Sunday, November 1, 2015

Too Many Cooks

There are too many cooks in the health care kitchen  This article is also from Dr. Kevin's blog.  This is something which I have previously mentioned in a slightly different context.

I object to all the extraneous people costing patient money.  There is no end to people populating medical entities all doing minor variations of the same job.  Do we need to pay all those people a lavish salary?  My contention is NO.

Do we need 40 or so different people roaming around and questioning us like a team of homicide investigators?  I don't think so.

Do we need a different diagnosis from myriad people?  Is it a game of 20 questions and we get to pick which diagnosis we wish to have?  Of course not, the patient's job is to endure it all and then pay up.  It's scandalous.

I got around it by having a patient advocate.  One more person involved in my care, right?  lol.  The difference is that the patient advocate was MY employee.  Her job was to make sure that the HOSPITAL workers remembered their place.  Her job was to make sure that I was treated like a human being, not a slab of meat, there to be used for profit.

An Anesthesiologist Explains Things

I came across this article in one of my emails from Dr. Kevin.  Will your anesthesiologist leave the OR? Patients deserve to know.  Every patient needs to know who will be in charge of their anesthesia.  It is our RIGHT under the law.  This anesthesiologist agrees with me.

Know that a routine procedure featuring nothing more than "sedation" (amnesia) can kill you.  So for some minor detail, your anesthesia can kill you.  I would like to be able to CONTRACT with an anesthesia provider directly.  I would like to be able to demand a video of my entire time in the OR.  That way substitutions could be ascertained.  To this day I'm not really sure that the surgeon I contracted with actually performed my surgery.  It was so poorly done, it would surprise me if the PA didn't do it.  The PA was literally listed on the hospital records as my surgeon.  HE is the person I saw prior to surgery, not my doctor.  I had no clue who he was.  The NURSE who performed my botched anesthesia did NOT reveal that he was 1) a nurse and 2) was going to perform my anesthesia and 3) had every intention of defying my wishes and doing whatever he damned well pleased regardless of what *I* said or gave permission for.

If it hadn't been for the fraudulent "anesthesiologist" I wouldn't have had my experience and wouldn't be here.  I had an absolute RIGHT to dictate WHAT care I was to receive and by WHOM.  Things need to change.

This anesthesiologist is one the right track.  However one needs to read the comments.  Once again what appears to be a crna jumps into the fray with their little self serving "moniker" featuring a drug name to let everybody know they work in anesthesia.  Do they realize that Dr. Kevin is widely read by the general public, especially those of us who have been treated badly by medical people?

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Anesthesia Worker Agrees

The post below is from www.versedbusters.blogspot.com  Here is a link to the post in situ: Blogger: Versed Busters - Post a Comment  I like to re-post this kind of sane thinking to balance the craziness that I deal with on this blog.  Of course I agree with this intelligent man.  As I have said before; there are some very good anesthesia nurses out there.  The problem is, you won't know whether you are getting a rational nurse or a control freak.  Since I mostly deal with the latter here, my opinion is that anesthesia nurses are dangerous if you value your cognitive function.  All anybody has to do is look through the responses nomidazolam gets from the vast majority of nurses who post here.  This gentleman is the exception.  Thanks Robert.

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Blogger Robert Dickinson said...
Dear Folks, I feel your pain. I am a nurse anesthetist with over 27 years of experience. Every single day I watch as patients are given this drug needlessly. I very rarely administer midazolam for all the reasons I read above. There is a subset of patients who desire to be heavily sedated before they ever leave their families. I accommodate this request of course, but first I have a calm caring conversation with my patient about their specific fears. Sedation anesthesia is very challenging. Most of the time what we call sedation is actually a variation of a general anesthetic. An oversedated patient will loose the ability to cooperate. They may misinterpret sensations causing them to respond inappropriately. For instance, an elderly patient presents for a cataract surgery may think that a drop of water tricking down her face is a fly and move to swat it away. This prompts the staff to restrain her or administer more sedation when what she really needed was a different medication and some reorientation. Ask questions. Take control of your care. Tell the professionals caring for you what you expect.
October 21, 2015 8:03 PM

Friday, September 11, 2015

Posting on this Blog

Sorry to any reader who wants to post on this blog.  From time to time I have to block "anonymous" postings, mainly because of one nurse who has some kind of obsession with me/this blog.  This person must come here daily and try to post...   I recently allowed anonymous postings again and IMMEDIATELY I got a nasty post.  So we are back to only identifiable postings.  You may also email me at nomidazolam@aol.com  I will NOT post the contents of your email without your expressed consent.  I will not reveal your identity on this blog.  I'm sorry I have to do this because many of you want to share your thoughts and experiences with Versed without worrying about vicious personal attacks.  All it takes in one creepy stalker of a nurse to wreck it for everybody, right? Oh well.  We may have to deal with these people in our daily lives, but NOT on this blog.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Surgeon Scorecard

I found this on ProPublica.  I suggest you look at the surgeon you are planning on using for your surgery.  Too bad they don't have this for other specialties...like anesthesia.  Anesthesia can screw you up just as fast as the surgeon can, yet we can't research and/or select the anesthesia provider.

Surgeon Scorecard | ProPublica

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Controversy Over Midazolam/Versed Back in Court

There is a huge controversy over using Versed/Midazolam to execute prisoners.  Apparently the powers that be don't want to disseminate this information, but *I* do.  The convicted killers have seen/heard of the botched executions using Versed and they don't want the drug used on them.  I have found maybe the one thing that criminals and I agree on.

Here are a couple of news articles on this subject:

Judge upholds Tenn. lethal injection method, Miss. executions blocked | WREG.com

Death Penalty Case Inflames Supreme Court Passions - NBC News

As I have previously stated, I have zero sympathy for these people, convicted of heinous crimes, but I do agree that Versed should not be used...on anybody.  If it's "cruel and unusual punishment" for a criminal to be conscious (as in conscious sedation) then it is even more cruel to use Versed on INNOCENT PATIENTS!  I cannot understand why this drug could be considered cruel and unusual for people who are going to die, but absolutely fine for trusting patients who are going to live. (hopefully)  The same arguments used by the convicts can be used by the rest of us.  This poison leaves us awake and aware, just unable to remember it later. (in many cases, but not all)  So, Versed forces the death penalty recipients to be awake and aware, able to respond to commands etc. but unable to resist the people they KNOW are going to execute them.  Can it get any worse?   Maybe this is exactly what they did to their victims.  Does that make it right to subject any human being to the horror of Versed?  

