Offered Fentynal for minor routine procedure with no pain

[1137]

I literally don't know where to post this but it infuriated me and really needs some awareness.

I had a routine endoscopy today, I have sadly had them plenty, literally nothing but the most minor risk, very easy thing for me. They've always given IV Propofol, no problem at all. So I get back there and the anesthesiologist says this time they are going to mix the Propofol with Fentynal. My immediate response was "ummmmm" (I am a fully recovered pain medicine addict who overcame the overprescription of pills and general dgaf attitude of doctors to addiction, but had not gotten to that yet). To my "um" he immediately says, "it's not dangerous."

Okay. So you're just casually offering people IV fentynal, completely unnecessarily, and telling them it's not dangerous? **** YOU. Like seriously, it takes exactly one dose of an opiate to ruin your life and get you chasing pills (which I can't help but assume they are making money off of). I know that this is the same medical industry that pushes all sorts of pills while saying that smoking a helpful natural substance magically started making people sick when it became a threat to the medical industry, but this still just blew me away.

Further, not only is fentynal a completely arbitrary addition to such sedation with equally unnecessary risks, but put a addict who is NOT fully recovered in that seat. You just offered them IV fentynal, no strings attached, nobody has to know, there's a good chance you just put them back to square one for literally no reason. Luckily when I mentioned my past problems they backed off, but I honestly think if I hadn't I'd be having quite a struggle right now.

Don't get me wrong. I know doctors and such don't care about us, and seek to keep us coming back rather than heal us. Nothing confirmed it more than learning a medicine I've been on for years was causing half my problems, and no doctor ever bothered to mention it since I use a substance they don't profit off of which actually helps, thus gets blamed. But this was a step too far.

 

[1137]

I'm still REALLY mad about this and not sure if there's something I can do, or report it to someone, or anything like that...

 

[JustGeorge]

I'm still REALLY mad about this and not sure if there's something I can do, or report it to someone, or anything like that...

I'd check around with where to lodge a complaint... Perhaps someone in the same 'network'.

I had some inappropriate responses in an ER setting, and it was someone who worked for the same company who pursued it on my behalf.

 

[RestlessSoul]

We have something in the UK called the Medical Ombudsman, a Parliamentary body which independently investigates complaints about medical practices etc. You must surely have something equivalent where you are?

 

[Kathryn]

Surely you can and should report this person somewhere to someone!

 

[Ebionite]

I'm still REALLY mad about this and not sure if there's something I can do, or report it to someone, or anything like that...

First step is to take your complaint up the chain where you got the endoscopy, in writing, with a proposed remedy. If they don't respond or don't provide an appropriate remedy then you have the receipts for making it public.

 

[anna.]

Further, not only is fentynal a completely arbitrary addition to such sedation with equally unnecessary risks, but put a addict who is NOT fully recovered in that seat. You just offered them IV fentynal, no strings attached, nobody has to know, there's a good chance you just put them back to square one for literally no reason. Luckily when I mentioned my past problems they backed off, but I honestly think if I hadn't I'd be having quite a struggle right now.

I'm really sorry to hear of your past problems. It seems from what you're saying here that the anesthesiologist didn't know of your past addiction, and when he did, they reversed course.

I'd fault your doctors for not having that information clearly in your chart, yes. But the "no strings attached, nobody has to know," was that the actual attitude of the anesthesiologist?

 

[1137]

I'm really sorry to hear of your past problems. It seems from what you're saying here that the anesthesiologist didn't know of your past addiction, and when he did, they reversed course.

I'd fault your doctors for not having that information clearly in your chart, yes. But the "no strings attached, nobody has to know," was that the actual attitude of the anesthesiologist?

I don't want to have them portrayed as some skeevy dealer or anything, it was something extremely casual for them as if they do it every day. Which further research on my part shows they literally do, it's apparently a common practice despite calls for it to stop since at least 2017. So it wasn't so much "hey do drugs and nobody will know," it was just literally so casual and off the cuff that clearly nobody would have a second thought if I didn't speak up for myself. Who knows if they even actually ask everybody, I've never been asked anything beyond "are you allergic to anasthesia," never been offered one drug over another or anything. I'd bet money there's cases where they just straight up give it and don't even tell anyone. I came more from the perspective of knowing how an addict thinks, and me 5 years ago would ha e absolutely taken the offer of strong pain meds no questions asked.

One of the more interesting reads I've found: Eliminating opioids from anesthesia decreases post-surgery nausea, study shows

"We believe that not using fentanyl during surgical anesthesia, as well as not providing patients too many pills after surgery, may help decrease the likelihood of opioid abuse. Studies show that 1 in 15 patients who has surgery is still taking prescription opioids 90 days afterwards,” he said.

 

[1137]

Yes we do have complaint boards and such, thank you all, I'm going to take that advice. Sadly though it looks like this might not even be that uncommon or controversial. I can say that after discussion with my friends most are considering simply listing fentynal as a deadly allergy going forward as well.

 

[Kathryn]

I don't know that I'd list it as an allergy but I would definitely tell everyone involved with my medical care about my past history.

I was offered, and given, not one but two doses after I tripped over my old, fat dog and broke my right elbow badly. So it does have its uses. That being said, I had no prior addiction but also, no one asked me. They did ask me about using fentanyl, however.

 

[1137]

I don't know that I'd list it as an allergy but I would definitely tell everyone involved with my medical care about my past history.

I was offered, and given, not one but two doses after I tripped over my old, fat dog and broke my right elbow badly. So it does have its uses. That being said, I had no prior addiction but also, no one asked me. They did ask me about using fentanyl, however.

Yes there are definitely uses for them, unfortunately or not. I also think that we ignore alternatives too much though. I had kept stuff like morphine off my allergy list specifically for surgeries and such, in the hospital only. But my last surgery that still ended up really messing me up and having long effects, they still gave way too much, and in the end I realize that if that morphine had been, say, an anti anxiety medication, it would have been more effective and less damaging. Indeed we are built to handle pain, it's when we panic and work ourselves up that it becomes a problem.

I also don't want to come off as giving medical advice though! I just speak from experience, and at this point think pain is a worthwhile trade off and anxiety my true enemy.

 

[Kathryn]

Yes there are definitely uses for them, unfortunately or not. I also think that we ignore alternatives too much though. I had kept stuff like morphine off my allergy list specifically for surgeries and such, in the hospital only. But my last surgery that still ended up really messing me up and having long effects, they still gave way too much, and in the end I realize that if that morphine had been, say, an anti anxiety medication, it would have been more effective and less damaging. Indeed we are built to handle pain, it's when we panic and work ourselves up that it becomes a problem.

I also don't want to come off as giving medical advice though! I just speak from experience, and at this point think pain is a worthwhile trade off and anxiety my true enemy.

I do have some anxiety but I was in serious pain at that point. I didn't care what they gave me, it needed to take the edge off. Which it did.