Overdosing by combining more than one medication with similar properties

I Take two different blood pressure lowering drugs plus Coumadin. I have discussed these with my MD after reading this editorial.

PRISTIQ can this drug worsen your depression

Be very careful when taking Vicadin (Narco) for pain if also taking meds for Parkinson's. My husband was prescribed 10/325 Narco for pain at an Urgent Care center & after 3 days, he collapsed, ended up in hospital for 9 days & then in a nursing home for another 31 days!!!! He couldn't walk, talk, etc. Needed rehab. The hospital physician would not admit it was the Narco that caused the delerium but it was.

Those are pretty pills. What are the little tiny sugary looking pills for? I've never seen them.

Hello Anonymous, Thank you for your comment. If you'd like, you can post your question in our Ask & Answer section, here: ( http://www.caring.com/ask ). Take care -- Emily | Community Manager

If anyone has 1st. hand answers for me about last stages of cirrhosis of Liver & kidney shut down, what all happens & how long should we expect? last week in hosp. then send home when Lucid ? Now back to hosp when incoherent then meds bring him out again? VERY JAUNDICED - he does have alcohol induced cirrhrosis, Kindeys are going down, 1Doc. said it's Hepato Renal Syndrome? Just would like to know how long? Last week they told us maybe now? Happened again today, now may try new meds again, I know he's just a guinea pig, but had to claim him incompetent & want us to take him back home & we just can't do this in home, please if you have any hands on experience I'd love to have you tell me what we're in for soon, Thanks & Good Bless You

Thanks For This Blog, was added to my bookmarks.

I just sent this post to a bunch of my friends as I agree with most of what you’re saying here and the way you’ve presented it is awesome.

Studies have repeatedly shown that Tizanadine, the active medication in muscle relaxers and Cipro, a powerful anti biotic should not be taken concurrently. Yet two doctors seem not to know about the studies even tho my pharmacist's computer show the two drugs to be contraindicated for use.

Very helpful, I have been taking simvastatin for 15 years and it has been that long since I've had grapefruit or grapefruit juice..I've really missed it !But I'm glad I've resisted having some..

I was taking reglan for acid reflux disease. several months ago I was getting up at time after taking a reglan and I would fall, I fell 5 times before I realized it could be the med. so I called the pharmacy and they said yes it could. so I quit taking it, 2 months later with no falls I went to the doctor he said he was glad I know my body and being 74 I do not need to be falling. I have not fallen since and that was several months ago.

Than you

I send hugs and prayers to everyone that has any comments on this page for they all need them.... My heart Doctor had me on all kinds of Rx and all I wanted to do was stay in bed on lay on the couch so the last time I went out to have them filled I ask them to tell me what I was taking them for and was told all had to do with my high blood pressure So I did not have them filled and told my doctor and guess what he could not see me any more because if I could not do what he says he could not treat me well sense then I have one fantastic heart doctor ( and by the way I do not have high blood pressure) so please people make sure you know before you have them (RX) filled

Why did the DOCTOR'S stop putting what you are taking a medicine for on the Rx/ It is very dis-stubbing to reach in the cabinet to take a pill to remember you really don't know what it is for. Just the other day I had to call the pharmacy to find out what a med was for. Now you tell me how come there is so many confusing mistakes

We all need to take note of these comments made on meds. you could end up in the morge if we don't take time to ask questions. I print out my husband and my meds so I can always know what I put down is the right thing when filling out papers at doctors office.

Jennie your in our prayers may God Bless and heal your body.

I have been prescribed over 100 different medications over the past ten years. Although I recieve my medical care and medications, through the VA, I frequently take a list of currant medication to "outside" pharmicist just to be certain my doctor hasn't overlooked one medication that may not bode well with another. So far I've been "lucky" and the current list is now down to 11 different med but a total of 29 doses a day.

Many things to think about, but I already know I am drug sensitive, plus I am 68 years old, so this is a good reminder of what to watch for. Thank you.

yeah, my son was prescribed adderall in the ER of Scottish Rite in Atl. after he had Grand Mal Seizure

I subscribe to 'BEST PILLS -WORST PILLS' , a Monthly letter advising about various medication that poses a danger and that you should not take. Costs only $12.00 a year.

Really good, easy to understand information.

