I wanted to just see if there are many others out there that seem to be inundated with medications.
I also have Diabetes Type 2 and am being treated for Cholesterol due to this. With my avonex weekly injection, vitamin B and D (plus 1x Ibuprofen just prior to administering the injection), I have added up the amount of meds I take each week and was little surprised to find that I have 50 tablets and 1 injection weekly.
This week however I am also on pencillin for an infection so the total this week has gone up to 78 tablets & 1 injection!
I worry now that this amount of meds cannot be positive, particulary long term.
I just wondered if there are many others out there in a similar boat?
If I count prescripton stuff ONLY, I’m on 56 pills a week. If add supplements (D3 & calcium + magnesium), I’m up to 84. And none of that’s including painkillers I may take occasionally, on an as-needed basis (not every day). If you need them, you need them. I don’t think it’s worth getting too hung up on the numbers game. If I was fine without them, I wouldn’t be taking them, and maybe live a fraction longer. Don’t think the supplements are likely to be doing much harm - it’s the other stuff. But quality of life is also important. I don’t want to reach 100, but realise how miserable it’s all been, because I wouldn’t take things that helped. I agree with you it’s not ideal, but living with untreated symptoms for years isn’t ideal, either. People in difficult situations have to make tough choices. Of course I don’t want to take 84 pills a week, sometimes more. But I don’t want to live with untreated pain, either. Tina x
I think I am feeling little low and run down and thinking whether it can be too do with everything I am taking! It hasn’t helped that 2 out of the 9 injections I have ‘felt’ somewhat more than normal, and the injection sites are feeling a little sore!
I am hoing that I will snap out of this crabby mood soon and start being more positive.
I was inundated with meds and lost the whole of 2002 because of this. They did not help, gave me hallucinations, as well as other unpleasant side effects (like not knowing who the hell I am). I refused all drugs after this until late 2003 when I started Rebif (still injecting). In recent times I finally accepted Pregabalin which is helpful and this has also made me accept other drugs which are also helpful.
There is no cure for MS and symptom management is a lottery not only because of sideffects but also their suitability for each individual (we are not all the same). These days you need to know and keep on top of what works and what doesn’t. Getting hung up over the number of tablets is somewhat defeatist and does not equate to doseage. For example I could take 14 tablets per day of Pregabalin but I have uped the tablet content and need only 4 per day. I also take drugs for other conditions and they work - end of story. My mother goes on about the number of tablets she takes and I pity the poor GP who has to listen to her go on about it repeatedly.
Perhaps inundated is not the right word to use when the drugs are helpful? I would like the use of drugs to be a more positive comment and hope that my view is ok as well.
I was taking a shed-load of pills before the MS struck. So I totalled them up roughly, and added in the MS-specific stuff and I am heading for 100 a week (more than that if I count one that the GP says I can adjust the dosage myself).
A direct GP quote was “We know that this particular mix will stave off further heart problems”. Since a multiple heart bypass operation is now almost 14 years behind me, I am prepared to believe him - and keep on taking the tablets.
The 9 x 300mg of Gabapentin are directly against nerve pain.
The one injection is the daily Copaxone shot (and this ends in August).
As a general comment, the BNF lists all the known interactions between one drug and another. It does not even cover 3-way interactions, let alone more. So it is clear if drug A interacts with drug B or not. What is not covered is any interaction of A with B, in the presence of C, D, and E; or if C reacts with F when taken with A, B, and C.
All you can do is trust the GP, and Pharmacist - but what happens when (say) your Copaxone is prescribed by a hospital, and delivered direct? Answers on the back of a postage stamp please.
Oh, I do agree with Moira too. I did not mean you should mindlessly keep taking whatever you’re given, regardless whether it’s helping, or even making things worse. But you can usually tell within days, or weeks at most, if something’s working out for you or not. If not, then you need to talk to the medics about stopping or switching. But if they’re all doing what they’re supposed to, with minimal side-effects, I don’t think there’s cause for concern, just because it’s “a lot” of drugs.
Hi, i am currently taking 26 tablets each day, plus the painkillrs I take as and when I need to. It used to bother me, but now it doesn’t. I just get on with taking them as i know i need them. I would try not to worry about it, love Bex xxx
Am sorry if it sounds like I was moaning. This was not my intention at all.
I know that I am very lucky that I have not experienced many problems with my MS. The difficulty for me is that as I feel that I am taking lots of medication (in my eyes) but have not experienced any symptoms! I know prevention is better than cure and by no means am I questionning the advice of professionals. If anything, it was just a little reassurance that this could be classed as normal practice and something I need not worry too much about. I would welcome it if some of the tablets I take could come in higher doses rather than taking the quantity but they don’t.
You dont have to apologies, thats what we are all here for. You have every right to be concerned, especially if you are not used to seeing someone take so much. Im just glad that we can all compare, and share our experiences etc. I totally understand, as I often wonder if the GPs and specialists are dishing out too many pills just to shut us up. I mean, how do you know , unless you ask? Ive noticed that they prescribe Amitryplin for so many illnesses. Almost my whole family is on it for different reasons. Ive always found it odd how many people are taking it.
What helped me, is that I was brought up my whole life around medicene and illnesses. Not just myself but nearly all my family has had difficult long term illnesses. So I treat everything as a norm. For others, its not so easy.
Im on 34 pills a day, plus inhalers and vitamins. But there again I have a lot of serious illnesses combined. A good few of mine are painkillers including controlled pills. I really can’t live with out any of them. They are no doubt keeping me alive, free of pain and stopping further complications.
As much as I dont want to be on this much medication, they basically save my life on a daily basis. Its the same with a life saving operation I had many years ago which unfortunately went wrong, and left me crippled, ended my teaching career and in need of a full time care. My point is, at least it saved my life. So I am thankful and welcome all pills that improve my quality of life, no matter how many. Im sure there’s people on much much more.
I think we all struggle to beleive everythings for the best.
But I guess it makes sense not to think too much about the long term effects, especially if they are helping you so much.
Wouldnt it be wonderful if someone invented the pill version of Wonka’s “everlasting gobstopper”.?
A pill that treated all illnesses, …and you only had to take it once.