Medications and warnings

[TitanMike]

I'm sure that more than just a few here take medications on a daily basis for a multitude of reasons. Me? I fall into the "average category" and take a half dozen daily for the usual reasons. Statin to keep my arteries from clogging, blood pressure medication to keep that low, something to keep water from building up, something for my arthritis, and of course an aspirin a day to prevent another heart attack. All in all I'm lucky as all the med's I take have been around so long that even the "Generic's" have Generic's available and cost is low. 9 months into the year and I haven't even hit my deductible on my Part D.

What I find not just interesting, but almost shocking, are all the warnings that come with every prescription I get filled. Also watch all the ads on TV that tout the latest and greatest drug for all kinds of conditions/diseases (some of which I've never heard of in my lifetime). With every ad there seems to be a list of side effects and risks that makes it sound like taking this drug adds more risk to one's life than perhaps the condition it's supposed to treat. Some are even so scary they make one think they could end up feeling worse than they do without taking it.

Has anyone else ever wondered about all the side effects and possible interactions with various prescriptions they take? Do you rely totally on the Pharmacy and your Doctor to make sure you aren't taking something that could make things worse when interacting with other meds? Or do you take it upon yourself to do some individual research using one of the many online "Drug Interaction Checkers"?

Last year, after I had heart surgery, the Hospital sent me home with two pages of med's they wanted me to take. I took a look at it and scheduled a visit with my regular doctor. Turns out that several of the drugs on the hospital's list were drugs they prescribe to everyone who's had surgery period. Things like Proton Pump Inhibitors because some patients have acid reflux from taking meds so as preventive step they send everyone home with a prescription for a PPI. Then it turns out that PPI's can actually cause Kidney issues if taken too often. That's just one example.

After the visit with my Dr, and his consulting with the specialists who actually treated me, my list of "Pills" now has a total of 6. Two of them are a low dose aspirin and a daily multi-vitamin.

For this discussion I'm not interested in WHAT one takes as much as whether or not they interact with their Doctors to make sure they aren't taking too many pills and that the ones they are taking don't interact with other meds or items in their diet.


(Note: What prompted this post was a recent event with a good friend of mine who recently had some medical issues. He was seeing his doctors regularly and every time he did so they sent him home with a new prescription. Unfortunately he ended up in the hospital with some serious side effects because nobody told him to stop taking the previously prescribed med for the problem he was being treated for. The interaction(s) almost killed him.)

[Witch Doctor]

I take about 10 a day and 2 twice, I get all mine from the VA. They are very careful in what they give me to make sure I don't have any bad reaction, they stop some and add new as they determine which are helping and which are not and which can be taken together. Now my wife will not take any prescription drugs at all. But even after the VA checks, she will also check to make sure there are no meds that will counteract and cause a problem. Yes the VA are pill pushers for sure, but I have to trust someone.

[emm-dee]

My late brother was a sales rep for a major pharmaceutical outfit. I believe him when he talks about all the “referral fees” sent to doctors. Everything medical these days is all about the money.

And, I don’t take any medications other than an occasional Goody’s.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

My late brother was a sales rep for a major pharmaceutical outfit. I believe him when he talks about all the “referral fees” sent to doctors. Everything medical these days is all about the money.

And, I don’t take any medications other than an occasional Goody’s.

This is true to private Drs. This has been long known, but I know that it doesn't fly at the VA. How else could this opioid crisis have been started?

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Witch Doctor

This is true to private Drs. This has been long known, but I know that it doesn't fly at the VA. How else could this opioid crisis have been started?

The opioid crisis is an example of how there are those in the medical profession that are ready, willing, and able, to exploit patients and loopholes to their own benefit. Dr's open "Pain Clinics" and hand out scrip's to anyone who drops in with little or no question.

Another side to that issue is the Pharmaceutical Companies advertising med's directly to the patients with endless TV ads. They are exploiting the fact that most doctors have little time to spend with their patients and when one comes in and asks for a name brand med, they often just prescribe it.

Insurance companies are fighting back by not putting all the latest and greatest "Advertised Drugs" in their formulary so if a patient wants a certain med, they have to pay more (sometimes a LOT more) for it.

Back to the opioids, those who served in the military during the 60's remember how the Medic's used to hand out Darvon and Cough Syrup with Codeine (aka GI Gin)? Go on Sick Call and make a good case for a sore knee, back, wrist, etc and you'd get a bottle filled with Darvon Cap's. Complain of a sore throat with cough, a bottle of 'GI Gin'.

As a society, we've become a nation of "druggies". Maybe not the addictive pain killers but more "a pill for this, a pill for that" until even kids are being medicated today to levels previously only seen among chronically ill or elderly.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

My late brother was a sales rep for a major pharmaceutical outfit. I believe him when he talks about all the “referral fees” sent to doctors. Everything medical these days is all about the money.

