PROPRANOLOL - PLEASE READ

[rankinchris]

Hi,
A few of my facebook friends have been sharing this post regarding a local attempt suicide, the post is massive but it have copied out this part as it mentions the effects of propranolol.

On behalf of my family and I, I am writing this post regarding Megans current situation.
Over 6 weeks ago Megan tried to take her own life. We thought by finding Megan early enough that she would by now be back home and able to tell her story in her own words, unfortunately that's not been the case. After weeks of hoping, praying and staying positive everyday, we were told a couple of weeks ago that Megans brain damage is so severe that she wouldn't ever be able to come back home to us and would need 24 hour residential medical care. Megans hypoxic brain damage has mostly been caused by an overdose of a drug called propranolol, which is an anti anxiety drug that slows down your heart and it completely stopped Megans heart for over an hour and a half during which time she needed and received continual CPR. Since previously been given this devastating news we have now been told that she has been accepted as a residential patient to the Astley Ainsley hospital in Edinburgh, this is a hospital that specialises in severe Neurological brain injuries.

 

[AnxietyAttack44]

Ive read it. Thats why we dont mess with overdoses.

 

[aminend]

Overdose is risky and futile. I case of SN. 800mg propranolol is recommended which cant cause brain damage

 

[rankinchris]

Ive read it. Thats why we dont mess with overdoses.

you also from Scotland ?

 

[Saed]

Mother of God,poor girl. This is an ever present risk with all suicide methods,in that at some point,the oxygen supply to the brain will be cut off or massively impeded,say,in an attempt bound to failure for whatever reason.
Should the attempt be interrupted by anyone,this can be the outcome.
There's a video (or was) on Youtube of a mother,who found her son attempting partial hanging. He is now in the same state as this poor young lady.
I can only hope Megan has zero awareness on any level,and has attained eternal peace of sorts.

 

[AnxietyAttack44]

you also from Scotland ?

No, sorry. Im from croatia / philippines. But i did read it. Poor girl. Too bad some methods are so uncertain.

 

[rankinchris]

Mother of God,poor girl. This is an ever present risk with all suicide methods,in that at some point,the oxygen supply to the brain will be cut off or massively impeded,say,in an attempt bound to failure for whatever reason.
Should the attempt be interrupted by anyone,this can be the outcome.
There's a video (or was) on Youtube of a mother,who found her son attempting partial hanging. He is now in the same state as this poor young lady.
I can only hope Megan has zero awareness on any level,and has attained eternal peace of sorts.

Well throughout the post they are saying how amazing it is she is being transferred to this hospital, and how she will fight etc...But im just thinking - is it amazing ? shes left in a worse state now that what she ever was, she most definetly wouldn't think its amazing

 

[Lastsauce]

The possibility of getting severe brain damage and not be able to do anything about your fate makes proper planning critical.
Terrifying situation for all the people concerned :(

 

[rankinchris]

if anyone is wanting to read it

 

[Raminiki]

This is truly tragic and thank you for bringing the danger to attention. I can't help but feel that Megan's family should respectfully let her go instead of keeping her alive in this condition. She would not want to go on like this. I hope she's unaware of everything and not suffering.

I can't speak for her, or her family, I just feel sad and hopeless about it all. I had a loved one who was in a vegetative state for several years. Their partner wouldn't let them go. They never came back and were forced to keep existing in that state until they finally died.

 

[AnxietyAttack44]

Well throughout the post they are saying how amazing it is she is being transferred to this hospital, and how she will fight etc...But im just thinking - is it amazing ? shes left in a worse state now that what she ever was, she most definetly wouldn't think its amazing

She wanted to ctb. I take it that she wont be too thrilled if she recovers. I know id be preety pissed

 

[Dreamless Sleep]

This is heartbreaking. My worst nightmare really. With so much unknown about the human brain, it scares me to think that people in a vegetative state are still somehow aware.

I've listened to Metallica's One too much I guess.

 

[Jumper Geo]

Very sad and tragic story being found and her heart started after 90 minutes is incredible, I think that's everyone's worst nightmare no matter what method we choose there is a chance something could go wrong, it takes a lot of time and planning that's why I worry when I see people who come across as impulsive when trying to CTB. I hope she has pleasant dreams and has no recollection of what has happened to her.

Cheers

Geo

 

[meerpasta]

This is what scares me so much with lots of suicide methods, if I ended up in that state I know my parents wouldn't let me die because I've discussed it with them already, it's just so scary to take the risk of ending up in an even worse position than I already am and not have any way out at all anymore. I truly hope she is brain damaged enough to not be conscious or at least not suffer nearly as much as she did before.

 

[mem12]

Maybe someone knows whether or not she was on this forum?

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

Megans hypoxic brain damage has mostly been caused by an overdose of a drug called propranolol, which is an anti anxiety drug that slows down your heart and it completely stopped Megans heart for over an hour and a half during which time she needed and received continual CPR.

I find the use of the word "mostly" to be interesting.

That indicates there is an omission of one or more additional contributing factors to the hypoxic brain damage.

I can't begin to speculate as to what the other factor(s) may be and how much impact they had on the severity of the brain injury. I just note that the whole story is not being told.

 

[Aap]

Very sad. It's always a good idea to have an advance directive, regardless of age. It can't guarantee anything, but it can guarantee not to make things worse. They can be created online easily.

 

[rhiino]

The poor girl. If they had not interfered she maybe would be at peape now, like she wanted. In the end, the family did this to her.

 

[FreddieQuell]

Poor girl. For her I hope she is in a vegetative state and does not have to endure any suffering. I wish her family strength in accepting she is not nor will she ever be the person she once was and that the best choice might be to let her go.

 

[autumnal]

The poor girl. If they had not interfered she maybe would be at peape now, like she wanted. In the end, the family did this to her.

She did it to herself. To be fair on the family, they (presumably) weren't the ones responsible for giving the prolonged CPR, and they certainly weren't responsible for the advanced medical interventions afterwards. Odds are at that point the medical staff were still actively hoping and fighting to save her, and that's not the point at which a family are consulted about whether or not to continue treatment.

From reading all of the Facebook post, it sounds like perhaps the family are now being very naively optimistic about her chances for any kind of meaningful recovery. The fact that they seem religious probably doesn't help things either. So this would be the point at which they should consider the possibility of letting her go, but not during the earlier emergency treatment.

 

[rhiino]

I wish her family strength in accepting she is not nor will she ever be the person she once was and that the best choice might be to let her go.

She might not even be capable of trying again.

 

[virginiawoolf86]

Personal hell. I hope that I'm beyond this point when I'm found.

Which sounds really messed up to say. My aloofness with suicidality has gone up.

 

[Cantdothisanymore]

Is she able to breathe on her own? If she is on life support, let her go. My mother was brain dead and I only kept her alive so my husband could be by my side to turn off the machine as I am an only child. It was the best thing I ever did for my mum, and I know she is far happier where she is now than she ever was down here. I can't wait to see her again.

 

[mini_weeny]

It's important to point out that propranolol was deadly as she went I to cardiac arrest, what caused her brain damage was the stupidity of paramedics bringing her back. The update is that she lost her sight and mobility and had permanent brain damage. They should have left her go