a.k.a. “My Extreme Dystonic Reaction And How I Wound Up In The Emergency Room For The Fourth Time In Less Than Nine Months”
It was my intention to write a post about another night, another ER visit. It was also my intention to get a little rest first. The latter was not to be. About the former, I guess we’ll see.
(If you think I ever actually know and plan and decide upon what I’m going to write here, you’ve lost the thread somewhere along the way.)
I watched the movie Serendipity instead. Everyone reading this should know by now how I love the concept (why haven’t I made a category for it, I need to do so, post-haste. . . okay, done). I don’t just love it, I hold a very strong belief in it. The movie is cute as can be, at any rate. It also features a wonderful score, with a particular song running through it that was also in another movie released I think around the same time, also wonderful and with a not dissimilar concept, Practical Magic.
I don’t know why I stopped liking movies, but if anyone could, please tell me in the comments, what has John Cusak done lately? Or Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, even Kate Beckinsale? I’m terribly out of my element with modern-day movies, I’m forced to admit.
So. I’ve put it off long enough.
What happened was this. I had an extreme and acute (I promise you I am not overstating the situation by deliberately using two absolute declarative adjectives to describe it) dystonic reaction to perphenazine, also known by the name Trilafon. It’s a conventional antipsychotic, and thus much more prone to cause this (and other neuroleptic symptoms and syndromes).
Which forces me to explain dystonia, a task I don’t much relish, particularly after experiencing it so severely. Here goes (I’ll also throw in a couple of links for a more clinical picture).
It started with my voice, actually. It had this funny affect, and it was hard to get my tongue to make the sounds I needed it to. But I got that under control and didn’t worry too much (that would have been. . . Monday night). Last night (Tuesday) I noticed it again a little, but everyone went to sleep and so I did no more talking. But as I lay on the couch, and later in bed, trying to fall asleep, I noticed some rigidity and tension in my face, my tongue especially. I couldn’t fall asleep, and it spread through my body, little by little.
I kept talking myself down from thinking it was anything, except something in me must have known better. I got out of bed and went and got my mother, at my age and at three a.m. And then we sat on the couch and I cried, because I was terrified.
I settled down some, and even tried a few odd moments of humor, which were lost in translation because I basically couldn’t speak. Long rest of the story short, I got worse, my mom got more concerned, we both put on our shoes and coats and got in the car to go to the emergency room. I remember when she was backing out of the driveway, I just about told her to call 911 instead, but I lost my direction at that point.
It was worse on my left side, my toes were curled tightly, my head tilted, my abdomen locked. I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I described it to my mom as like a very long, drawn out, slow motion seizure, and she said she had thought the exact same thing.
Apparently I was as gone as I think I was, because she also said everyone in the ER seemed freaked, and I couldn’t even sign my name to consent for treatment, I had to do a “verbal consent” (policies).
My blood pressure and my pulse were high enough to set all of the machines beeping, and then after a minimum of discussion and the magic word “perphenazine,” a wonderful young doctor had a dose of Benadryl shot into my IV that knocked me silly. Seriously. I kept going, “Oh wow. Oh, wow.” My poor mother sitting there, eyes filled with tears from her terror over my state, and I had to reassure her that they were good “oh wows,” because I was feeling completely back to myself within a minute or two. Well, kind of floaty, but otherwise very much myself.
So with some discussion, an injection of diazepam (Valium) for good measure, a prescription and instructions, I was sent merrily on my way, better than before. Better, because now I know to say “fuck all” if a doctor tries to put me on a conventional again.
Add those to the growing list of drug allergies.
Moral of the story: “Don’t ever hit your mother with a shovel, it leaves a dull impression on her mind.” ~ Paul Newman, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
I decided this one needed a light moral, because it’s been a heavy post for me.
And, oh, the links: Dystonic Reaction (one link, I’m tired)
Whoops, a last note: The title of this post, my mom was trying to find the word ‘psychotropic’ in reference to my meds, but came up with ‘psychotic’ instead. Based on recent experience, I’m coming to agree with her Freudian assessment.
© Ruby Tuesday and I Was Just Thinking. . . 2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Ruby Tuesday and I Was Just Thinking. . . with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. This work is protected under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Holy cow. I’m sorry you’re having such a rough time, I wish I knew what to say or what any of those actors you mentioned were up to.
