I am in the US, so financial calculations need to be factored in.

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe, felt like I was going to die, then vomitted.

Now heart beating slightly off, not feeling great but not terrible, had mild chest pain earlier in evening…

Kinda feel off. Have medical insurance with large deductible.

Ignore it? Taxi to ER? Call 911? Genuinely don’t know and don’t like 911 since police are involved.

Also I feel hot, feel burning around my neck.

  • MagicShel@lemmy.zip
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    1 month ago

    Alright. Way too many socialists in this post who don’t know how 'Murica works, god dammit. Here’s real advice:

    You woke up, so you aren’t dead yet. In most cases, that’s a good sign. Give it 30 minutes. If you feel better, great! This is where I preposterously tell you to follow up with your family doctor and we both have a good chuckle.

    (Edit to explain: we have no idea who our family doctor is and we haven’t been there in so long we would be considered a new patient.)

    If you don’t feel better, might well give it another hour. Most of the damage from a heart attack or stroke is done in the first 30 minutes, so you’re probably not going to get any worse.

    If you’re still not dead after that, you’re probably clear to make it through the weekend.

    Next question is do you have sick leave? If not, congratulations, you’re fine! If you do have sick leave, go ahead and make an appointment first thing Monday. They won’t do anything, just send you for labs, maybe or just leave that part to the specialist they will refer you to.

    So now it’s 6 weeks later and the specialist is calling to confirm the appointment you’re forgotten about. Do you feel better or are you out of sick leave? Congratulations, you’re fine.

    Next, is your deductible over 10% of your annual income? (5% if it’s after Nov.15. You’re gonna wind up paying that whole thing for diagnostic tests this year and the actual treatment will hit you after Jan 1 and you’re double fucked.) If it is, congratulations, you’re fine!

    If you reach this point, you probably are in need of medical attention and can afford it. Congratulations on getting the help you need.

    Bask in the superiority of the best healthcare in the world, you European nancies!

    Obviously the tone is meant to be humorous, but this is basically the reality. The only thing I’ve omitted is that you can just go to the hospital and get the treatment you need and then avoid answering unknown numbers for 7 years. I have yet to see anyone sued over medical debt.

  • TinyPuni (she/her) @lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Go to the ER. As someone with heart problems herself I always say that you only have one heart so I would absolutely get it checked out. At least get an ECG workup done. Nausea and vomiting alongside an irregular heartbeat can be a symptom of atrial fibrillation which would be confirmed with an ECG. I hate to worry people but the symptoms you mentioned can also be a sign of a heart attack and the longer that goes on the more damage this could be doing to your heart. Get to the hospital ASAP!

  • zkfcfbzr@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    > Makes thread asking if you should go to the ER

    > Literally everyone says to go to the ER

    > Doesn’t go to the ER

    ok

  • lath@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Sounds like a seizure. Of what kind, dunno. If it’s candy, might be diabetes.

    It’s just guesswork though. Only a doctor visit will say for sure.

  • Dorkyd68@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Sounds almost identical to my panic attacks. But im no dr, go see one if you don’t feel better

      • Drusas@fedia.io
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        1 month ago

        Taxi drivers will typically not be willing to drive you to the ER. Liability concerns.

      • Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org
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        1 month ago

        Sorry that I don’t understand the financial situation in your country.

        But I think your health situation absolutely needs some professional to have at least a thorough look. Today.

  • Schorsch@feddit.org
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    1 month ago

    What the heck, how is this a question at all? Dude you need to get help asap!

    • secretlyaddictedtolinux@lemmy.worldBannedOP
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      1 month ago

      I live in the US

      We have to weigh the cost of a medical visit versus the likelihood it’s nothing

      If it’s food poisoning and I overreact, that’s a 20K overreaction in the US

        • mmmac@lemmy.zip
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          1 month ago

          If you don’t have insurance, you would get hit with this.

          However, in most states I’ve lived in, if you don’t have insurance, you get off with less than I’d end up paying in copay after subsidies/negotiations.

  • phx@lemmy.ca
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    1 month ago

    This was me when I had Norovirus, though the puking was preceded by firehose-level shits until I took an Imodium, after which it switched ends before deciding on some rather unpleasant alternating events

  • Nindelofocho@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    I know its late for this but you can also start with Urgent Care. With insurance it could be a fairly cheap copay. They will advise on what to do next. You could have something like the flu (i had the flu and it fucked me all sorts of up) and theyd just prescribe you some medicine and rest

  • nthavoc@lemmy.today
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    1 month ago

    **tl;dr ** Probably severe acid reflux but hard to say, use your insurance to get checked out, cops are a non-issue for this kind of call. To the Europeans, yes we know our health system sucks.

    First off, I am not a health professional. However, based on somewhat common knowledge, If you’re barfing blood or pooping what looks like coffee grinds, immediate 911 call you’ve got less than 24 hours left. If your chest pain continues, that’s highly likely a trip to at least urgent care, don’t ignore chest pains. If you woke up choking on your barf, but it settled down and able to catch your breath, and your chest pain is going away it’s highly likely acid reflux which can be caused by a lot of different things. Either way you need to get looked at by a doctor soon and not consult the Internet. Your copay is shown on your insurance card for a dr’s visit so you can do your financial calculations. 50 to 100 bucks now is better than 500 to 10,000 bucks later.

    Don’t wait either since you have insurance. Urgent care’s usually covered at a more affordable rate. If you get admitted to an ER from the urgent care, MOST halfway decent insurances will cover you so you’re not out hundred’s of thousands of dollars for a Tylonal. Before the Europeans chime in, yes, health insurance in the US sucks. It’s not free. You can talk the hospital down on your bill and you can absolutely renegotiate your minimum payment. Sometimes, if you’re nice in talking to both the insurance and the hospital, a grant can be found and you owe nothing. It’s a lot of work and time so don’t panic when you see the first bill.

    So everyone in the US knows, cops are never involved in a 911 call unless there’s a crime in progress or there is an immediate threat to the responding EMS team. Don’t call 911 with some kind of threat. Obviously you’ll be in a panic and the 911 operator will only send what is needed.

      • GreenBottles@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        This is what killed my grandfather. Before he passed, they removed half his esophagus and pulled his stomach into his chest to remove the damaged parts, that lasted a few years, then he gave in to cancer.

        Definitely get on top of it while you still can.

      • MrsDoyle@sh.itjust.works
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        1 month ago

        Chiming in to say you’re right. I ignored acid reflux for years and now have what’s called “Barret’s esophagus”, pre-cancerous cells in my throat. It turned out I had a hiatus hernia. Had that repaired and now have a gastroscopy every couple of years to check I don’t have cancer. So yes, listen to your body.