Should patients also be rendered helpless, awake and aware while the medical minions torture them and laugh at their pain and helplessness?  A civilized society should never stoop to using such a diabolical drug.  It is a clue as to how degenerate society is today that a drug like this is used, even for the death penalty.  My opinion.

Have you calmed down yet?

I hope that I have given enough time to let medical people calm down after their last little tizzy.  I had to shut them down for a while by changing my blog to accept only identifiable people.  They were always welcome to email me instead.  Know what's weird?  All those hostile (alleged) anesthesia nurses who were posting to this blog INSTANTLY retreated once they found out that I wasn't allowing "anonymous" postings.  Isn't that odd?  Well, not really.  If you remember that they use Versed amnesia to cloak their anti-social leanings, is it any wonder that they also want to hide behind "anonymous"?

The COST of Anesthesia Nurses (from a reader)

I got another email from the reader I recently wrote about, AJ.  Here it is.


"Hi Jackie

Just a follow-up to our recent exchange of e-mails.  Even though I had a colonoscopy without any sedation or pain relief last month, my insurance company paid the anesthesiologist in excess of $800.  Apparently, he/she gets paid for his/her time regardless of what is required during the procedure.  I understand that the anesthesiologist may be required at some point during the procedure and that they should be paid something for their time, but I feel this amount is ridiculous. I wish someone would pay me $800 to take a 30 minute break.


Maybe sometime, someone from the medical field can explain to me how doing a colonoscopy without sedation keeps the costs down."

I find it alarming and aggravating that this reader was charged the same $800 that *I* was.  For NOTHING!  Here we are in this day and age, worrying about the enormous cost of medical care and we find that "anesthesia" is charging $800 an hour (or less time) for the mere presence of a crna in the suite.  A crna whose purpose is to administer...what exactly?  Versed?  

I have read the self righteous whining of many crna's about other inferior people, like regular nurses, administering the poison that is Versed.  Really, if Versed is that dangerous, may I opine that maybe it shouldn't be used at all for routine procedures?  Why, even when the services of the "sedation nurse" are declined, do we have to pay them anyway?  This is an outrageous example of the way medical care pads the bill so as to maximize profit.  It isn't about the patient, it's about the medical behemoth making obscene amounts of money.

I have advised this patient to dispute the bill.  The little nursey poo who made $800 dollars to stand there for half an hour doing nothing should not be paid for "services rendered".  I have successfully gotten spurious charges like this removed from my bill...  If the patient declines the services of the specialty nurse, whose job in this case was to administer "sedation" (which anybody can do) then there should be no CHARGES for this nurse.  

I agree with AJ, an 800 dollar charge for a crna to show up is ludicrous.  Next time AJ, show the nurse the door.  Accidents only happen during a colonoscopy if the patient IS sedated.  I have read copious amounts of data and haven't found a single instance of a perforation occurring in an unsedated patient.  I'm not saying that it can't/won't happen, just that the data doesn't support the idea that an unsedated colonoscopy requires the presence of a specialized anesthesia nurse.  You know me, I don't want one in the same room with me regardless of the procedure.  I had a heart cath done without an anesthesia nurse...

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Medical Cartel and Rape

Here is the latest post I've found extolling the virtues of Versed.  This is the most ill thought out, outrageous idea yet.  All of us are going to be put at risk because medical minions and big pharma love their Versed.  SHAME ON YOU MEDICAL PEOPLE!

Midazolam Nasal Spray May Reduce Seizures | Medpage Today

Notice even the declaration includes the word MAY.  This monumentally stupid idea hasn't even been proven effective and yet they want to put this dangerous drug out on the street in aerosol form.  Absolutely unconscionable.  So now rapists and robbers can simply spray their victim to get instant compliance coupled with amnesia.  For something that MAY help with seizures?  OMG.  This drug needs to be banned entirely not have new ways dreamed up that MAY or may not help with some off label use.

Record Those Surgeries!

I am absolutely in favor of recording surgery WITH audio.  I want everybody to see how they were treated by their health care workers.  The medical minions want to hide behind the amnesia drug Versed/Midazolam and *I* for one want a stop put to the abuse of patients with Versed.   I would want a recording of my treatment especially if I were still awake and aware with Versed.  I would want to see myself screaming in pain and the laughing, mocking nurses.  I would want to hear the unconscionable remarks made about me by these same "professionals".  *I* heard them and they started the MINUTE they thought I had amnesia.  I think it is vital to be aware of what happens in these torture chambers when your brain is disconnected, either with "conscious sedation" or when general anesthesia is used.  Transparency is the only way to stop the abuse of patients.  After all these same people want to video your procedure for their own purposes, why shouldn't we have a copy?


This article is from a medmal attorney in New York. Recorded Surgeries Could be Future of Medical Malpractice | The Law Office Of Gerald Oginski, LLC

"Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a surgical “black box” that would track a surgeon’s actions during surgery and record any errors.
The purpose of the device is to collect data during surgery which could later be used to shed light on why a patient had a poor surgical outcome. The device would also allow researchers to analyze why surgical errors occur in an effort to prevent future mistakes.
Wisconsin Rep. Christine Sinicki has also introduced legislation that would allow patients to have their surgeries audiovisually recorded. If this bill is passed, it would require healthcare facilities to give surgical patients the option of having their surgery videotaped.
The proposed law would be named for Julie Ayer Ribenzer, a 38 year old woman who died after receiving too much of the anesthetic propofol during a breast implant surgery.
New York has a similar bill, “Raina’s Law,” which was named for 19 year old Raina Ferraro who went into cardiac and respiratory arrest due to negligent anesthesia administration during surgery, which sought to require cameras in all operating rooms.
Surgical errors are common and can lead to serious injuries and even death.
The surgical black box and the proposed Wisconsin and New York law reflect the growing public concern that surgical errors are not being disclosed and that there is no accountability for doctors or hospitals when errors occur.
Audiovisual recording in operating rooms would provide additional data to help medical providers, patients and their families understand why something went wrong. Unfortunately, doctors and hospitals don’t seem to agree.
The Wisconsin Hospital Association and Wisconsin Medical Society have asserted that they are opposed to Rep. Sinicki’s bill. Some doctors have also reasoned that bringing black boxes into operating rooms could later be used against them in a legal matter.
The topic of recording surgery is becoming more and more common. It is very possible that audiovisual recordings are the future of medical malpractice investigation and medical error prevention."

