Unfortunately, as I was in for a kidney stone the pain was intense, but had tolerated it for a couple of hours before taking the initiative that it might be something serious.  Into the ER about 4pm, and after all the preliminary work ups, I was given Toradol which took the pain away within minutes.  I was given a prescription for HYDROcodone, flowmax, and ondansertron.  I left at 9pm, not thinking about the next couple of hours when the pain med would wear off, as I only had a prescription for the next day, but  nothing in hand upon leaving.  Jumping ahead, the prescription was not filled until noon the next day.  In my state leaving the ER, it did not dawn on me to ask for meds to fill the time gap, but that would have been a good thing for one of the staff to suggest and provide.  Another very uncomfortable 12hrs. Then once I had the prescription filled, it had no effect, especially not like the relief I had in the ER.  So I called back to the ER as suggested by the ER doctor if I was not getting relief.  The person at the front desk said I would need to come back in and be readmitted as a (new) patient, that the prescription could not be changed over the phone.  After talking to another aurora urgent care facility to see what they could do for me, the front desk person there said that is not aurora protocol, I would only need to admitted as a new patient if I came to their facility or a different then the original.  That was good to know, and will continue after this thought.  If the ER has rotating doctors, and isn't every aurora clinic supposed to interconnected to act as one facility, couldn't any facility look at my ER visit report, see the vitals taken, and make the same assumptions as the ER doctor at the original facility which would likely not be the same Dr I originally had????  So the nice person at the alternate aurora facility told me to call back to the original facility, and skip the person answering the phone by just asking for the ER nurse.  So I did.  And low and behold when I called back it sounded like the original person from before that answered.  It took a hoop, but I got thru to the ER nurse who was very helpful, and walked thru options.  Wish I had that discussion sooner, and maybe it was had, but don't recall... If it was, would have been good to add to the printed notes I received on the way out.  All in all it seemed like a long time that I was in my original pain state, seeming to be getting worse.  It is challenging when you have to be your own advocate in order to follow the protocol given to you.  The nurses, scan crew, and Dr were all great, and did answer questions when I had them.  The biggest take away is just to assess the timing for the patient knowing there may be a gap when the pain will reoccur.
AMCG ED