Hair Replacement Surgery and Versed

A while back I wrote about how hair replacement doctors were using Versed for the surgery.  Well, here's another article about it written by a hair replacement doctor.  He, Dr. Yoho also talks about how dangerous Versed IV is.  He talks about "death after death" caused by Versed, and what a "dangerous drug" it is.  Sadly he thinks it's OK to use it IM, but this article is definitely worth reading.

Subject: David Seager's Comment Valium versus Versed

Thanks Dr. Yoho!

A Pure Gold Site!

A friend of mine e-mailed me a link to this site;  What You Need To Know About Sedation and Versed?  I just got a comment from the administrator of the site as well.  This article is worth putting up here, in its entirety, so here it is.  There are more articles on the above linked website.  Sorry I'm not computer savvy enough to fit the page into my window...

Home About Us For Patients For Medical Professionals Contact Information Help To Support Us About Us Why Is Patient Modesty Important? Patient Modesty Violation Cases Male Patient Modesty Female Patient Modesty Why Is Patient Modesty a Serious Issue? Donate To Support Medical Patient Modesty Volunteer With Medical Patient Modesty Join Our Mailing List Tips For Patients Tips For Parents of Teenagers Unnecessary Exams For Sports Physicals Tips For Parents of Young Children Tips For Sexual Abuse Victims Standing Up For Your Rights Patient Modesty Violation Cases Unnecessary Urinary Catheterizations Non-Consensual Exams On Patients Are Pap Smears Necessary For Virgins? Unnecessary Procedures Helpful Links Modesty During Childbirth Modesty for Procedures & Surgeries Sedation, Versed, and Your Procedure Find An All Female OB/GYN Practice Reasons For Home Birth Find A Midwife Sexual Misconduct By Doctors Problems With Medical Gowns Patient Modesty For Elderly Tips For Doctors Tips For Nurses Tips For Hospitals Tips For Students/Residents Tips For Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers Risks of Gender Neutral Assignments Working With Sexual Abuse Victims Standing Up For Convictions Problems With Medical Gowns Help To Support Us Donate To Support Medical Patient Modesty Volunteer With Medical Patient Modesty