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Endo Nurse Link

Here is what I got from a reader.  Thanks AJ.
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"I've been following your blog for many years.  I had a problem with Versed about 20 years ago before there was any information about the drug on the internet.  I don't recall seeing the link below on unsedated colonoscopy on your blog.  Of particular note is the comment.
By the way, yesterday I had my second unsedated colonoscopy.  While I know that not everyone is the same, I felt no pain the entire procedure.
Keep up the good work with your blog."

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email reprinted with permission from the reader in its entirety without any changes.

5 years ago this study was published.  Has anybody heard about the findings?  Well, surprise, surprise!  Here is an eye-opener of a quote.  "The advantages of unsedated colonoscopy include the elimination of the risks associated with sedation, especially in patients with comorbidities; a reduction in the recovery time after the procedure; a decrease in the need for cardiopulmonary monitoring; and a significant reduction in cost."  "The elimination of the risks associated with sedation. "  According to our own esteemed anesthesia providers there are no "risks associated with sedation".  The KEY in this statement is found in the rest of the sentence..."reduction in recovery time" and "significant reduction of cost."  Our medical system is focused on making everything as expensive as humanly possible.  Recovery time is charged in increments of 15 minute intervals where I went.  So every 15 minutes the medical facility can keep you in the recovery room, it's that much more money they can extract from the patient and/or the patient's insurance company.  The expensive nurses for whom the patients are being charged EXTRA because he/she has to monitor the patient more closely adds to the cost as well.  This is a MAJOR disincentive for the medical minions to forego sedation.  "A significant reduction in cost" is the very last thing our medical cartel is interested in.


  How about this quote from the article? ". “We compared patients who underwent either unsedated colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy for primary colorectal cancer screening and found no significant differences in pain scores, patient acceptance, or need for sedation.”  By this statement we glean that there is no difference in patient satisfaction whether sedation is used or not.  I'll bet if this article went farther, they would find that many people did not like the after effects of sedation days or weeks post procedure.  Sedation is used in our country to maximize hospital profit among other purposes.  Is it the primary one?  Who knows because our medical minions will not admit to any of this.

Please do read the article and also the comment my reader speaks of.  If you haven't read anything else on this blog, it will surprise you.


Friday, July 3, 2015

Supreme Court: Third Bad Ruling, Midazolam

Well, we lost an important case against the drug Midazolam.  The Supreme Court has lost all credibility with me at this point.  The latest bizarre ruling is the one on Midazolam used for lethal injection.  Apparently there are no other drugs they could use for helping kill people other than Midazolam.  I have no real concern with Midazolam constituting "cruel and unusual punishment" for people on death row, don't get me wrong...but it is "cruel and unusual punishment" for innocent and trusting patients to be subjected to this poison.

How states are responding to the Supreme Court’s lethal injection decision - The Washington Post

Take the time to read the article.  Is this the drug YOU want used on anybody and everybody?  Want this drug used on YOU?  This is the drug of choice all over this country.  The use of this drug went all the way to the "Supreme" court as the horror show it is.  Too bad the black robes decided against us.  Oh well, back to the drawing board.  This drug is too dangerous and has way too many serious side effects to remain legal to inject.  Into ANYBODY!  Ban this drug.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

TAKE THE SURVEY

A patient-initiated voluntary online survey of adverse medical events: the perspective of 696 injured patients and families -- Southwick et al. -- BMJ Quality and Safety


Please take this survey of patient initiated adverse medical events.  The life you save may be your own.  Hospitals, medical centers, crna's etc. get to write down THEIR impressions of how wonderful your medical care was.  Now YOU can tell the real story about how shoddy and shabby the experience really was.  Happy writing.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

GLOATING Post

Oh yes this one makes me happy.  I admit to GLOATING over the fact that the anesthesia person lost their job and the patient got half a mil. in damages.  I'm loving it.

I have complained ad nauseum about my treatment at the hands of Aaron, my anesthesia nurse who was posing as a doctor.  He shot me up with Versed against my expressed instructions.  (as I'm allowed by LAW tp doctate)  Once they thought I had amnesia they began their insults and slurs.  I had to lie there helpless and listen to them degrade me.  To say I was shocked and angry is an understatement.  I could NOT understand why nobody told him to shut the hell up.  Not only that, some of them also laughed and joined in the fun of denigrating me.  I feel that their behavior contributed to the PTSD I got from my medical treatment.  They told me I was lying, that I couldn't possibly remember anything, the drug was making me hallucinate etc.  Too bad *I* didn't have a recording.  All *I* have is my intact memory.

This patient got even.  I am so happy about this!  I hope millions upon millions of people read about this lawsuit and become suspicious of their medical employees.  We have to keep a sharp eye on them because this isn't an aberration, this is business as usual for our medical minions.  Ban Versed.  It's turning our medical people into sociopaths.  Sociopath | Define Sociopath at Dictionary.com

A patient secretly records his colonoscopy. It cost this doctor her job.

Reader Post About Dementia

I have written often about the problem of older folks going in for medical treatment with their mental processes intact and leaving for a nursing home afterwards with their brain function destroyed.  I even had an uppity anesthesia nurse (accidentally) confirm that this is a problem.  She/he claimed it was "heart patients" most at risk for hospital acquired dementia.  The patient in this comment was turned into a vegetable by medical care but wait until you read what this reader found out...



