This may sound confusing. I went out with friends and had a too much to drink. when I came home and went to sleep, well, more like passed out, my husband called an ambulance and told them that I had overdosed on ativan, a nerve pill. They gave me charcoal and IV's, put me in ICU for observation then the psychiatric unit for suicide attempt. They also took urine and blood samples and found no drugs in my system at all. While I was in the hospital my husband filed for custody and put a protection order against me stating that i was a danger to my children. I have no home and no children. How could he do this and what should I do?

This may sound confusing. I went out with friends and had a too much to drink. when I came home and went to sleep, well, more like passed out, my husband called an ambulance and told them that I had overdosed on ativan, a nerve pill. They gave me charcoal and IV's, put me in ICU for observation then the psychiatric unit for suicide attempt. They also took urine and blood samples and found no drugs in my system at all. While I was in the hospital my husband filed for custody and put a protection order against me stating that i was a danger to my children. I have no home and no children. How could he do this and what should I do?

You need an attorney, ASAP. Besides the custody problem, you may have some legal recourse against the hospital. They should never have begun an IV without running a blood test first.

Xena, under these circumstances the ER started the IV following appropriate standards of practice. The IV is needed in case medications are indicated especially in an emergency situation. IV fluids are given either to keep vein open (KVO) or to administer hydrating fluids. If she was still passed out upon arrival to the ER, that would have been the first thing they did. Actually, the IV was more than likely started in the ambulance by the paramedics. They would not wait until they received the results of blood tests before putting in an IV.

Xena, under these circumstances the ER started the IV following appropriate standards of practice. The IV is needed in case medications are indicated especially in an emergency situation. IV fluids are given either to keep vein open (KVO) or to administer hydrating fluids. If she was still passed out upon arrival to the ER, that would have been the first thing they did. Actually, the IV was more than likely started in the ambulance by the paramedics. They would not wait until they received the results of blood tests before putting in an IV.

Wouldn't that only be true if she was dehydrated? What is the purpose of starting an IV on someone who is just passed out?

And seriously, my medical education came from re-runs of St. Elsewhere, so I have no idea, that is just the logical deduction I made. I am not saying you are wrong by any means, just asking out of curosity.

Xena, under these circumstances the ER started the IV following appropriate standards of practice. The IV is needed in case medications are indicated especially in an emergency situation. IV fluids are given either to keep vein open (KVO) or to administer hydrating fluids. If she was still passed out upon arrival to the ER, that would have been the first thing they did. Actually, the IV was more than likely started in the ambulance by the paramedics. They would not wait until they received the results of blood tests before putting in an IV.

You have a point about the OP may have been unconcious, and starting an IV for fluids is standard. I may be wrong, but I got the impression that medication was administered thru the IV before any tests were run. I may have jumped the gun in my post and I should have asked the OP a few questions first.

Edit: I just reread OP's post and spotted why I assumed she was talking about medication IV, OP said that besides an IV she was also given charcoal, which indicates that she was awake for at least part of the time.

You have a point about the OP may have been unconcious, and starting an IV for fluids is standard. I may be wrong, but I got the impression that medication was administered thru the IV before any tests were run. I may have jumped the gun in my post and I should have asked the OP a few questions first.

You mean that's NOT just something that they say on ER all the time.... "start her on IV fluids!" I like to throw in a "Stat!"

Learn something new every day, I guess...

You mean that's NOT just something that they say on ER all the time.... "start her on IV fluids!" I like to throw in a "Stat!"

Learn something new every day, I guess...

No, it really is pretty standard and alot of the time only fluids are given. The mistake I made was in assuming that meds were given before tests were done. ( I guess because I had that happen to me once and it almost killed me).

In the event someone is not able to speak for themselfs due to whatever (unconsious, ubtunded etc...) when the emergency system is activated (911) EMS responds. Paramedics work under various forms of consent. The Emergency room staff work under similar consents.

The best consent is informed where the patient is alert and oriented and can speak for themselfs. They can make informed decisions.

When a patient is unconsious we work under implied consent. Meaning to the best of my knowledge (I have been a Paramedic for a LONG time - nearly 20 years) it is implied that if the patient were consious and alert they would agree after being informed that being treated for this emergency is in their best interest.

Once they regain consiousness and are alert and oriented they can discontinue treatment if they choose.

The same works for minors. It is implied that if their parent were present it would be in the childs best interest to be treated for this emergency.

In suspected overdoses it is considered a behavioral emergency and implied consent is used so treatment would have been rendered.

I can tell you the charcol route is wayyyyy no fun. It taste absoloutly horrible (every patient I give it to makes the worst ugly face you ever could imagine.) Some brands of charcol have sorbitol in them. It makes you do a few things. It makes some of the large toxin molecules bind together and exit the GI system. There are 2 exits and normaly only 2 exits to the GI system. They are the mouth and the ....................yea that place. And when it exits its messy - at both ends. Never seen a case yet when that has not happened and I work in an inner city level 1 trauma ER. Weekends are never boring.

As far as just starting IV's without lab work. Yes we start IVs depending on the kind of emergency as SOP. If we feel at anytime we might need to administer medications the IV is the best route. It might be to give fluids - it might just be to have a secure way to give medications (KVO - no one says TKO anymore like on Emergency with Johnny and Roy).

This may sound confusing. I went out with friends and had a too much to drink. when I came home and went to sleep, well, more like passed out, my husband called an ambulance and told them that I had overdosed on ativan, a nerve pill. They gave me charcoal and IV's, put me in ICU for observation then the psychiatric unit for suicide attempt. They also took urine and blood samples and found no drugs in my system at all. While I was in the hospital my husband filed for custody and put a protection order against me stating that i was a danger to my children. I have no home and no children. How could he do this and what should I do?


