WARNING DO NOT SWALLOW oops

IF I SHOULD GET TO  LOOK LIKE HER, I WON'T WANT TO.

 

I got up this morning as usual and went into the kitchen to take my meds.

I am on a variety of them, but today I'm going to talk about Spiriva. My inhalation drug for my mild COPD.

I take three other capsules in the a.m.

My friend Pat is having a knee replacement this morning, so I was thinking about her when I took my pills. Without thinking, I swallowed the Spiriva.

Oh Shit. I pulled the information package out of the trash.( It was a new pack and I've been taking it for a few years.) Why would I need the insert?) I looked all over the 3 foot insert and it said in several places "DO NOT SWALLOW" followed by a circle with a line through it. I forgot. this is the digital era. I can take a picture of it. Wow. So cool.

 

 

This is in several places. It makes me think that if I do swallow, there will be consequences. And not like winning the lottery kind.

 

No where did it say what to do if you did. I read as much as I could of the tome. The only place that sort of mentioned it was about overdosing.  Under that was accidental ingestion. To quote -

"Acute intoxication by inadvertent oral ingestion of capsules is unlikely since it is not well-absorbed systemically."

If I knew exactly what that meant, I would have felt better. Since I wasn't sure I spent the next portion of the morning looking for a phone number to contact.

Thank God it was not an online venture because you know as well as I, that they hide their phone numbers because they never ever want you to call.

I did find a number under general information and I called it.

A lovely automated voice asked if I were a physician, pharmacist or pharmaceutical rep. Nope. Not one of those. It did go on and eventually gave a number to talk to an agent.

Not me. Not yet.

I pressed the number and a man answered. I told him my plight and he said, okay, can I have your name an number in case the call is lost? Then he added, when I transfer you to medical assistance.

I was proud that I wasn't panicking. He didn't seem at all concerned which didn't make me feel better. Shouldn't someone say, don't worry or something soothing?   He told me he was transferring me and I should have a "wonderful day". I'm thinking....Did you not hear me? I'm nervous. I may have swallowed poison? I could need to be rushed to the hospital and you're telling me to have a great day? (okay I don't remember which adjective he used.)

Breathe. Breathe. And then a woman answers the call and tells me she's a nurse.  Before saying don't worry or anything to calm me, she says she has to get some information. She did know that the call was about swallowing the pill, so I was able to get some solace from that. She was very professional and was one of those programmed people. You know, when they read the script so many times they have it memorized?

Finally, she said I should be alright. The medicine in the pill is poorly absorbed by the system and the capsule is gelatin and will either dissolve or be passed.

Medical Care or lack thereof.

Whew. I tried to joke around since I was relieved. Maybe she had no sense of humor or they are monitored really closely.

After she told me I would be okay, she wanted addition information for the record. I decided to be polite, since I wasn't going to die and answered with my name, address, DOB and length of time on the pills. I lied. I have no idea. Ha ha on you.

She did ask I had any further questions and I did ask if she could pass along to the people who print the insert, that it might be nice if they told you what would happen after they scared you to death about not swallowing. She didn't know what to say. Above her pay grade and would require her to do something she isn't involved with.

She asked if that was all. I said yes. And she told me to have a GREAT DAY. Also, would I answer a three question survey? Sure.

The first question was, do you think the representative cared about you. As I had spoken to two people-bots and not one, I decided not to give a bad mark, just not a great day one.

 

The good news was that they were Americans and spoke English well.

I just laughed. I imagined getting someone with a heavy Indian accent (please don't take offense, I'm not good listening to any accent).

I imagined that I couldn't understand what the rep said and it sounded like "You vill be notfectid since yr sytome vilupserv de trio tope iem. Have a mice day."

 

Yeah. The good old days.


So. Today. No theory. Some questions instead.

Have you ever done something like this?  My friend's mother once brushed her teeth with preparation H. yick.

When you were distracted, what was the mistake you made? Could be the silliest, most serious, funniest, dumbest or ridiculous.  You can post anonymously so no one will know. And I have been getting email. If it won't link, copy and past.

HAVE A GREAT DAY