Question about uncle on many prescription meds..

[Heather in WI]

I honestly don't know where else I can ask this. If anyone can point me in the right direction, I would be very grateful.

 

I recently came back from a trip to N.C. to my grandparent's house. My grandmother is very concerned about my uncle. He is seeing a variety of doctors and has been put on many medications which seem to lead to side-effects & new diagnosises and more medications. They are all very, very low income with absolutely no technology skills. My grandmother asked me to look up his medicines because she has no one to ask about them.

 

I looked them up online & printed them out for her. This is a partial list of the medications he is currently prescribed:

 

 

 

Hydroxypam

- Hydroxyzine is used to treat itching caused by allergies. It is an antihistamine and works by blocking a certain natural substance (histamine) that your body makes during an allergic reaction. Hydroxyzine may also be used short-term to treat anxiety or to help you feel sleepy/relaxed before and after surgery.

 

 

 

Trazodone

- Trazodone is used to treat depression. Trazodone is in a class of medications called serotonin modulators. It works by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance.

 

 

 

Seroquel

- Quetiapine (Brand name Seroquel) tablets and extended-release tablets are also used alone or with other medications to treat or prevent episodes of mania (frenzied, abnormally excited or irritated mood) or depression in patients with bipolar disorder (manic depressive disorder; a disease that causes episodes of depression, episodes of mania, and other abnormal moods). Quetiapine extended-release tablets are also used along with other medications to treat depression. Quetiapine tablets may be used as part of a treatment program to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in children. Quetiapine is in a class of medications called atypical antipsychotics. It works by changing the activity of certain natural substances in the brain.

 

 

 

Buspirone

- Buspirone is used to treat anxiety disorders or in the short-term treatment of symptoms of anxiety.

 

 

 

Escitalopram

- Escitalopram is used to treat depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Escitalopram is in a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It works by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance.

 

 

 

Lithium carb 300

- Lithium carbonate is indicated in the treatment of manic episodes of manic-depressive illness. Maintenance therapy prevents or diminishes the intensity of subsequent episodes in those manic-depressive patients with a history of mania. Typical symptoms of mania include pressure of speech, motor hyperactivity, reduced need for sleep, flight of ideas, grandiosity, elation, poor judgment, aggressiveness and possibly hostility.

 

 

 

 

This is actually only a partial list - apparently, there are approximately ten more medications that he's been prescribed. My uncle is very low-IQ, but high functioning, if that makes sense. He's always worked (usually kitchen jobs), and been a sweet, empathetic man.

 

She said that he's been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. I'm not arguing that diagnosis because hey - I'm not a doctor.

 

When I visited with him on this trip, he seemed a shell of his former self. It was hard for him to follow the conversation and he was shaking. Is this maybe due to how many meds he is on? Or, does this seem like a normal amount of meds for someone diagnosed with bi-polar disorder? Where can we go for help? They are in Carteret County, NC, if that helps.

[Denisemomof4]

I forget which meds my brother takes but I do remember lithium as one of them.

 

My brother is a shell of his former self because of all the medication. For my brother, though, he has paranoid schizophrenia and his intrusive thoughts are better, and he has not had psychosis issues in years. He also shakes a LOT. None of his meds take away his symptoms, they only lessen them. So sad.

 

Was your uncle a mess before put on meds? I try to look on the positive side. Yes, meds make my brother like a zombie many days, but they are allowing him to live. I think he'd be in jail or dead without them because he was truly a mess unmedicated.

[QuirkyKidAcademy]

My grandmother had a large number of daily meds to take, prescribed by several different doctors. It was only when my aunt got her into a new doctor who took a close look at ALL the meds that it was discovered several were interacting with one another and causing symptoms. Once he pared down the meds, many symptoms disappeared.

 

My advice would be to have a single doc evaluate all the symptoms and all the meds together.

 

Best wishes

[Laura Corin]

My advice would be to have a single doc evaluate all the symptoms and all the meds together.

 

Best wishes

 

The mother of a friend of mine in the US went into hospital for an operation. When the admitting doctor saw the full list of medications, he said that she would have to go through detox first, as she was on double and triple doses of several highly addictive drugs. It was a difficult process.

 

Others may not agree, but I think that the concept of a gatekeeper GP who has an idea of the whole spectrum of drugs and treatments that a person is on has a lot of merit.

 

Laura

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Do they use one pharmacy for everything?

