"Keep Versed Out Of Your Head!"

A fellow Versed sufferer found this new blog post and sent it to me. I now share it with you.

Sweet Rocket: Versed (midazolam): Avoid This Drug!

The title of my post is a catchy slogan that "Susan" the writer of the above linked blog came up with. I love it. Very good Susan! Thanks for your "public service" in warning people about this drug. Medical people deny that any of the symptoms we ALL describe could POSSIBLY be the Versed... They need to wake up and smell the coffee.

More On Pediatric Sedation W/Versed

http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/medicine/bmj/nnf4/pdfs/midacomment.pdf

This is a really interesting read. This pilot study named "The NOPAIN Trial" decided to "exclude any further study of this drug (Verse/Midazolam) during the larger NEOPAIN study." Paraphrasing; They decided that the risks were too great to justify subjecting these infants to further Versed testing.

Here's another finding; " The widespread use of continuous Midazolam infusion remains one of a large number of neonatal treatment stratagies that have come into widespread use over the last 15 years without ever undergoing rigorous evaluation." (Medical people are so enamored of this drug, that they use it regardless of the bad reactions many of these babies and children experience. Siezures, adverse neurological events, to include death, intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia etc. are some of the problems with using Versed. Judging by the reaction *I* personally get, I don't think that medical people WANT any "rigorous evaluation" of the efficacy of Versed.)

I want to remind everybody, like the NOPAIN group did, that Versed/Midazolam is NOT A PAINKILLER! It's a drug to keep these babies quiet.

Maybe we should all request a prescription for Versed/Midazolam when we take our babies home. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to drug the baby so that we can get some sleep? (SARCASM!)

Neonates and Midazolam/Versed

I googled "neonates Midazolam" this morning and found this study, right off the bat. Intravenous midazolam infusion for sedation of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit

Here is the summary;
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plain language summary

Intravenous midazolam infusion for sedation of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit

There is no evidence to show the benefit of midazolam as a sedative for newborn babies in neonatal intensive care. Newborn babies undergoing uncomfortable procedures in intensive care units may need sedation to reduce stress and avoid complications. It is difficult to measure their pain so sedatives or pain killers are sometimes overlooked for newborn babies. Midazolam is a short acting sedative increasingly used in neonatal intensive care. The review of trials found no evidence to support the use of midazolam as a sedative for neonates undergoing intensive care. Babies receiving midazolam stayed in hospital longer and had more adverse effects. More research is needed to address the safety and effect of midazolam.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SHOW THE BENEFIT OF MIDAZOLAM AS A SEDATIVE FOR NEWBORN BABIES IN NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE." That's pretty plain language! "BABIES RECEIVING MIDAZOLAM STAYED IN THE HOSPITAL LONGER AND HAD MORE ADVERSE EFFECTS." I wonder if they have studied the effects on the babies BRAINS? There are other studies which say that pregnant or nursing WOMEN should NOT get Versed/Midazolam lest it adversely effect their babies, either through the bloodstream or through the breast milk.

Versed Sufferer; Contact Nader!

Here's an e-mail I got from another Versed sufferer. She happens to have other life threatening physical problems and can't really avoid medical treatment... Here's what she writes.
------------------------------------------------------------------

"I was also on the most recently recalled pills, ACTOS for diabetes but the attorney taking the cases was only taking the ones that ALREADY developed the bladder cancer and that usually requires 1 year of actos treatment, i have only been on it for about 5 or 6 months!

I have been posting on all alzheimers and autism boards for the families to get the medical records and check to see if their family members were treated with midazolam {MOST pre-term babies and sick babies {no matter the sickness} are automatically treated with midz during their ENTIRE hospital stay}

Why would you need compliance hypnosis or amnesia for a baby born at 7 months??? it affects the same part of the brain that causes alzheimers. Perhaps a way to control the future generations? I have been posting it on every site so pass this info along, they should all start calling Ralph Nader, it is the class action group that is doing the research on this drug as well as the first group I talked to was a drug litigation group for Nader.

So if this crap never leaves our system and months and years later some of us are still fighting the effects, after starting to get better I am regressing and freaking out again, not being able to think of words and not being able to read or write correctly can't spell, like halfway to aphasia I am scared shitless. I am on my way to a state or county nursing home where they feed you versed every day in a pill to make sure you go fast---you know, using up the resources and the mind rape and this planned euthanasia for our age group.

Please post Nader's # for folks and the website, his # for the groups is listed at the bottom of the page:

Public Citizen Home Page ,

Main office

Headquarters for: Member Services, Health Research Group, Litigation Group and Communications Office
1600 20th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
(202) 588-1000

we NEED to flood his office non stop to get this shit going, explain to me why a 7 month term baby needs amnesia and compliance hypnosis? What is the baby going to do to obey? Stop crying? turn over when told? Hold their arm out and be still to get their iv put in?

I am also thinking of starting a campaign to call the white house and demand that Obama do something about versed, it's other forms and the FDA immediately."

-----------------------------------------------------------

I have already tried calling the WH. The gentleman there (volunteer) told me that he thinks that the reason they use Versed so much in a medical setting is that medical people are "only trying to avoid malpractice suits." So avoiding malpractice suits brought by people who object to mistreatment and/or torture is a perfectly acceptable reason to destroy peoples' brains. I feel really sorry for medical people, don't you?

For John Connor, NP, PICU

John I'm not going to post any more of your ignorant rants. Your "stupid bitch" comments going back for over a year, and maybe longer are proof enough of your lack of intellect, your hatred of women and your mental disorder. Narcissists are unable to see any point of view which is not their own. That would account for the tedious (and unimaginative) name calling, and the ridiculous claims you make here. While it has been fun to tear you apart, I'm now bored with you. If you want a forum to prove your complete lack of empathy or understanding, and your narrow-minded, bigoted point of view, start your own blog! I'm sure you can attract others with your same mental health problems. Then you can smugly write back and forth among yourselves, assuring each other that you are indeed the superior beings which you try to convince US of!

1st PS; John if you would like, you can e-mail me and we can exchange insults, argue the merits of any drug you desire, and you can call me stupid bitch all you want! I can send you all the info that I have gleaned from scientific, empirical studies about Versed use, including all the studies about Versed use in the ICU. I can also send you all the links to Ketamine as well. You aren't READING those posts are you? I can compile them for you and send them on. E-mail me at nomidazolam at aol dot com.

What we will NOT be doing is using MY blog for your juvenile insults and your lunatic beliefs. Nobody wants to hear any more from you. I am going to be generous and keep talking to you. Think of me as your counselor. You really do need to vent and I'm here for you John! You are just NOT going to be allowed to ridicule, besmirch, anger, annoy, harass, irritate, shock, dismay or otherwise upset my readers, some of whom are very sensitive. I know you don't understand sensitivity because you don't personally possess that trait, but perhaps I can educate you.