I am a member of Kaiser and have been for over 50 years. No more bad handwriting or paper of any kind since Kaiser has gone digital 5 years now. My doctor types what he perscribes and it goes straight to the pharmacy. In the pharmacy they have complete print out of all the meds I take and have taken, and the pharmacists will go over with me about the meds and answer any questions I might have. All meds have side affects of some sort, some people can handle them very well, others may not. They always look to make sure that a new med I will take will be compatable with the meds I am already taking. My doctor will give me what he thinks will be the best for me, and I trust him with my life.

I work in the pharmacy and for years doctors have been known for their awful handwriting practices. MED STUDENTS listen up, its time to stop. If you can't type or print your prescriptions at least write the prescriptions in print, not cursive and try to take your time when writing the prescription. We live in 2010, we have devices we can check the weather, email, surf the net right in th palm of our hands yet we still see thousands of medication errors a year due to illegible handwriting and it is simply unacceptable.

This Sux! Yah "Sux" Im tired of so many people being poisened and who is making these drugs.Why doesnt the USA offer natural meds? When you think about it..i all comes from natural

I take several different medications for seizures and also take medication for high blood pressure. While at work, I was feeling dizzy and my heart was racing and could barely walk to the office so I let my doctor my know that it may be the Atenolol she prescribed for my blood pressure that was causing this. Sure enough, through my OWN investigation, I found out that the Atenolol interacted with one of my anti-convulsants, Vimpat, and I was removed from that medication. Now I am under the care of another physician and being prescribed another medication to control the blood pressure.

Being on a multitude of medications and requiring ER hospitalizations often I find that a list of medications with Generic and Brand Name, with the dosage, number of times taken daily, what is your normal time, what medications do the same thing but do not work Nexium/Prilosec) kept with me at all times is critical. I also keep a two day supply of all medications taken with that list that can be given to medical personal in the event they don't prescribe one I normally take such as Nexium.

nothing is mentioned about bad doctors.I consider my mothers death a case of involantary manslaughter.She was taking 2 pills a day(high blood pressure and colesterol)my sister who was co-trustee decided to change doctors against my wishes,because I had seen this doctor once before and had a very bad impresstion of her,I could tell she had very few patientsaand was very aggressive in writting new perscriptions,within a 2months she was up to 15 different pills a day and the side effects started coming out rapidly.I believe she would get kickbacks from the drug companies and all the referals and tests she was running,my mom was relativly healthy before seeing her ,the the kidney failure happened within 6 months ,more referal bonuses,then sepsus infection from the dialysis stent.Moral BEWARE OF QUACK DOCTORS.BTW when things started going sour she just distanced herself from it.No one can tell the side effects that would come from a drug cocktail like that .So please dont let this happen to you.Make sure your loved one has a proper dr before its to late especially if they cant tell you themselves.I should have put a stop to it sooner but it happened so fast it was too late.Not a day goes by when I dont feel the guiltof not doing my job.I didnt know this sign at the time but it indicates kidneys going downhill,but its too little too late.Please dont let this happen to you type of thing.But you must always remember doctors are business people and unfortunately some the dollar is more important than apersons well being.

I was given a prescription by my dermatologist for a skin discoloration. When I had the prescription filled , it said to apply to face and EYES! Should have read EARS.

NOT ALL TRUE! ADDERALL is a control drug, and is NEVER kept next to a non-control drug on the same shelf!

I tried to print the "Beers list" but I received "radiological imaging" 5 pages of it. The rest of the ariticle was helpful but I couldn't get the beers list.

Does vitamin cause memory loss? My son is 12 years old. 78 pounds, He doesn't eat vergtable, or fruit. I gave him 1 viamin c 500mg a day, 1 veggie 1,500mg and 1 Omega-3 1000mg a day. Is it okay to countinue to give him vitamins because he look okay. He grows taller, but very thin. He is about 5' tall. He has ADD problem with comprehension in shool.

Sandra Saunders needs prayers for her health & state of mind. Please include her in yours. God Bless

Great Advice ! Yes, please email me your weekly announcements. Thank you. John Del Rosario

I found your article very informative and I have come across much of what you discuss. I was taking a statin drug and gobbling down ripe grapefruit from my neighbor's yard and began having swollen ankles (bilateral ankle edema) I looked into the warnings and found that grapefruit is deadly when taken with statin drugs. I also think informing patients to check the details of their Rx before turning them in and ask questions of the pharmacist. Very good advice. Thanks.