4LisasDad has left a new comment on your post "Medical People Speak Out Against Versed":

My Dad was given this drug at 79 for Hip Surgery since he was not a candidate for general anesthesia. He went into surgery mentally sharp and after surgery had complete memory loss of most of his life and was labeled as having dementia by the doctors. They dismissed my claims he did NOT have dementia before the surgery. Speaking with him he had only traumatic memories of the surgery and only moments of clarity of where he was and who I was. He was never the same after taking this drug, marked depression and anxiety/nightmares of people cutting his leg off. He eventually stopped eating and died. If I had only have known the side effects of this drug he might be alive today. He was not the only one, many of the families I talked with at the nursing home had the same experience. Some seem to get "dementia" after having something as simple as an endoscopy. Versed was the common thread to all our stories of how our loved ones ended up in the nursing home and ultimately lost their minds.




Really?  Is this what you want to happen to YOU or your loved one?  We need to ban this dangerous drug.  Obviously medical people are fully aware of this problem and choose to ignore it in favor of their own selfish desire to make their work easier.  "Versed was the common thread to ALL OUR STORIES of how our loved ones ended up in the nursing home and ultimately lost their minds."  Let that sink in.  Next time some arrogant anesthesia person approaches with a syringe of "sedation" DON'T LET THEM INJECT IT!  You have that right.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Dentists (again)

Here's the latest in the bizarre world of children's dentistry.  I can think of  only one reason a dentist would be able to get away with this degree of cruelty and for so long.

Brandi Motley exposed Florida dentist Howard Schneider about his children's practice | Daily Mail Online

Whenever I see a story about torture with people standing around doing nothing but watch somebody scream it says one word to me.  Versed.  Want to bet these drugged up looking children were given a little "sedative"?  I'd like to see what gave this dentist the idea that this much pain and suffering were OK.  Did he really do this without "anesthesia"?  Are they talking about "without novacaine/articaine" or without anything?    Versed is sometimes called anesthesia (it isn't, Versed does nothing to alleviate pain) and sometimes called a "sedative". (it isn't in non medical parlance)

Unfortunately this exhibition of depraved indifference has become quite common since Versed.  The medical/dental providers have discovered that they can torture with impunity because most of the time, the patient won't remember it.  Watch the video if you want to see how people, even innocent children are treated while they are on Versed.  I don't KNOW that the child was "sedated" but I'm thinking the kids would have ratted out this dentist a long time ago if they had remembered the mistreatment.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Supreme Court Death Penalty Case Focuses on Versed/Midazolam

The Supreme Court is going to weigh in on Versed as a lethal injection drug.  Due to several "botched" death penalty cases, the convicts and their lawyers are going to argue that the use of Midazolam constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, because the individual isn't unconscious at all and is cognizant of pain and suffering.

Again I ask, why, if this drug is not good enough for lethal injection, why is it good enough for patients?  Why are our medical workers using this torture drug?  Why are they so ADAMANT that they are allowed to use it, knowing that one of the problems with it is that the patient feels all of the pain associated with the procedure.  God help you if you don't get amnesia of the horror.  Anyway here is yet another article.


Supreme Court Death Penalty Case Focuses on Lethal Injection Drug - US News

Here are the documents from the pharma people on Versed/Midazolam 

New Tab

In light of this, why are the medical workers still using Versed on their patients?  Remember that this is only ONE of the reasons this drug should be banned for use on humans.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Vaccines Ineffective

We have had an outbreak of Whooping cough here which I have previously spoken of.  The outbreak consisted of vaccinated children, which the health board was not forthcoming about.  Here is their spin on just why it was only vaccinated kids who got sick.  So is this a ploy to force people to get more vaccines and help out big pharma?  Or are they going to do some REAL INVESTIGATIONS into vaccines to find out if we are all merely shoveling money at big pharma for dubious benefit?

Whooping Cough Epidemic Hit Vaccinated Kids Hard | Medpage Today


Whooping Cough Epidemic Hit Vaccinated Kids Hard

Researchers found Tdap vaccine effectiveness fell off after 2 to 4 years.

Action Points

The 2012 pertussis epidemic in Washington state affected a surprising number of adolescents who were vaccinated on schedule, researchers reported.
Compared with over 1,200 controls, 450 adolescent cases of pertussis showed similar rates of having received five rounds of their vaccinations on the recommended schedule, but the vaccine's effectiveness rate dropped dramatically over time from 73% within 1 year to as low as 34% after 2 to 4 years from the last dose, Anna M. Acosta, MD, of the CDC, and colleagues, reported in Pediatrics.
ADVERTISEMENT
The pertussis vaccine and its schedule have been through several changes in the past 2 decades. Through 1997, children received five doses of a whole-cell vaccination. After 1997, those five doses were switched to an acellular pertussis vaccine. And in 2005, a sixth dose of the tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine was recommended.
In 2012, Washington state experienced a pertussis epidemic with 2,520 cases reported by June of that year, a 1,300% increase over the previous year.
Acosta's team noticed an unexpectedly high rate of infection among older children and adolescents -- those potentially exposed to either a mix of whole-cell and acellular vaccines, or acellular vaccines only.
For this study, the researchers looked at Washington residents born from 1993 to 2000 in the seven Washington counties that reported more than 50 cases, and matched the adolescent pertussis cases with three controls based on vaccination records.
The participants were grouped by vaccination years, 1993-1997 for children who received five total vaccines in a mix of whole-cell or acellular form, or 1998-2000 for children who received five total vaccines in the acellular form only.
In order to be considered "complete and on schedule" for vaccination, the child had to have records indicating five total doses of diphtheria-tetanus toxoids-pertussis (DTP) or DTaP parsed as doses one-three before turning 1-year-old, dose four on or after the first birthday, and dose five on or after the fourth birthday, but before turning 7.
Within the seven counties, 959 cases of adolescent pertussis were reported. These cases represented 83% of all adolescent cases in the state, and 73% of all healthcare providers reporting cases of adolescent pertussis.
The primary analysis by Acosta's group included 450 cases and 1,246 age- and provider-matched controls with a median age of 14.
In the cohort, only 74% of cases and 75% of controls had proof of five vaccination doses, and only 60% of cases and 58% of controls received the five doses on schedule.
Tdap was given to 81% of the cases, and 90% of the controls, and overall, 84% of the cohort had been vaccinated again at 11 to 12 years of age.
The researchers estimated that Tdap demonstrated vaccine effectiveness at a rate of 63.9% (95% CI 49.7%-74.1%).
When stratified by time since Tdap vaccination, the effectiveness fell dramatically over time:
  • Within 12 months, it was 73.1% (95% CI 60.3-81.8)
  • At 12 to 23 months, the effectiveness rate dropped to 54.9% (95% CI 32.4-70.0)
  • By 24 to 47 months, vaccine effectiveness was 34.2% (95% CI -0.03 to -58)
When Acosta's group performed subgroup analysis limited to confirmed cases of pertussis -- those with on-schedule only vaccinations -- or by excluding those with suspected cases, the results weren't much different from the findings in the primary analysis.
In the mixed group, 386 cases and 1,076 controls, the overall vaccine effectiveness was 51.5% (95% CI 26.1-68.1). But, the authors wrote, a direct comparison of the mixed group and the acellular only group wasn't possible due to differences in the age and time since vaccination between groups (P<0 .0001="" p="">
Although they could only confirm the vaccine brands, Boostrix by GlaxoSmithKline or Adacel by Sanofi, in 76% of study participants, the researchers found that Adacel was used more often in adolescents who caught pertussis (P=0.05), even though Adacel was used in only 17% of cases compared with 59% of cases vaccinated with Boostrix.
And regardless of vaccine group, Boostrix demonstrated slightly higher effectiveness when compared with Adacel. The estimated vaccine effectiveness for Boostrix was 60.1% (95% CI 47.7-69.6), and 48.8% (95% CI 28.8-63.2) for Adacel.
The study authors hazarded a few guesses as to why vaccine effectiveness fell short. One explanation could be suboptimal, post-vaccination, cell-mediated immunity with the acellular vaccine. Another could be that the vaccine prevented symptoms, but not infection and transmission. Also, there could have been genetic mutations in the pertussis strains that were not accounted for in the vaccine.
Study limitations include small sample size in comparison with the overall epidemic.