 

Any dr for my kids knows everything they take, and then everything is run by the same pharmacist.

[TXMomof4]

If talking to the dr. immediately isn't an option, I would def. talk to a pharmacist. Even if they've gotten the meds from different pharmacies, go to one and ask them to explain what each med is PRESCRIBED for. I know on my meds it is being used off label, so while it's a fibromyalgia med I am using it to treat nerve damage from a herniated disc with the happy side effect of anti-anxiety. On the label it says take x pills/day for headache (how nerve pain manifests itself). The pharmacist can look and see if possibly double meds were prescribed for the same symptom/condition and then she will be armed with info to ask the dr. about.

[LMA]

Get him to a geriatric doctor who can look over the prescriptions. Sometimes the use of one pharmacy may not work if they mail order certain maintenance drugs to keep the cost down. Many Medicare supplement plans want their patients to order their meds this way. So the best way to get the prescriptions coordinated is to have a geriatric doctor (recommended over an internal medicine unless the internal med doctor specializes in older patients). Have all specialists doublecheck with the coordinating doctor before prescribing any meds. Your grandmother will have to take care of this unless she gives someone else the proxy.

[TeenagerMom]

ITA about a single doctor needing to coordinate his meds. Has he ever been in a psych unit? I work in Geri Psych and the consistent problem we see if overmedication, especially in Nursing Home patients. Many times the patient is taken off of ALL of their Psych meds so we can evaluate the behaviors and then meds are added back in & doses adjusted accordingly. Then we send them back to the nursing home where the nursing home docs decide to change their meds up & we end up having to readmit them a month or two later because their meds are counteracting each other or causing behaviors to be worse:glare:.

[klmama]

Please try to find this man one competent doctor to review all of his meds. A relative of mine was on 20 different prescriptions for a variety of medical issues. She was, as you put it, a shell of her former self. Finally, after another relative accused her of having become a drug addict, she realized the prescriptions might be causing the problem. She saw a new doctor that completely took her off many of the meds and changed a couple of others to some with fewer side effects. As a result, she recovered her personality and her health has improved. She still is chronically ill, but overall her problems are far less severe now than they were, and she can enjoy life again.

[kroe1]

Either a pharmacist or a family doctor or a geneticist should be the gatekeeper for all the medicines prescribed to your uncle. From that list, it looks suspicious that different doctors have been stirring the pot without knowing what is already in the soup. (Don't let him just stop meds, however, as some on that list must be weaned down.) Encourage your uncle to find a gatekeeper quickly.

 

:)

[Night Elf]

He may have a different type of bipolar than I do, but I am also on a list of meds. Some of them have to work together to lessen symptoms. Also, symptoms never disappear completely. Would that they could. Mine have drastically reduced but they can manifest themselves at any time.

 

Just to note, Trazodone is a sleeping aid. Some people think it's addictive but i've been told and I've read it does not. I researched it because my ds16 was put on it for his insomnia.

 

I agree with the others that someone needs to see his complete list of meds. I'm followed by a psychiatrist who knows everything I'm on including blood pressure meds and vitamins. I've also had to see a GP and she saw my entire list as well. It's just important because sometimes meds do react with one another in a bad way. I also have lab work done every 3 months to monitor me because of some of the meds I'm on.

 

I'd also like to add that people can react differently with different meds. For example, I take Ambien for a sleep aid and there are women here who think it's one of the worst drugs available. The only thing it does for me is keep me asleep after I've fallen asleep. I just don't have any of the other symptoms that some here have mentioned.

[Unicorn.]

Maybe this can help you too: http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html

 

I agree w/ everyone else about a single doc/ pharmacist. Stay away from mail order, even if you have to pay more, and if he has a local owned small pharmacy, I would encourage him to use that. You may pay more, but they pay more attention to what individuals are taking, and are most likely to catch something. My dad's small pharmacy caught a possible interaction that could have killed him. When I went to pick up his meds, they already had calls in to his doc to get it changed.

[Heather in WI]

Was your uncle a mess before put on meds?

I wouldn't describe him that way. (I do have a relative that I suspect has undiagnosed bi-polar disorder with clear manic & depressive episodes.) If anything, I would say he might have anger issues that stem from being treated poorly due to his low cognitive skills combined with being overweight & big boned.

 

My grandmother had a large number of daily meds to take, prescribed by several different doctors. It was only when my aunt got her into a new doctor who took a close look at ALL the meds that it was discovered several were interacting with one another and causing symptoms. Once he pared down the meds, many symptoms disappeared.

