Yup, The Va Made Me Sick.....literally

[purple]

I was wondering why I have felt like s**t the past several days. And I had checked my med interactions and this had come up before with me. Serotonin syndrome. It's because the RN person prescribed me both Wellbutrin (buspar) and Trazodone at the same time. That's a huge no-no. I was reading the symptoms for serotonin syndrome and going "holy shit!". So this morning I only took 1/2 dose of Wellbutrin and what do you know.....I don't feel quite as bad.

Tonight I'll take 1/2 the dose again (never good to quit cold turkey) and maybe through tomorrow and then stop taking it altogether. And no.....I still don't have a pdoc. So I have no one to call and ask about this. I guess I could call tdoc and let her find someone to ask.

Ridiculous. Maybe this is why RN person isn't allowed to see pts anymore?????

[Wings]

x

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http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1773

Department of Veterans Affairs

VHA DIRECTIVE 2008-059

Veterans Health Administration

Washington, DC 20420

September 29, 2008

ADVERSE DRUG EVENT REPORTING AND MONITORING

1. PURPOSE: This Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Directive establishes national policy and procedures for reporting, monitoring, and surveillance of adverse drug events (ADEs) entered into the VHA’s spontaneous ADE reporting system for observed and new ADEs at VHA medical centers.

2. BACKGROUND: ADEs must be reported to the national VA Adverse Drug Event Reporting System (VA ADERS), the newly formed VA ADERS Advisory Committee, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) MedWatch system (can be found at: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/FDA-3500A_Fillable.pdf ).

NOTE: Disclosure of adverse events to patients is not addressed in this Directive. Consult current VHA policy for disclosure of adverse events to patients, as it is a related but separate policy.

THIS VHA DIRECTIVE EXPIRES SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

[purple]

Wings-

Thanks for that link, I electronically submitted a report. I know that going to anyone within the VA about this is a huge waste of my time and it would be covered up anyway. I've stopped taking the Wellbutrin completely now. I still don't feel all that great, not sure how long it will take to get that crap out of my system...I'm going to look up it's half life.

I'm to the point I don't care who at the Dayton VA gets in trouble anymore...it's time for some serious accountability. I mean, they already don't like me! LOL!!!! I said in my report that there needs to be much more outside monitoring and oversight of VA physicians and the pharmacy versus allowing the VA to self-monitor because that obviously isn't working.

I'll let you know what kind of response I get.

[Wings]

Wings-

Thanks for that link, I electronically submitted a report. I know that going to anyone within the VA about this is a huge waste of my time and it would be covered up anyway.

Good for you!! You did the right thing; agree that there needs to be independent oversight of the VA. Your report may help another vet!!

I've stopped taking the Wellbutrin completely now. I still don't feel all that great, not sure how long it will take to get that crap out of my system...I'm going to look up it's half life.

I hope you are feeling better soon!! Have you thought about "VA Fee-Base-Care Application"???

I'm to the point I don't care who at the Dayton VA gets in trouble anymore...it's time for some serious accountability. I mean, they already don't like me! LOL!!!!

We don't need them to like us LOL! When someone doesn't like me, I tell them to take aq number and stand in line LOL!!

I said in my report that there needs to be much more outside monitoring and oversight of VA physicians and the pharmacy versus allowing the VA to self-monitor because that obviously isn't working.

YEAH, You rock ;-)

I'll let you know what kind of response I get.

Look forward to it!! ~Wings

[LarryJ]

I feel that I do need to point out one thing:

An "RN person" isn't going to be "prescribing" anything.

And, if there are recognized adverse effects of taking two different drugs simultaneously, then the pharmacy/pharmacist should have halted the issuance of the scripts (they have a computer program, nowadays, that alerts them, also).

[purple]

Larry,

No, seriously. The RN that I was seeing for therapy was also prescribing meds...not only for me but for most of her pts. The reason? Lack of pdocs at the Dayton VAMC. No shit. Also, no co-sign from any doc. Oh trust me.....I'm keeping these script bottles that have her name on them. And she was just a regular RN....not a Nurse Practitioner.

I've tried to report it before outside the VA and was told that no civilian agency has oversight over the VA. Gee, what has to happen before someone steps in? Sadly I already know the answer to that question. I don't want to be in the body count.