ER Visit--Please Read

This is a bit of a long post but I felt it was important to all of us. Last night I had to be taken to the ER. Let me start from the beginning: My youngest son, Seth, is autistic and is on Seroquel and Tenex to help with some of his behavioral and psychological issues. He is 10 y.o. and takes 1600 mg of Seroquel daily along with 3 mg. of Tenex. Last night I was going to give him his bedtime dose (800 mg. Seroquel/1 mg. Tenex) when I got distracted with something. I had the meds in my hand along with a bottle of water for Seth to take his meds. I also take some of my vitamins along with my Protonix at night. Anyway, without thinking I took Seth's meds. I knew right after I did it I had screwed up. I went to the bathroom and tried to stick my finger down my throat to try and throw up. Only got phelgm with doing that. I wasn't too worried since I knew that Seth takes this everyday for the last couple of years. My oldest son wanted me to drive him to pick up a friend so we left. As I was driving I knew the meds were starting to take effect. I pulled over and let Andrew drive (he has a permit). By the time we got back home I could hardly get out of the van. I needed assistance. Things got much worse. I was so out of it I didn't know what I was saying or doing. If you've ever encountered a mean a$$ drunk, then you know what I am talking about. I felt like I was jumping out of my skin. I had a choking, smothering feeling. I wouldn't let anyone near me or put a hand on me. This was a very horrific scene. I was combative and extremely profane--even to my children. Very much NOT me! Bruce (my fiance') called poison control and they recommended he take me to the hospital. My heart was racing and felt like it was coming out of my chest. I tried to get out of the car twice on our way to the hospital. I have no recollection of most of the events of last night. I apparently slapped Bruce twice on the way to the hospital when he was trying to prevent me from getting out of the van. Once at the ER, my speech was so slurred and I was so incoherent they could hardly understand what I was trying to tell them. I did have enough sense to have the RX bottles with me. My big concern was that they would try to pump my stomach and I would not able to communicate the changes in my anatomy. Thank goodness I had a DS because this really could have been much worse it I had a pouch to contend with and they would have needed to pump my stomach or make me drink liquid charcoal. Bruce told them I had DS surgery last year but as you can well imagine, they had no idea what that meant. Bruce did his best to explain but he really couldn't. As it turned out, they started me on a saline IV and gave me some meds to take. I truly couldn't tell you what the capsules were. We were at the hospital from 10pm to 4 am. It was a long night for everyone. I have felt "hungover" all day. I came to the realization that I needed to put together a folder about my medical condition and particularly the DS surgery diagram. I hope to never be in the position/condition I was in last night and things could have been much worse. But, I now am working on putting together a packet that my loved ones can give to any medical personnel should I become incapacitated and cannot communicate. Bruce felt realy bad that he wasn't able to let the ER docs know more about what my anatomical changes were. He was a bit out of sorts himself because he was so worried. Bottom line, is that I wouldn't want to put my family in the position they were in last night. If something would have gone terribly wrong, I wouldn't want them to think it was because of them not advising the doctors of my altered anatomy. While Bruce was trying to explain things I kept getting more and more upset and was making no sense. Please EVERYONE--put together a packet of information about your surgery, medications you are taking, and any other important information a doctor may need to know should you be unable to communicate. I have apologized profusely to Bruce and my children. This could have been much worse but luckily it has served as a big wake up call to get things in order and be prepared. Rhonda

WOW Rhonda! What a scary situation to be in! (I have to admit I did something similar just this past month)... I took mom's provigil... its supposed to pep you up a bit and I read online that its used for ppl with sleep apnea, which I have, so I popped one a day for 3 days... the third day my blood pressure went haywire... my sis-in-law convinced me I should go to the ER and I was slapped on the hand and told not to take other ppl's meds anymore. However, it took about 2 wks to get back to feeling normal again. I think keeping a packet together with all your medical records is a wonderful idea and something everyone should practice doing, whether you have had the surgery or not. I'm so glad that you're feeling better and your family took care of you! God bless, Kimberly

Rhonda, Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I think it stresses how important it is to have information about the surgery we have had/will have on our persons, or at least within grabbing distance at all times. My youngest son takes meds for asthma and allergies. One morning when we were running late for school, I had his meds in my hand, had to go and referee between my other two kids, and when I went back over to him I picked up the water glass and started to take his meds thinking I had mine in my hand. As soon as the pill**** my tongue I realized what had happened and spit them out. The look on my sons face was priceless , you know the one...mouth hanging open, eyes wide, and him saying "M O M M A..........". Of course, his meds weren't in the same class as your sons, but just goes to show everyone who might say...how did you do that?...lots of people have. Take care!