Every effort will be made to see you on that clinic day. If we are unable to see you that day, we may recommend further evalutation in our emergency room.
If you have an acute problem outside regular office hours and would like to discuss it with one of the physicians, please call 919-684-8111, let the operator know that you are a sickle cell patient and ask for the adult hematologist on call or Dr. Regina Crawford. The physician on call will call you back as soon as possible.
You may go directly to the Emergency Department on the first floor of Duke North. On arrival to the Emergency Department, you should tell the receptionist that you are patient followed by the Duke Sickle Cell Clinic regardless of the cause or nature of the emergency.
Common emergencies that demand immediate attention
- Fever higher than 101.5
- Acute pain, not relieved by pain medications, fluids and bed rest
- Increased sleepiness or tiredness
- Vomiting or dehydration
- Neurological symptoms, such as seizures, weakness or numbness in arms and legs, severe headaches, marked dizziness or visual changes
- Acute chest pain or difficulty breathing
- Priapism (painful erection) lasting longer than 30 minutes (discuss specific guidelines with your doctor)
All Emergency Department visits should be followed by a clinic visit. This will assist us in providing you appropriate follow-up within one week of your ED visit, including detecting and treating related complications. Immediately following discharge from the Emergency Department, please call the Appointments Hub at 919-620-5300.