Sedation, Versed, and Your Procedure When Talking to your Doctor About your Procedure: In preparation for any procedure, you and your doctor should discuss your concerns around modesty, the selection of an anesthesiologist, and the drugs that might be administered to you before, during and after surgery. Your expectations should be clear in your own mind before you begin that conversation. Further, if you want to be sure your wishes are followed; you must write them on any consent form you sign. Remember that healthcare is a business and like any business they are motivated by efficiency and a belief that they are professionals who know what is best for the patient. Because of this, your doctor will assume that you will allow yourself to be treated in the way he or she sees fit and will only answer the questions you raise - you will not be told any “unpleasant” details unless you specifically ask. This means you need to educate yourself so you ask the questions that matter to you and you clearly state in writing what you want. There will be many drugs administered to you before, during and after your procedure. Some are related to the prevention of infection, others to relieve pain, and others to “sedate” or “relax” you. You should be familiar with all the drugs your doctor(s) plan to administer to you, what they are intended to do, and what their side effects are. It is also important to know that in healthcare “awake” means something very different than what it means to the layperson. Below you will find information about Midazolam, most commonly known as Versed, but also marketed as Dormicum and Hypnovel. These drugs are commonly used in medical procedures and patients are rarely warned about how the drug will affect them. What is Versed and What Does it Do to the Patient? Versed is the most commonly used drug in a group of drugs called benzodiazepines. These drugs depress the central nervous system (CNS). Your doctor may refer to diazepam, lorazepam, midazolam, hyponovel, dormicum, or others as they describe sedation or sedation management. This class of drugs is designed to provide for sedation, hypnosis-like compliance, relieve anxiety, muscle relaxation, and anticonvulsant activity. The “side effect” that medical professionals most like about these drugs is that they generally induce anterograde amnesia (prevent memory by blocking the acquisition and encoding of new information). In other words, medical professionals like these drugs because most people will not remember what happens to them while under their effect even though they are “awake.” In medical terms, this is called conscious sedation. While under the influence of these drugs, patients feel drowsy or may sleep, they will be free of anxiety, and will therefore be very compliant with medical professionals (they will not advocate for themselves), and they will mostly likely not remember anything about what happened. It is these last two consequences that most appeal to the healthcare industry.If you’re given Versed prior to being brought into the Operating Room, you will likely not remember who is in the room, being placed on the OR table or being prepared for anesthesia. Further, once surgery is over, you will likely be give a few more doses of Versed, again that means you will likely not remember being in the PACU. Versed is commonly used for minor procedures such as setting broken bones, colonoscopies, endoscopies, some dental procedures, and some surgical prepping procedures. Versed may also be used after surgery for sedation, or to help keep the patient calm while on the ventilator. Versed may also be used in combination with pain medications or other types of sedation. Versed has caused very serious breathing problems, especially if used with other medications that cause drowsiness (e.g., narcotic pain medications such as morphine) in some cases. Keep this in mind: Versed or similar sedative drug legally invalidates any patient testimony regarding their treatment. Concerns About Versed And How to Refuse Versed: Beware when a nurse or doctor tells you that he/she will give you something to relax you before surgery. It is very likely that the medication is Versed or another drug in this class. Doctors, anesthesiologist or nurses often administer these drugs without telling the patient what they are doing, warning the patient that once the drug is administered they will no longer be able to participate in healthcare decisions or remember what happens after getting the drug. Patients are generally only told they are being given “something to relax you” and often they are told this as the drug is being administered. Versed is not required for surgery. Medical professionals use it for convenience. Once the patient is sedated, patients do not protest or complain about pain or modesty. Some medical professionals give Versed to patients who are outspoken about their wishes during procedures, particularly if they express concerns about modesty or wanting a same gender medical team. Though the FDA has approved Versed as an anti-anxiety drug, side effects can be physically, cognitively and emotionally traumatic for patients. Your doctor will likely not tell you about these. Some of potential side effects of Versed according to Versed Busters are: * Paradoxical reactions including anxiety, delirium and aggression. This includes patients attacking or trying to leave. They lose touch with reality, not knowing where they are or what is really occurring. * Some patients experienced a distorted, nightmarish version of their procedure accompanied by feelings of abandonment and panic. * A kind of sleep paralysis - patient is aware but cannot move and cannot communicate. * Amnesia did not take place for some patients. Some patients only have a partial memory loss and they can recall a bad experience! * Some patients report a "creepy obedience" overcoming them. * Many patients report symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after having this drug. * Panic or anxiety episodes ("flashbacks") for some time (weeks, months, years) post-op. * Long term memory disruption. Memories formed prior to the use of Versed are lost. Some people are unable to retain new information or complete tasks. * Slower recovery time. Note that many medical professional refuse Versed or similar drugs for their own procedures because they see firsthand the consequences of conscious sedation. Also note that Versed is also known as a date-rape drug. Versed is perfect for predators because it make the recipient completely compliant and generally induces memory loss of traumatic events. For example, a male nurse gave some women Versed and then raped them. Check out this case for more information. Any patient who is given Versed is in a vulnerable position to be sexually abused in medical settings. A patient who is sexually abused while under influence of Versed will rarely remember what happened. Keep in mind that a medical professional will rarely testify against another medical professional or even tell you if anything inappropriate happened. Check out Do Chaperones Really Protect Patients? If you were under the influence of Versed and you were sexually abused, it would be a difficult case because a defense lawyer will argue that Versed has an amnesiac effect and that you could not remember what really happened. Other accounts of people’s experiences with Versed: Look under Personal Accounts section on Versed Busters A girl who had her bone marrow removed Hysterectomy patient whose wishes were ignored for an all-female team (Maggie from Utah) Additional Articles about Versed: Medical People Speak Out Against Versed Phony Reason For Versed/Midazolam Examples of doctors and nurses’ misuse of Versed: Male nurse used sedative to kill and rape A male gastroenterologist sexually abused a female patient who was given Versed Consider Carefully Consider the information above and any other information you have found about this class of drugs before you talk to your doctor or anesthesiologist. We recommend you not consent to Versed or any similar drug and that you are clear about your wishes on any document you sign. Our recommendation is based on two things: 1) once this drug is administered you are no longer able to advocate for yourself or remember how you are being treated. This is true even though you will be told that you will be “awake.” 2) There are alternatives to this class of drugs that allow you to remain more involved in your treatment and most importantly recall what happened (see below.) Regardless of your choice of sedation, know that once you have been given Versed you are unable to give legal consent. So if you have written on your consent forms your expectations for treatment, your doctor cannot argue that you gave “consent” while under Versed. Other Options to Consider Options for managing pain in procedures such as colonoscopies for patients who want to be awake are: 1.) Fentanyl, (a pain medication) and Demerol (also a pain medication) this combination has been used in cases for pain control but where the patient will remain aware and be able to view the colonoscopy monitor and/or converse with the doctor during the procedure. 2.) Fentanyl and Valium – A combination of Fentanyl and Valium during the procedure often allows the patient to converse with the physician during the exam. One patient shared that experience with having Fentanyl and Valium used during his procedure allowed him to converse with the doctor after the exam and could remember the conversation. He recovered quickly and was able to leave the hospital much sooner than those given other types of sedation. He was also not groggy during the day and even went dancing later that night! (Source: Colonoscopy Without Versed) In conclusion, there is no valid reason to ever purposely induce amnesia during a medical procedure. The induction of amnesia is never medically necessary. Medical professionals administer it to make their job easier by making the patient more compliant and not be able to recall the events of the procedure. We need to spread awareness to as many people as possible about Versed and encourage them to take precautions to ensure that they are never given Versed or similar drugs. You should write on your consent form ALL your expectations. Specifically, if you do not want Versed write, “I DO NOT consent for use of Versed, Midazolam, or any benzodiazepines in any AMOUNT or at ANYTIME EVER” Then sign your name. This also needs to be stated to your anesthesiologist and written on documents he or she brings. Make sure you sign the consent forms and share your wishes before they hook you to IV. You also could type a document that says something like: I DO NOT consent for use of Versed, Midazolam, or any benzodiazepines in any AMOUNT or at ANYTIME EVER. I now boldly state amnesia must not happen anytime during this treatment (include name of surgery or procedure) under any circumstances. Then sign your name. Make multiple copies of the form and give a copy to every medical professional that is involved in your care.

