Should I complain, or should I just ask for some cheese with my "whine"?

[AmazingGrace]

I had to go to the cardiologist and get an echo yesterday. Both my boys had this test with no pain. They are both extremely thin, but neither complained of the echo tech pushing on their chests overly hard.
My echo was extremely painful. The echo technician was pressing on my chest so hard that i have a bruise on my chest bone. It still hurts. When I told her that it was hurting, she complained that I was too thin, so she couldn't see my aorta real well without pressing. Shouldn't it be easier to see without a bunch of stuffing in the way?
My cardio. is supposed to call tomorrow with the results? Should i say something and risk getting this lady, who was nice otherwise, in trouble? or should i just man up and hope i don't need a repeat echo?

 

[Disney Doll]

Break out the cheddar baby! I always expect that medical testing is somehow going to make me uncomfortable.

 

[Daydreamer64]

I have plenty of "fluff", I weigh over 200 lbs. The test was very painful for me also. The tech said she had to dig to get the image.

I think they are just not aware of how hard they push at times. I was very sore and it almost hurt to breath for a day or two after the test.

 

[Wishing on a star]

This sounds like it is more than 'uncomfortable'.
There was real pain, and a bruise, from an 'echo'???
Has anybody else actually been bruised/injured from this simple procedure???

I felt poked and prodded to death when I went thru this kind of procedure, but NO pain, and NO bruising.

I would be temped to let somebody know how this technician actually bruised me. (photos of the bruising would validate the complaint). The OP doesn't have to make a big deal about it. But, some kind of notice to the appropriate person/s doesn't seem over the line.

How would the hospital/facility know about things like this if nobody ever lets them know?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My dd does complain when she gets her ECHOs. She has a repaired heart defect and has many over the yrs. She has never been bruised though.

 

[yoopermom]

Oh, great. I'm having this test in exactly twelve hours, and was worried about enough other stuff, now I have to worry about them bruising me, as well.

In the OP's defense, I asked in great detail about any and all complications/ pains, and this was NOT one of them mentioned. If you choose to complain, it would be over the technician's attitude/way of speaking to you, rather than what she had to do to get proper results. I think those with higher pain tolerances sometimes become innured to patients' feelings, and should be reminded to be patient and smile, so that the test is as least stressful as possible.

Terri
(NOT looking forward to this now, even though I have plenty of stuffing!)

 

[gina2000]

I've had several and have never had even minor discomfort.

 

[princess momma]

I think you need to get the cheese ready. Do you think the tech was pressing that hard for no reason? It surely can't be fun to cause discomfort when doing your job but if you have to in order to do your job well.......then I guess that's what you do.


Hope all is well with the results.

 

[Demosthenes]

The same thing happened to me when I got an echo. It hurt like hell. I wouldn't complain after the fact; if you told the tech while she was doing it that it hurt, I'm sure she was doing all she could to keep the pain down.

 

[dis-happy]

Oh, great. I'm having this test in exactly twelve hours, and was worried about enough other stuff, now I have to worry about them bruising me, as well.

In the OP's defense, I asked in great detail about any and all complications/ pains, and this was NOT one of them mentioned. If you choose to complain, it would be over the technician's attitude/way of speaking to you, rather than what she had to do to get proper results. I think those with higher pain tolerances sometimes become innured to patients' feelings, and should be reminded to be patient and smile, so that the test is as least stressful as possible.

Terri
(NOT looking forward to this now, even though I have plenty of stuffing!)

Oh great is right!! I'm having this test done in 4 days. Please let me know how it goes for you!!!

 

[yoopermom]

Dis-happy, I don't know if you saw (and I'm terrible at linking), but I started a thread earlier in the week about what to expect from this test. I'm hoping for the happier end of the spectrum, but doubting it I'm so crabby from having caffeine/chocolate withdrawal today that I couldn't have a good attitude towards it if I tried. Dollar large Diet Coke from McD's the second I get out, swear it!

Terri

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Hi. I've had an echo and was about 115 lbs at the time. I was pretty thin and it wasn't a problem during the procedure. The tech did not have to press hard and the only uncomfortable part was that I was cold. I'm wondering if it was either an inexperienced tech, a not so good piece of equipment, or for some anatomical reason it was actually hard to do the procedure. I'm sorry it hurt you so much, I would mention it tomorrow. If it is inexperience on the techs part, she should have some further instruction.

 

[blissventure]

I know what you're talking about, OP. My echo hurt at the time, and much more a day later. (And I also had a mild bruise.) I just figured they wanted to get a good picture. I do think some folks (including me) bruise easier than others.
Main thing is, other than the annoying pain, I hope that the test turned out OK for you and you're healthy.

 

[Christine]

I've had several and have never had even minor discomfort.

Me too!

 

[aprilgail2]

I've had several and have never had even minor discomfort.

I have had at least one a year for the past ten years and have never had any discomfort what so ever- other than the cold messy goo its a piece of cake. What the OP posted isn't common so don't let that scare anyone into not getting it done!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

I let my primary Physician know about my concerns regarding a test one time. She no longer uses the service that conducted the test.

I'd let your Doc know and if it is unusual s/he can take some action, or if it's not unusual at east reassure you.

 

[onelilspark]

I used to have them done frequently (I have a heart murmer) when I was a child. I remember being totally embarassed by having to take my shirt off infront of the doctor and hating the goop but never, ever, was I in any pain. I would politely say something.

 

[KAMLEM]

I had a similar experience yesterday with a gall bladder ultrasound. I have never been through such a painful test in my life. My ribs hurt so much today, I can't even take a breath without feeling the pain. I even have a small bruise in one area. I kept telling the girl she was hurting me but she just told me to take a break. In addition she was very sick so she was coughing and sniffling the entire time. She would cough into her hand then continue to do the test. I probably should have said something to her. I'm not going to be happy if I end up sick within the next few days.

 

[RachelNinja]

I agree that you should mention something. A bruise seems highly unusual. I understand discomfort, pressure, or even pain ... but so much that it caused a bruise?

I do also understand that she'd have to push more to see because you're thinner. When I started getting sick (I have a disease in my esophagus and another in my intestines and had to have my gallbladder removed), I started losing a lot of weight unintentionally. Eating caused pain so I couldn't eat. Then the stuff I did eat just came right out of me. So going through all those tests while being much thinner actually hurt more.

When I had the gallbladder removed, the doctor and nurses said that they had to pump more air into me to expand my stomach because I was too thin at that point and they couldn't see. Another test (forgot what it's called but it was to check for Crohn's - I had to drink barium, YUCK) was difficult for the technician because I was thin and they couldn't get the little inflated bubble thing to see the small intestines.

If I had these tests done now, they'd have so more meat to work with~ hehe.

 

[ajk912]

That test ALWAYS hurts me. Always. I was told that it's harder for girls, because they have to work around the breast tissue. Not that they are pushing on those, but they have a lot of crap to work around and push harder in other areas to kind of make it work. I am 150 lbs, so normal-ish- but I am a 34DD so ugh..I take ibuprofen first, it helps.