My 19 year old Son went to the Doctor with a cough, and Chest Congestion. He was Diagnosed with Bronchitis and a little fluid in the Lungs (no X-rays were taken) he was prescribed Steroids, Antibiotics, and an Inhaler. 2 Days later he started Vomiting, had Diarreha, and Abdominal Cramps. our Family Doctor couldn't see him but said he should go to Hospital ER. We went there. after an X-ray and CAT Scan they said he had some kind of bladder infection they said it was retaining fluid and putting pressure on his Bowels. The gave him a Cathiter and kept him over night. at 2 A.M we get a call. he is having troble breathing and was transfered to CCU when we get there he asks the nurse why his heart is beating so fast. She said it was the medicine they gave him to wake him up. less than 2 Hours later he Died of an enlarged Heart. (I'm gonna run out of room. so i'll add more details. Please wait til you see it all toi answer)
2006-09-26 05:52:29 · 13 answers · asked by mr_nice_guy 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
Turns out from the Medical Records he was given Morphine for Pain (his pain was at a 5 on a scale of 0 to 10) he had a Morphine Drip and took 2 hits in 20 mins. He had an Allergic Reaction so he was given 2 Doses of Narcan. That's the stuff they gave him to wake him up. his Heart Rate was over 200 BPM. So they gave him some other Medicine (I think it was called lodose or something like that) to slow his Heart down. It slowed to 45 BPM. the time from 1st Dose of Morphine til Death was 5 HRS.
2006-09-26 05:58:01 · update #1
BOrman I am not lying. This happened to my Son on April 8th of this year. How dare you accuse me of Lying about something like that. you Don't even know me. but in case you would like to know more about my Son. www.andrew-hampton.memory-of.com
2006-09-26 06:37:01 · update #2
I am a Critical Care nurse and i see a lot of bad things happen every day. As you did not say that your son had a prior history of cardica trouble it sounds that there was no early indication to know. The CT or x-ray MAY have shown nlarging of the heart, however shilloetts and shadows are not always easy to read especially if you are talking about a young active male.
You definately did describe CHF but in a 19 yo. I have seen it in children with pre-existing cardiac conditions, enlarging of the heart with cardiomiopathyand I have also seen it in drug users.
No one could have predicted your sons allergy to MgSo4 moripine sulfate and they did have to treat it. They probably gave him Labatelol to help his heart, but these drugs can be taxing. CHF can be masked by several problems and several problems can surface as CHF.
From how you describe the chain of events protocols were followed, but the addition of an allergic reaction may have been the final taxing event that his heart could not withstand.
Toxocology and autopsy findings as well as medical records should be reviewed by a private cardiologist or even a legal nurse consultant, one with an UNBIASED opinion preferrably one who is not affiliated with the hospital where your son was treated.
We never like to think that sentinal events happen but they do, and it will take a trained eye to review his records. His death may not have been preventable, it may not have been malpractice or negligence, but having them reviewed may give you some peace of mind.
2006-09-26 08:55:52 · answer #1 · answered by cece 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't need to read more. Your family doctor messed up by not doing chest X-rays. The hospital screwed up, the cat scan should have shown his enlarged heart. I can see no reason for them to give him medicine to wake up. More than likely the medicine they gave him was for his breathing, that causes raped heart rates. Also an enlarged heart does not just show up out of know where with no symptoms. You need to call a lawyer. And get all the medical records. I know this is very hard for you. But you need to ask for an independent autopsy.
I can not tell you how sorry I am for your loss.
But yes there was a mess up all the way around. Again I am sorry for the loss of your son, but do not let this matter go.
Depending on the volume of each dose , 2 doses within 20 minutes is not abnormal if he was experiencing pain. We give doses in 15 minute intervals. They should have noticed the reaction after the first dose. Narcan should not have caused his heart rate to be that high. You need an autopsy with complete blood work. Every thing you have described still does not explain the enlarged heart.
2006-09-26 06:03:20 · answer #2 · answered by Kali_girl825 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I'm sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, things like this happen every day but every "maloccurrence" isn't "malpractice". There aren't nearly enough details in your narrative to make a judgement as to whether someone "messed up." I think it's a uniquely American response to feel like "someone must have messed up" when something bad happens and that some kind of compensation should be made, often through legal intervention. What about just asking the treating physicians to sit down and go over the case with you? Getting a lawyer is not the best next step in finding out what happened to your son - though I'm sure you could find several that would be happy to try to profit from your son's death.
2006-09-26 06:10:52 · answer #3 · answered by cormac m 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I want to start by telling you that i am sorry for your loss and to tell you that if i was you i would sue the pants off that hospital, they messed up big time, last year i had a heart bypass surgery and was sent home 5 days later and after a couple of days i started throwing up and could not hold anything down and they told me that i had a lot of fluid and put me in the ICU. was given lasix and sent home a few days later, well to make a long story short i got my med records a few days ago and was shocked to find that i had pneumonia and a co lapsed lung when i was admitted and they failed to tell me so that is why i feel like they are just giving you the run around, they made a mistake are trying to cover it up so as i said before sue their pants off
2006-09-26 07:46:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
His heart was enlarged by something else, a virus or other things. If he was a normally healthy young man then it could be missed. Sounds like the reaction to MS and then trying to get his heart rate down aggravated things. Sorry for your loss!
2006-09-26 08:09:10 · answer #5 · answered by wiseassmedic 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First of all I would like to say I'm so sorry for your loss this should never happen and the sad thing is it happens all the time,this is why I do not go to the doctor or hospital I even had my baby at home because something as simple as delivering a baby can end up being fatal in the wonderful hospital,God bless you and your family you will be in my thoughts again I'm sorry:-(
2006-09-26 05:58:58 · answer #6 · answered by ? 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm really sorry for your loss
and i think that
someone messed this up big way. first X rays should have been taken first thing as priority. and the cat scan should have showed something. and this increased heart rate is definitely not normal. there is something fishy and they are trying to cover it up. enlarged heart is not something you can exactly miss easily. they made a mistake
2006-09-26 08:52:15 · answer #7 · answered by Farhali 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sorry for your loss. It sounds like he may have been in Congestive Heart Failure (CHF). He is young so something must have caused damage to his heart (ie a congenital abnormality, bacterial infection). His age may have played a part in miss diagnosis since most 19 yr olds don't have CHF. I would seek a lawyer who specializes in medical malpractice. You don't necessarily have to sue if you don't want to but this will give you the answers you are looking for and may help in the healing process. Once again, I am sorry for your loss.
2006-09-26 05:58:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Oh! I am so sorry! You need to contact a good attorney but first concentrate on healing yourself. It has to be an awful burden to lose a child at any age, can't imagine it I have two grown children and three grandchildren, take care of yourself, then definately talk to an attorney! Someone screwed up somewhere! I don't know what state you are in but ask around before selecting your attorney you need a good one! Good Luck and God Bless you!
2006-09-26 05:56:01 · answer #9 · answered by janet.marie 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
It sounds like it could have been some sort of bacteria or virus. Are they going to do an autopsy? Or have they? If they can, have them run extensive blood work on his body. Sometimes a rare virus can work quickly like that before they can do anything.
I am sorry for your loss.
2006-09-26 06:03:12 · answer #10 · answered by Hicktown girl66 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