2nd PS; John, I am not going to put up any more of your posts! Don't you understand what that means? If you want to have discussions with me, civil or otherwise you must e-mail me. Please, John, I'm begging you READ THE DAMN POSTS FIRST before you go off half cocked! A lot of the stuff you are so nasty and uninformed about are SCIENTIFIC STUDIES! Which means that *I* did not write them nor did I make them up. This isn't rocket science John... It's readin 101. Basic stuff. Try not to look like such a fool, can you? LOL

3rd ps; Hi John. My stepfather the Dr. isn't peds but he is internal medicine and has lots of experience with older folks with problems as you describe. I'll get back to you on what he says. I already know that he won't allow Versed to be used on himself...

My own thoughts, since you ask... First of all we would have to determine what the desired outcome is. For you as a nurse it is probably just to have these children appear quite. For me it would be to actually have them TRANQUIL, not amnestic. There are other drugs which are merely tranquilizers if you want the kids quiet. I don't think that amnesia is such a good thing. I think Versed disrupts the neuro pathways in a dangerous and sometimes permanent way. I would never allow this drug to be used to immobilize MY kid! I'm not a fan of Propofol either as anything that can leave you awake and obedient, but screw with the memory pathways is suspect.

My thinking is that if these kids are old enough to rip their tubes out as you suggest, so are old enough to see if you can manage them with information and NURSING care. I think that a nurse is so much more than a drug pusher. (or should be) I know you guys are busy, but maybe not so busy for a comforting word and a little explanation? With Versed they are LIVING THROUGH the torment, but unable to do anything about it. Helplessness is horrendous I don't care how old you are. Maybe they can remember it later and maybe they can't. YOU DON'T KNOW! Can you imagine being trapped inside your own body, unable to move and perhaps not having amnesia? Can you? How BORING it would be if nothing else? How grinding the pain might be while your nurses ignore you, give you scant pain meds etc. because they think you may not remember, or because you are immobilized with a Versed drip? The scariest thing for kids and you were one John, are the things that go bump in the night. FORCING them not to remember much is like feeding the monsters.

I know you think I am the worst kind of horrible moron, but *I* had the experience with this brain damage drug Versed. I have had experience with other benzos, so whatever they did to the rings on the Versed molecule acted on my brain in a severely detrimental fashion. I know that others may not or perhaps mostly do not have the same reaction as I have had. The problem is that I would NEVER EVER risk this kind of reaction. Especially not with formative brains.

You ask me what *I* would use. Have you tried Stirifentol? Oxycarbazepine? (Using Versed for siezures is an off label use, not approved by the FDA, be very careful with that John) How 'bout just plain old Valium, which is not usually an amnestic unless you are giving it in way high doses. I am still not sure what exactly it is that you want out of the drugs. It SHOULD vary case by case, but the way you present it is that you use Versed for everything and anything. I think you want AMNESIA in these kids and the sedated part is a copout. Or, you want to not be bothered with them and so want them totally immobilized. If they are in such pain, why have them "conscious" of it, amnesia or not? Let them sleep.

Fentanyl "sedates" me (normal usage of word, not medical terminology) and keeps me pain free. I have not become addicted to any pain med. Aleve (NSAID) works better for me than Oxy. Everybody is different. BTW I have ALWAYS awakened from general anesthesia struggling and in restraints. This was so much better than the Versed awakening where I was loose and out of control in the PACU trying to kill people. The side effects with the Versed were also way, way worse than just having regular g/a. The kiddies may prefer having their mind intact, but their body restrained as well.

What I mean by my long explanation is this John. It's not enough to treat the physical body and ignore the most important part of being human. The mind. Don't wreck the brain for some transient easing of YOUR job. Especially not kids who are pretty much weak, helpless and small anyway. You claim to be providing excellent care and yet you insist on destroying kids brains with Ketamine and Versed. It's not possible to do both. I think you like these drugs because it's easier for YOU! That's why all the vitriol. Most of the time your posts just drip venom.

As far as doing "grand rounds" I think not. I don't have the training for that. (I know you are being facitious) I would however always be available if your hospital wanted a lay person to teach some sensitivity classes from my unique perspective. If you stop swearing at me and treating me like I'm a sub human, mentally challenged individual, I'll give you my phone number and we can set it up. Always a pleasure hearing from you.

pps. What would YOU DO if you couldn't get Versed? Let those kids move and kill themselves? Do not even TRY to go there with me honey. You and I both know there are better drugs for each individual case than Versed. Versed is just easier for medical workers for a variety of reasons, all of which I have heard before.

4th PS; John, grow up.

An E-mail

I got this e-mail from a friend of mine who has also been the victim of Versed. This was in response to a certain person who comes here (and everywhere I've been apparently) and swears at me, takes exception to my dislike of Versed etc. He thinks he is all that, but I am not the only person who objects to his graphic language and quasi-literate rants. (Yes we do talk about this stuff behind medical people's backs...)
---------------------------------------------------------

"Oh, Jackie: What an example of a person working in health "care". I have been seriously disgusted before, but this is a new low. Apparently he has never been held accountable for his behavior.
Of course, I am astounded by the hostility that would drive continuous attacks like this. It is also amazing that a person would repeatedly call you a stupid bitch when you clearly are not dim nor intellectually deprived (flowery way to say you aren't inferior in learning and expressive skills!)
While I can cuss with the best of the dock workers on Lake Erie, I must also point out that the same old insult displays a lack of thoughtful debate skills. It also indicates a deficit in awareness of the effectiveness of one's communications. (like that? learned it years ago) The intended recipient of the insult (you) will usually become immune to the intended slur after too much repetition and numerous errors. Where is his creativity if he perceives himself to be so clever? Where are his brilliantly crafted sentences? You've done some excellent writing: that must make him furious. But it didn't make him any smarter or more insightful. Helped me a great deal, though.
I still want to slap him (not creative of me) and that Mike weirdo and all the doctors and nurses that think they are the apostles of amnesia and we are anxious to be converted to their demented faith in versed. They all seem to think we former patients are overly anxious if we expect to be treated with human dignity. Right. We know this answer: we are all stupid and dumb (their beloved chemical renders us unable to speak so this is true) and therefore we deserve to be treated like rodents. Chemically caged, and rendered helpless. These are bad intentions no matter what spin Connor and his cronies want to project.
I will keep my blood vessels and colon to myself, intact and as far away from those bozos as possible.
How can they possibly question this is a set up for PTSD? I am eight months out from my abuse and still having nightmares and intrusive thoughts. I've been diagnosed. The worst part? I have the personality structure that is supposed to help people recover from trauma. What in the name of God does this drug do to people that are more vulnerable to developing the crippling after effects of trauma?
I like Gin's idea. then maybe someone would get interested in a documentary film. That would scare the crap out of people too. But I don't think they make any money either, darn it. The number of anti-versed comments isn't decreasing, that is for sure."
--------------------------------------------------------------
I feel vindicated! Thanks!