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Medical Jargon...A Doctors Take On The Same Problem *I* Have

I have had a real problem with the mangling of the English language and the (deliberate, in my case) misinterpretation of certain words.  Words like "amnesia", "pain relief", "relaxing", awake and alert", etc.  We all think we know what they mean, but even the simple word "no" has a different meaning to medical workers.  Here is a doctor who feels the same way *I* do about words.  Words mean something.

In My Humble Opinion



Posted: 26 Apr 2015 06:48 PM PDT
It's metoprolol.

m-e-t-o-p-r-o-l-o-l

The nurse on the other end of the phone sighs as she tolerates my tirade regarding pronunciation.  They all know that I am particular about such things.  For metoprolol is neither metoclopramide or metalazone, and the difference could be life altering.

I live in a world of words.  Trained in a language created to parse pertinent details.  Dysarthria or dysphagia?  Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, dyspnea on exertion, or orthopnea?

Each variant a spectrum of flavor.  A morsel chewed, swallowed, and digested into its basic parts to be rattled off in staccato sentences between physicians.  A meaning conveyed to bring like minds to similar conclusions.   A common language among colleagues to convey a story, to solve a mystery, to make a plan of attack.

And my patients words carry similar weight.  The accent on a particular syllable drawing significance unconsciously to a hidden meaning.  An atypical descriptor pushing the diagnostic engine toward a nefarious path.  The absence of content, words carelessly unspoken.

My patient's future becomes precariously perched on such ambiguities.  My ability to interpret separates durable medical care from chaos.

So you will have to excuse me if I occasionally get caught on words.  If I become stuck on pronunciation or am a stickler about meaning.

I gently correct the cardiologist as we pass in the hall.

It's Rothberg not Rothschild.  R-o-t-h-b-e-r-g.   

And she died two nights ago. 

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Midazolam REJECTED For Lethal Injection!

Here's an article for you!  Midazolam aka Versed (VERsatile SEDative) aka "Vitamin V" is creating controversy within the lethal injection crowd.  Apparently it is "cruel and unusual punishment".  The opponents of the use of Midazolam are complaining that there is "SEARING PAIN" that the poor little inmates are expected to bear as the other drugs are injected.   The ones that finish them off.  Here's the weird part...we patients are subjected to Midazolam and searing pain, not just from the other drugs, but also the procedures themselves...but we don't count.  How is it that the final moments of a convicts life are important but innocent patients are expected to deal with "searing pain"?   Midazolam is unacceptable for use as a part of lethal injections and it is unacceptable to use on blameless, trusting patients.  BAN THIS DRUG!

Here is the article in situ;
Manufacturer asks Oklahoma to return any execution drugs - AOL.com

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Stop Saying "Memory Loss"

I'm so sick of medical workers calling things by some kind of gentle euphemism I could scream.  The favored one is "memory loss".  The real word is AMNESIA.  Memory loss sounds more palatable because it really doesn't describe what Versed does.  Memory loss sounds innocuous, especially when they proclaim that you might not remember the procedure or even claim that you will be asleep.  NO boys and girls you will have AMNESIA.  You will be awake and aware, suffering and screaming, but you will have AMNESIA of the event and lots of other time as well.  Your brain will be short circuited like Alzheimer's does.  Damaged by the drug Versed.  You really think that a poison which acts upon the brain, selectively like this, is benign and without the possibility of permanent problems?

When they say the drug will "relax" you, it isn't relaxing at all, like you would think of relaxing.  Your muscle control will be knocked out, but you will be wide awake inside a body which is flaccid.  You will not be able to do anything but weakly struggle and scream if the pain becomes too great.  Who cares about this if that very same drug scrambles your brain and causes AMNESIA (not possible memory loss)  Of course the medical minions have NO WAY OF KNOWING if you have amnesia or not.  Why is that?  Because you are not asleep, nor are you unconscious.  You are still acting like you are awake and alert.  So even if you really ARE awake and alert, cognizant of the pain and torture, they can't tell the difference.  If your muscle control is negated with Versed and you are lying there basically paralysed by Versed, how will they know that you are still wide awake, without that "memory loss" and suffering?  They can't tell.  My own crna claimed that I was "very relaxed" during the time that I wanted to murder him.  Thinking of murdering somebody but being unable to respond isn't relaxing.  I was FURIOUS, not relaxed.  The Versed kept me from properly reacting to the threat and forced me to lie there seething.

