7 hours in ER waiting room. 11 hours total at ER...severe abdominal pain!!! x post

What a nightmare I've had!! Pain started Monday morning at 8:am. Upper abdomen between lower part of rib cage. It got steadily worse so at 11:30 I was at the ER of the hospital where my surgeon is.
Didn't have to wait *too* long to see triage nurse. She took vitals and sent me back into waiting room.
The they did blood tests and EKG.
Then the real waiting began.. and waiting. I breathed through the pain for a few hours until i was sobbing from the agony. The triage nurse took me to give me morphine, It did absolutely nothing for my pain.
We had been there for hours. They said. Sorry the hospital is full. Mondays are always bad . What???!! They waited hours to tell me that??!!!! I could have gone to my local one if they had warned me the wait would be that bad.
I kept saying I was worried about a blockage and kept reminding them I had a gastric bypass in 09.
Finally they took me back into the ER room at 6:30 and proceeded to do nothing for another couple of hours. I was stil sobbing and pleading with them. They sent me for a cat scan. Came back normal. I began to vomit.
I honesly thought I was going to die. We complained to the right people. Finally after who knows how many doses aof pain relief (all ineffective), they got me on a ward. Pains stopped!!! UGH!! My surgeon finally came to speak with me the next morning.
Said he thought it was an internal hernia and if it happens again to come in and he will go in and fix it!!! I was so exhausted that I didn't ask him or tell him much of anything. I am going to make an appointment to see him at his office and discuss it. The whole reason I went to his ER was so I could see him and by the time I got back to the ER he had left for the day. I had even called the office prior to me going in to give them the heads up i would be there.
I just am terrified it will come back again and that I might have the same nightmare-ish experience. I have had 3 babies and this was way worse!!
Should I just go to my local ER if it happens again???
Any thoughts appreciated. Sorry it is so long and rambling. I am so upset that I was treated that way. :(
PS This was DePaul hospital and my surgeon is now Dr Morales as DeLa Torre is no longer there.

If you are comfortable with the local ER and you feel they have good doctors then my advice is to go there. I have had one of those and it is certainly painful. My pain never went away until it was repaired. I am surprised they did not do a barium test to check out your bowel. You might want to discuss this with your doctor this would have either comfirmed or rulled out an internal hernia. It is a shame he did not do this to at least put you to ease. If you have pain like that again do not hesitate and be persistant.

Thanks Barbara! I am going to phone the office today to discuss this with them.

Please see about this. Our dear Brenda from SW Missouri has been in the hospital about 8 weeks with complications of an internal hernia. She has had to have three emergency surgeries and is now in a rehab hospital because of swelling of her brain from infections I think. She will eventually be OK, I'm sure. She is a fighter. But it has been horrendous
so do be your own advocate and make them take care of you. It's not something to "wait until next time" in my opinion. I'm very worried for all of us because I was unaware that this could happen and would probably have waited too long before I went in to the ER - although everyone who has had it says the pain is so intense you absolutely WILL go to the hospital.
We love you and want you to not have a problem.
Lana

Thanks Lana! I didn't realise that Brenda had this. :( I called the weight loss center and got an appointment next week to see Dr Morales. I am going to insist on exploratory surgery to get this sorted. I have never been so scared and in so much pain in my life. You are right. The pain absolutely sends you to the hospital. I couldn't imagine just sitting at home like that! Of course sitting in an ER for 11 hours wasn't much fun either!! I would rather give birth to an elephant than go through that again! Thanks for your thoughts and kindness.

 The problem is a internal hernia only shows up while its active. You can have one that resolves on its on. Problem is it can come back. I had a twist in mine and went by ambulance to the er. I know how bad it hurts. If it happens again go by ambulance and they at least get you in the back and check you out faster. I have been told it only takes 8 hours for the intestine to die so its not something to dismiss. I only had one attack and had surgery before it came back. I hope you never have to go thru it again and are feeling better.

Thanks Susie. We will see what the surgeon says next week. My dh is coming with me and he is very assertive so there will be no stone unturned!