My advice would be to have a single doc evaluate all the symptoms and all the meds together.

 

 

Thank you; this is what I am thinking.

 

Others may not agree, but I think that the concept of a gatekeeper GP who has an idea of the whole spectrum of drugs and treatments that a person is on has a lot of merit.

 

 

:iagree:

 

Do they use one pharmacy for everything?

 

 

I am not sure. I will find out.

 

If talking to the dr. immediately isn't an option, I would def. talk to a pharmacist.

 

Get him to a geriatric doctor who can look over the prescriptions. ... Have all specialists doublecheck with the coordinating doctor before prescribing any meds. Your grandmother will have to take care of this unless she gives someone else the proxy.

 

Thank you. I'm sure he's on Medicare; they are very, very low income.

 

ITA about a single doctor needing to coordinate his meds. Has he ever been in a psych unit? I work in Geri Psych and the consistent problem we see if overmedication, especially in Nursing Home patients. Many times the patient is taken off of ALL of their Psych meds so we can evaluate the behaviors and then meds are added back in & doses adjusted accordingly.

 

He's never been in a psych unit.

 

Please try to find this man one competent doctor to review all of his meds. A relative of mine was on 20 different prescriptions for a variety of medical issues. She was, as you put it, a shell of her former self. ... As a result, she recovered her personality and her health has improved. She still is chronically ill, but overall her problems are far less severe now than they were, and she can enjoy life again.

 

Thanks. It would be nice to have my uncle back. I think he would like to have less severe symptoms. Some of these issues (e.g., anxiety, physically shaking/tremors have only appeared since beginning all of these medications)

 

He may have a different type of bipolar than I do, but I am also on a list of meds. ... I agree with the others that someone needs to see his complete list of meds. I'm followed by a psychiatrist who knows everything I'm on including blood pressure meds and vitamins. I've also had to see a GP and she saw my entire list as well. It's just important because sometimes meds do react with one another in a bad way. I also have lab work done every 3 months to monitor me because of some of the meds I'm on.

 

 

Thank you very much for sharing your story, Night Elf. I will make sure my Grandmother gets the entire list of meds to me, so that I can print them out for her so that she can take the list to his main doctor. I think he has several different people prescribing several different things. He's honestly not capable of advocating for himself in this area.

 

Either a pharmacist or a family doctor or a geneticist should be the gatekeeper for all the medicines prescribed to your uncle. From that list, it looks suspicious that different doctors have been stirring the pot without knowing what is already in the soup. (Don't let him just stop meds, however, as some on that list must be weaned down.) Encourage your uncle to find a gatekeeper quickly.

 

:)

 

Thank you!

 

I very much appreciate the back up that something may not be right here. I'll call my grandmother today.

[Heather in WI]

Maybe this can help you too: http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html

 

I agree w/ everyone else about a single doc/ pharmacist. Stay away from mail order, even if you have to pay more, and if he has a local owned small pharmacy, I would encourage him to use that. You may pay more, but they pay more attention to what individuals are taking, and are most likely to catch something. My dad's small pharmacy caught a possible interaction that could have killed him. When I went to pick up his meds, they already had calls in to his doc to get it changed.

 

Thank you very much. I will double check with my grandmother on this.

[Heather in WI]

Totally agree with the recommendation of ONE doctor! ... Someone needs to check his room. They get in the habit of not mentioning a drug they're on because it's become second nature.

 

Thanks, Margaret. I could definitely see my uncle forgetting to name medications .

[KidsHappen]

I honestly don't know where else I can ask this. If anyone can point me in the right direction, I would be very grateful.

 

I recently came back from a trip to N.C. to my grandparent's house. My grandmother is very concerned about my uncle. He is seeing a variety of doctors and has been put on many medications which seem to lead to side-effects & new diagnosises and more medications. They are all very, very low income with absolutely no technology skills. My grandmother asked me to look up his medicines because she has no one to ask about them.

 

I looked them up online & printed them out for her. This is a partial list of the medications he is currently prescribed:

 

Hydroxypam

- Hydroxyzine is used to treat itching caused by allergies. It is an antihistamine and works by blocking a certain natural substance (histamine) that your body makes during an allergic reaction. Hydroxyzine may also be used short-term to treat anxiety or to help you feel sleepy/relaxed before and after surgery.