Pertinent Questions From A Reader

I got this response in my comments section, but I wasn't here in a timely manner.  However this person asks some very good questions which will be of interest to others.  Here's the comment:

"I am going for a wisdom tooth extraction tomorrow. 1 tooth, horizontally impacted. It has to be cut and drilled out since it's so tight.

The Dr. is advising conscious sedation with Versed and Brevital. I asked about doing it non-sedated and he said that it was close to a nerve and thought it would be safer to do it sedated since I won't move around as much.


My questions are, what are my alternatives to Versed. Can the Brevital be used by itself and does it have any of the side effects of Versed? Would using just Brevital require a higher dosage and risk going too deep in anesthesia and cause breathing problems?

What about just using NO and opiates. Or how about an oral or IV valium. Would IV valium have the same effect as Versed?"

Wow, this is overkill for a tooth extraction.  I had to look up Brevital as I am unfamiliar with the name.  Nobody has ever threatened to give it to me, and nobody has.  Askapatient has no information on it either.  Here's what I found out...  This Brevital is in the barbiturate family and can cause all the same symptoms as Versed.  Here's a quote "Depresses CNS (central nervous system) to produce hypnosis, anesthesia & retrograde amnesia WITHOUT (emphasis in original text) analgesia; in high dose, may be used to reduce ICP, (intercranial hypertension) and depress cerebral metabolism."  Here's where I got the quote from:Brevital (methohexital) dosing, indications, interactions, adverse effects, and more Sounds to me like it does a lot of the same things that Versed does.  I'm not sure about the RETROgrade amnesia... If you read the description of "retrograde amnesia" it's not good.  You lose memory from BEFORE the injection! That's different than Versed's ANTEROgrade amnesia.  Anything that produces "hypnosis" and "amnesia" only, without pain reducing qualities is suspect.  Brevital is used as an alternative to Propofol according to what I read.  Heavy duty for a tooth extraction.  Combining two different drugs of this type (Versed/Brevital) isn't something *I* would allow.

I'm sure it would be safer to have the dental patient not moving around, but sedating somebody into immobility by damaging their brain like this doesn't sound like a deal.  Versed itself makes you feel pain more accutely, according to some studies, so you may move around MORE!  Everybody has heard about the screaming patients in the colonoscopy suites, I'm thinking that giving a drug which could induce screaming and knocks out self control isn't the best thing to do when you are having oral surgery.

If it were me, given that this patient MUST be in a surgical suite with rescue items at the ready (Brevital) I would opt for some Fentanyl (opiate).  That's all, just the Fentanyl.  I haven't had the myriad problems of Versed with plain ole Valium, but why bother if you are not nervous.  I would say no to the IV Valium.  Fentanyl is a pain killer AND a mild sedative.  That's "sedative" in our uneducated minds, as in serene and untroubled, not brain dead like medical people use the word.

Thanks to this reader for bringing the Brevital to my attention.  After being blind-sided with Versed, I'm on the lookout for any other drugs which may cause me problems.  Like Brevital.  I also want to caution any dental patients about allowing the use of ARTICAINE instead of Novacaine especially in the lower jaw.  It has been known to cause severe nerve damage and pain for extended periods of time.  My dentist respects my wishes NOT to have the stuff.  The Novacaine wears off more quickly so they like Articaine better, but if you don't want it, they won't give it to you and they don't FIGHT with you over it, like they do over Versed.