Book Anybody?

A friend of mine, Gin, just suggested a possible book idea! She thinks that we should do a compilation of our horror stories and have it printed up. I wonder if it would sell? Non-fiction horror stories! She states that maybe with the profits we could hire a class action attorney to go after these lawless Versed pushing thugs in the medical field.

Anyway, Gin also suggests that we all contact Ralph Nader's group about Versed. I have done this, years ago, but along the way we Versed haters have picked up more and more "members" of our group. I think it's worth a try! Let's inundate Nader's office with complaints about Versed. Not just the horrible and long lasting damage it causes, but also the sneaky way it's used. By LAW, these people must tell you the nature of the drug, it's effects and side effects, the risks, benefits and alternatives! Anybody get ANY of this information? How many times has ANYBODY in the medical community admitted that Versed is a problem for lots of patients? NEVER?

Medical folks will defend their use of this brain poison to their dying breath. They will never admit that they are deliberately subjecting their patients to enormous risks just to make their own job easier. Like it's really hard to start with... They will never admit that they are circumventing the law as it pertains to informed consent so that they can obtain "patient compliance" and amnesia. That's illegal! Let's get something done about it!

There is no reason that we need our delicate BRAIN toyed with and wrecked so that over-paid under-worked medical people can have their way with us... Why should we have to have long term emotional and memory problems just to get a simple medical procedure done? There is no excuse for being battered by medical practitioners.

Sedation NOT Necessary For This Doc!

This is from www.KevinMd.com Specifically here; Experiencing the professionalism of nurses and medical residents This Doc wrecked his nose in a swimming pool. They had to do some painful things to it, but even HE got through it without the evil poison called Versed! Enjoy!

Lorazepam, NOT Midazolam or Propofol

Here's the article; Continuous infusions of lorazepam, midazolam, and ... [Crit Care Med. 1999] - PubMed result That's right, Midazolam sedation is EXPENSIVE regardless of the cheap cost of the drug itself. Once again this article focuses on cost and doesn't say a word about how well these patients survive the hospital stay in regards to their mental health. But, you know me, anything that points to Versed being bad, regardless of whether it is just the cost, makes me happy!

PubMed Article States Propofol Cheaper!

Despite the cost of Propofol sedation, the quicker recovery time actually negates the additional cost of the drug over Midazolam. This article doesn't go into any comparisons between the POCD issues with each drug. Course we all know that the patients mental progress through ICU stays doesn't matter. Success is that the physical body survives, not that the brain does as well.

Prolonged sedation of critically ill patients with... [Crit Care Med. 1997] - PubMed result

Not A Big Fan Of Propofol...

I am NOT a big fan of Propofol, but given the choice of Midazolam/Fentanyl and Propofol/Alfentanil as proposed in this study; Give me the Propofol please, if these 2 protocols are the only choices.

Propofol-alfentanil versus fentanyl-midazolam in c... [J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 1996] - PubMed result

So you see that Versed is NOT a necessary ingredient in "balance" anesthesia. Nor is it the ONLY drug for sedation. Here's hoping that everybody begins phasing out the horrid drug Versed!

Amazing Isn't It?

Here we have yet another patient trying to figure out how to prevent the use of Versed. This person has ALREADY HAD a LIFE THREATENING adverse reaction to this poison and wishes not to have it. Look at the Yahoo Question in situ; Limiting anesthesia consent? - Yahoo! Answers
Here is the post...

Ed Smith

Limiting anesthesia consent?

I'm having outpatient surgery (elbow with a Bier block) and a colonoscopy. Due to previous severe reactions to sedation I need to have these done without sedation and nobody has a problem agreeing to this verbally. I'm adding: "I'm not consenting to sedation or general anesthesia" to the anesthesia consent to make sure that I don't end up with a life-threatening adverse drug reaction (again). My question is: who should I have sign the modified consent; the anesthesiologist or the crna or both? thanks

------------------------------------------------------------

Here's one of the answers;

by Pangolin

Good luck with that.

I wouldn't sign anything that limited my ability to take care of you.

Bier blocks use a lot of local anesthesia, and if the cuffs fail, you will have local anesthetic toxicity and probably have seizures as a result of it. The treatment for that would be to give you drugs used in sedation/anesthesia. I would not restrict my ability to save your life.

What is the anesthesiologist supposed to do if you become combative, or out of control in some other way? Very unlikely, but not unheard of. What if you have some other complication, such as a perforated colon during the colonoscopy (I've seen that happen personally 3 times)? That requires emergency surgery with a general anesthetic.

Tell your anesthesiologist what your reactions were, and to which drugs. We can work around that.

Source(s):

I'm an anesthesiologist.

---------------------------------------------------------

I am not a Dr., I'm just a patient who has been damaged by the same arrogant ideas as have been put forth by the person calling herself Pangolin. She LOVES Versed and constantly is looking for posts such as "Ed" put up, so that she can tell everybody how wonderful Versed is. Look at how she says she will refuse to provide medical care if you don't allow her to use Versed! Really? She won't sign something that restricts her use of Versed! There is no way I would allow this. Cancel surgery and get another MDA who CAN help without using a drug that has already caused a life threatening reaction.

Look at the next to last sentence if you don't believe me. "Tell your anesthesiologist what your reactions were..." DON'T DO IT! Not unless they have already signed the legal document to refrain from any use of Versed. Here's why; They will decide that your reaction isn't a reaction to Versed. They will probably decide that there is no "allergy" or anything else to Versed. It's the "ABV Syndrome" again. Then you will get Versed. They will claim that you became "combative, or out of control in some other way." She's telling you ahead of time what the excuse(s) will be! Listen to her.

I have had a Bier block for wrist surgery. I did NOT receive sedation as well. I got Fentanyl for pain (tourniquet pain gets pretty rugged after a while, no pain from Beir block area at all) which doubles as a very mild sedative. My alternating tourniquet malfunctioned and I could feel the bubbling effect up my arm. I did NOT have the "anesthetic toxicity" that Pangolin baldly states you WILL HAVE! I did NOT have a seizure. I did NOT panic! I did NOT need sedation (and amnesia) for this problem. I did NOT have to have general anesthesia because my tourniquet failed. Are you getting my drift? All problems encountered in an OR have alternatives to Versed. It truly isn't needed at all. It's simply DESIRED by your medical team. The desires and WHIMS of anesthesia providers should not be the PATIENTS problem! Pangolin stated on another of her posts that it is the WHIM of the anesthesia provider which dictates what you will get. That is unacceptable to me! What about you?

