[NPInfo] Why we have to watch what we prescribe

[Sue Wiers]

Who knows what the facts are, but that does sound like a concerning mix.  Hard to imagine one person writing all of that (particularly two forms of testosterone).  

> To: ACC-Circle at listserve.com; NPinfo at nurse.net> From: dmittman at comcast.net> Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2008 20:07:58 -0500> Subject: [NPInfo] Why we have to watch what we prescribe> > Such an interesting case.> -Did the NP really write all these meds?> -Does anyone have personal accountability anymore?> -His sister was an RN and says she knew taking these meds was wrong. > Why did she not say anything?> In any case, we should all remember to watch what we prescribe.> Dave> > Thursday, 06 March 2008> Family: Meds behind Lehi shooting> > Provo, Utah> David Ragsdale's family is hoping to show that a cocktail of > antidepressants and other mood-altering drugs are responsible for the > shooting death of his wife.> > After a hearing at Provo's 4th District Court on Wednesday, Tamara > Ragsdale said she believed her brother is innocent and that he was > "not conscious when this tragic act was committed."> > David Ragsdale is charged with aggravated murder, a capital offense. > According to police, Ragsdale shot his wife, Kristy, in the parking > lot of an LDS church in Lehi on Jan. 6.> At the time of his wife's murder, David Ragsdale, 35, was taking > seven medications, including Paxil, Doxepin, Ritalin, Provigil and > two forms of testosterone, his sister said. Tamara Ragsdale said the > plethora of negative side effects he suffered from the drugs were not > properly monitored by the nurse practitioner who prescribed them, and > the interactions chemically altered his brain.> "David put his faith and trust in a nurse practitioner, the [Food and > Drug Administration] and the pharmaceutical companies that these > drugs were safe," she said. "David is now living in his own hell as > he is coming off of these meds. He is waking up to the horror of this > reality."> At Wednesday's hearing, David Ragsdale's attorney, Gregory Skordas, > requested a continuance so his client could undergo a psychological > evaluation. Skordas said the evaluation would be completed by the end > of the month. Judge Claudia Laycock scheduled the next hearing in the > case for April 9.> "We want to make sure we have all the evidence together to make the > correct decisions," Tamara Ragsdale said. "There's a couple different > tests we're going to have done."> Deputy Utah County Attorney Craig Johnson said the Ragsdales will use > a private psychologist, not a court-appointed one.> "This is news to us. This isn't something that we had appointed or > anything in any way," Johnson said.> Tamara Ragsdale read a statement written by her brother in which he > apologized for Kristy's death.> "Words cannot describe how incredibly sorry I am for the death of my > wife, Kristy. I want the Palizzi family and everyone to know that I > would do anything to bring her back, even if it meant giving up my > own life," Tamara Ragsdale said as she read her brother's statement. > "It is time for the public to educate themselves of the adverse > reactions of these mind-altering drugs and how they act on the brain."> Some of the listed side effects of the medications Ragsdale was > taking include manic reaction, suicide, homicidal tendencies, > hallucinations, delusions, psychosis, amnesia, panic and seizures, > Tamara Ragsdale said. She said her brother was suffering blackouts, > severe headaches and other side effects from the drugs.> Tamara Ragsdale said her brother had gone to the nurse practitioner > who prescribed the drugs at the urging of his wife. He had been > taking some of the medications for about a year, she said, while > others were prescribed just two months before the shooting.> While spending Christmas with David and Kristy, Tamara Ragsdale said > she noticed marked changes in her brother.> "I'm a nurse, so I knew something was wrong with his behavior and his > meds," she said. "These medications were altering his brain."> She criticized what she described as a tendency of some people to > rely on prescriptions to fix their problems. She also said the family > is considering legal action against the nurse practitioner who > prescribed the medications.> "I think that when people aren't happy they tend to go to the doctor, > or ask their spouse to go, and think that there's going to be a magic > pill that's going to fix something," she said. "David happened to be > a victim of this and tragically ... what happened was he suffered > from the adverse reactions."> Carrie Peters, Kristy Ragsdale's cousin, made a brief statement to > the media after the hearing, but declined to comment on the progress > of the case.> "We just want everybody to know that we just love Kristy so much and > we miss her a great deal, and we are hoping that through justice and > forgiveness we might be able to find safety and closure," Peters said.> _______________________________________________> NPInfo mailing list> NPInfo at nurse.net> http://lists.nurse.net/mailman/listinfo/npinfo> *****************************
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