I know, it’s rare, unusual, and probably wouldn’t happen again in the same way…
But this scares the hypochondriac in me all to hell:
Imagine going to the doctor for a severe migraine and ending up with your right arm amputated. That’s what happened to Diana Levine when her doctor injected her with Phenergan, it seeped out of the vein into an artery, and gave her gangrene.
Vermont courts found that Wyeth hadn’t given adequate warning to doctors and patients that one particular injection method, the one used on Diana, greatly increases the risk of gangrene. Wyeth is trying to use Federal preemption to win the case, arguing that patients is that consumers can’t sue a pharma company if the drug has been approved by federal regulators. The case, Wyeth v. Levine, is before the Supreme Court. The Alliance for Justice has made a 22-minute documentary about Diana Levine so you can learn more about her story. Watch it in its entirety…
I’ve only hospitalized myself for a migraine once, getting an IV of something much more benign than Phenergan. But still… that’s scary as all hell.
When I had to go to the hospital for my migraine, I was virtually incapacitated. I had called around to a few friends until I finally found one who was available to give me a ride — I had no cash on me, so a cab was out, and while I didn’t feel this was ambulance material (they’re not a taxi service, damnit), that would have been my next step — there was just no other way for me to get there. Even though I only lived about 6 blocks from the hospital. Hell, getting downstairs to the car caused me to vomit twice.
Arriving at the hospital, I was sent to triage to give them my information. Despite having lived at my then-current address for almost 2 years, I couldn’t remember my address — hell, I could barely spell my own name. I apologized, pushed my drivers license across the counter, and asked her to get it from that. I’m sure the triage nurses assumed I was on drugs… but honestly, I was just completely incapacitated by pain. The lights & sounds of the ER at St. Pauls REALLY wasn’t helping either.
Luckily, they got me to a room fairly quickly. And were nice enough to turn off the lights. Phew.
By the time the doctor got there, I’d thrown up several more times (awesome) but I was able to explain, in short, terse sentences what was going on: Long history of migraines, normally weren’t this bad, generally responsive to Imitrex but the need to throw up every time I moved more than half an inch was making it impossible to TAKE said drugs.
And here’s the point of this story: I have NO idea what they gave me. I was left with a positive impression of the experience, so I believe that the doctor was efficient, and I was probably informed of risks/benefits, etc, but to be perfectly honest, I was in no way capable of consenting to a damn thing. I tend to be picky about what sort of medications I take — I’m neurotic about researching things before I take them, which has worked out in my favor before… *I’m* the one who discovered that my old anti-depressants & migraine meds were not to be mixed, not the doctor or pharmacist.
But in this case? Man, whatever you want, stick a needle in my arm and make this better.
And it worked. 45 minutes later, I walked home feeling infinitely better, if a bit woozy.
And… hey, I’m studying to be a paramedic. I’m looking forward to getting IV certification so that I can jam people full of drugs all the time. I’m already able to administer entonox (aka, laughing gas, for pain), oxygen & glucogel (for hypoglycemic diabetics.) They’re all pretty benign, which is why a lowly EMR is able to administer them. Although before giving anybody anything, I generally have to explain the side effects & benefits. Except glucogel, but one of the requirements to give that is that the pt has a decreased level of consciousness, which falls under “implied consent”.
I dunno. I’m rambling. I think reading stuff like that just makes me nervous because “omg, it could happen to me!” Even though the likelihood is slim to none.
I also hope that, once I’m IV certified, I never cause anyone to need an amputation. Egads.