HELP!, kinda clueless haha. Going to the ER as a college student

Parent Cafe
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<p>Ok so I’m away from home from the first time and I’m doing fine for the most part. </p>

<p>Ok so long story short, I was working out the other day like a normally do, about an hour of cardio. Then I played football with some friends and all of a sudden there was a sudden pain in my lower abdomen when I would plant and run. Some pain in my groin too. I called it quits and took a shower and felt a little better. Hadn’t eaten in like 10 hours (and had a small, small meal 10 hrs earlier) so I was hungry and got something to eat, hoping that was part of the problem. Parents called, hinted that my stomach was hurting (but not a stomachache) and they wanted me to go to the clinic but I told them it was closed and they said to go to the ER, but I said it really didn’t hurt that much and I was going to wait and see. </p>

<p>Went to bed early and woke up with most of the pain gone. Still was a dull ache in my left lower abdomen. Testicles look normal (always kinda did, so I don’t think its a problem there, or at least I friggin hope not). but pain is kind of in that region, so I don’t know.
Not much pain at all today, just kind of a dull ache, like I could feel something that was a little uncomfortable but certainly not in pain. </p>

<p>Did a quick google search and looks like it could be a few different things, maybe kidney stones?</p>

<p>So I’ve kind of determined in my head that if there is still a little bit of pain there tomorrow, I’m going to head to the ER (student clinic is closed on Sunday and was closed today because today was a football saturday). Looks like my insurance is pretty good about covering ER visits because I don’t want to have a $1000+ hospital bill for something I’m not even in pain for. </p>

<p>BUT, I still don’t really know what I’m doing haha. I know to go to the ER, and then check-in and they’ll probably make me wait since my injury is not life threatening. But what do I need to bring (freshman question…ha). Looked through my stuff and pretty sure I don’t have my insurance card, but I have my social security card. Is my SS card good enough?</p>

<p>Ugh I hate hospitals more than anything but I just want to make sure this is nothing serious. Don’t really want to tell my parents too much if I can handle it on my own since they would probably freak out and might even might even make the 3 hour drive up to see me. Soooo, kinda don’t know what to do, this would have been a lot easier if this happened during the week, but 6 pm on a Friday with the next day being gameday really sucked. </p>

<p>So…any advice? Haha thanks, you can tell I’m a freshman!</p>

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<p>SS card should be good enough I believe. They will probably assist you with finding out any info you do not have on you or will eventually find it.</p>

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<p>You won’t need your SS card at an ER, although they will ask for the number so its a good idea to know it. Your insurance card would be the most important thing to bring, but if you absolutely don’t have it, do you at least know the company name? That would be helpful.</p>

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<p>Yes I know the name of the company and at that point I should probably call my parents. </p>

<p>Thanks guys.</p>

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<p>Is there an urgent care facility convenient to you? [Cost</a> Comparison: Emergency Rooms vs. Urgent Care Centers | Wise Bread](<a href=“http://www.wisebread.com/cost-comparison-emergency-rooms-vs-urgent-care]Cost”>Cost Comparison: Emergency Rooms vs. Urgent Care Centers)
Also, in addition, to the insurance company’s name, do you know the subscriber (mom or dad), subscriber’s group (usually employer), and subscriber’s date of birth, including year?
Last, you may be asked to pay the copay upfront. Your insurance may have different copays for office visit, urgent care, and emergency care.</p>

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<p>I would never have suggested the emergency room to any of my kids for what you are mentioning…sounds like it might be muscle pain. Is it possible that it could be something more…YES. I would not have suggested the ER until another day or two passed and you had other symptoms…but thats just me.</p>

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<p>My advice: Stop looking at the internet for what could be the cause of abdominal pain as you’ll find all sorts of scary things. Abdominal pain that is worse with activity and improving is surely muscular. If it was “serious,” it would be getting worse and possibly accompanied by fever, nausea, and vomiting. I would not go to the ER but to student health on Monday if pain still there unless it is getting worse.</p>

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<p>I’m on board with Momma-three. I would go to the student health center Monday morning, unless something really develops symptom wise today.</p>

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<p>ER nurse/Mom here:
If your pain is improving without taking any Tylenol or Advil, and you have no fever, bruising or bulging, then you can wait until the health center is open AND your symptoms worsen.</p>

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<p>But back to the information needed for an ER visit:</p>

<p>I strongly advise you (for the future) to get a copy of your insurance card. That’s the information the hospital will really need. It provides them with all the numbers they’ll need to file your claim, and it also tells them information about how much you owe them at the time of treatment (co-payment, deductible, whatever). </p>

<p>If you have that with you, you really don’t need anything else. (Although some places might also require a photo ID, to make sure you’re not using someone else’s insurance coverage.)</p>

<p>Also sounds to me like your pain is simply some sort of muscle strain – in which case there’s nothing the ER can do for you.</p>

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<p>My husband had similar pains, his friends hadnhim convinced it was a hernia, butnno, he had pulled a groin muscle. Its is goodnyou are taking care of this, but atnyour age very likely it is something minor</p>

<p>As an aside, I took copies of daughters insurance cards from t and back, and onceni just faxed it to the doctor as they couldn’t find card.</p>