Okay, playing devils advocate here for a moment. I doubt that you were forced to go out with your friends and consume alcohol. Set up,,hum,, I think not so much.

As far as the treatment you received, I have a feeling that if the IV was started in the ambulance, you would have received 0.9 normal saline. Salt water at the same concentration as in your blood.

If the IV were started in the ER, when it was placed, labs were likely drawn at the same time. Likely, unless you were to the point that you were no longer breathing on your own, and I have seen people so drunk they stop breathing, your labs (blood and urine) would have been taken before you received any meds with the exception of charcoal and / or Narcan (some squads are permitted to give Narcan), which would not show up in a drug screen anyway. If a person is awake they are asked to drink the charcoal. If a patient is not awake, they get a foley cathether. A foley is where we stick a tube up the urethra into the bladder and it stays there until the patient is sufficiently awake to get up and go on their own. If they are not awake or they are combative, we snake a tube down their nose into their stomach (an NG tube) and give the charcoal that way. (not pretty and pretty painful) If a person is combative, they get 4 point locked restraints and then get an NG and a foley.

Alcohol level is determined by blood tests. Drug tests are usually done through urine tests.

Why? Because under normal circumstances and absent a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order, we have to assume the person would want to live.

If you were admitted to the ICU, it was likely because your alcohol level would have been at toxic (lethal) levels. They would not have likely transferred you to the Mental Health Unit unless they evaluated you and your history and decided it was possible this was a suicide attempt.

As far as what your husband did, was it a Ex Parte Domestic Violence RO? If so, there will be a hearing within one week to determine whether or not it was justified. You need to go to your hospital's records department and get copies of the tests to prove you did not ingest drugs. They may want to see all the records so don't just think you can show them a clean test for drugs and not show them the alcohol level, or any documents concerning any mental health evaluation. You should get an attorney as soon as possible. If you cannot find an attorney right away, ask for a continuance at the hearing in order to obtain counsel and do whatever it takes to get one. Be prepared to defend yourself and your mental health.

As far as the treatment you received, I have a feeling that if the IV was started in the ambulance, you would have received 0.9 normal saline. Salt water at the same concentration as in your blood.

If the IV were started in the ER, when it was placed, labs were likely drawn at the same time. Likely, unless you were to the point that you were no longer breathing on your own, and I have seen people so drunk they stop breathing, your labs (blood and urine) would have been taken before you received any meds...

Thank you OSM, this is what I was trying to say, but couldn't come up with the right words.

My questions are how long were you passed out, what in fact woke you up and at any point did you refuse treatment?

See this is the thing. You have to be (mostly) sober to refuse treatment. If she made any statements about self harm, threatened to hurt someone, or has a history of mental illness, she wouldn't have been given a choice to refuse treatment.

At that point, she would have been considered a threat to self or others and would have likely been put on a three day hold.

See this is the thing. You have to be (mostly) sober to refuse treatment. If she made any statements about self harm, threatened to hurt someone, or has a history of mental illness, she wouldn't have been given a choice to refuse treatment.

At that point, she would have been considered a threat to self or others and would have likely been put on a three day hold.

Yeah, I get that part but I guess I'm confused because the OP never mentions the fact that she woke up, struggled, refused treatment, attempted to explain what happened...etc. I know I've been pretty lit before in my life but never lit enough I don't think I could have gone through all of that and not woke up.

Yeah, I get that part but I guess I'm confused because the OP never mentions the fact that she woke up, struggled, refused treatment, attempted to explain what happened...etc. I know I've been pretty lit before in my life but never lit enough I don't think I could have gone through all of that and not woke up.

Yeah... when I went through that kind of trauma, I didn't wake up in the psych ward... I woke up pregnant.

Yeah... when I went through that kind of trauma, I didn't wake up in the psych ward... I woke up pregnant.

hehe lolol

It's sad to say, but every weekend, and this is only a small city, we see at least 4 people who are too drunk to wake up. I'm talking about people who only have alcohol in their system. You can stick them with a cannon of an IV (talking fat pencil lead / roofing nail size IV's) and they don't even flinch. Last weekend, we saw two women who registered 457 and 458 respectively in their blood alcohol tests, nearly 6 times the legal limit. Our legal limit is 80 (.80 in the written law). One was passed out, one was bucking, cussing, punching, and biting. Toxic / lethal level. Sad to say but it's pretty commonplace.

I've also seen an 18 yo with a level of only 169 who could no longer breathe on his own and was being "bagged" (bag valve mask to force air into the lungs) when the squad brought him in. He ended up on a vent for two days. His uncle had bought him 18 shots for 18 years. Ridiculous. All of the alcohol didn't even have time to make it into his system before he stopped breathing and they had to keep him on the vent for two days while they flushed him with fluids. Happy Birthday to you!

I guess it all depends on each persons tolerance for alcohol.

My gut feeling on the OP is that this isn't the first time at the rodeo and her husband doesn't like her going out as much as she does. Perhaps a suicide threat or two in the past (or even that night) to create some extra special drama. (and take the argument away from from the issue of her drinking) And all of it finally turned around and bit her in the booty when he called her bluff.

Just my thought but that's the general / average alcoholic senario when someone puts their foot down about childish *** behavior. Then again, doing what I do, seeing the repeat offenders as often as I do, and having an alcoholic exH can make a person just a little jaded.

, and having an alcoholic exH can make a person just a little jaded.

BTDT and I agree. When you live with an alcoholic you do become a bit jaded. I also agree that this probably wasn't the first incident and dad needed something on record.