How long would you take this medication?

[Pegasus]

I received a new script recently and have received the following guidance on it:

 

1. Don't use it for more than 14 days.(medical care provider #1, nurse practitioner)

2. Use it for at least 7 days. (medical care provider #2, pharmacist)

3. Use it for at least 14 days. (medical care provider #3, doctor)

 

There was not a confident diagnosis, more of a this-might-work approach.

 

[eternalsummer]

I'd take it for 14 days.

[Arcadia]

In terms of math, 14 will satisfy all three conditions.

 

Honestly I would take for 7 days and re-evaluate. My relatives and I have drugs resistance/insensitivity so I would want to evaluate at 7 days rather than wait until the 14th day.

[zoobie]

What did the pharmacist suggest?

[SparklyUnicorn]

Uhh...I would call them and ask because those are stupid instructions. 

 

 

[dsmith]

I would do the 14 days and then speak to my doctor, but the medication and condition I was taking it for would factor into that decision.

[Catwoman]

I would verify it with the doctor and let him or her know that the nurse practitioner had given me different instructions.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

Depends on what the medication is, but I'd likely take it 14 days.

[Pegasus]

Thanks, everyone.  I've done some reading online and 2 weeks seems to be the standard duration.  I'll probably stick with that.  The nurse practitioner was at the prescribing office. . .the doctor was at a different office a few days later. . .the pharmacist was at CVS when I picked up the script.  I didn't have the same office giving me different guidance.  Sorry for the confusion.

[Tap]

I would go with the pharmacist and maybe get a second recommendation from another pharmacist.  Call the same pharmacy and find out when the other pharmacist is on duty or call a different chain all together.

 

Pharmacists have degrees related to medications.  The NP/MD will have spent their education in learning about the body/disease/etc and which medications to prescribe, but much, much less time on medications that a pharmacist.

Edited August 4, 2017 by Tap

[mysticmomma]

I would follow what the prescriber said unless the pharmacist deemed it unsafe.

[Guest]

I'd trust the pharmacist over the doctor any day. They have a heck of a lot more pharmacology training, not to mention dialy exposure to these treatments from a variety of providers.

Edited August 4, 2017 by Arctic Mama

[Seasider]

Pharmacist! I recently had an odd Rx sent over by a physician. I looked at the package info and asked the pharmacist if I were really supposed to be putting it in my eyes. Written instructions were "apply to affected area."

 

Pharmacist said, um no, let me call this doctor. I walked out of there with something different.

 

I have not seen that doctor again!