Just knowing that you read this and cared enough to say anything means the world to me, Sharon, honestly. And at least I know that I’m in good company with my non-knowledge of the acting game!
Nicole Kidman was nominated for an Oscar for The Rabbit Hole (2010) and Bullock won Best-Actress for The Blind Side (2009). You can always look up TV & movie stuff (actors, productions, etc.) on the IMDB (Internet Movie Database).
Thanks, Monday. That all sounds vaguely familiar to me.
First, John Cusak. Most notable role in recent years, Jackson Curtis in 2012. Right hand up, the scariest disaster movie I’ve ever seen. It was pretty great, although it was a little hard to take John Cusak seriously in that role, at first.
I’m so sorry for your bad reaction! I hope that you are doing better now. You’ve really been on a rough ride lately, and it makes a Sad Panda. But, be glad for something. I’m very happy you shared this. I haven’t thought a lot about drug reactions out of the norm (headache, stomachache, etc). I really hadn’t considered that I could develop a serious drug reaction. By the sound of it, drug reactions can happen at any time, for practically no reason, with medicine that a person has taken before. Cross your fingers I don’t become allergic to Ibuprofin! I would be in constant pain for the rest of my life; I swear to you.
Hooray for Benadryl! I’m glad it made the great save there. You have incredible instincts. For me, it probably would have gotten to the point where I couldn’t move at all. Good call. It was one a lot people probably wouldn’t have been able to make.
How are you feeling now?
Oh, I remember that movie.
Yes, serious drug reactions are definitely not something to leave out of your calculations. I seem to be getting more of the serious ones now than I ever have, but I also am delving further into the reaches of off label use as well as things like conventionals, which believe you me, there are reasons they have moved away from!
I’m still tired (even though I did nab some sleep today). Mostly I’m just keeping the box of Benadryl close at hand, more for peace of mind than anything.
I have to remember to get a box of Benadryl. It could probably save my life one day.
I am so sorry to hear what you went through, Ruby. I recall the first time I had an allergic reaction to aspirin – fortunately, I had Benedryl and it worked fast or I wouldn’t be alive to talk about it today. I have an epipen to carry around with me just in case. (I don’t always, but I should.) Do you need to wear a med-alert bracelet for any of your drug interactions?
I am so glad you are OK!!
{HUGS}
Monday, my mom carries an Epipen – yellow jackets. Fortunately, I guess dystonic reactions are rarely life-threatening, they just suck a whole lot and are pretty scary to watch.
I used to wear a Med Alert bracelet with allergies and an emergency contact. It needs updated, I guess (thanks for the reminder).
And thank you for the hugs, sending some back to you. . .
Now for a Suzie Ivy wakeup call! Thank God you had your mother and she could get you to the hospital. I’m allergic to bees (love them but they’ll kill me) and it’s such a scary feeling when stung. Allergies can start at any time. Please be careful and trust your judgment when you know things aren’t right. I do understand this is easy for me to say and I know you live with panic attacks, psychological disorders and crazy friends like me but seriously, TRUST your instincts!
Now to movies, Practical Magic is one of my all-time favorites. I have the soundtrack on my IPod. Loved Serendipity too. The Princess Bride and Jaws top out the list. Did I mention you need a bigger boat to hold your crazy friends:-)
One more thing…Is it politically correct to tell you that you have psychological disorders?
My poor mom. Trust me, I know every bit how lucky I am.
I love The Princess Bride so much, too. Jaws I can’t so much stomach. I’ve turned into a big old wuss, though.
As for politically correct. . . Hmm. I think if you’re going to be like me, and go online and tell the world at large all about the dirty details of living with said psychological and psychiatric disorders, then you certainly can’t be upset or bothered when a friend just tells you that you have them. I can’t speak for the overall correctness of saying so, but I guess my rule of thumb would be your context and “tone” (as with pretty much everything).
If you tell me I’m worthless because of my disorders, then no, not PC.
But, like I said, I’m the one who put everything out there in the first place. Anyone who does that, then expects people to intuitively “know” what is their individual threshold of okay. . . Well personally I think that’s a garbage double standard.
Sorry, forgot to hit “notify me of follow-up” before I hit “post comment.” I need to know when you reply to my politically correct question. This could cause serious issues:-)
I answered it to the best of my abilities. I don’t know how good they are at present.