WORSE health care system in NYC-ectopic pregnancy story

Hello,

I just wanted to share my story. Very briefly, I was diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy of unknown location. First I was told there’s a cyst on the right ovary after 2 ultrasounds by the PA. Then I was told there’s an ectopic by the radiologist then I was told by 4 OB MDs that it’s just a cyst but because hcg levels are 40s-70s over a span of 2 weeks, we’re just gonna treat it as ectopic since uterus is empty. Cool. So I get an urgent call at 8:30am from the PA saying I need to go to the emergency room so I can be admitted for emergency surgery for the ectopic or else I’ll rupture and die. I have had no pain throughout this entire process and light spotting. Hcg levels are in the 60s at this point. They’ve barely been moving. I’m like “well isn’t there a shot or some other medication I could try first?” The PA: “oh..well yeah I guess we should try that first but I think you’ll need another shot 12 hours after the first.”😒😒😒 so she still forces me to go to the emergency room for the shot. I get the shot, they tell me to follow up with PA for repeat beta hcg day 4 and day 7 then that’ll determine if I need another shot.

Mmmmk. Fast forward. I follow up day 4 which was a hassle. Then I attempt to make an appt to follow up day 7. They are constantly telling me there’s no provider, I can’t follow up in the office for a blood draw day 7. I have to go to the main hospital. I go to the main hospital for outpatient lab. The security tells me I can’t go in because I have my 6 year old daughter who’s on spring break that I can’t take anywhere because my family and friends live across the country and my spouse is at work. So I’m livid now. And where am I forced to go…emergency room for a basic repeat beta HCG. That’s it.

And to add insult to injury, I got a parking ticket because I only paid for enough time for the outpatient lab that I was told I could go to. Not to mention the emergency room bills I’ll probably be receiving soon 🥲

On the positive side, my levels went down 15%. So it’s working and surgery is looking less likely.

I’ve just never experienced such terrible care with such illogical “health care providers” before. NY is literally the worst place to receive health care. If I weren’t a nurse myself and advocate for myself, who knows what they would’ve done to me..