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 cath

Horrible 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.

F

2 days ?

3/27/2015

1

surgery to fix heart arthymia

The 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 years

F

60

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 surgery

very 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.

F

63

1 days 1X D

3/28/2015