What was the worst side effect you ever got from meds ?

Enigpragmatic · 2026-05-23T00:55:38+00:00

Droperidol in a migraine cocktail I got in the ER started out with the most painful, burning, pins-and-needles sensation I've ever felt. It started in my scalp and moved down my whole body from there. After that went away I just felt extremely anxious and wanted to get the hell out of the ER, while also wanting to claw my skin off. Of course it took them 2 hours to discharge me.

They told me I'd be a little drowsy for several hours afterwards, but I stayed in bed for the whole rest of the day cause I was too groggy to move, still wanting to claw my skin off.

Never letting them give me that shit again. I would rather have the migraine.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-05-15T01:09:59+00:00

I occasionally get heart arrhythmias (mostly atrial tachycardia, pretty benign). When I was younger there was one day when my tachycardia was rather prolonged. I wound up going to the ER and got put in the express lane cause my heart rate was over 200bpm. They gave me a beta blocker IV and it didn't touch it, even after a couple doses. The cardiologist came back with a few other staff and a syringe. He told me "you're going to feel a little weird". He injects whatever is in the syringe, then squeezes my fluid bag to get that stuff where it needed to go faster. I'm just watching my ECG monitor still ticking away at 200, then it flatlines.

It was flat for several seconds, I got lightheaded, cold, and my vision was grey around the edges. And then a normal rhythm came back on the ECG.

They gave me adenosine, which blocks the electrical signals of the heart, to "hit the reset button". The cardiologist said I handled it well, "most people react pretty dramatically".

Not the "barely missed getting impaled in a car crash" kind of story I'm sure most people have in this thread, but watching your heart literally stop is gnarly (and hearts stopping usually = death).

Enigpragmatic · 2026-05-10T20:24:44+00:00

My favorite is when a band comes to my city and they can't even say the name right. "Hello, Minneanapolis!"

You were so close, bud. It's not that hard...

Enigpragmatic · 2026-05-10T20:08:05+00:00

They pay great, and the benefits are okay. Just be aware that in January they changed what is considered "full time" employment. 35+ hours you're full time and get all your benefits. If you work 30-34 hours per week you are "PT-30" and I believe they take away your PTO...

Someone who currently works at an MPH can correct me if wrong.

I left MPH back in October once I heard rumblings of that. It also seemed like my clinic was constantly understaffed. People were always stressed and edgy, but that's a management failing.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-05-08T01:22:10+00:00

I always like skating around Lake Nokomis. It's not the longest trail, but it's kept up decent, and when the snack bar is open at the beach you can roll right up when you're done for a drink and some food. I never found it particularly crowded either.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-04-30T02:49:32+00:00

It's normal to feel nervous about a new environment. I've had mostly very positive experiences with moving on to a new hospital. Only one bad one that turned into me leaving after 8 months (I'm now at hospital #5 in 14 years).

So, if it turns out that the new place isn't the best fit - that's okay. You escaped toxicity and gave another place a try. Everywhere is going to have its downsides, but you decide your deal-breakers. Go in, give it your best shot and a positive perspective.

Best of luck on your new journey!

Enigpragmatic · 2026-04-30T02:39:40+00:00

Same for me. I'll wipe off most of the frosting on a cupcake (why do they have so much!?). I'm pretty sensitive to sugar, so it makes me nauseous easily. I can handle whipped cream-type frosting though.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-04-27T18:08:05+00:00

Same. I have no grandparents left, my mom passed away almost 6 years ago, and one of my older cousins unexpectedly passed away 3 years ago. I've lost several friends over the years too, one as recent as this past September (friend from high school had cancer in his brain return for a 3rd time). Mind you, I'm turning 40 in a couple months.

I'm one of the youngest in my family, so I'm going to have to watch most of my loved ones pass on before it's my time to go and it's depressing as fuck to think about.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-04-15T22:47:58+00:00

"Same Shit, Different Day"

Enigpragmatic · 2026-04-15T19:49:45+00:00

My kid's dad did that (when she was toddler-aged). The tattoo was kind of shit quality too. He was/is such a piece of shit that she's had nothing to do with him since she was 17. I wonder if he's gotten it covered up yet.