Also, anybody who has any empirical evidence that the (ONLY) treatment and or reversal for "anesthesia toxicity" due to numbing agents in extremity surgery being Versed, please send me the documents. I have seen where providers WANT to use Versed to treat seizures... That's an OFF LABEL USE of Versed, as in NOT approved by the FDA! (in my opinion Versed should never have been approved in the first place. Not after all the deaths associated with it) I am very cautious about that. There haven't been enough studies to warrant this off label use. Along with the awful side effects of Versed, it doesn't stand to reason that Versed is the ONLY drug for seizures. These people are after the amnesia, not the anti-siezure properties that Versed may or may not have. So once again Versed isn't NECESSARY!

Pangolin goes on about colonoscopy perforations. I have read that there are zero perforations without sedation. I mean you'd think that SOME perforations would occur without Versed and/or Propofol in use wouldn't you? I'm not seeing data to support that you are at risk of perforation due to lack of sedation. The opposite is true as far as I can tell.

I AM, however seeing anecdotal comments about it from health care providers! It's that whole "relaxing" lie again! Oh yes, it will "relax" the colon and prevent perforation. Or maybe not... If you are screaming, fighting, writhing and trying to escape the torture like you do while on Versed, that might not be the best thing to be doing if you want to avoid perforations. I'm after scientific empirical PROOF that Versed sedation prevents perforations.

Sedation-free is the only way *I* would go on the colonoscopy. It reduces the risks associated with sedation, which are many, regardless of what medical people say. Look it up. Here's my theory; no sedation=no perforations=no g/a. For Ed, no sedation=no life threatening reactions as well.

Be careful out there! Have the crna, his/her supervising MDA, any other "witnesses" such as the OR or Endo nurse sign the Versed refusal, as well as the Dr. who is performing the procedure(s) at point of service. Read everything, right down to the manufacturer of the document itself. Strike anything that has to do with "Dr. can decide," anything that says anything at all about g/a or sedation etc. You may want to interview the person who will be doing the anesthesia PRIOR to meeting the first time in an intimidating place like a hospital. They WILL call you on the phone ahead of time if you insist. That way you can make sure you don't get somebody like the above anesthesiologist. I have no problem demanding that MY needs are met and that the person I am going to enrich with a LOT of money realizes that I'm in charge, not them. There are medical people out there who consider the patient important. I know because I managed to find one. I'm in charge of what happens to me, which means NO VERSED! (It also means no G/A unless extant circumstances arise which *I* will determine necessitates G/A. Not the anesthetist or surgeon, endo doc, whomever.)

NOTE; I speaking of ELECTIVE procedures of the non-life threatening sort, not an emergency. I cannot have Versed under ANY circumstances (medical jewelry tells them that) but it is conceivable that I might need G/A if I'm crushed by a horse, crash my motorcycle etc. BUT, I will never, ever need Versed.

Offshoot of Midazolam Poisoning, Medical COSTS

I got this in my inbox. Feeling Poorer? Health Care Bears Some Blame I have opined that Versed/Midazolam adds millions and BILLIONS (trillions over time) to the cost of health care. Everybody is getting this poison for just any little pretext. Proof is even in the people who come here to badger me! They claim Versed is safe BECAUSE it's used millions of times per day. Let's examine their claims.

The lowest estimate I have been able to find of the additional cost of sedation is $300. (this is a ridiculously LOW number! Normal is 1 or 2 THOUSAND dollars for Versed sedation.) If you multiply that $300 number by just one million, what do you get? That's PER DAY! The actual cost is much, much more at least in my case...

First on the "additional cost" list is the whiney crybaby crna. Mine cost an additional $800 dollars. These little anesthesia nurses are all over the web moaning that $250,000 a year or so isn't enough for sedating people and forcing them to submit! Then factor in the cost of your other nurse(s). That cost goes up for each level of care. So once you are sedated the medical center can charge you MORE MONEY for the same damn nurse(s). Next on the list is the ability for the care-givers to claim you gave consent for more procedures and drugs than you did. In my case the cost of G/A is a direct result of the Versed injection. This is purposeful. If they can't get permission beforehand they give you Versed so that they CAN get permission after Versed. You would probably even SIGN SOMETHING while under the influence of Versed. In my NEVER TO BE HUMBLE opinion, all of these costs are can and should be laid at the door of Versed.

I would sure like to see a study about how much our costs for medical care have accelerated since the advent of Versed! I would also like to see a true report on the additional costs associated with using a crna. After all, the cost seems to be the same whether using a nurse or an MDA and often the nurse is required by law to have an MDA "supervisor." (careful with medical terminology because "supervision" is another word which means something different to medical people than it does to us.) I believe that the number associated with just these 2 things would end in a LOT of zeros.

Ok, so what about those of us who have a severe and long lasting reaction to Versed? How much have we spent on counseling subsequent to Versed? How much have we spent on prescription drugs to combat the long term effects of Versed, PTSD, panic attacks and the like? How many people have ended up in an extended care facility or nursing home because of POCD brought on by sedation with Versed? How much does that cost? What about the loss of productivity because of the slowdown of mental accuity due to Versed? A lot of people I've talked to have lost their job because their brain never returned to their pre-Versed condition.

(Stats on iatrogenic problems here; THE LEADING CAUSE 0F DEATH IN THE US IS THE HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM I take exception to the "inadvertant" medical harm done in re Versed because medical people are INTENT on injecting Versed, so it really isn't "inadvertant" harm is it? Just think of all the extra money that the medical people rake in because of their mistakes! The charts on the above link are shocking! If you don't like the numbers on this particular site, I invite you to look at many, many other sites where the stats remain pretty much the same. I'd like to see stats on ONLY Versed, as opposed to the medication mistakes in total, by reputable post medical care investigations.)

What a windfall this Versed has turned out to be for the profit margin of medical care!

Blurb

I found a little nugget here; ASA: Patients demand physicians provide anesthesia care At the very bottom is an obvious crna extolling the virtues and perfection of, well, crna's of course. Here's the statement that I find disturbing...

"But most important - the American public believes that their attending surgeon is probably in the OR..." This is from "NShort"

How many times have I said that I am not sure that my alleged surgeon is who actually performed my crude surgery. Given the amount of nerve damage and all those screws sticking out everywhere, I have often (almost) jokingly claimed that the janitor tried his/her hand at ORIF distal Radius surgery. I am not convinced 100% that a janitor DIDN'T do the surgery. The surgical outcome for my arm doesn't demonstrate even a basic level of skill.

If I had had my instructions followed and had been given the nerve block, pain meds and nausea meds as I PRESCRIBED I would have known who was performing my surgery wouldn't I? But no, I am not allowed to dictate to these superior beings what is acceptable to me! Well, my outcome is not acceptable to me either.

Medical people, I detailed that IF the extremely dangerous and unpredictable axillery block (according to the crna/phony MDA) didn't work, they had my instructions to perform an additional block (Bier) or use lidocaine, procaine or whatever to infuse the area of surgery. That's it. NO conversion to G/A! Not only did I get everything that was expressly forbidden, my surgery was so poorly performed that I will never completely believe that an actual doctor did it.

