Is it common for people to not go to the ER after getting drugged with an unknown substance?

[apples and oranges]

Serious question. I'm not taking sides. Please don't bite my head off.

[HERVEPA]

1. Yes of course. After you are more alert and feel OK, no reason to go perhaps.

[Man from Pickens]

2. At today's prices?

most people couldn't come up with the deductible

[Sparhawk60]

31. $$$$ Rules

Unless my condition was deteriorating, I would just sleep it off. A visit to the ER costs to much unless my life was actually in danger. Beside, how would I know I was drugged and not just sick? Ate some thing that disagreed with me?

Bottom line, unless I am dying, it would cost to much to find out.

[elleng]

3. 'Common?' No idea.

Depends on one's condition, I suppose.

[Warpy]

4. Yes, if they're 17, beaten, raped, traumatized and naive.

That pretty much describes who you're trying to blame for not doing things by the book.

[apples and oranges]

7. What about a mother/celebrity in her 30s?

[delrem]

11. That'd make no difference.

[arcane1]

5. I don't know about common, but there are certainly many reasons/circumstances where someone wouldn't

It's not something that's an either/or kind of thing. Situations and contexts would play a big role.

[Ilsa]

6. If they don't have the money, yeah,

they might skip it if they are feeling better. I suppose a woman might consider going for treatment and to have evidence taken if she thinks she's been raped, but a lot oc women don't report rape.

[RobinA]

8. Not

I don't think I'd go unless I couldn't breathe or something. If I'm drugged, by the time anybody sees me at the ER I'm stone cold sober.

[delrem]

9. They wouldn't know what happened.

Unless circumstances were very pointed, they probably wouldn't even imagine something like that happened.

They would be confused. They would want to get home, to safety and seclusion, to heal and recover.

They would be in no condition to see a pattern, to see a larger picture.

[bravenak]

10. Yes.

[giftedgirl77]

12. yes

[etherealtruth]

13. I would guess very common

[karynnj]

14. Consider that by definition you might not be at your most logical when drugged

Here, you are asking someone who is possibly dazed and confused to act in a competent manner - to call 911 and get the police or an ambulance to take her/him to the ER. Not to mention, if you are referring to the cases I think you are, consider the person was also a victim of a violent assault.

Consider the most drunk you ever were -- how good was your decision making at that point.

[WestCoastLib]

15. I would think so

Of course it would depend on a number of factors, including your experience with substances and financial means.

I have good insurance and can afford it. Still, unless I was really feeling in danger of a heart attack or something, I probably wouldn't go. Drugs wear off and I've been in altered states before. I would probably just let it wear off, or try to sleep it off, rather than go through the hassle of going to the ER.


*note- i don't know what story you are referring to with this question, unlike some others in this thread appear to.

[apples and oranges]

18. You'd sleep it off without knowing what drug it was?

What if it had the potential to be fatal or cause longterm brain injury?

[olddots]

16. is this a lead in to a Bill Cosby thread ?

.......mother/celeb in 30s .?

Loaded guestion , location , hosbital , insurance ,day and time ....many guestions .

With health care in this country being so shitty most of us are on our own in circumstances like this unfortunately .I wish it wasn't true but patients are less than nothing now in L.A. .

[Nye Bevan]

17. If the person who you believe drugged you is a widely loved and respected celebrity,

and you have not heard of him doing this to anyone else, you probably won't expect that anyone would believe that this person had drugged you. And it is just possible that you might not want to be dragged through a gauntlet of disbelief, ridicule, and allegations of gold-digging. And by the time you realize exactly what happened you are probably feeling pretty much OK; maybe you're a little groggy and have a nasty headache, but by far the easiest course of action is just to let it go.

And that is the reaction that the person who drugged you was probably pretty much counting on.

[yardwork]

19. That sounds about right.

[apples and oranges]

21. You don't have to name anybody to go to the ER. I'm not as much concerned

about the criminal aspect, but the personal health aspect. How can one "let it go" without at least knowing what she or he had been drugged with and identifying potential side effects?

That being said, I learned a lot from this thread. I didn't know how many people usually let things like that go.

[Nye Bevan]

23. When your are drugged and helpless, you are in no position to think rationally and logically.

And by the time you have recovered enough that you are able to be rational and logical, you realize that no matter how drugged up you were, by now you are well on the road to recovery, and you are feeling better by the hour, so you don't feel that it makes too much sense to go to the ER at that point.

[etherealtruth]

24. I had a freind that was drugged in much the same way Cosby drugged his victims

...by the time she had her wits about her and could clearly identify what had happened to her she was told that the likelihood of identifying and detecting the drug that was used was small and would be costly. the 'date rape" drugs are not drugs typically looked for in a drug screen. Drugs that are commonly used for this purpose would have to be specifically (and individually) requested to be tested for.

What if the person didn't use a typical "date rape drug" (ie rohypnol or GHB) what does the physician begin to test for?

How long can the drug used be detected in blood or urine ....? Knowing there is a wide range of time detection is possible.

[apples and oranges]

27. Just curious... who told her that? The police or the hospital?

Or a friend?

[freeplessinseattle]

29. Would that make a whit of difference to you?

Rhetorical question

[etherealtruth]

36. Her physician

On edit: read post number 33 below. After reading the rest of the thread # 33 matches my recollection of what her physician told her. This was approximately ten years ago

[Quayblue]

20. a lot of times targets don't realize until afterwards, sleeping it off. etc.

Also, predators tend to seek out those who are known users, or show tendencies of a user.

Our harm-reduction policies are shit, so those injured in the course of using remain quiet. Draconian drug laws keep targets silent, despite the shitting on their humanity.

[Darb]

22. Concern noted.

Yeah, you went there, but you didn't go all the way. Just say it.

[apples and oranges]

26. Actually my question was sincere

and thanks to the people who answered, I have a better understanding of the mindset of drugged victims now.

[freeplessinseattle]

30. we'll pardon your innocent ignorance;) n/t

[Kalidurga]

25. Seems like a side to me.

[jberryhill]

28. Did it impair their judgment?

[ileus]

32. We get OD's everyday...and that's a known substance.

[mercuryblues]

33. yes

Side effects for roofies are amnesia, confusion impairment, dizziness, disorientation in as little as 20 minutes. Mixed with alcohol the effects are more dangerous. these symptoms can last for up to 24 hours.

Because so little of the drug is needed to produce this effect it is barely detectable. For the best accuracy it must be tested within 24 hours of ingesting. It takes about that long for the victim to start getting their memory back and realize something is wrong.

So even if they do go to the hospital, it may be too late to test for the drug. Even if she does make a complaint he fact that the victim can only remember bits and pieces of the assault is used to discredit the complaint. I mean if you were really raped wouldn't "you remember every single detail?" or her memory is clouded so she doesn't remember when she said yes. Add to that "why were you alone in the room with him"

[libtodeath]

34. I sure hope most do.

[Douglas Carpenter]

35. are you implying that this happened to you?