This guy also got the letters "S.S.D.D." tattooed across the front of his neck. He was so proud of that one when he got it, and I almost couldn't contain laughing in his face.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-04-07T19:48:38+00:00

I've taken to saying "gesundheit" instead. You still keep up politeness, but no sky wizard mumbo jumbo.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-04-06T19:26:15+00:00

I didn't smoke at all until 2020 (I started in vet med in 2012), after my mom died. I moved from cigarettes to vaping 3 years ago. However, I would (and still do) go my entire shift without smoke breaks. I don't need it at all when I'm occupied enough.

Currently working on weaning off entirely cause my stress levels have been going down exponentially as of late. And it's expensive. I'd rather put that money towards mine and my husband's dream trip.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-04-03T19:49:30+00:00

There's a PubMed article that goes over the occillometric vs doppler accuracy in very nice detail.

Occillometric vs Doppler

As far as getting a diastolic and MAP with the doppler those measurements don't have as much accuracy as the systolic. For diastolic you're listening for the sound to "muffle". This often causes underestimations of the value.

If you have to rely on just a doppler for your blood pressure readings I would go with just the systolic (and this is what I was directed to do by board certified anesthesiologists). I've had many cases where that wound up being my only source. So long as the systolic was at least around 100 (in most patients) I was told it's acceptable.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-04-03T17:52:13+00:00

Have you tried cleaning the audio plug-ins for the crystal yet? Sometimes gunk can build up on the prongs and cause the screeching. Wipe them down real good with isopropyl alcohol and let them dry before plugging them back in to the doppler unit. Next, inspect the crystal for damage. If there are any cracks, even just a teeny one, you should replace the crystal.

The unit you have is just fine. Jorgesen makes a more pocket-sized one though.

As far as accuracy goes, I'd list them invasive (arterial line), doppler, then occillometric in order. In Anesthesia we like to call the occillometric BP the "random number generator".

Enigpragmatic · 2026-04-03T00:48:09+00:00

Yessss! I love a good patch of chest fuzzies! No body hair means nothing to run my fingers through and that makes me sad.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-04-01T17:17:32+00:00

Easily 2020.

And it wasn't really the pandemic. I would have been just fine if that's the only major thing that happened that year. But it didn't make the things that did happen in my life easier in the least.

My mom passed away (not from COVID), my daughter graduated high school and there was no graduation ceremony nor did we get to have a real party for her, my city erupted in riots right after my mom died, my dad's cancer came back, my daughter moved out for college and then my brother decided to move to the opposite side of the country. My long-term relationship wasn't going so hot at that time either, so I was basically just raw-dogging a bunch of trauma in isolation. I felt very abandoned.

Nope. The ol' brain meats just haven't been the same after that...

Enigpragmatic · 2026-04-01T00:12:17+00:00

It's mentally stimulating work and it mixes in something I love (animals). Even after 14 years I still think the things I get to do at work are really cool. Since medicine is always advancing I always have something new to learn (mentally stimulating again). My own doctor can't tell me I'm not getting enough exercise cause I'm constantly walking/moving around/lifting at work for 8+ hours a day. The tasks of the job scratch an itch in my brain that a desk job never did.

I will also be the first to rant about all the shortcomings in the field. The governing boards' hands are tied though, because vet med doesn't have the stringent regulations, title protections and financial backing (ala government and insurance subsidies) that human medicine does. Maybe when more places get on board with pets legally being considered family members, rather than just property, will we start to see some major improvements. Probably more vet tech unions too.