Now I see the quote above and I wonder; What the Hell are you people doing? Do we patients have to demand a video tape of our surgery? Really? What a bunch of scum-bags you are if this type of patient oversight is required! Stop trying to give us amnesia so you can substitute beginners for doctors! Stop trying to give us amnesia so that you can "obtain consent" from drugged out people! Obviously patient monitoring and recording is REQUIRED to make sure you guys are doing the right thing.

I am not a training cadaver. Whomever *I* decide will do the surgery MUST do the surgery. Interns, residents, PA's and janitors can get somebody else. Another thing, if *I* am going to be used as the training cadaver, then I demand a huge reduction of rates, or maybe these trainees should be paying me a fee for use of my body as a training tool. I would be taking unnecessary risks by allowing trainees to work on my body and I believe I should be entitled to some kind of remuneration for this. If my surgeon chooses to be golfing when he is supposed to be performing my surgery, I need to know this and I certainly won't expect to PAY THIS PERSON, for work performed by somebody else.

What an alarming statement this piece of work made. And apparently HE has no problem at all with this kind of thing going on wherever HE works. So all that crap we've been given about the safety of numbers of people working together in a medical situation are bogus. They are all in collusion to rob us of our money, rights, dignity and health etc. aren't they?

AWESOME Article on Dr. Kevin's Site

I got this article from my inbox. I subscribe to KevinMD.com and every once in a while he puts up an article that is so insightful I feel it belongs here... Here is the link;

What this doctor learned when he was a patient

I have taken the liberty of reproducing a couple of quotes from Dr. D, the author of the above article. Mainly as a way to get you to read it. (My remarks are in parenthesis)

"Just a few days as a hospital patient cleared my mind of any misconceptions. Abject helplessness combined with severe pain trumps everything. And helplessness is far worse than pain. Dr. D had never done anything as a doctor that caused more stress than allowing myself to be put to sleep for a major operation with a surgeon I had only spoken to for 30 seconds."

(Does this sound familiar? It's the HELPLESSNESS combined with rude arrogant jailer-like health care workers that was so devastating to me. Versed is the worst drug in the world for making us helpless. We have no control over our bodies, our memories, (most of the time) and we are subjected to torture. I wonder how this Dr. would feel if he DIDN'T 'allow himself to be put to sleep' by a NURSE and was put to sleep anyway. Talk about HELPLESS!)

"The real surprise was realizing that duration of pain was far worse than intensity. I had a throbbing pain during my recovery that I could rate as a 4 if I’m generous, but it lasted for weeks and nearly drove me insane. Low-intensity pain that won’t leave can make a person much more miserable than 10 out of 10."

(The pain from a tourniquet applied at pressure and unrelieved for 70 minutes, when it actually could have been alternated, was more excruciating than the surgery itself. And it lasted longer than the pain of the incision. This doc is correct, the constant pain is MUCH worse than high pain that doesn't last in my case as well. The same thing happened with the pain from my ORIF femur!)

"3 weeks of lying on my back absolutely helpless and unable to do anything had me at the lowest place I’ve every been. One night I—a generally tough dude—cried myself to sleep."

(Been there, done that. I am so tough and un-emotional in emergencies that I reset my own arm. Couldn't let my daughter see it all deformed... I did an excellent job too. My Femur was another story. I tried to reset it, but it folded backward at mid thigh and I was sitting on my knee with my foot protruding behind me, flat on the ground. My unbroken leg was straight out in front of me where I sat. The grinding, ice clinking sensation when I tried to drag the leg and foot back out in front of me, where it looked normal, reminded me that there was a Femoral Artery in there just waiting to be cut. Since I could already feel the bleeding inside my leg (major warmth followed by swelling) I decided I needed professional help immediately. Like Dr. D, helpessness is NOT my friend...)

"Okay, I have to admit something a bit embarrassing here: We doctors sometimes think of our patients as a completely alien form of human life. It isn’t intentional. We wouldn’t even admit it out loud. It’s a weird psychological quirk that happens like a reflex."

(Oh I can't believe that! (heavy sarcasm, facetiousness, whatever) After my debacle with my ORIF distal Radius fracture and my experiences running this blog, I have said this about medical workers many times. Maybe not in the same funny way, but pretty much my take on the attitude of medical workers. "...weird psychological quirk..." Yup!)

"Doctor D has spent a lot of time educating you on how to deal with difficult doctors. One of the worse maladies plaguing the medical field is piss-poor communication, and Dr. D’s orthopedist has about the communication skills of a mentally-retarded clam."

(Ya THINK! LOL How many of us have these same complaints, but when we say ANYTHING about it we are verbally attacked by medical workers. This man has such insight, and conveys his knowledge with a sense of humor. I hope you guys can enjoy him. "...piss-poor communication, ...a mentally-retarded clam." Oh LAWD, that just about sums it up with my surgeon as well. Wiping eyes.)

More On My Personal Experience With Versed

Most of my friends know my story, but by now it's buried way back in my blog.

I went to the outpatient treatment center at a big medical center. My surgeon had conned me into doing this ORIF thing for my broken arm. Supposed to be a simple surgery with very little risk associated with it. The surgery was supposed to allow me to return to work almost immediately. The surgery is easily done with a nerve block. This is what I consented to. I consented to a low risk surgery and a nerve block for anesthesia.

Enter the crna Aaron. He pretended to be my MDA. At no time did he reveal that he was a nurse OR that he was going to perform my anesthesia. I needed to know one or the other of these important facts. I would never have allowed a nurse to perform any anesthesia upon me at all. Not a nerve block and not any of the rest of the stuff he did to me against my will and without my consent. I clearly stated that ANY drug that would incapacite me was strictly forbidden and no G/A. (Nurse or not, this was NOT allowed!)

The next problem is the substitution of a PA whom I had never met as my Doctor of record. At no time was Travis identified to me as my substitute surgeon. There I was waiting for my surgeon to come in and explain things, but Travis was there instead. Of course I had no questions of Travis... Who the Hell was he and why was he in the room? I didn't know enough to ask that question. Stupid me, I had CONTRACTED with a specific person as surgeon and HE NEVER APPEARED PRIOR TO SURGERY. He sent a complete stranger who never identified themselves as my new surgeon. Tricky!

Upon injection of Versed, which I am pointing out is an INCAPACITATING DRUG, the first thing I noticed was an inability to speak. In my head, everything seemed normal, except that when I tried to talk, gibberish came out. I was very puzzled. Had to think about THAT little item. Unfortunately as I was trying to figure out why I couldn't get the words to form from my mouth, the nurse was busily injecting more poison into my body.

