Dr. Matthew Nerdin, MD

I have a history of chronic back pain due to a spinal fusion surgery I underwent about ten years ago. I now suffer from a herniated disc and disc deterioration and have been in treatment with a pain specialist for nerve ablations, steroid epidurals, and have a stimulator implant scheduled for next month. While I was at work I coughed and must’ve slipped my disc out even more because I was in excruciating pain and couldn’t sit, walk, stand, or lay down. I went to two separate hospitals the same night but one of them didn’t have an MRI machine and the other one was also a smaller hospital and couldn’t perform the MRI at the time of night I went in. After those hospital visits, I went home and had to dial 911 because it was in such pain and ended up at Banner. It took Nerdin a very unreasonable time to come see me even though I was crying and shaking in pain. He finally came and asked me what is going on and when I explained everything to him, he said that a cough doesn’t cause this and he can send me home with pain medication. My body was shaking due to pain and I could hardly move when I explained to him that I needed an MRI. He told me that I can’t even lay still in my bed so how am I expected to lay in an MRI machine for 30minutes. He said that the only option is a sedated MRI and that I would have to do this as an outpatient. I told him that something is clearly wrong with me and that I need one no matter what when he got frustrated and decided to evaluate me. His first part of the evaluation was to see how I walk and when I stood up and was bent over like a hook he said: “Are you standing like that because you’re really in pain or are you just babying it?” I was in complete disbelief but didn’t say anything. Next, he had me lay on my back (which made me scream for pain) and kick his hands to test my strength and I tried my best but had no strength. He then stated: “I cannot give you an MRI if you’re not going to participate in my evaluation” to which I told him that I’m trying my hardest but I am in excruciating pain. He was annoyed but scheduled me for the MRI without any accommodations and when I went back there, I couldn’t even sit on the table so they took me back. Nerdin then approached me and said: “What do you want me to do if you can’t even lay still for an MRI” and I told him that there are plenty other people with back conditions that need an MRI, so what do they do and he said that they simply sit still. I explained to him that everybody’s condition is different and that I have Herrington rods in my back with all the other medical issues listed above. I told him that I’ve been dealing with back pain for ten years and I’m not a rookie at this, I know when something is wrong with me and something is clearly wrong. I said I’m the patient and he’s the doctor so he needs to figure it out. I asked to switch doctors and he told me that I would have to discharge and go back to the waiting room (which if I did that, my health insurance would consider that leaving against medical advice and not paid for my visit) and I told him this is unacceptable. When I demanded a case worker, he said that there is not one available at this time. I then told another staff that they immediately need to transfer me via ambulance to St.Josephs to which they said that I would have to check out against medical advice and drive myself. I was in such disbelief with the situation and began to cry pleading for help. Finally another nurse took me to the other side of the ER with all new nurses and scheduled me for another MRI attempt. She stayed in contact with the MRI tech and 30 minutes before my slot, the tech was to call her and give her a heads up so she can accommodate me and give me morphine to give it time to kick in so I can complete the MRI. Thanks to this nurse, I was able to sit through the MRI. This MRI determined that my disc was severely herniated and that I need surgery which is what happened today. If I hadn’t stood my ground and he turned me away, I would’ve been dead because I couldn’t take the pain anymore.