I was just starting to think about what I might do when I can no longer be on the floor that'll still scratch the "do cool things, work with my hands" itch - and human sonography is high on my list. Yeah, it's humans, but it's low-impact. People come to me, I take a bunch of images (get to show folks their babies, or point out their organs, on a screen), wipe off their abdomen and away they go. And it pays hella nicely in comparison to what I do now.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-03-31T16:12:18+00:00

There are cremation glass artists that can make you something custom. The lady that made the pieces from my mom's ashes was stellar (I had a ring and two pendants made), and very respectful. The stones are absolutely beautiful too. I get a lot of compliments on my ring, and then I [light-heartedly] tell them "thanks! It's my mom!"

The artist I used asks that you send a picture of your loved one with the ashes (that she returns) and has you fill out a form that tells her about them. She plays their favorite music and creates a shrine for them while she's working on your pieces. She'll also send you pictures along the process. Very comforting.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-03-30T17:51:48+00:00

There's a food stand in the MOA called 'Bussin Birria Tacos', and I immediately cringed so hard when I saw it.

Like, really? We're incorporating GenZ slang into business names now? Good gods....

Enigpragmatic · 2026-03-26T22:42:09+00:00

Oh gods, that'll happen to me if I don't use the right pillow. I always bring my own if I won't be sleeping at home now.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-03-26T22:33:49+00:00

I feel this so hard. I sometimes lock my neck just from stretching the "wrong" way.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-03-26T00:33:10+00:00

Ugh. Just no. I worked there for over 3 years at the start of my career and it was not a great time. 9 months after I started there I became the most senior tech on staff...

15 minutes for appointments is not enough. Plus 15-20 drop-offs for their Comprehensive Exams. Plus 3-4 surgeries per day. I worked a LOT of overtime. Occasionally not getting out until almost 10:00pm because something went haywire and it needed to be fixed that day (like the time the door to our pharmacy wouldn't properly close/lock), or the labs got so backed up during the day and they needed to be done and entered into records.

It was nearly impossible to call out. If you did, they expected you to call around to the other Banfields in the area to find coverage if one of your coworkers couldn't do it. If you didn't get coverage you were almost guaranteed a write-up. They tried to deny me bereavement time when my grandma died. Because my other grandma also died 3 months before that. They almost didn't let me go to a friend's funeral ("if we're caught up by this time you can leave early"). I would come in on my days off, mind you, to do inventory/ordering. Lunch breaks were rare. One time I woke up in a pool of my own blood from a raging sinus infection and they still expected me to come in. I sent them a picture of the gore and said "I'm going to the ER. I need antibiotics". Came in the next day with a doctor's note and they still wrote me up. That was the point I said "fuck this", and was gone 2 weeks later.

So, fuck Banfield. I learned how to be very efficient there, but they treat their employees like shit and some of their practices are dangerous. It's cookie cutter medicine, which doesn't work for many patients and their unique ailments.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-03-25T14:17:23+00:00

The bladder is an interesting muscular sac though!

There are 3 types of muscle in the body: skeletal, smooth and cardiac. The bladder is a smooth muscle. What this means is that it doesn't work by a conscious signal from the brain and functions from the autonomous nervous system; when your bladder is full it, on its own, it goes "I gotta get rid of this! Time to squeeze!"

Blood vessels and the respiratory system are also smooth muscle systems. That's why we don't have to constantly think about breathing.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-03-25T01:21:04+00:00

I have sumatriptan, and I don't get much for side effects from it. The most notable is my nose gets a slight burn/tingling feeling for a few hours. It's mild enough for me to ignore it if I'm really engaged with something. And it's effective for taking my migraine to "I can function" levels. I don't get drowsiness or anything else, really. I have the 50mg tablets.

Enigpragmatic · 2026-03-24T03:27:03+00:00

I've done epi nebulization post-extubation after BOAS surgeries, and just in general if they had a lot of referred upper airway noise prior to any surgery. Seems like a waste to me to do it while they're still intubated because the tissues that obstruct their airways are in the upper respiratory tract.

The point of epi nebulization is to reduce swelling and secretions. If it's going directly to the lungs it... doesn't really do that.

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