The next thing I noticed was that I was very obedient. I had a desire to obey them and I did. At least my body did. There was a peculiar disconnect from my brain to my body. I could not stop myself from obeying their every command. Trust me, this is not comforting at all. In the TRAPPED part of me, my soul if you will, I was frustrated, infuriated, horrified, aghast, etc. that my body was obeying THEM and was completely beyond my control. I have never felt so helpless and humiliated in my life. My blood pressure and heart rate shot up.

I couldn't do anything about it by this time... I was too uncoordinated. I tried to keep them from touching me, but they just laughed at me. I was an object of scorn and derision. At the time I had NO IDEA that I was supposed to have amnesia. The slurring of words is supposed to be the clue that you have amnesia. You would not believe the change in attitude that slurring of words brings on in a medical suite. Like that song "Carnival" which I quote in an earlier post, it was if "Makeup on their faces, actors took their places, next to me." The complete change in their behavior was uncanny. In a way, I wish the amnesia had worked. I wouldn't have the memory of their callous disregard for me, and their hateful statements, once they felt I was helpless and had amnesia. But I was cognizent, trapped in an insane asylum that was called medical care.

Whenever my surgeon finally got around to seeing me, over an hour late, he immediately flipped my arm over backwards and began trying to see how far he could bend my wrist into unatural shapes. He called it "manipulating" the arm. Is this good? I was scared that he would do some nerve damage among other things by doing this. Since I had no idea that the incision was going to be throught the tendons on the underpart of my arm, it was a mystery as to why he was bending it backwards to start with. Then he nastily said "Put her out."

I swear to you I was being as still as I could. Absolutely motionless. I was afraid that they would do even worse things to me, like give me G/A against my will. They had already drugged me with a "date rape drug" against everything I told them and now I was afraid that if I did or said anything, that they would knock me out. So I stayed still and silent, but my horrible surgeon ordered them to "put her out" anyway.

At this time I truly expected my team to say something like "But Dr. this patient has refused G/A, we can't give it to her." My mind must have been addled because they had already beaten me over the head with Versed against my instructions, why would I think they would follow the rest of my directives? Why in the world would I still have hope that they would follow the law about informed consent? I knew I HAD NOT SIGNED any document to allow the use of Versed or G/A, but this didn't matter.

My body continued to obey them as they prepared to do what my surgeon wanted. I couldn't believe it! I still can hardly believe it. I was totally trapped in a part of my brain, watching, listening and enduring. Bad, bad, BAD experience.

Also of note is the stories they all made up about what happened. I kept telling them that I know what had happened and that they were telling me falsehoods. Finally that witch Dorothy, the "patient relations" nurse told me that "You can't possibly know what happened as we gave you a little something to cause amnesia." WHAT! I felt like I was in the twilight zone. After everything I told them and the LEGAL boundaries I had placed on them, they tried to create AMNESIA! What the bloody HELL! Wow! I had to repeat their nasty talk verbatum and create a timeline for them before it finally began to soak in that I didn't get amnesia. Then the REAL stories started.

Since they couldn't refute the reality of my experience they began backing down from their stories. Suddenly, I WASN'T screaming in pain after all... "You lifted your shoulder." Aaron said. Liar. No I didn't. I was deliberately being corpse still.

All of a sudden my surgeon NEVER works on conscious patients so the whole thing was lies to justify the fact the HE is uncomfortable with cognizent patients. His excuse also went from "You were screaming and wouldn't hold still" to "You said ouch." What a LIAR! This is something that should have been revealed by Doug (surgeon) when we had that "significant discussion" about G/A that he CLAIMS we had in his office. Actually I told him that G/A was out of the question. That was our "significant discussion" about G/A. He even tried to claim that he told me that I would have to take it up with anesthesia. Liar. He NEVER said anything of the sort! Sheesh, I wasn't even on Versed in his office and he tries that crap on me? Can you say pass the buck? The crna claims that he only did the G/A because the Dr. wanted it. Passing the buck back to the Dr.

Neither one of the people, not Aaron nor Doug, ever considered that I had said NO to the entire thing. Aaron started it by giving me an incapacitating drug against my will. Doug finished it by demanding that I be put out. They are both equally culpable in the vicious attack.

Latest Post

I am re-printing one of the latest posts from here; Midazolam Sedation Is Not ALWAYS Safe - Forum Thread Page 2 I am absolutely guaranteeing that this is exactly what will happen if ANYBODY tries to give me Versed again... I was violent and dangerous in the PACU from Versed and if I hadn't been so shocked and surprised when I was injected with "Vitamin V" the simple muscle relaxant, I would have become violent in the preop area. The duplicity and anti social behavior required to attack somebody with this kind of drug against their will is shocking. I had no idea. Now that I know the score, the minute I can't speak anything but gibberish, or I feel a deep burning desire to obey, WATCH OUT! I mean it. I will lash out violently, anybody near me will be fair game as you all will be in collusion to drug me with a drug which I will clearly state beforehand, is unacceptable in any amount and for any reason. Not a single molecule of Versed is to be injected into my body. There will be no confusion, just as there was no confusion the first time. But I'm on to you people now. Anyway, here's the post.

Given Versed Without Consent

posted by mike on 12 July 2011 at 5:33 pm

I specifically told my gastro doc that I didn't want Versed since so many of my nurse friends have horror stories about this drug. Just before my procedure, an arrogant nurse told me that "everyone gets Versed" and argued with me about my choice. Without any consideration for my consent, she started to push the Versed into my IV and I grabbed her hand, but she tried to inject the rest. The test was never done and by the time my double vision cleared, my heart was racing and everyone was in a panic...the endo suite was a wreck. I have never been violent, but I remember holding the nurse by the hair and punching her repeatedly in the face....evidently for quite some time. Everyone kept telling me not to worry (she was pretty banged up), it was her fault for violating my wishes. I had my hand x-rayed and got an appointment for the hand clinic. This was terrifying for me; the nurse was home for 2 weeks and nobody would tell me how badly she was hurt..just that it wasn't my fault. Nice drug. The doc told me that she needed some sense knocked into her..I felt badly until I had the Versed nightmares. I found out that she had a broken zygoma(?) some bone in her face.

From My Inbox

My health care debacle went far beyond the administration of Versed and G/A against my will. My surgery was botched as well. After reading this article, I realize it could have been worse... Suppose my surgeon had chosen some other procedure to perform instead of my ORIF distal Radius fracture? Now if I had been allowed to remain "awake and alert" as I demanded, this couldn't have happened to me, but alas they deliberately and maliciously diregarded my precise instructions and gave me the very things which I had declined. I have said often in this blog that I feel that patients should stay awake (NO Versed) and monitor their health care staff whenever possible. It really is safer for the patient to keep track of what is going on. It could save your life, or at least prevent some mistakes. You can't tell me that working on a cognizant patient doesn't cause the people involved to be more careful! Anyway here is the link; (love the title)

Careful where you swing that axe, doc "Maybe my standards are unreasonably high — but I fully expect every surgeon in the country to be able to find the body part he’s supposed to operate on. Apparently, this is too much to ask…" (First sentences of the article from Dr. Douglass)

Thank you Dr. Douglass. You confirm my theory.