 

Trazodone

- Trazodone is used to treat depression. Trazodone is in a class of medications called serotonin modulators. It works by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance.

 

Seroquel

- Quetiapine (Brand name Seroquel) tablets and extended-release tablets are also used alone or with other medications to treat or prevent episodes of mania (frenzied, abnormally excited or irritated mood) or depression in patients with bipolar disorder (manic depressive disorder; a disease that causes episodes of depression, episodes of mania, and other abnormal moods). Quetiapine extended-release tablets are also used along with other medications to treat depression. Quetiapine tablets may be used as part of a treatment program to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in children. Quetiapine is in a class of medications called atypical antipsychotics. It works by changing the activity of certain natural substances in the brain.

 

Buspirone

- Buspirone is used to treat anxiety disorders or in the short-term treatment of symptoms of anxiety.

 

Escitalopram

- Escitalopram is used to treat depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Escitalopram is in a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It works by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance.

 

Lithium carb 300

- Lithium carbonate is indicated in the treatment of manic episodes of manic-depressive illness. Maintenance therapy prevents or diminishes the intensity of subsequent episodes in those manic-depressive patients with a history of mania. Typical symptoms of mania include pressure of speech, motor hyperactivity, reduced need for sleep, flight of ideas, grandiosity, elation, poor judgment, aggressiveness and possibly hostility.

 

 

This is actually only a partial list - apparently, there are approximately ten more medications that he's been prescribed. My uncle is very low-IQ, but high functioning, if that makes sense. He's always worked (usually kitchen jobs), and been a sweet, empathetic man.

 

She said that he's been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. I'm not arguing that diagnosis because hey - I'm not a doctor.

 

When I visited with him on this trip, he seemed a shell of his former self. It was hard for him to follow the conversation and he was shaking. Is this maybe due to how many meds he is on? Or, does this seem like a normal amount of meds for someone diagnosed with bi-polar disorder? Where can we go for help? They are in Carteret County, NC, if that helps.

 

I am also bi-polar and I do have a cocktail of meds but I know the classes of al the meds and what I am taking them for. He is taking three anti-depresant and they are not even recommended for bi-polar patients at all. If he does need an AD then the dr. needs to figure out if he needs a sedating one or an ectivating one. Lithium is the classic bi-polar med but it does have a lot of side effects. It is pretty strong as is Seroquel which is a anti-psychotic. Not sure that he should be taking both at the same time. The first med is basically a prescription strength benedryl, usually prescribed for allergies or itching but I have also seen it used for anxiety and insomnia. He needs to take all of his meds to one dr and figure out what he needs to take. I have recently been cutting back my meds and I am doing much better now.

[Elizabeth in MN]

I agree with the one doctor, but it needs to be a psychiatrist from the look of things. Others have talked to the issue of being Bi-Polar, so I'll address the anxiety.

 

I have moderate to severe anxiety and have been on up to four meds to get it under control. There are tow other pills I take for other medical conditions that also work with anxiety. All of them PLUS THERAPY have gotten my anxiety down to a point where in I am only one one to two meds for anxiety. It took three years of therapy to be able to kick one of the pills to the curb. It's still a little shaky, but I'm coping better now.

 

I also agree that your uncle needs to have one pharmacy, a small one that can catch issues/interactions. If possible your Mom needs to go over to your uncle's home with him when he has a medical appointment. Grab up all the pill bottles and take them to the appointment. This will help greatly for the doctor to see all the pills and their dosages. Also, a good pill dispenser will help him take the meds the way they are described. He should also bring everything like multi-vitamins and other supplements he takes. Some herbal pills can interact badly with prescription pills.

[Night Elf]

I also agree that your uncle needs to have one pharmacy, a small one that can catch issues/interactions. If possible your Mom needs to go over to your uncle's home with him when he has a medical appointment. Grab up all the pill bottles and take them to the appointment. This will help greatly for the doctor to see all the pills and their dosages. Also, a good pill dispenser will help him take the meds the way they are described. He should also bring everything like multi-vitamins and other supplements he takes. Some herbal pills can interact badly with prescription pills.

 

Alternatively, he could make a list with all of that information if the mom doesn't want to carry all of the bottles. I actually carry in my purse a list with names and dosages on an index card for just in case I have an accident and end up in the hospital. I want any doctor to know exactly what I'm on. I find it scary to feel the need to carry a list with me at all times. Ugh.