Posted by trouble on March 2, 2002, at 2:48:51
In reply to Re: medication compliance? » trouble, posted by Cam W. on March 2, 2002, at 1:15:06
Wow, Cam terrific, here we go:
e - It is not a good idea to double up meds. As Mark said, this can cause more harm than good in the long run. I am going to give you a partial (potential) answer to your problem, but I first need to know a bit more about all the meds that you are taking. I need to know:
>
> • the strengths of the medication that you are taking.Gabitril, mood stabilizer, still on a trial 4mg in am and 6mg in pm. I must admit I often get confused and take 6 PILLS instead of 3, since it doesn't register that the label refers to mg, not pills.
Provigil for narcolepsy, about a year
400 mg in amWellbutrin 200mg in am, 200 mg in pm
On and off over past few years, been on it steadily for about 6 months now
levoxyl 125mcg in am about 9 years
(does this really have to be on an empty stomach? I usually drink coffee and milk first, but I can stop if it's important)
> • the dosing instructions.
> • how often do you get refills (ie. how many days of medication does your doctor(s) normally write for)?
My insurance gives me 30 pills at a time> • how long you have been taking each medication.
> • any other medications (incl. herbals and non-prescription drugs) that you are taking..Butalbital 2 capsules at a time prn for migraines aboout 10 years (approx 6 pills per month, premenstrual)
Ambien 10mg 1-3 prn, haven't had one in 6 months
GABA CALM chinese medicine, prn
Ephedra for energy, 2 big pills, prn (this is the one that my pdoc got nasty about)
All kinds of vitamins gathering dust on my counter, taken randomly, but this week I bought a bottle from GNC called All-In-One Plus, vitamins and minerals and herbs and amino acids in liquid form, I take a swig from the bottle a couple times a day
Tums or Calcium tablets a few times a week
I just bought fish oil capsules and take 2 1000 mg softgels a day.
Bach Flower rescue remedy, take a sip prn
Echinachea when wheezing from too many cigarettes, 2 at a time, twice a day> • are all the medications that you are taking prescribed by one doctor?
NO, AD from pdoc, he will not prescribe sleeping pills and I see on ths board that other pdocs do! So I have to pay a sleep clinic to give me Ambien when my schedule goes awry.> • do you have young children at home?
I wish. But I have CTS and opening the bottles is getting real painful, esp in the mornings, so I might look into these bubble packs you mention.I was also on Trileptal for 6 weeks but it gave me nightmares so we switched to gabitril.
The problem w/ this background is that for the past 18 months I've been on 7 psychotropics, and the weaning is just now complete. But for a year and a half I was taking Paxil, BuSpar, Serzone, Wellbutrin, Provigil, Risperdol and one other I can't remember twice a day. Then a few months ago my pdoc said this is bu*lls*it, I don't know how it got to this point but YOU'RE ON 7 MEDS A DAY AND IT'S INAPPROPRIATE! And I'm like all right, I'm sorry, but was terrified of going off them and cracking up. But some of my current disorganization might be due in part to these changes.
To further exacerbate the circumstances in March 2001 I was diagnosed w/ADD, and my psychologicals indicate significant deficits in short-term memory retainment, high distractability, etc. Also a LD, in information processing (29 point spread btwn cognition and performance)
> Answering these questions will help me to figure out if your memory loss is medication-induced, or just old fashioned aging.
>
That would be a relief!!A few months ago I was setting aside one day a month and putting all my meds in old pill bottles which I taped numbers to, corresponding to the calendar days. It did not work out at all, so I'm going to try your advice. I'm on good terms w/ the pharmacist so we'll see how it goes over.
Here's one thing I didn't understand:
> Also make sure that the blister pack has "all" of the prescription labels adhered to it.
>Have pharmacy package all of your medications together.
>
Do you mean all of the different drugs to be taken at once in the same bubble? That does sound like a lot to ask!
>this seemingly endless monologue is of some help. - CamAbsolutely, thanks!
trouble
poster:trouble
thread:96004
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020301/msgs/96035.html