Unsedated Colonoscopy

I searched this term and here is the very first article I found on this subject. There are lots of them... Sedation-Free Colonoscopy: Why Isn’t It the Standard? Gut Check on Gastroenterology There are actually several comments on this article which point DIRECTLY to the comfort level of the doctor. Should this be a reason to allow a brain scrambling drug, which increases the risk of perforation (not to mention the risk of developing devastating mental effects from sedation) and allows the doc to go really fast? Just how good IS an exam where the docs' most pressing problem is how to go really fast? This isn't health CARE is it?

Followup to Previous Post

I got this comment from the author of my previous post. I have some things to say about this one too... Imagine that!

Unknown has left a new comment on your post "Another Patient Is Assaulted With Versed":

"I sit here in tears in relief that someone is understanding what happened. Just yesterday I had a doctor who knew the colonoscopy beast tell me I could not trust my memory of the bad events because the versed makes you remember incorrectly. You don't imagine pain so bad it sends you to bed with percocets for nearly two days. I had another doctor tell me a colonoscopy is a brutal procedure and chastise me for not readly accepting all the versed they would give me no matter how much memory I lost. He said it was worth it to him to lose a couple days memory. Why don't they treat the pain and not just try to keep you from remembering it?"

I want everybody who reads this to type "unsedated colonoscopy" into their search engine. Colonoscopy doesn't need to be "brutal" at all. Many, many people including a lot of medical people have unsedated colonoscopies all the time. I have heard that the skill of the gastro doc has much to do with the ease of the procedure. I have also read where a smaller device is used which is more comfortable. What makes this procedure "brutal" is the use of Versed, in my opinion. The patient will be obedient and no matter how much they scream and beg the doc to stop, the procedure will continue because the patient lacks "mental capacity" to prevent further torture. The idea is that you may not remember telling them to STOP and will be angry and upset that the procedure was incomplete. This is self serving crap. I can absolutely GUARANTEE that if you had not received Versed, they would have had to 1) stop hurting you by going slower or converting to a smaller device, or 2) stop the procedure and forfeit their MONEY!

Would you be mad if they told you they had to stop because you were in unbearable pain? Or would you be mad because they relied on amnesia instead of giving you more pain meds? Apparently by using Versed they can, or maybe have to, skimp on the pain meds because of synergism between the drugs. Wouldn't you really rather have better pain meds and skimp on the sedation? Of course you would, you said so. They need to do as THEY are told, not the other way around.

As for the "other" doctor who opined that it was worth it to HIM to lose a couple of days memory, I can bet that HE isn't going to do it. HIS brain is too important to risk. HE will probably NOT be having Versed for any procedure of his own. This is also crap. It's worth it to HIM to destroy YOUR memory so that HE can get the money. (disclaimer; I know of at least 2 docs who like getting Versed. Two only, out of all the docs I know. One I know personally and the other one is on askanexpert Remember my stepfather is a doctor, I know plenty of them. I have also read where anesthesia providers can become addicted to Versed. I have no PERSONAL knowledge of this.)

The little lie about false memory is one that these people use a lot. They tried this one on me as well, so don't feel that you are the only one who has been told THIS little fabrication. It wasn't true in my case. (the only case I have first hand knowledge of as *I* was there) I had to recite conversations verbatum before they quit LYING TO ME! It's absolutely INFURIATING! I know what happened because I am one of the at least 10% who do not get amnesia from this poison. Obviously you experienced only partial amnesia. I can't tell you how many people I have heard tell the same story... Amnesia until the severe torture began and then awake while they were strapped down, held down or even sat upon, just so medical people can complete the procedure and get the MONEY! Then to be told later that their memories aren't memories, just wild eyed imaginings, is more cruel torture. Versed isn't a hallucinogen. Demerol is. LSD is. Ketamine is. Certain mushrooms are. Look it up.

It is MY OPINION that the reason they don't just treat the pain instead of trying to scramble your brain is because they truly don't want anything to do with you as a person. They want complete control and absolute power over you. They don't want to have to cater to you, (even though you are PAYING THEM A FORTUNE TO DO JUST THAT) treat your pain, explain things, or interact with you in any way. They want a zombie who can't stop them and won't remember the cruel treatment. That's all. You are not a person to them, just a procedure. Just money in the bank.

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely." This is why we get Versed and this is why we can't seem to stop them from using it. There IS no other explanation that I have been able to decipher!

Another Patient Is Assaulted With Versed

WHAT DO WE PATIENTS HAVE TO DO TO AVOID THIS DRUG? Here is the post, also to be seen in situ.

Unknown has left a new comment on your post "Health Care Worker On-Line Reviews":

"I feel like I have found a place I feel safe, here. On July 19 I had an upper scope and was not informed about any of the medications I was going to be given. Simply told something to put me out. Right before the needle going into the IV I asked what it was and was told versed. I had been told I would have a conversation with the doctor but would not remember it. This alone concerned and scared me. Why talk to me if you already know I won't remember?! Woke aggitated and combative to a nurse telling me "don't be that way". Two weeks later scheduled for colonoscopy. Told doctor office no versed, told admitting nurse, no versed, told pre op nurse, no versed so she listed it as an allergy. Told endo nurse no versed. She says they are limited as to what they have access to "over there". This is odd since this is a huge hospital. When doctor came in both nurse and I tell him no versed. He is angry and asks why. I explain it messes with my memory for a few days afterwards and I don't like having conversations and not remembering. He pressures me with threat of cancel of test and having to do prep all over. I feel coerced into accepting versed but I agreed only if they would administer slowly so I could remain somewhat alert. I remember about two minutes of procedure and then I black out. I wake half way through procedure in extreme pain crying out and begging for help. Doctor does not acknowledge my concerns. I think he was depending on versed to wipe out my memory, it hurt too much for that to happen. Next day pain is so severe I go to ER to check for perforated bowel which luckily I did not have. Doc says pain is from rough treatment and I am put on percocet for 36 hours. Doctors office calls four days later wanting to see me for follow up and I tell them no way I am afraid of the doctor. He then calls back and tells me he did good by me and I received a fair amount of medication. I feel raped. This man had all the power and used it to hurt me beyond belief and accepts no responsibility. All my records now list versed as an allergy. I urge everyone to make sure they do the same. Life for me is a daily battle to regain trust and get back to the person I once was."

