Don't rely on docs re: drug interactions

MichelleP
MichelleP Member Posts: 254
edited March 2014 in Caregivers #1
I've learned something very important that I want to share with all of you. My husband see's multiple doctors and I'm always concerned when each of them prescribe medications to my husband without consulting with each other. I've seen side effects from my husband that had me very concerned so I found a web site that will allow you to enter each medication (for free) and check for interactions. Some I entered warned me of "severe interactions". I spoke with one of my husbands doctors about this and he's attitude (without words of course) was basically....well, with this stage of lung cancer it doesn't matter. Well my dear friends......IT DOES MATTER!

My hope is that all caregivers and survivors themselves please check all your meds. If not at this site....then one you can trust.

Please go to: Mymedicalrecords.com There is a link on the right hand side of this page to enter your meds. Good luck to everyone! And bless each of you!

Comments

  • sue Siwek
    sue Siwek Member Posts: 279
    #2
    i never rely on doctors. if
    i never rely on doctors. if you want to know about drug interactions alway ask the pharmacist.
  • MichelleP
    MichelleP Member Posts: 254
    #3
    sue Siwek said:

    i never rely on doctors. if
    i never rely on doctors. if you want to know about drug interactions alway ask the pharmacist.

    Yes, I agree asking the
    Yes, I agree asking the pharmacy is good also, however, he does have interactions they never mentioned to me. This is why I "double check" them now.

    Also, while he was in the hospital this week they started him on blood thinners and gave me a print out explaining this. It said to avoid lettuce, broccoli, asparagus and fish oil (omega 3). Then a bit later the nurse came in with Omega 3 and he had salad on his lunch tray. Because of this....I now check "everything".
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #4
    sue Siwek said:

    i never rely on doctors. if
    i never rely on doctors. if you want to know about drug interactions alway ask the pharmacist.

    ?
    If you cannot rely on your doctors, I would humbly submit that you have the wrong doctors.

    Take care,

    Joe
  • MichelleP
    MichelleP Member Posts: 254
    #5
    soccerfreaks said:

    ?
    If you cannot rely on your doctors, I would humbly submit that you have the wrong doctors.

    Take care,

    Joe

    Joe
    Yes, I agree with you there Joe. I wish we had never moved here. We came from an area that had excellent medical care and ended up in a He** hole here.
  • sue Siwek
    sue Siwek Member Posts: 279
    #6
    MichelleP said:

    Joe
    Yes, I agree with you there Joe. I wish we had never moved here. We came from an area that had excellent medical care and ended up in a He** hole here.

    doctors diagnose,
    doctors diagnose, pharmacologist know about drugs.use both for their expertise as well as a good book called "dangerous drug interactions" by joe and teresa graedon, phd. a wonderful guide with info on drugs, food and vitamin combinations that can be harmful to even those of us that are healthy. i think we all make the mistake that doctors and those in the medical fields are infallible, well they are humans just like us and make mistakes. we must all take responsibility for ourselves. question every time a nurse comes in to give your loved one meds they make errors, they have sleepless nights, family problems etc. like the rest of us and do not always perform just as we fail in our jobs at times. believe me, i am not involved with medicine other than as a consumer but we just have to be vigilant because it is our life not theirs.
  • grandmafay
    grandmafay Member Posts: 1,633 Member
    #7
    Rough Time
    It sounds like you are having a rough time. I understand what you mean about interactions. I've also found that they don't know or tell us about all of the possible side effects either. I, too, research as much as possible. You're right, it does matter. We don't have a lot of control, but we can try to make sure our partners are as comfortable as possible. We have been very fortunate that our primary doctor has tried to keep on top of things. If she has a concern, she gets on the phone. Several times she has been right. Almost every time we see one of our other doctors we hear that they have heard from her. It keeps them on their toes. Fay
  • SonSon
    SonSon Member Posts: 174
    #8
    sue Siwek said:

    i never rely on doctors. if
    i never rely on doctors. if you want to know about drug interactions alway ask the pharmacist.

    Pharmacists...
    I agree - rely on your pharmacist to help guide on medication information. Hopefully you are getting all the medicine at one pharmacy.
    I have found that talking to the pharmacist about my mother-in-law's condition, symptoms and problems with the medication she is taking has opened discussion that helped us get the best medicine for her. They also suggest to me medicines that would benefit her and then I go ask the doctor - it works well for me.
    Many people die from overdoses and adverse reactions to medications - often because the person is seeing several doctors who are all prescribing without knowledge of treatments / prescriptions ordered by the other doctors. It is important to write a list of all medications and also a list of the doctors and their contact numbers and give copies to each doctor - and update it periodically as the list of medicines change.
    Fatima
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #9
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

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