And, I don’t take any medications other than an occasional Goody’s.

The Dr I see is a member of a "Clinic" and they have essentially tossed all the Pharmaceutical Reps out on their can. No more "Samples", trips, referral fees, etc. Not even the free pens you used to be able to find at the Dr's office.

They take NOTHING from the Pharmaceutical Companies. Don't know what brought this on and perhaps there are some new rules that caused it.

Kind of nice to know that when one of these Dr's prescribe a med, they aren't getting any kind of kick-back.

[Witch Doctor]

Okay, what does that have to do with the VA as I posted, nothing. I know what happened V.N. I spent 28 months in Country, has nothing to do with the pay off system now with private Drs and big pill company's that hooked the person for a profit, through lobbying Drs. Who gladly still have there hand out for a profit.

[DavidBo]

Best advice I can give is to get as many prescriptions as possible through one competent General Practitioner who knows you and what you can handle. If you need specialists make sure you instruct them to send all exams, results and meds to your GP, and verify that with your doc. A little internet research also can't hurt, there are plenty of websites that list the specifics about various meds.
I also keep a picture on my phone of all my prescriptions, plus a list of any over the counter supplements, don't forget about those.

I remember 30+ years ago all my coworkers and I would talk about our weekend plans with girls and clubs, now it's all about grand-kids and Crestor.

[tosh99]

I see my family doctor twice a year for my old age concerns. He's adjusted my meds for me when it comes to quality and price.



I now see an ophthalmologist for glaucoma too.


Old age takes it's toll but consider the alternatives.

[Paulie1138]

Aaahhhhhhh....the Golden years!

where we spend all our gold to live a few more years!

[NMWildcat]

Luckily, I only take one pill a day for blood pressure. I do argue with my doctor with every pill he wants to subscribe. If he can't convince me that I have to take this every day, and there is no other option, I won't do it.

I am thoroughly convinced docs over prescribe if you let them. You go in with a symptom, they have a pill for it.

I have watched many family members taking 10 to 20 pills a day. And inevitably, they wind up in the hospital with interaction problems. Then they take them off most of the meds, but within a year they repeat the same thing. I just refuse to do that.

[DavidBo]

I'm married to a well-trained registered nurse. I didn't realize what an advantage that could be later (much later) in our relationship!

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

For this discussion I'm not interested in WHAT one takes as much as whether or not they interact with their Doctors to make sure they aren't taking too many pills and that the ones they are taking don't interact with other meds or items in their diet.

I tried reading all the interactions on my spouse's prescription drugs literature. Almost everything interacted with something else. Warnings all over the place.
Asked doctors from 2 different medical groups and they all said that they had been prescribing that combo with no side effects in their patients for years.
So, yes, we do interact with the doctors and finally found a group that prescribes only when necessary. But we still have to make our preference for no medicine unless absolutely necessary and then only in minimal dosage. And getting them to discontinue a drug already prescribed was challenging.

[Gohawks]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

My late brother was a sales rep for a major pharmaceutical outfit. I believe him when he talks about all the “referral fees” sent to doctors. Everything medical these days is all about the money.

And, I don’t take any medications other than an occasional Goody’s.

Nothing like making a sweeping generalization. Maybe back in the day there were kick backs but I've never seen one in my 18 years of practice. There are new laws in place to prevent physicians from excepting monetary gifts from pharmaceutical companies. Most physicians I know limit exposure to pharmaceutical reps because of their known bias toward their product. There are plenty of clinics and hospital organizations that don't even let reps in. Bottom line is if you don't trust your physician or suspect they are catering to pharmaceutical companies, then you need to find another doctor.
Your primary care doctor is the gatekeeper to your health care. All specialists send correspondence to them but rarely send it to each other. It's their responsibility to monitor medications, interactions and side effects.

[Nancyc7]

In 2001 pain began to be called the 5th vital sign by Joint Commission, an organization that qualifies hospitals to stay open. And providers were chastised severely for allowing anyone to be in pain.
No matter how the pt presented, in obvious crushing pain that he said was a 3/10 or having a hot meal and telling jokes with 10/10 pain, what they said was documented and pain was supposed to be treated as they reported.
So in comes drug companies ready to meet the need. And Press Ganey scores to rate Drs on how cozy they made you feel.
It makes me furious that now providers are blamed for an opioid crisis when it’s not the whole accurate story. I’m not a Dr, I’m a nurse for many years.

If you want to lose some meds, lose some weight. There I said it.

[dalford]

I saw my Dr. last week. He asked how I was feeling. I told him I was feeling great. He told me not to worry, he jad a pill to treat that...

[babock]

I take a generic statin. I somehow got the high cholesterol gene that runs in my family. I don't get any of the side affects but maybe because I am very active...still do my 100 mile bike rides even though I am almost 60.