This is such a bad drug it should be banned.  All this talk about preventing anesthesia awareness by using a drug like this is ludicrous.  They don't give a damn if you have awareness with Versed!  They will just tell you, "Oh well, everybody reacts differently to anesthesia.  We are sorry YOU are UPSET."   The implication being that YOU are the problem and really have no right to be upset.  The medical minions have become so hardened and callous by using this torture drug, that they just don't care.  It amazes me that they get away with this.  Versed is given for the benefit of an uncaring medical behemoth.  They do not care about the horror of this drug, they don't care about the torture and they DON'T CARE about the long term problems with their drug of choice.

All of the actions of the torture committee are designed to be hidden with their little "memory loss" drug.  Stop saying that!  Be honest about this drug and the reasons you use it.  It's chemical AMNESIA!  Say the word.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Another Vitriolic Comment Attempt

As I have written numerous times, I post what I want to.  I have an O-P-I-N-I-O-N about the state of medical care today and the abuse of a very bad drug called Versed/Midazolam.  I have warned many times that I do most definitely pick and choose particularly vile posts to show what medical workers think of us.  That's just how I want to do it.  I don't care what a control freak wants me to do here.  In this place medical workers are not in charge.  I continuously encourage the anti-social rantings from medical workers.  Why is that?  Don't think for one minute that I actually enjoy being attacked verbally!  It's so that I can show, without any question, the thought processes of certain medical workers, in particular those who claim to be anesthesia nurses.  Aside from the money, there are other reasons why somebody might want to work in anesthesia.  I like to point them out.  Here is a recent HATE comment from a wonderful, caring medical worker. (cough)

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Heart Cath and Amnesia":

"Along with elderly, substance abusers, and people with preexisting mental issues, patients receiving cardiac procedures are the number ONE patient class to suffer POCD. Please do your research properly before opening mouth and inserting foot. Also, myself and others have noted that you FAIL to put entire posts that include researched data, but rather only post exerts that you can use to further your slander. Why not show the public EVERYTHING if you are so honest? Please, just take your medication."

I want you to know the absolute disregard for the patient and for the patients brain function from this "sympathetic" person.  The very first sentence says it all...  You may infer from this comment that ONLY the "elderly, substance abusers, and people with preexisting mental issues" suffer from POCD.  Does that make sense to you?  POCD "post operative cognitive dysfunction" ISN'T caused by the drugs used in the surgery?  Really?  (heavy sarcasm)  Oh it's those people who are SUBSTANDARD IN SOME WAY that suffer from the side effects of the drugs used in surgery.  That's right boys and girls, it isn't the fault of the drugs, it's ALL YOUR FAULT!  If you weren't such an inferior creature you wouldn't have POCD!  If you have a bad reaction to Versed, then it's your own fault.  It is never EVER the fault of the Versed, nor is it the fault of the idiot who gave Versed to a person whom they suspect might be a candidate for POCD.  So if you seem normal to the anesthesia person you will get Versed and if you AREN'T normal you will get Versed because, what the hell, if the patients gets POCD from their administration of Versed, then it's a matter of supreme indifference at best or comments such as the above at worst.

The "research" I have done, combined with my own experience with Versed is called into question by this commenter as well.  Here's the deal.  This person exemplifies why their own idea of "research" is flawed.  Look at how they try to deny that Versed is causing problems.  It's so transparent.  Versed is the main culprit in this.  Medical workers are in denial.  It's the ABV (anything but Versed) syndrome I have written about.  Why would I trust ANY so-called "research" done by medical workers who so LOVE this poison called Versed that they will actually blame the victim instead of the poison?  After ADMITTING that post operative cognitive dysfunction is a problem, they then go on to blame US for it.  How about not using a drug known to cause POCD no matter how narrowly defined their little explanation of why this is so?  Is that too hard to do?

Why is the incidence of POCD so high with heart patients?  I'm not drawing a correlation from this comment.  Are they saying that POCD is OK because these are old people (one of the "flaws" in patients which causes POCD because, apparently, Versed doesn't cause this) and they are already substandard due to age?  That makes it OK?  Actually it looks like older people are at risk from Versed, according to our esteemed medical worker and maybe should NEVER be given it.  I still am not sure why this medical worker tried to insult me over this.  It's TRUE people are getting POCD from heart surgery.  (and everything else where Versed is featured) What difference does it make to point out that people with heart problems are the number one group of patients at risk for POCD?  Does that number make any difference whatsoever to what I wrote about or the people who commented on askapatient?  Does that make it OK to go ahead and create POCD with Versed, just because they are already at risk for it?  Talk about cya!  Research has shown that Versed is a major player in developing POCD and dementia in the hospital.  There is no denying it.  The facts are the facts.

As far as slander?  I have your post here slandering me, now don't I?  Let's see, implying that I am a substance abuser, alcoholic, have preexisting mental issues and am on medication for same isn't slander?


Oddly this person is conflating POCD and the effects of Versed as if they are one and the same.  OK, so POCD IS something that Versed creates or causes?  I've been saying that for a long time, but it appears that this person is agreeing with me.  Or are they trying to pretend that something ELSE is at work here...  It's the Versed.  I was the Versed in my case and judging by the sheer numbers of people who have had a bad experience with Versed, it was the Versed in their case as well.  It's a mental disorder, in my opinion, to come on this blog and attack, insult, threaten and deny.  What is the commenter hoping to accomplish?  Their very own words prove my point and condemn themselves.

Why don't MEDICAL WORKERS THEMSELVES show us all that research that shows that Versed is detrimental to our health?  They want me to show slanted "happy clouds" "research" that somehow "proves" that Versed is a "good" drug".  Wow.  Really? What's the name of this blog?  That's right: NO Midazolam.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Ambien: The Working Man's Versed

Here's an article about Ambien.  Of note is the drug's method of action.  Pretty much what Versed does.

Sleeping Pills So Dangerous There’s Now an “Ambien Defense” | The Alliance for Natural Health USA

People are running around, walking, talking, driving etc with no memory of what they have done.  Perfect.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Versedbusters

I highly recommend www.versedbusters.blogspot.com for everybody who wants to read unique posts by Versed victims.  Versedbusters isn't full of MY thoughts...which some people may like better.  I highly recommend that Versed sufferers go to Tim's blog and read what others who have gone through what you are going through are thinking.   Post your own experiences.  For medical types, Tim censors posts as I do.  The difference is that on Tim's blog, you will not ever see your post appear, or reappear if you like, along with commentary.  At least here you may have an entire post devoted to your comment.