Political Power/Medical Workers Power Corrupts

I got this in an e-mail from a friend.  If you exchange political power to medical power vis a vis Versed/Midazolam, the same things ring true.  I have underlined some pertinent thoughts.

"When a person gains power over other persons–political power to force other persons to do his bidding when they do not believe it right to do so – it seems inevitable that a moral weakness develops in the person who exercises that power. It may take time for this weakness to become visible. In fact, its full extent is frequently left to the historians to record, but we eventually learn of it. It was Lord Acton, the British historian, who said: “All power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Please do not misunderstand me. These persons who are corrupted by the process of ruling over their fellow men are not necessarily innately evil [though today this theory could be hotly debated]. They begin as honest men. Their motives for wanting to direct the actions of others may be purely patriotic and altruistic. Indeed, they may wish only “to do good for the people.” But, apparently, the only way they can think of to do this “good” is to impose more restrictive laws.

Now, obviously, there is no point in passing a law which requires people to do something they would do anyhow; or which prevents them from doing what they are not going to do anyhow. Therefore, the possessor of the political power could very well decide to leave every person free to do as he pleases so long as he does not infringe upon the same right of every other person to do as he pleases. However, that concept appears to be utterly without reason to a person who wants to exercise political power over his fellow man, for he asks himself: “How can I ‘do good’ for the people if I just leave them alone?” Besides, he does not want to pass into history as a “do nothing” leader who ends up as a footnote somewhere. So he begins to pass laws that will force all other persons to conform to his ideas of what is good for them.

That is the danger point! The more restrictions and compulsions he imposes on other persons, the greater the strain on his own morality. As his appetite for using force against people increases, he tends increasingly to surround himself with advisers who also seem to derive a peculiar pleasure from forcing others to obey their decrees. He appoints friends and supporters to easy jobs of questionable necessity. If there are not enough jobs to go around, he creates new ones. In some instances, jobs are sold to the highest bidder. The hard-earned money of those over whom he rules is loaned for questionable private endeavors or spent on grandiose public projects at home and abroad. If there is opposition, an emergency is declared or created to justify these actions.

If the (benevolent) ruler stays in power long enough, he eventually concludes that power and wisdom are the same thing. And as he possesses power, he must also possess wisdom. He becomes converted to the seductive thesis that election to public office endows the official with both power and wisdom. At this point, he begins to lose his ability to distinguish between what is morally right and what is politically expedient.

With this piece one can begin to understand the seduction of Versed/Midazolam and the moral hazard this drug places in front of medical workers.  They begin to "...derive a peculiar pleasure from forcing others to obey..."  The hospitals appoint "friends and supporters to easy jobs of questionable necessity" just like having 18 or 19 people involved in a 70 minute out patient surgery such as *I* experienced.  The medical workers possess power as you can see by the comments on this blog. They claim that as they possess power they also must possess wisdom.  I think this can explain why Aaron (my crna) believed that he possessed psychic abilities and was well within his (convoluted) rights to impose his will on me.  He truly believed that he knew what was best for an insignificant (to him) woman because he had been seduced by power over patients with the drug Versed.  He lost sight of what was morally right and went with medically expedient.  They had become indistinguishable to him.  Anyway, you get my drift.

Another Discussion On Midazolam/Ketamine

Here is the link:ketamine without versed | Anesthesiology | Student Doctor Network

If you have read my other posts, you know that I object to drugs which merely alter our perceptions and do not alleviate pain, or knock us out.  I think it's abhorrent to create amnesia, or in the case of Ketamine, subject us to frightening hallucinations that put us in another reality.  So now we have to fear both!

What about patients like me who refuse DEMEROL because we don't like the hallucinations?  I believe Demerol hallucinations are tame compared to the nightmares of Ketamine.  Ketamine seems to unlock the part of the brain where NIGHTMARES are created.  Do we really need this?  So they unlock the crazy terror producing part of the brain, AND attack another part of the brain as well trying to force the brain not to remember.  I'm not really understanding the premise.  Isn't it the dissociative reaction to Ketamine designed to cause disruption in cognitive function?  So you use another drug to cause disruption in cognitive function on another front as well?

