Tragically, 52-year-old Danny Earl Jones died September 20, 2021, after being in Hardin County Jail in Kountze, Texas, for only about 12 hours. He had been alone in Detox B cell when he was found with no pulse. His cause of death is unknown and pending the results of an autopsy.

As a continuation of this three-part series, more information from a jail medical expert regarding alcohol withdrawal follows.

As Withdrawal Symptoms Progress, More Valium is Needed

Valium, Ativan, and Librium are three types of medication used to treat withdrawals. One 10mg dose of Valium is all that many patients need. If, however, the symptoms of withdrawal progress and the inmate becomes sicker, heavy doses of Valium can be administered to reverse the progression of withdrawals. Treatment for DT is best in a hospital setting because hundreds of milligrams of Valium are needed.

Seizures Can Happen Anytime During Alcohol Withdrawal

Contrary to what he was taught in medical training, the jail medical expert found that patients experiencing alcohol withdrawal can experience withdrawal seizures at any time. The following two scenarios apply to seizures:

• There is an increased potential for experiencing withdrawal seizures among patients who have experienced them in the past; and
• If a patient has been given even a single dose of Valium in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal, the likelihood of having a seizure is significantly reduced.

See Part 1 and Part 2 of this series.

There is no intention on this website to imply that any person or entity has been involved in misdeeds. For the purpose of supplying county jail inmates in Texas with helpful resources, posts are added to the site.

–Guest Contributor