I recently had that experience with the VA. MY primary care doctor prescribed Morphine Sulfanate 15mg ; when I received a refill after taking the medication I was feeling quite dizzy with an accompanying dry mouth. I checked the bottle and learned that the refill was for Morphine 60mg. After contacting the urgent care nurse they sen me the correct prescription.

where would I look to find out if my meds are bad to be taking together?

iam 67 a diabets ware insulin pump

If every one knew what they were taking that would help.It is not just the doctors or pharmacy's fault.Most people do not know what they are all taking.People need to stop pharmacy shoping so we can figgure what you are taking and where the problems are.the doctor only goes by a chart not his memory.That is why they use computers.Guess what they fail write a list people know what you are taking.Get the information you need.Do not just take it because they tell you to.Take time and pay attention it could be your life or some one close to you.Mistakes happien take time to ask questions.

From the Journal of the American Medical Association: DOCTORS ARE THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE U.S., causing 250,000 deaths every year, according to Dr. Barbara Starfield of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. 12,000 -----unnecessary surgery 7,000 -----medication errors in hospitals 20,000 ----other errors in hospitals 80,000 ----infections in hospitals 106,000 ---non-error, negative effects of drugs These total to 250,000 deaths per year from "IATROGENIC" causes ! What does the word "IATROGENIC" mean? This term is defined as: induced in a patient by a physician's activity, manner, or therapy. And, you can bet the rent money, if doctors will admit to 250,000 KILLED, the real figure is a whole lot higher. There are 237,000 MDs in the National Practitioner Data Bank referred to by the Health Research Group as either "Dangerous" or Questionable." Pathetic, disgusting and horrible. Where's the outrage ? It's the same number as if two (2) jumbo passenger jets crashed every day, throughout the year, and NO ONE survived. (350 X 2 X 365 = 255,500) . . . . . . . Where's the outrage ? (Please Google it, DOCTORS ARE THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE U.S. if you don’t believe me.)

Very bad examples were given in this article. Chemotherapy drugs like Taxol are not stored next to other prescription medications on the shelf. Adderal is a controlled substance and it is locked up and signed out with a witness, hence it is unlikely to be confused with normal prescription medications.

I take plavix,have for12 years had a triple bypass 98 3stents since then,recently,started having a lot of acid ingestion,heart burn went to doc.hw gave pronix,did not work cost 25 copay,went back he gave me omeprazole,prilosec,genire,famotidine,genric for pepcid.None of work,the he ask me if I was on plavix.He said I could not take any thing for intogestion.It made the plavix not work,not even alka selzer,it has apirin in it.it al put my life in danger.cause it make plavix not work.And plavix cost to much to go down the drain.warn everybody be very careful what you take if you are on plavix

Having worked in medicine the last 10 years, I have seen a lot of different medications prescribed. Medication safety is a two way street. One of the most important protective measures a patient can have is a neatly written/typed list of ALL the medications, supplements, vitamins, and herbals (to include teas) on them at all times. This helps the patient know what they are taking and it helps EMS and Hospital ERs in an emergency. Patient's need to be involved in their care. Daily, I talk to patients who can't tell me what medications they are taking. The common response: "well it's there in the computer." This is the wrong answer. Computer software is only as good as the people who program it and enter data into it. Rest assured, if a doctor, PA, or Nurse Practioner (a.k.a providers) hand writes a prescription, it doesn't always show up in the Medical Record software. The next part of the two way street involves what Medical Proffesionals are suppose to do. Not many patients are aware that National Patient Safety Standards set forth by the US Government require that a Medication Reconcilication be completed at ALL encounters. This means that the medical proffesional is to review what medications the patient is taking. This is where the handwritten/typed list of medications comes in handy. They are required to remove any medications from the list they don't want you take, add any new ones to the list they prescribe (to include dosages), and provide an updated copy of the list to you. Remember, this is a requirement JCAHO and AAAHC (both accrediation agencies in the US) inspect this. If your provider does not do this, ask for it. Also, ask the provider to review the medications with you. I would much rather have a patient ask me what a medication is and what it is used for then to tell me they don't care. Well, I have rambled on enough. You can find more information about the National Patient Safety Goals by going to www.jointcommision.org (JCAHO). I reccommend everybody take a look, there are more basic safety goals out there that are missed daily.

I have iron def. aniema. My body can not asorb iron. so I take 150 mg, 8x a day. Went for a refill and they gave me a prenatal vit. Almost killed me. I called the store and asked them they said oh no it was the RIGHT med. took it to the hosptial and had them look. sure enough they had to give me iron shots. Those hurt more then having kids. But I got a gift card for their mess up. Now I wait and watch them fill my meds.

