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Attention Medical Professionals! Question!

sarilynnepsarilynnep
First Comment
in Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh
Ok, so I also have a question for everyone in the medical field- my coworker coughed up clots of blood last night and her sides are really tender to the touch. I am worried that something is wrong but she won't go to the doctor. She has to take off work tomorrow for a funeral and she doesn't want to take time off today too.... Has anyone heard of something like her symptoms?

I have 2 nurses in the family and my dad is a doctor but I can't get hold of them this morning. Any advice I can relay to her would be great.

Thanks!
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Re: Attention Medical Professionals! Question!

  • cgyvhucgyvhu member
    Combo Breaker First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    coughing up blood... sounds like she should see a doctor asap.
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  • pantherRNpantherRN member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Has she been sick lately? Sometimes you can irritate your airway with constant coughing, which would cause some blood to be present. However, if they are clots or she hasn't been sick, encourage her to be seen. Coughing up blood can be serious or pretty minor, but please tell her not to mess around with this and get to a physician or ER ASAP. At least try to get her to call her physician. They know her better than we do.
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  • Dana526Dana526
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    edited December 2011
    Well, exactly how much blood is she coughing up? A few tissues with mucus tinged blood wouldn't be as worrisome. You said clots of blood which throws me off a little bit. Has she been out of the country recently, been in a hospital, or around someone with TB? If that is the case I would have her go to an urgent care center to get a chest x-ray or a TB test. If she continues today to cough up blood gross red blood or more clots I would call an ambulance with out her knowing. The paramedics by law have to assess her, and they can take her to the hospital if they thinks it's necessary.

    Now, if she is a smoker/doesn't exercise regularly/above age 35/and is on birth control I would be concerned about a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lung). Is she short of breath, or increasingly fatigued with activity?

    My other option, has she had any recent trauma to her ribs. Such as falling or getting hit? Or my favorite way I've seen ribs get injured and the most popular way, running from the cops with a bag of crack shoved up your bum, falling while climbing over a fence to get away and having a 250+lb police officer land on you. But that might be a long shot. Then she could have  fractured rib or ribs.
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  • sarilynnepsarilynnep
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    edited December 2011
    She hasn't been sick lately, but she does have a pretty aggressive ulcer. I got hold of my stepsis and she said the ulcer could have ruptured. My friend just doesn't want to go to the doctor though. She wants to wait until tomorrow.
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  • Flowerstar1023Flowerstar1023
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    edited December 2011
    I don't feel comfortable giving specific medical advice without a patient in front of me, but your friend needs to go see a doctor - today, not tomorrow. Hemoptysis (coughing up blood) and hematemesis (vomiting blood - which may be what's going on if she has an ulcer - GI bleed) are both serious with wide differentials. The only way to figure it out is to be seen.
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  • sarilynnepsarilynnep
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    edited December 2011
    I know... She refuses to go. I have been telling her all day, and so have my collegues. She promises she will go tomorrow. She's hoping it's just stress, but we all feel like something is seriously wrong. She's going to call her doctor later. Hopefully he can talk some sense to her. No one else can.
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  • jlbaxter33jlbaxter33
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    edited December 2011
    That is ridiculous. Sorry, i dont know anything about medicine, except what you've described is not normal. How could you mess around with something so scary. I think your co-worker is a moron. Sorry, but I think she is and possibly enjoys the attention.

    I just find it frustrating when people won't go to the doctor or are afraid to go. Just go already!
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  • sarilynnepsarilynnep
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Oh I know it's stupid she isn't going. Part of it is that her uncle just passed away and she is going to the viewing tonight, so she had to take off work early today and she will be off tomorrow for the funeral. She has a ton of stuff to do for the quarter close and didn't feel comfortable leaving work earlier. She also didn't realize how bad a situation it is.

    We all just sat with her a minute ago and it finally dawned on her how serious it could be. She is going to go as soon as she can she says. She said once she tells her mom she knows her mom will drive her to the doctor right away.

    I am just hoping she isn't doing any more damage by not going sooner. We can't force her to go though.
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