Managing Medications Questions
84 Question and Answer Results
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Could meds be causing her aggression?
Finding the right combination of Alzheimer meds can be tricky as individual patients may react differently particularly when an additional med is being used. One of the side effects of Alzheimer meds is often an improvement in awareness which leads to increased anger and frustration and aggression as... -
My spouse has Parkinson's with mild dementia. She is having...
This is not an unusual query as each year more and more folks are diagnosed with a progressive neurological dementia caused by something other than Alzheimer's. Lewy Body disease, which comprises about 20% of these people, bears a remarkable resemblance to Parkinson's and can be easily misdiagnosed in the early stages... -
Can I insist on medication for my mom?
The first thing you need to do is aks if your mom is on some other medications. Sleeping all the time and refusing food and liquids could be caused by advanced Alzheimer's disease, but it also could be due to medications. I do not think that Ativan would improve her current condition because you do not describe her as being anxious... -
I want the doctor to stop Ativan, but he won't listen!.
I am not sure what do you mean by "mean fit". You indicate that it happens at night. Is it just that she is trying to get out of the bed? You need to get more information from the staff about her behavior. If it is just problem with sleep there are other medications that are better than "shot of Ativan"... -
Do I have to see my doctor every 90 days?
Required doctors visits for pain medications: It depends on the doctor, but 90 days is usually the longest you can go before a visit is required. -
What do I do about a rash from a prescription drug?
Prescription medication side effects are quite common. The side effect you describe is rare, but has been reported in case-studies with other people (see the link below). There are many other medications for hypertension and several that are in the same category as Diovan... -
Should I adjust my meds considering this new drug?
Managing new medications with old ones -
Will Medicare pay for an automatic, locked, pill dispenser for Alzheimer's patients?
A wide array of medical equipment is covered by Medicare Part B, but an automated pill dispenser is not one of the pieces of equipment that Medicare normally covers. However, there may be some exception in the Medicare rules or guidelines that permits coverage of such a pill dispenser if prescribed by a physician for an Alzheimer's patient... -
Is there an agency that can help my elderly Aunt manage her medications weekly?
It is possible that your aunt can find either an independent pharmacy or a home health nurse to help her manager her medications. I prefer independent pharmacies because the pharmacist can have her medications put into bubble packs, which tends to be quite helpful. Do a google search for Gates County and independent pharmacy... -
Can I Become Addicted to My Prescribed Opioid Pain Relievers?
If your doctor prescribed you an opioid pain reliever for pain, it's unlikely you need to worry unless you have a history of addiction issues. It's extremely rare for people who don't already have substance-abuse issues to become addicted to pain medication. -
How do we prevent drug interaction problems?
You are wise to be concerned by the potentially dangerous side-effects of mixing drugs. And yes, this is a significant problem. (More so for older people, who may be more forgetful about what and how much medication they're taking, or have problems reading the small print about side-effects and contraindications... -
Where can we dispose of old medications?
Your question is very timely. Proper disposal of unneeded medications is an issue that is currently undergoing national debate. -
Do I diminish my medication's efficacy by taking them all at the same time?
Does taking several meds at once reduce efficacy? This depends on the medication. There is always the possibility that taking several medications at the same time may diminish some of the effect, however, this is tough to predict. Most of your medications are absorbed in your small intestine, which is just past your stomach... -
What can work in place of Darvocet?
As you have found out, the prescription drug “propoxyphene” was withdrawn from the market – it happened in November, 2010. See the following link for more information from the [United States Food and Drug Administration]: (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/DrugSafetyPodcasts/ucm234455.htm) -
Are Over-the-Counter Anti-inflammatory Pain Relievers Safe for Older Adults?
Ibuprofen (brand names Advil, Motrin) and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be unsafe for many older adults, especially when taken daily. Geriatricians much prefer that older adults take acetaminophen (Tylenol), because it causes almost no side effects and only rarely interacts with other medications a person may be taking... -
Am I addicted to pain medication?
No, unless you have a history of substance abuse, having to increase the dosage of your pain medication doesn't mean you're becoming addicted. Doctors are usually careful to start people on pain medicines at low doses, with a plan to slowly increase the dosage as needed until, together, the doctor and patient find the right dose needed to control the pain... -
Our 81 year old mother was recently diagnosed with dementia. How should she be convinced that she should not be administering her own medication?
This is just the first of many issues like this: driving, finances, living alone, etc. All will require family intervention at some point. Now is a good time to think about how to approach these issues. In general, I recommend that you think about it as a partnership... -
Is my father hallucinating from his medication?
I think that you are right, that something is going on with your father. When you talk about hallucinations, that makes me think he is delirious. Delirium in older people can have numerous causes. These can include infections, medication changes, illness, or depression... -
How does Spiriva help COPD patients?
Spiriva is the brand name for the medication tiotropium. It works by relaxing airway narrowing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or chronic bronchitis. The usual symptoms for which it would be used are wheezing, prevention of wheezing, shortness of breath, and cough... -
Should I stop my regular meds if I want to try a new thyroid one?
I don’t’ know the details of your health conditions but it sounds like you are receiving thyroid supplementation for an underactive thyroid gland. If this is the case it is important that your response to the thyroid medicine be routinely monitored through simple blood tests that enable your doctor tor to adjust your thyroid dose accordingly...
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