Post-Abortion Experience: Concerns About Anesthesia & Pain Management

Question
durring my procedure i asked to be put on an IV they put the iv in me and i saw them put the drugs into the iv but it had no affect on me and i can remember the whole procedure and felt everything. I was screaming and asked that they check the iv but nothing was done to comport me. the doctor told me that the drugs would put me into a consious sedation (which i have been put into before durring ortho surgery so i know how it feels) but i didn't feel the room spinning or anything that i should of with having those drugs, did something go wrong and should i persue this matter any farther?

Answer
Ashley,

That sounds horrific. I am so sorry that you had that experience.

Here are some factors for your consideration:

1.  If some kind of malpractice occured, it is important to help prevent it from happening again. However, you are not bound by this as an ethical obligation, your FIRST consideration should be yourself;

2.  Don't let yourself be used. Abortion clinics are frequently the subject of lawsuits and negative publicity by anti-abortion activists who will try to exploit any action you take to their rhetorical benefit, you may want to craft an approach that doesn't allow your problem to be used in a way you may find innapropriate;

3.  Consider: Will this bring closure? This sounds like the sort of problem that could be lengthy and difficult to achieve a solution for, weigh carefully what you will get out of pursuing this and what it could cost you emotionally or otherwise;

4.  Also, get expert objective opinions: Is there a medical explanation? If you decide to puruse this, I think you should talk to other doctors first.  Maybe this was a slightly different drug than you had before? Maybe the abortion procedure is generally more painful than your other one? -- I know that I don't know the answers to any of this, but you need to have all the facts;

5.  Finaly, --if-- you decide to proceed, and --after-- you have all the facts, make sure you have a good malpractice attorney to help you who is understanding, and (I repeat myself) not out to exploit you for anti-abortion activist reasons (there are a ton of good feminist lawyers out there). You may want to talk to him or her about how to resolve this without litigation. The clinic will likely want to avoid a lengthy and unpleasant court battle too.

I hope that is helpful to you. I wish you the best of luck in your recovery.

Eliyanna