Discussion July 18 Neuroscience SN article

[ooglah]

So this article popped up on my Google news.

 

[locked*n*loaded]

...............28 sodium nitrite poisoning deaths [in Canada] between 1980 and 2020.

28 deaths in 20 years? Doesn't seem like a pandemic to me. Even the 47 cases in the US between 2015 and 2020 is hardly worth noting, IMO.

 

[wljourney]

Oh that's very interesting! Thanks for sharing!
Two things I take away from this:
1. They are aware
2. No regulatory action is required because SN is used so widely for other purposes.

Also this made me chuckle:
"When asked what Health Canada is doing to address intentional poisonings, the spokesperson told CMAJ in an email that the government is focusing on supporting mental health and wellness."

I mean… we have wait times of 12+ months for mental health support.
And considering that ER's are temporarily closing and there are hour-long wait times to even be triaged right now… I can't see anyone using SN getting methylene blue within the necessary time.

You could drink SN in the hospital parking lot and you wouldn't see a doctor in time…

 

[tilsleepcomes]

I mean… we have wait times of 12+ months for mental health support.
And considering that ER's are temporarily closing and there are hour-long wait times to even be triaged right now…

Yeah, I'm in Toronto, and hitting the ER for mental health, even at dedicated psych hospital, you can wait like five hours or more to see a pshrink. When I tried to get a referral to a psych clinic through the ER (cuz finding a pshrink on their own who is taking patients here is ridiculous), I wasn't acute enough during the consult for them to take me.

Literally the only way for me to get care is to admit I wanna kill myself and get committed. Even then, when I DID do that, I couldn't get psych support after to continue meds and exploring what might help me.

 

[ooglah]

@wljourney I thought it was interesting that they're trying to have 'the antidote' at every ER.

 

[wljourney]

Yeah, I'm in Toronto, and hitting the ER for mental health, even at dedicated psych hospital, you can wait like five hours or more to see a pshrink. When I tried to get a referral to a psych clinic through the ER (cuz finding a pshrink on their own who is taking patients here is ridiculous), I wasn't acute enough during the consult for them to take me.

Literally the only way for me to get care is to admit I wanna kill myself and get committed. Even then, when I DID do that, I couldn't get psych support after to continue meds and exploring what might help me.

I hear you. The hoops to jump through to get support are insane. ERs in Ontario are currently so overwhelmed, they won't even keep you unless you have already attempted CTB. And all you are told is to talk to your GP. They have to refer you to a psychiatrist and that's another 12 months wait.
Depressing.

@wljourney I thought it was interesting that they're trying to have 'the antidote' at every ER.

Yes I saw that too.

Not sure if they actually do though. Tons of reasons for smaller hospitals and their pharmacies not to stock it or just a small quantity. With all the funding cuts… I can't see it happening outside the major cities.

And again: if people have to wait 8 hrs to just be triaged there is no way they'd get a doctor to assess you, try a few other things first, wait for the call back from poison control, then order meth blue from the in-house pharmacy and then administer it in time.
Not right now.

Hospitals are in such dire straits, our local hospital only has enough staff for lifesaving surgeries.