At the age of 47 I had a mini stroke in April,Stroke in May,funny thing I don't remember much and I don't even remember being in the hospital.I remember only some of my therapy before it ended.I'm left with some weakness on right side and short term memory messed up and gait abnormality. Diagnosis:Lupus SLE.Hey,ended my medical career.Can't spell either.I now have many other problems and I take so many medicines.Can't eat this don't take that.Sites like this are so valuable for people like me not only seniors.So thank you and if this letter isn't perfect its ok I just hope i made sense.lol hey I try hard every day. I consider myself lucky I can still walk, talk and try to spell and type. God Bless You All

I lost a family member due to an overdose of pain medication. The hardest part is knowing I was sitting right there talking to the nurse while she hooked up the IV bag that led to his death hours later. He was administered 10x the prescribed amount and he went into cardiac arrest overnight and died. Had I checked, or asked questions he'd be alive today. Please don't let this happen to you or a loved one. Trust no one when it comes to medication.

I overdoesed on aspirin and ended up going to the hospital for it. I was forced to take antipsychotic medications at a hospital, even when they knew I was experiencing severe/advese side effects and till to this day, I cannot say some of the problems I've been having, were becuase of those. And I'm only 27.

I picked up a prescripation for my daughter and looked at it when I got home and the name just did not appear correct for what she was taken it for and I looked it up on the internet and it was for muscle pain and the drug the doctor gave her was for an infection. I took it back the next morning and they had given her someone else's and hers to another person. So if you are unsure please research before taken the drug. God only knows what could have happen to my daughter if I had not look and felt that this was the incorrect drug.

Hi, hope this is okay. First time I've seen this site but certainly won't be the last. Check out Askapatient.com to get patient comments on various drugs they have used. Check out Drugs.com to find out various side effects of a drug and the severity of that side effect. Think it may also tell what drugs not to mix with others and why, but don't remember it for sure. Just found it last week.

I was recently released from a major metropolitan hospital. I was hospitalized there after flat-lining at a smaller hospital. I needed their well-trained doctors to get my heart back functioning more normally, as well as my lungs. I had wonderful care. Before I was released, I was given some new medicine and a list of meds to take. I had other meds that I was already taking, (eg. insulin, thyroid and blood pressure). I was NOT told of any drugs to STOP taking. Unfortonately, one or two of the new meds, were almost identical in function of my old ones. The morning after returning to my home, i took ALL my meds. Then I went out to visit friends, and stopped to get some French toast at a favorite cafe. On my way out, I collapsed. My wife struggled to get me in the car and take me back to our local ER. They had to fly me back to the major trauma center. I had OVERDOSED badly on heart medication. I then stayed another night. The doctors and pharmacists then spent a day checking and re-checking my list of meds, and made sure I had a written copy of which neds to take, and which to STOP. They informed me that this had NOT been a regular practice, but that they would begin to do this procedure, prior to release to avoid further errors. SO, IF you are ever in a similiar situation, make SURE that you are fully informed BEFORE you go home.

Most of my medications are generic. I received a refill and the pill looked different. I took it back to the pharmacy and the pharmacist verified that they had changed companies and it was the right prescription. I felt a little embarrassed about asking, since I've used the same pharmacy for about 15 years, but he said that I should always ask and he doesn't mind at all. I recommend that if anything looks incorrect, stop and talk to the pharmacist. If they don't take the time to research it for you, switch pharmacies!

I was on a medication for depression and the doctor I was seeing told me I needed to go to the hospital and get my blood dosage then to see how high the medication was in my system. I went to the hospital twice after telling her nurses, because they refused to let you talk to the psychiatrist, I wound up going, by ambulance, to the hospital and almost wound up on life support because the doctor would not listen to anything I was saying!! I wrote a letter to her place of employment and never saw her there again!! Thank you, Billie Mae Clark

I'm an RN and feel that poor handwriting is to blame for many dangerous errors. Nurses waste so much time every shift deciphering MD notes, which often appear written in symbols instead of English words. Locating the writer can be difficult, especially on off-shifts or if the MD is in surgery, etc. Why do hospitals knowingly allow this to continue, yet appear so concerned about medication errors? Why not change to mandatory computerized charting/prescriptions? This would pay for itself many times over in preventing these costly mistakes. Is it a fear of upsetting or offending the MD? The technology is certainly there and has been for a long time. How many more people have to be injured or die?

