Article in Daily Mail today

kentishlady

Hi everyone. Have any of you seen and/or read the article in DM today on side effects of drug combinations? Very interesting and quite informative too. When I saw my GP last week I told her that I wasn't prepared to become a zombie by taking too many different meds and will just stick to the bare essentials. I know some of you have to take a lot and I am sure you must find that they 'interact' with one another. It does seem that the 'side effects' of one may well lead to having another to combat that and so it seems to go on.

How on earth do you all cope with taking different meds?

Hope you are all having as good a day as possible.

Beryl

stickywicket

It's always seemed obvious to me that you take the meds you really need and no more. Hence I don't even think about the ones for my auto-immune arthritis as I've no choice there. My 'wriggle room' is with the dullers and some of the stomach meds. I always keep them to a minimum. When they have to be increased/augmented I just aim to get back to a minimum dose asap.

villier

Like Sticky I try and keep some to a minimum like morphine anti-inflams etc, but the three weekly infusions I can't do without xx

barbara12

Hi Beryl
I missed that , but my GP has just asked me to go in for a meds overall...wonder if this is what its about...must say I do try and get away with has few as possible....

dreamdaisy

I've read the article, they cited the case of one woman who was taking more than twenty-five different meds (including some very familiar names on here) some of which appeared to overlap and you do have to wonder how a GP allows someone to get to that pitch of drug-taking. I'm on enough, I don't want more (six tablets varieties daily, a couple of inhalers for occasional use, two injections and folic acid but I don't count that as a drug).

I guess it all comes down to how many conditions one has. I'm lucky in that I only have PSA and OA (I no longer count my asthma as a condition or the psoriasis because it's not a bother) but if you have layers of troubles it must be harder to keep the number of meds down. DD

tweedie

Hi ,
The trouble is that as we go along our journey with arthritis we encounter more medical problems , we all know that arthritis is a many fingered glove ( Most likely fastened with velcro ! ) and each new finger needs different drugs THEN we need more drugs to counter the damm side effects , hence we have lots of different drugs , some combinations work --- some have us wishing we could curl up and die BUT life is worth living so we battle on praying for the wonder drug that may life pain free -- yes the morphine is just kicking in ha ha , but lets remember that there have been many advances in drugs so things are very slowly improving for us but we are guinea pigs.
Heading for the hay !
Joanna
( Tweedie )

elnafinn

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2280761/Pills-The-patients-prescribed-25-different-drugs-day-devastating-results.html

stickywicket

Thanks for the link, Elna. I've just had a wonderful laugh at the elderly patient who kept all her various meds in a bowl in the kitchen and took a random handful when passing :shock:

Over-prescribing is clearly a serious, and dangerous problem, though and it does show that we all have to take responsibility for our own health.

Barbara - my practice reviews meds annually. I think yours are just being thorough and doing the right thing by you.

maria09

Hi
The thing is some people just take what the doctor has prescribed
A without knowing what they are for
B what the side effects are
C if they do interact with other medications
A friend of my mums used to take lots of drugs and when I asked her what they were she said I take 2 blue ones a pink one and 4 white ones!
Sadly she died in hospital a few weeks later and I'm sure it was due to all the different tablets she died of kidney failure.
I think I drive my gp mad as I ask for a medicine review every 6 months
Any new meds I take I check on the bnf website it's the one most health care users use it's very informative but can be a bit scarey as it has to list all the side effects etc
Also local pharmacists are very good these days and offer good advice mines next to my GPs so that helps
Loops didn't realise I was rambling on
Maria

nanarose

It's a very interesting dilemma - which drugs to take and which to try and avoid if possible.

I have to take the meth and folic acid for arthritis and psoriasis, tablets for hypothyroidism (essential) tablets for high blood pressure, and cholesterol, as I have a higher than average chance of heart problems if I don't.

Over the last two years my meds have increased too, I think that once you have an inflammatory type of arthritis, unfortunately it can lead to other problems.

My dilemma is that I have to take statins to control my cholesterol ( I have an inherited bad gene for this as my Mum has it, and is slim and eats healthily) but the statin is raising my liver levels which aren't that good anyway due to the meth. So what to do? Stick with it and worry that my liver isn't coping, or come off them and worry that I might end up with a stroke or heart attack?

It's a difficult juggling act for many of us.

I tend not to use my anti-inflammatories and stomach protectors unless I have a severe flare up. I also only ever take paracetamol and tramadol when I really am in agony. I hate having to take more pills than I really have to, although this often leaves me stiff and sore.

I actively manage my conditions, and find out everything I can about them, as sometimes my GP is not really up on drug interactions, thankfully my local pharmacist is very good.

Shake those pill bottles everyone....

kentishlady

Was really interested to read all your replies. I do think that meds interaction is a serious problem, or can be, for some people. I noticed that the list included several that are mentioned on the forum. My problem is that, like many others I am sure, that I get very bad side effects from all the stronger painkillers that my GP has tried me with, hence am left with just Paracetamol (not strong enough) plus codeine (if I am desperate) and pain-relieving gels, the best of which - for me - seems to be Pernaton plus the dear old warmed wheat-bag which has the best effect of the lot!!!

It really is a case of juggling isn't it but think that GP's should ensure that regular checks are carried out.

It is certainly a very difficult problem to manage.

Beryl

daffy2

I agree that meds interactions and side effects is a difficult area, not helped by the fact that we all react differently.I am starting out on a potential drugs journey and so far have found it unpleasant due to bad reactions, and also rather worrying in that I have had to query my GP on a couple of points that he should have picked up himself. A good friend of mine is at the other end of the spectrum as regards reaction to drugs, to the extent one doctor remarked that he was surprised she was still upright in view of what she was taking!
Nanarose, there are a couple of books available(try your library) which you might find interesting re your statin/cholesterol concerns. I'm not sure how it works(can someone explain) but I understand it is possible for you to contact me off-forum if you want details?

stickywicket

You can PM (Private Message), daffy2. When you're logged on there's a toolbar below the AC 'pink stuff'. Click on where it says 'new messages' and the rest is fairly straightforward.

daffy2

Thanks Sticky. I'm still feeling my way round all this. Fortunately Nanarose took the initiative so all sorted now.

Teapot

Hello Kentishlady, read with interest about the heated wheat bag - where can I buy one. At moment use hot water bottle but will try anything until I get my RA sorted and have seen Rheumatologist. Thanks

dreamdaisy

Google wheatbags or check in your local chemist. I've also seen them in D*b*nhams and other shops. DD

Teapot

Many thanks dreamdaisy I will google now and give a try.