Just so that you medical types know; There is NO EXCUSE for this behavior. None. Not for drugging this poor person against their will, using coercion to get them to accept a drug which they already knew was a bad one, and not for treating them to unecessary roughness because they had partial amnesia. All of what this patient recounts is very bad behavior on the part of medical personnel, no matter the letters behind the name. MD shouldn't mean cruel and unusual punishment. MD shouldn't mean carte blanche to torture and threaten "Let me do what I want or else." To claim, in spite of all evidence to the contrary, that what this person received constitutes "good treatment" is obscene and disgusting.

My Quest For Sedation and G/A Free Surgery!

I found this enlightening article here;Nerve-block Anesthesia Can Improve Surgical Recovery, Even Outcomes Please note that "sedation" is OPTIONAL! These procedures turn out better BECAUSE there is no G/A etc. Medical care is ever so slowly coming into the 21st century. Dragged kicking and screaming into it by PATIENTS apparently! This is also a proven FACT in my ORIF Distal Radius Fracture. Less is more...

ABV Syndrome From a Reader

Here's an e-mail from an angry patient about the ABV Syndrome...

"Jackie, Good Monday....
While I was snarling at the anesthesiologist for the injection he never bothered to review with me (no "anesthesia plan" was EVER reviewed and then he tried to blame my surgeon) he just couldn't understand why I was so "unhappy". [as furious as I've ever been in my life was more like it]
Yeah, so I told him I felt he jeopardized my professional integrity by giving me an amnesia drug. He just couldn't decide if the amnesia was a desired effect or a side effect at the point when I expressed the fact I was professionally insulted by his complete lack of discussion regarding method of delivery and drugs and LIKELY reactions, length of recovery, nothing. Not a damn word about any of it. I saw the "informed consent" for about 3 seconds before the nurse insisted I sign it because they were behind schedule. I never signed a consent to treatment at the hospital: there wasn't time, so they didn't bother. No rights and responsibilities either, I now know I wasn't important enough to any of them.
They had lost control of their schedule, so it seems my scheduled surgery became a problem to them that had to be rushed.
THEY were more anxious than I was but I was the one that got the shot of brain scramble drug and paid the price in every way possible.
Also informed him I had declined colonoscopy screenings because of this very drug. I resent the very concept of drug induced amnesia for the sake of my professional integrity. I promise people I'll never repeat what they tell me: they need to feel safe. There was nothing voluntary or informed on my part about this horrible experience.
As a counselor trained to respect others and their privacy, the very idea of drug induced brain wiping (without any warning or consent) is a humanitarian offense to me. For God's sake, I'm an experienced mental health professional and a health care administrator. How could anyone imagine I would approve of such an insult?
I feel as safe around these people now as I would feel blindfolded being pushed off a roof top. Not joking, this is one of my recurring nightmares since this incident, never had it before...
I was just another billable procedure on a gurney to the substandard health care providers I encountered.
Told him I was sure I'd never have a colonoscopy now like they give in his "system". His response, "But you HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH!" This from the guy whose crna didn't titrate the injection and allowed me to sit up while I got it--- dangerous disregard of procedure and sloppy protocol, anyone? ---, the guy who had to give me "additonal reversal agents" while I was in PACU and had to order a breathing treatment for respiratory depression and never said a word to me about any of this. Not a single word of explanation and knowing I remembered nothing (oh: that's what your mean spirited questions and snide remarks were REALLY about while I complained), but this guy tells me I have to take care of my health. And he didn't even sign the PACU orders: his partner did, ten days AFTER I was discarded from the hospital. What a guy. My thought: I will take care of my health, by staying as far away from you and you health care system, crna's, syringes, and IV's as I can so I might actually avoid life threatening situations the professionals (you and your rude crna) caused me. You are the kind of people who don't want to mention to us dumb patients that we are really just another revenue source for your "smell me I'm so special" self interests.
That is who you are, Doc.
Trust YOUR advice or judgement? Not in this lifetime, Pal. Got my PTSD to keep me motivated, probably forever. And your dishonesty cinched it.

So, Jackie, there you have my rant about the wonders of versed today: wondering why the "anesthesia practitioners" have to cling to it like the only lifeboat in the Great Flood. I don't get it either.
And I can hardly wait to read what other folks send you."

The ABV Syndrome

As I read through the responses from lots of nurses, CRNA's and Insane Nurse, there is a theme going through them... "It just CAN'T be the Versed!" Previously I have accused these medical workers of being in denial. This term has gotten so trite in light of the "climate change" "global warming" and "global warming causing global cooling" controversies, I have coined a new term. It's called (ta da!) "The ABV Syndrome."

This is the "Anything But Versed" (ABV) thought process. I see it every day, all over the web. This is an adjunct to medical workers' denial of the truth of our experiences with Versed. This is also used along with demeaning and degrading patients who have a bad reaction to Versed, as in "you must have been insane to start with" type statements from our esteemed health care geniuses. Anybody who has come across any pompous pronouncements to the effect of "It must have been the (anything but Versed) that caused the problems," please send them to me so I can do a compilation of all the goofy excuses medical workers use to pretend that the PATIENTS (those people who have been violated with Versed) are wrong about their assessment of the nasty drug Versed.

Midazolam vs Dexmetomidine in ICU

Here is yet another study which points directly at Midazolam as the culprit in ICU delirium. I DID NOT WRITE THIS! Here's the link;Dexmedetomidine Reduces Delirium Compared With Midazolam in ICU Patients I have another article up on this blog about the danger of developing delirium in the ICU due to sedation. Delirium isn't something that is an innocuous part of being in a hospital. It is a serious and life threatening problem!

Also in this article is information on how Versed can cause tachycardia and high blood pressure. I add this to show how the medical community will go to any lengths to defend Versed use, to the point that they will lie about these particular side effects of Versed. My personal experience is that my blood pressure and heart rate shot up immediately upon injection of Versed. In the study cited in this post their findings are like mine. Unfortunately Versed pushers can't claim that Versed is so very relaxing in the face of findings like this study shows, so they simply deny that this is true. This is a dangerous precedent to set in regards to a particular drug!

The whole premis of Versed being "relaxing" is flawed. How can it be relaxing when the patient is aware and awake, suffering through a procedure while being treated to indifference and laughter from their caregivers? The HOPE that the patient will remember nothing of the torture, and the thought that their suffering doesn't matter because of this hope is beyond cruel.

PS It wasn't an NP that wrote the article... Go figure!

Another Song!

This song also describes my feelings about Versed... ?"Carnival" Natalie Merchant?? - YouTube

Here are the creepy lyrics... NATALIE MERCHANT LYRICS - Carnival

One stanza; "... In the mad house asylum (treatment center)
They can be
Where a wild eyed misfit prophet (read anesthesia provider)
On a traffic island stopped (hospital room)
and he raved of saving me (Oh yes, it's for you own good, we are going to "save" you!)

Have I been blind
Have I been lost
Inside myself and
My own mind
Hypnotized
Mesmerized
By what my eyes have seen? (It was the Versed that caused this in my life, not what my eyes have seen, but you get the idea!)