I collapsed in the front doorway of Parksville’s Urgent Care Centre on the morning of Feb. 9, approximately 10 minutes after taking a Vitamin B3 (Niacin) tablet with my breakfast smoothie at home. My symptoms progressed, at the speed of light it seemed, to puffy, itchy, lobster red rash on my whole body (except for lovely blue lips, hands and feet), painful breathing, to collapse. My blood pressure was 60/20.
The nurses, drugs, IVs, injections, and paraphernalia were instantaneous. ER Room No. 4 was all mine for six hours.
I was in anaphylactic shock within 10 minutes of taking that tablet. My body vitals were shutting down that quickly!
Please take notice of this warning; it is time to re-evaluate your need for vitamin, etc. supplements with a medical professional/pharmacist. Hey, it was just a little B3, a vitamin. Vitamins are good for you, right? Determine what you should do with your diet in order to get the nutrition your body needs to stay healthy. I now know that I am deathly allergic to that vitamin; it proved dangerous for me.
Superlatives are inadequate to describe my huge thank-yous to nurses Murray, Paul, Taelar, and Cindy; as well as Dr. Hawkes. Thank You! You saved my life. I was so impressed with your quick and efficient team action, knowledge, and care for me.
My experience with our Urgent Care Centre and our public health care system has been phenomenal. Are you aware that each visit to urgent care costs the system ~$975 as opposed to a cost of ~$80 if you go to a clinic? Please do not clog the Urgent Care Centre with non-urgent needs — i.e., asking for a pregnancy test, asking for a blood test, complaining about a sore shoulder. I heard it all. Go to your doctor or a walk-in clinic.
The Urgent Care Centre is there for situations requiring urgent care.
Thank you, and take care of yourselves.
Pat Powell
Parksville