Heart Cath and Amnesia

I had an alleged crna come on here recently and opine that the elderly, along with drug addicts and alcoholics are the "typical" people who might not deal with Versed well.  (He/she didn't go into it in detail look up POCD and see how "benign" it is.)  Here's the strange part...look at the people who took the time to bash Versed on this site

VERSED: Side effects, ratings, and patient comments

There are two patients who have been given Versed for a heart procedure just in the last month or so.  So, how old do you figure most people are who have a heart cath?  How is it that they were given Versed, IF, as one alleged anesthesia person writes, the elderly are at elevated risk of POCD from Versed?  Does it make sense to use Versed when they KNOW they could be damaging cognitive function in their patient?  Kinda puts paid to the idea that Versed is for the patients well being. The two writers I am referencing had horrible experiences with Versed, to the point they went on www.askapatient.com to relate their experience.   Here are the excerpts;

 1 Cardiac cathHorrible paranoia, heard the people talking in operating room,felt the needle being put into my arterie. Wad intibated and woke feeling that I had been buried alive. Wwould never recommend this drug to anyone.F2 days
?
3/27/2015

 1 surgery to fix heart arthymiaThe doctors said I fought them at the end of surgery, HARD! I fell off the surgery table, heard the metal crashing against metal of the surgical tray that fell . Nurses pulled me out from under the table. I came out of anesthesia too early. I could hear the doctors and nurses talking but could not move. They said I was not breathing on my own, so the anesthesiologist tried to intubate me and put the tube in my throat improperly. He crushed 2 vocal chords and then decided he would make an incision in my throat and neck. A smart nurse told him to let her try to intubate me. She got it right away but he already did the damage! Then I opened my eyes, looked right at him and pointed at him very angrily. My voice still isn't right after 2 yearsF60
unknown 1X D
3/23/2015
Email

There is no zero rating for any drug on www.askapatient.com  A (1) is as low as it goes.  This explains the "high" rating of 2.7 out of 5.  If there were a (0) we would have a more accurate picture of how PATIENTS view this drug, regardless of the propaganda disseminated by medical people.

As an aside, when I had my heart cath done WITHOUT VERSED, I felt like I was over reacting to the possibility of being given Versed.  I was absolutely adamant that I not get it.  I brought Amy the patient advocate with me to make sure I didn't get it.  Versed is bad, Bad, BAD!  The procedure is not worth getting your brain insulted with poison so that you "forget" the trauma.  It's a non event.  No trauma.  What the hell is wrong with these medical people?

I wanted to put this one up so you can see just one more person who hates Versed.  This person got the "anesthesiologist" fired.  Good for her.  I heard what my crna was saying, as did the rest of the laughing "team" in the OR where I went.  MY nurses joined in the fun.  MY nurses heard me say "no incapacitating drugs" and merrily shot me up with Versed anyway.   MY nurses were complicit in the abuse.  This lady was so very lucky to have the nurse she had.  I am very envious.  You can go to www.askapatient.com t see the posts in situ.

1 I was given Versed for surgeryvery painful spasms of arms and legs. Extreme feeling of heat, to the point of weeping and begging not to be given any more of "whatever you're using." The surgeon was not in the room at the time, and thought I was being given diazepam.the anesthesiologist remarked to the three surgical nurses, "Oh, we have a drama queen here. Let's give her more Versed." One of the nurses ran to get my surgeon, who stopped the anesthesia and postponed the operation. (abdominal laparoscopy.) The anesthesiologist later was dismissed by the Memorial/Herrman hospital system.F631 days
1X D
3/28/2015

Proving My Point

My hope is by putting up links to other blogs wherein their authors find Versed objectionable on many levels, physical and mental, and the universal lack of true informed consent as required by law, that the medical people who love to hate me will see a common denominator. I truly believe that medical workers know full well that Versed is a bad drug... Despite my tirades, I don't believe these people are that ignorant that they can't see for themselves that Versed is bad. I just think that in true (base) human nature these workers prefer to damage their patients rather than to bother with them. Either it's really boring to explain things to patients and calm their fears, over and over all day long, or worse, medical people WANT their patients to make asses of themselves. They may also grow addicted to the sheer power of destroying people's personalities and turning them into gibbering idiots whose only desire is to OBEY the practitioner. Either way, it's not looking good for Versed pushers...








I copied it for you here as well...









Lost morning





At first, we thought it was kind of funny. But as I learned more about what went on, it isn’t so ha-ha anymore. In fact, I’ve been drowning in alternating feelings of anger, embarrassment, and betrayal.


I’m talking about having my memory stolen.


On Tuesday of this week, I went in for an endoscopy/colonoscopy. Nasty tests, and I’m glad they put you “out” for them. I recall the nurse telling me, “We’re going to start your medication now.” I’m like, “Go for it…I don’t want to know what’s going on anyway.”


The next thing I remember is being at home, almost four hours later.


OK, recap. At 10:30 a.m., a lady was talking to me in a dark room. Then, blackness. When the world comes into view again, it’s 2:00 in the afternoon and I’m walking to the sofa in my living room.


Here is a list of things I (reportedly) did after the procedure:




  1. Met with the doctor


  2. Chatted with the nurses


  3. Signed a release form


  4. Got out my phone and put a follow-up date in my Droid’s calendar


  5. Got dressed


  6. Walked to the car


  7. Conversed with the Thriller on the ride home


Now I’ve had a total of 13 different surgeries in my life. I am no stranger to the effects of anesthesia, and I’ve had all kinds of knock-out drugs. But I knew something about this was totally different. It wasn’t Valium or Demerol, and it obviously wasn’t Propofol (the drug on which Michael Jackson overdosed) because there was no anesthesiologist present. So what went on?


When the Thriller told me all the things I did, and got to the part about me putting a date in my Droid, I didn’t believe him. He said, “Get out your phone and look.” The horror I experienced when I saw that I had indeed done it is difficult to describe.