I have a doctorate in pharmacy and worked as a retail pharmacist for 12 years. Take notes when you visit your doctor and he prescribes a new medicine. Ask what the name of it is (brand and generic),the dose prescribed and how often to take it. Compare this to what you see your prescription bottle. Know why it is being prescribed and make sure that lines up with what your pharmacist says it is prescribed for.If your medicine looks different upon refill call your pharmacist and make sure that you have the correct medicine.Being informed is your best protection. This is very important with your children's medicines because an overdose or the wrong medicine can hurt them more easily. Always try to use the same pharmacy or at least the same chain so everything you(or your child) is taking is on file which will help flag any drug interactions. There is a law now which mandates a pharmacist counsel with each new medication filled. Take advantage of it and talk to the pharmacist about the medicine. If he/she is super busy call back later with any questions.If something doesn't feel right, don't ignore it. Pharmacy software has a lot of built in safeguards but at the end of the day we are all human. Doctors included.The worst pharmacy error that I ever heard of occurred some years back in NC. A parent brought in a presciption for their child and it was misfilled. Instead of getting the correct medicine the child received an oral hypoglycemic drug (lowers the blood sugar in diabetic adults).The child received several doses and fell into a coma. He survived, but due to the sustained low low blood sugar, he is brain damaged. It is also a great idea to get on the Internet and look up what the medication should look like. I know that all this requires alot of effort on the part of the patient or parent (or adult child of elderly parents) but your health is worth it. Serious errors thankfully happen very rarely but that 1 time in 1000 could have severe consequences. By developing a relationship with one pharmacy(which probably only will have 2 or 3 pharmacists on staff) the chance of errors are greatly minimized. If you feel like the pharmacy staff acts "bothered" by your questions, find another store. There are alot of customer friendly motivated pharmacists out there and your health deserves one. Lastly, many times you get better and more personalized customer service from an independently owned pharmacy. If you have insurance the copays should be the same as with the chains.Sorry to be so long but I thought that I could help someone after spending years on the other side of the counter!Oh, and call ahead a day for refills, if possible, so that the pharmacy staff isn't rushed to fill them .That also cuts down on the error rate.

The best thing to do when prescribed a medication is go on line and get the real facts. Most doctors/pharmacists do not tell you the WHOLE TRUTH. One pharmacist told me, when I backed him into a wall, "I don't have anything in my store that hasn't killed someone." I said, do you tell them that? He said no. Remember, doctos/pharmacists/psychiatrists--all make money pushing drugs, doing surgeries. They sit on the boards of insurance companies, they decide what insurance companies will pay for. I worked 16 years for an orthopedic surgeon. There is a natural product that helps aleviate back pain, and helps cure it, but surgeons don't want to hear about it. They get perks from hospitals for briging in surgeries--that is what pays. They get perks from pharmaceutical companies. Who do you think pays for the lavish dinners broght in to their often grossly obesse office staff? --Pharmaceutical companies. Wake up--everyone and simply ask yourself, do I really need this drug? Can I live without it? Research it yourself. nancy Baltinsky Salisbury MO

Thought I knew just about all of it also; found this t/b an excellent article and plan to print it out for my benefit and for those I show it to.

They forgot one real important point. Never split a time release pill!!!

my opinion is that the med. mistakes in nursing homes are for the most part ignored.I recently was in two different ones to use their physical therapy facilities and very quickly learned to check my meds. In one case the nurse forgot 2 pills and got snooty when I pointed it out to her. Wondering why I was so sleepy a couple of days and found I was being o'd by 100mg of one med.because the nurse who checks the meds had written the wrong dosage on the med.card. Then there was the nurse who couldn't figure how to get .25mg from a.5mg pill. I could go on but folks Please keep track of what's going on in care facilities and don't always trust what the nurses tell you.

commenting on anonymous: it's ironic, but just yesterday i was prescribed the same medicines, Lisinopril and HCT, but refused the HCT cause i have been prescribed that med. in the past and it did not work, so i guess i was pretty lucky in finding this article.

I was rushed to an ER when my sodium level dropped to 123....withing 3 pts of seizures, coma. Why? I was taking a popular med for high BP - Lisinopril 10 mg. The problem was that there were 3 letters past the name..HCT, which stands for hydrochlorothiazide, (a duretic). Never again will I take a med without knowing what the hct, hcl or whatever means! I learned a valuable lesson by a very dangerous combination.

Found article t/b very interesting. Thought I knew all of it, but reading it really hit home.