 I admit that I haven't studied brain function in regards to Ketamine like I have Versed...  I'm not expecting some obnoxious medical worker to give it to me against my will, but we all know what happened (if you have read this blog) when I forbade sedation.  I got Versed anyway.  So now will I get Ketamine as well?  Will Ketamine work as expected and subject me to terrifying visions?  (What a fabulous idea for a drug!  NOT!)  Will I go out of control like I did with Versed?  Will my brain ever regain its composure after Ketamine?  I'm still not the same after the Versed debacle.

Here's a quote from the above link:  "I only give Ketamine to people who don't mind a little hallucination."  Do you believe it?  Do you trust that this criteria will be met?  Or do you think that, like my experience with Versed, the medical worker will give it without telling you?

BTW Here is a video that is linked to the article linked above...Keta-Mean - YouTube  Do you seriously trust ANY medical worker who makes the false claim that VERSED is "happy juice"?  In the video he goes on talking and explaining things to the phantom patient (who sounds like an idiot, is this another window into how we patients are viewed by medical people?)  What moron would explain ANYTHING to a patient who has received Versed?  Doesn't he know that Versed usually causes amnesia?  HAPPY JUICE!  Are you kidding me?  This is the explanation for the devastating effects of Versed?  No AMNESIA?  No ABJECT OBEDIENCE?  No SIDE EFFECTS?  You know those little items like emotional volatility, Alzheimer's-like symptoms lasting far beyond the life of the drug?  As in permanent brain damage?  PTSD?  Does this medical moron (according to the video) even CONTEMPLATE the 10% or so of patients who DON'T get amnesia?  Well, you can bet *I'M* contemplating it, and it's the stuff nightmares are made of without the Ketamine.

Anesthesiologists Are Victims...

From Dr. Kevin's blog;  Anesthesiologists are victims of their own success 

A lot of this stuff is true for crna's as well.  Why do we need exorbitantly paid nurses for sedation?  We don't.  Most of us don't need sedation either.  Anyway, this article is germane to the issue of cost control.  Check out the comments at the bottom, where, drum roll please, the crna's pipe up as usual with their arrogant sneering.  How in the HELL are patients supposed to be able to interact with these self proclaimed demi-Gods of nurses, when these mid-level providers can't even get along with anesthesiologists, whose education is FAR superior to their own?  Haven't we been subjected to enough abuse from these minions yet?

PS a crna admits that people on Versed babble on in the comments section.  He says that ortho's don't want to hear it.  So, anybody who is telling you that you are not spilling your guts while you're under the influence of Versed is a LIAR!  Dan says so.  He also told me to "name your poison" so it seems that Dan the crna is cognizant of the fact that Versed is POISON.  Imagine that.  Yes I know he didn't mean it literally, but I was very interested that he chose that particular phrase.  It's a Freudian slip in my opinion.  A bubble from his subconscious..

The COST of Medical Care-HuffPo

Here's the link;  Health Care Costs Will Be Higher Than Half Of Country's Income By 2037: Study 

Why do you suppose that is?  I can tell you part of it...crna's (anesthesia nurses) getting six figure salaries that allow them to live a life of "wealth and privilege" in the 90th percentile of US wage earners.  Did you know the AVERAGE salary of one of these little princes/princesses is $182,000.  How does that grab you?  For this we get sub par and inhumane treatment which includes the next driver of medical cost...VERSED SEDATION!  This "sedation for everybody whether they need it or not" has to stop.  Just the sedation and related costs add THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS to the most mundane of treatments. 

Then there are other costs associated with crna's and their brain poison, that being that they can and do get away with giving their helpless patients FAR more treatment than the patient consented to.  They can and will LIE THROUGH THEIR TEETH about how you consented to more treatment by NOT OBJECTING any more after they shot you up with Versed.  After all this drug is meant to conceal their actions from you, not make you the patient comfortable.  Versed is a shroud of darkness over events that has gotten medical workers accustomed to lying with impunity.  After all, the main effect of Versed is AMNESIA, followed by craven obedience.

So, they get LOTS of money for perpetrating this freak show against their patients, they get to do whatever the hell they want to patients without reprisal and they get to lie like rugs.  What's not to like.  As long as you are a medical minion that is.  If you are a patient, it's a whole other story isn't it?

For those of you like Julia the anesthesia nurse who feels that health care reform will help her out, I wouldn't count on it baby cakes.  Even our bloated tax happy government can't afford all the promises in the [un]Affordable Care Act.  The fallout is beginning already and this atrocity hasn't even been implemented yet.  The government WILL be coming after you.  They will cap your salary and prevent you from sticking your needle of Versed into us on a whim.  There will be MORE accountability and you are going to be in the middle of it.  We can't afford you people, nobody can.  Change is in the wind.  I can hardly wait.