Well, that evening, a nurse from the doctor’s office called to check on me. After the pleasantries, I asked, “Hey, I’m curious. What kind of sedative was I given for the test?” She said, “It’s called Versed [pronounced ver-SED].” I told her I hadn’t heard of that before, and that it’s strange but I have absolutely no recollection of anything after being brought into the endoscopy room. She chuckled and said, “Yes, Versed causes amnesia; it’s kind of like the date-rape drug,” meaning rohypnal, or “ruffies.”


(Oh, really. Then that explains why, when I was being admitted, the nurse asked me, “Do you trust the person who drove you here today?” I said, “Well sure…he’s my husband.” I thought to myself, what an odd question to ask someone. She went on to instruct me — and she said it at least twice before I started the prep session — “Do not make any important decisions today. Do not sign any legal documents or make any large transactions.” Whaaat? Well, it’s clear to me now, since the fog has lifted.)


Anyway, I was gobsmacked after the “date-rape drug” reference. I made some fool comment, I don’t know, about having to ask my husband five times what the doctor said he found in the test, thanked her, and signed off the call. I can’t describe to you how I felt. Well, yeah I can. I felt violated — like something was taken from me without my permission. I decided to shake it off, but the curiosity lingered, so I did some research. Turns out Versed isn’t the happy la-la juice people might think it is. I know everyone reacts differently to medications, and I was one of the fortunate ones who did not experience the horrors many others endured — namely, the waking up inside your head in excruciating pain, but not being able to wake up your body to scream out loud. Right there is what every surgical patient fears, I think.


Now I’m not a Chicken Little, and I don’t believe everything I read on the Internet. But having gone through this experience myself, I can see where these people in the above post are coming from. Moreover, to some, it may not matter that there is a black hole in their day. But the fact I said and did things I don’t remember (one of them rather embarrassing, involving me saying something about my husband in mixed company that I would never say normally) bugs me. Really bugs me. Taking away my self-control is not funny to me.


So there it is — a rare “serious” post from the Fink. But in the public interest, I thought I ought to bring you up to speed, so when it’s your turn to have these tests — and if it isn’t yet, it will be one day — you’ll know what to ask. This drug was not mentioned anywhere in the pre-procedure paperwork that I signed. Nowhere in the document did I see the phrase, “You will have no memory of large blocks of time.” Well I can tell you that it’s not going to happen again.


Next time I have one of these tests (and I will have more…the joys of being over 50), I am going to insist on another medication, or even on having an anesthesiologist there and going the Propofol route. Anything other than Versed. Anyone who knows me knows that I am firmly against anything that steals people’s joy. I have been largely a joyless creature for the past two days, and I’m ready to quit it. It wasn’t altogether harrowing, and nobody died, and the world goes on, and the sun is shining and life is good…but the Versed thing ain’t happening again.


I read on one blog that people who object to Versed are “pansies.” I wear the badge proudly:





Now let’s have a good Thurgsday, shall we? Jake and Justin this morning, then lunch with Rae, dinner with the Thriller, and at some point, shopping with Mavis. I’m going to “forget” about the bad stuff.


:-)






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  1. Mavis

    / 1 July, 2010






I hear you loud and clear, my sistah. I, too, am one that experienced the after effects of the demon drug, Versed. I lost memory and time, but I also experienced terrifying (to the point I was actually screaming, so I was told) hallucinations. Very scary stuff, that. Like you (as you know) I’ve had many surgeries and know the meaning of pain. I will GLADLY wear a pansy badge and stand with you on this issue. Bad, bad drug. Glad that you’re back to your normal self, love, and thank you so much for informing the fiends on this personal subject. You’re awesome!!






Rat Fink Reply:
at 8:36 am



Hey thanks, Mave. We’ve both been around the block and back in Surgeryville. I didn’t want to make a big huge deal about this, but I was mad when I realized I was clueless! There’s something to be said about the devil you know vs. the one you don’t. If I’d known all the side-effects of Versed, you can bet I’d have been on the horn to them. Fortunately it worked out, sorta….but forewarned is forearmed! LOVE U


Reply










  • Greg

    / 1 July, 2010






  • That’s what bothers me a bit about having a colonoscopy! I’ve never been under any form of sedation and living alone compounds the fears. Maybe I’d just go under and that would be it–or maybe I’d start telling jokes in an Irish brogue, swear at the medical staff like a crotchety old git, take a Vespa on a trip to Monterey or book a world cruise–all without being aware of it! Great. Something further to discuss at my next doctor’s appointment!






    Rat Fink Reply:
    at 9:02 am



    Yep — regardless of the drugs they use, you will definitely want, say, Celeste to drive you there and stay awhile with you at your house afterwards. Under Versed, you might do any number of things (cuz yer crazy anyhow).


    Definitely talk to your doc about alternatives!


    Reply










  • Edwin C. Rasterburn

    / 1 July, 2010






  • Thats scary. Thanks for the heads up.


    Reply










  • BoomR

    / 1 July, 2010






  • Next time, just ask for a few swigs of Riuniti Lambrusco like the old days!! :-) That is the strangest thing I’ve ever heard! And DEFINITELY appreciate the heads-up & will make it a point to ask about meds the next time I have to go under the knife or whatever….






    Rat Fink Reply:
    at 10:32 pm



    Ah, Riuniti! Whoa, that brings back memories…


    You make sure you ask a ton of questions when you schedule your test. And did you post this comment from the aeroplane???









    ________________________________________________________________


    Is it odd that medical people think we are pansies because we DON'T need sedation? What is so pansy about that? I take exception to medical workers twisted view of what constitutes a pansy. Obviously it's the freaking PANSIES who WANT sedation, not vice versa. Leave it to medical folks to try to blame the victim and accuse the victim of unrealistic stuff, like being a pansies because you want to remain with you body and brain intact. Medical workers who are afraid to treat unsedated patients are the REAL pansies. In the old days I would have challenged any of these medical workers to meet me out behind the barn and we'll just see who is the pansy! LOL Without a syringe in their hand, they are spineless jellyfish, scared of people who aren't sedated. They would never get away with their cruel and antisocial behavior without Versed. Yup, I heard what you said and I saw what you did, Aaron! (my crna) You are the worst kind of serial killer type, nasty, hatefilled, bully. Not to mention Aaron is a coward and a PANSY!