say if you are there, you need the care. Hope you are well enough to leave soon.

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Member Quotes

The pacer systems are really very reliable. The main problem is the incompetent programming of them. If yours is working well for you, get on with life and enjoy it. You probably are more at risk of problems with a valve job than the pacer.