| May 3, 2007 @ 10:57 PM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits
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morella
Posts: 14
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Anyone know how one can prove hospital mismanaged patient care and negligence in notifying aftercare of patients? My fiancee had esophageal cancer which was matastasized to the stomach. He was being treated for removal of an infected port utized for chemo. During this time cat scan and MRI supposed to have shown that the cancer had spread to the brain. He told me that he had 2 radiation treatment but another MRI after that showed that there wasn't cancer there after all. He was taken a whole slew of meds which a pharmacist later said that many of the meds interacted with one another. Moreover, he had a new med- he was wearing a pain patch- fentanyl. I signed him out and on those papers the meds prescribed had no explanation of what they were for- that space was blank.
Shortly after he was discharged, two days later, he went home. He was staying with me. The police found him in the bathtub. I read later that Fentanyl is a time release pain medication that is 80 times more powerful than morphine. Heat triggers an overdose.
Besides a lawyer, how would I go about this?
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| May 4, 2007 @ 2:08 AM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits |
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steveemac
Posts: 2,335
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Besides a lawyer, how would I go about this?
No need to do any more than contact an attorney; any one worth his or her salt will be able to guide you in what to do next.
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| May 4, 2007 @ 3:30 AM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits
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JohnnyPopper
Posts: 131
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What do you hope to gain by going to a lawyer ??
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| May 4, 2007 @ 11:45 AM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits |
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morella
Posts: 14
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Justice. Making things right.
He would have been the first one to pursue the mis-diagnosis and overdose if these are issues leading up to his untimely death. In particular the pain patch- fentanyl in which I am reading more about. It seems the public at large do not know the danger inherent in this med. In his case the hospital did not provide advice about this med. Had he gone to the pharmacist to fill the prescription, we might have known the risks. As it stood, he died two days after he was discharged. The med is effective for 72 hours at which time it needs to be replaced. This means that while taking his bath, the heat might have triggered a release of an overdose. I am awaiting the autopsy reports.
Correction on this level and the hospital end perhaps will alert the public of careful handling of patients, we hope. It certainly will give me comfort as well as his family to know that it may not happen to someone else.
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| May 4, 2007 @ 12:25 PM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits
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JohnnyPopper
Posts: 131
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HOSPITAL:
Where you go to be BORN..... Next time to DIE... This is why I stay away from hospitals as much as I can..
Mebbe you should ASK his doctor why, before going thru the expense of a lawyer and the hospital will then refer you to the waiver that he signed during the admittance procedure and then if they really did something bad, it will be in the courts for years and have a gag order attached to the lawsuit and you may never have an answer at all??
Maybe it would be better to just go on TV and ask this question in front of a live audience!!
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| May 4, 2007 @ 12:32 PM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits |
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morella
Posts: 14
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Which show?
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| May 4, 2007 @ 1:06 PM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits
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JohnnyPopper
Posts: 131
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Probably one that originates in NYCity and ONE that I don't watch cause they are all stupid and time consuming when ya could be doing something constructive with your remaining years anyway.. 
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| May 4, 2007 @ 6:23 PM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits |
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morella
Posts: 14
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You sound kind of callous and a bit jaded!
Don't you read about hospital problems and interested in improving conditions even if you don't go to them. We are living longer and one day we all will go there even if it's only for emergency services.
I hope you will never have to go.
My mother-in-law hated hospitals too but she succumbed to it at age 86. It was the unsanitary conditions which created many bacteria invading her heart valve. I did nothing at that time thinking it was her time to go.
There is no excuse for a lack of educating patient medication care at discharge.
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| May 4, 2007 @ 10:11 PM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits
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steveemac
Posts: 2,335
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Hey Popper, what the Hell's yer problem? The lady asked for advice; she lost her fiancee earlier than she should have because of someone's negligence-maybe a judgment in her favor would inspire the doctor/hospital in question to be more careful about what they prescribe, and how informed they make the patient. I'm not a big fan of ambulance-chasing lawyers; but in this case -assuming it's as she described- there appears to be negligence involved.
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| May 5, 2007 @ 2:18 AM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits |
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JohnnyPopper
Posts: 131
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You sound kind of callous and a bit jaded! SURE WAS and IT got me nowhere at all... Read on!!
I doubt that she'd be entitled to any compensation at all since she wasn't related to him and was just engaged to him when he passed away, and I don't think you (Steveemac) have anything to say about my EXPERIENCES/opinion either, (YOU WEREN'T THERE AT ALL).. MY wife was diagnosed by her FAMILY DOCTOR that the pain in her back was from lifting heavy books at work and for two years she was given PROZAC by a female "shrink" when in FACT she had BONE CANCER and eventually died from BREAST CANCER at age 48 at home.. AFTER being discharged from THE HOSPITAL after months of treatment by hospital staff and It will continue to happen from now UNTIL doomsday!! No amount of media attention OR Monetary compensation will make a Dr.or Hospital become better at diagnosing anything at all!!..
IF you do NOT like my opinions then DON'T BOTHER READING them.
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| May 5, 2007 @ 2:40 AM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits
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JohnnyPopper
Posts: 131
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Fentanyl Law suits?? http://www.klinespecter.com/duragesic.htm
When I get any meds from the doctor or hospital, I check them out online at a reputable Medical Information site and READ all I can about the effects of what is prescribed for me.. IF others would do the same thing they may all still be alive now!!
http://www.drugs.com/fentanyl.html
What is the most important information I should know about Fentanyl topical? Keep both used and unused fentanyl topical patches or devices out of the reach of children or pets. The amount of fentanyl in these units can be fatal to a child or pet who accidentally sucks on or swallows the unit. Seek emergency medical attention if this happens. Before using fentanyl topical, tell your doctor if you have a breathing disorder such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). You should not use fentanyl topical if you have had an allergic reaction or severe side effects when using any narcotic pain medicine.
