I came in with swollen lymph nodes and sharp belly pains. I requested a urine test thinking UTI maybe. I received it and it came back negative. I was then told my body must be fighting some other infection and was sent on my way. She also said my urgent care lab work was incorrect, my blood labs were incorrect, and my ENT was also incorrect. She insisted I had a tooth abscess or something similar and left it at that. I feel like she could have maybe tried harder to find out why my nodes were swollen since hypochondria cannot fake that. There were certainly other tests she could have done. Blood work, PaP smear, oral exam, something to back up her claims or, at least, to figure out why my body was fighting an infection instead of insisting the ENT was wrong. She basically said I was overthinking it and I should get someone else, the ENT no less, to look at it in a couple of weeks if my lymph nodes are still swollen. Now I'm sitting here unable to sleep because of the tender nodes in my neck, my belly pains, and my confusion as to why I'm expected to treat myself as if I have a medical degree and a laboratory. 'Wish I had more answers'. Well, you could have had more answers if you tried. I'm so frustrated.
If I could give zero stars for my experience based on the amount of emotional anguish that I've experienced over about the last week, I would. I made an appointment at this particular center to get my Nexplanon implant removed and decided to get another put in, since the gal on the phone had informed me that they didn't have to order them in advance, like other places do. Upon arrival, everything seemed fine and staff were friendly enough. My FIRST red flag should have been when not only the staff member taking my vitals, etc., but also the nurse practitioner who actually removed and inserted the new implant, both said (in response to my wanting my old implant removed after the **FDA approved** time of having it in for three years) "you know they're good for FIVE years, RIGHT?". (Keep in mind, even in their waiting room with their PSA style information playing over their TV screen, they even say on THAT (about the implant) that it's approved for safe use for up to three years — NOT five, like all their staff try telling you when you walk in the door). The information that is provided to you after insertion/removal also specifically says that **Planned Parenthood** (nobody else — not the FDA, Nexplanon themselves, or actual hospital professionals — like the OB-GYN that ended up removing mine) says that THEIR research (cited from 2016-2017, but is "ongoing," according to them) indicates that the implant is safe for five years.
After getting my new implant inserted and leaving the office, I noticed that I had a significant amount of numbness going down my arm (not upper arm, where the insertion site is), but from about elbow to wrist. Since I've had the implant before, I didn't recognize this as being "normal" after insertion and decided to call them back and inquire about it. After explaining my symptoms to the nurse practitioner (Ana) that had inserted it earlier in the day, the only "solution" she offered (without much reassurance at all that something wasn't terribly wrong) was that I could come back in and she could remove it, which I opted to, because I was pretty concerned at that point.
After returning to the office that afternoon (only a few hours beyond when my original appointment was), I had developed hematomas over both the removal and insertion sites, and the removal site in particular was still bleeding — even after being wrapped and bandaged for hours. The nurse practitioner seemed more concerned after making those discoveries, and stated that she was giving me an ER referral to get checked out, regardless. However, upon trying to remove the new implant as requested, she also was unable to locate that. Not really providing ANY reassurance, she stated that they would be able to fully evaluate me at the ER, check for potential blood clots (which can also be EXTREMELY DANGEROUS), and hopefully remove the implant — and that she either couldn't locate it because of all the swelling that there was because of the hematomas, or that it could've migrated (a.k.a., wasn't in the correct spot, and could also be EXTREMELY dangerous). This nurse practitioner and the receptionist (Dakotah) that were present were unable to tell me where the nearest ER was off the top of their head, and when they did find one through Google, it ended up not being in use anymore (Kent doesn't have an ER, for those who are unaware), so I had to drive further to Ravenna when already under extreme stress.
During my approximately five hour visit to the ER, my SECOND red flag about PP and this location, should've been when the attending doctor scoffed a bit (a scoff that seemed indicative of some negative impressions of PP, to say the least) when I stated that I had gotten this implant placed there, and that was the reason for my visit to the ER. I thankfully got the implant removed by a much more competent OB-GYN several days after it was placed by PP, and I would NOT recommend this PP (or any, based on what I've learned) to ANYONE that cares about not only their physical health, but also their mental/emotional health.