Fentanyl topical may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. This medication should never be given to another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it. Fentanyl can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. You should not use a Duragesic skin patch unless you are already being treated with a similar opioid pain medicine and your body is tolerant to it. Opioid medicines include morphine (Kadian, MS Contin, Oramorph, and others), oxycodone (Oxycontin), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Talk with your doctor if you are not sure you are opioid-tolerant. Avoid drinking alcohol, or using other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold medicine, other pain medication, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by fentanyl and may cause extreme drowsiness or breathing problems.
What is Fentanyl Topical? Fentanyl is a narcotic (opioid) pain medicine.
The Duragesic fentanyl skin patch is used to treat moderate to severe chronic pain. The Ionsys fentanyl transdermal device is used only in a hospital to treat acute pain after surgery.
Fentanyl topical may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using Fentanyl topical? Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to fentanyl or any other medications, or if you have: a breathing disorder such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD);
a history of head injury or brain tumor;
a heart rhythm disorder;
liver disease; or
kidney disease.
If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use fentanyl topical, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.
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You are just as responsible for YOUR health as well as the Doctor OR Hospital you are being treated at!! 
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| May 5, 2007 @ 9:05 AM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits |
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morella
Posts: 14
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Yes I have read them after the fact. I am sorry about your wife and could imagine what you have gone through. Then you have the understanding that having gone through radiation on the brain and then having the brain swell already produced its own stress for all These treatments have caused memorey loss. No one would be able to conceive of looiking up what fentanyl and its effects. There had been more than one issue here. He was also given haldor and steroid for swelling reduction.
I am like you looking things up but it was too late. We did not have months. There was only 2 days.
Perhaps one person will not make a difference but it will be added to others. I am reading that others who have taken fentanyl have sued. More recently the FDA required the company to post warning signs about tthis med.
For that matter any meds should also go this way.
_____________________________
You are just as responsible for YOUR health as well as the Doctor OR Hospital you are being treated at!!
You may be correct in this but health professionals also need to be responsible.
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| May 5, 2007 @ 10:15 AM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits
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steveemac
Posts: 2,335
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IF you do NOT like my opinions then DON'T BOTHER READING them.
You're entitled to your opinions; I was just wondering why you're being such a prick in expressing them.
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| May 5, 2007 @ 11:04 AM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits |
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morella
Posts: 14
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Thank you, steveemac for reminding us that we should be respectful, if not compasionate.
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| May 5, 2007 @ 11:32 AM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits
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JohnnyPopper
Posts: 131
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Thank you, steveemac for reminding us that we should be respectful 
WOW calling someone NAMES is being respectfull now?? Man this world has gone into the CRAPPER really good.... Go FLAME someone else...
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| May 6, 2007 @ 10:10 AM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits |
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morella
Posts: 14
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Thank you for your comments, JohnnyPopper. Let's call it a day. I am interested in what others think. Maybe health professionals in the hospital environment can comment.
I am truly sorry for your loss.
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| May 6, 2007 @ 11:41 AM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits
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eastham
Posts: 7,909
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You do not say which hospital treated your fiance. Hospitals, like individual physicians, have their strengths and weaknesses and their specialties. As I live in NYC, I would march myself to Sloane Kettering if I had a cancer diagnosis.
Yes, I agree we need to be as educated as possible about our own health care; however, one important point not raised in the previous threads is the role of managed care in limiting our treatment choices, etc. Managed care companies play both sides of the game, they send out informational flyers and have online education programs, yet they ration necessary care. There are many treatment options that are denied, not because they are not believed to affect good patient care but because of cost.
And last, don't confuse misdiagnosis (which is the underlying problem contributing to your fiance's death) with the drug used. Cancer is not a monolithic disease. Even specific cancers, like breast cancer, have different types, which respond to different treatments. At the end of the day, all of these treatments are dangerous and must be used with great care, because the object of chemotherapy is to KILL the cancer.
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| May 6, 2007 @ 9:10 PM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits |
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morella
Posts: 14
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The hospital was Lutheran Medical.
one important point not raised in the previous threads is the role of managed care in limiting our treatment choices
He was supposed to have transferred to Sloane Kettering but he never made it. The complicated managed care system from one to another have their own red tape.
Yes there are two issues- one is the misdiagnosis and the other medication.
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| Jun 19, 2007 @ 3:25 PM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits
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morella
Posts: 14
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I am in touch with an attorney. It all depends on the toxicity reports and that is coming soon on Fentanyl issue.
Attorney said this case is extremely difficult due to cancer complexity.
I would like to hear if anyone has experience with the Fentanyl patch or any meds like this.
Thanks.
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| Jun 19, 2007 @ 8:47 PM |
Hospital Misdiagnosis...Fentanyl Law suits |
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emperorguy
Posts: 393
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Hate to say this-- but your lawyer is right-- damn near to impossible to prove negligence here-- quite possible, the MD realized he was taking a risk, but decided to ameliorate the pain rather than try to prolong life at that point. I'm somewhat biased here-- was a Paramedic out of LMC for many years-- and found them routinely to be among the most competent, caring people I ever dealt with.
Fentanyl is only prescribed for one reason-- to ease pain, usually when no other meds work, as in the case of late stage cancer.
I am sorry for your loss---
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