Managing Medications Questions

1. 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...
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2. 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"...
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3. 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...
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4. Should I adjust my meds considering this new drug?

   Managing new medications with old ones
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5. 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.
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6. 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...
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7. 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...
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8. 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...
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9. 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.
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10. 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.
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11. Are there steroids in Spiriva?

    No, there are no steroids in Spiriva®. Spiriva contains only one medicine, tiotoprium, which is a long-acting compound that opens up the tubes in the lung by relaxing the smooth muscles found in the respiratory tract.
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12. 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...
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13. Will splitting the Namenda pills help with unnecessary weight gain?

    Question: Cutting Namenda pills in half and taking them twice a day to avoid weight gain. Response: Make sure you speak with the treating physician before cutting your medication dose in half. Cutting the medication dose by 50% could affect the effectiveness of the medication as well.
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14. The anti-depressant is making her seem worse!

    Question: Changing antidepressants while having Alzheimer's. Response: Changing her antidepressant could help. There could be several reasons for her crying episodes. I would need more information about other medical conditions and all of her medications (including the type of antidepressant she is taking) in order to provide further information...
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15. 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)
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16. Can the twilight drug I was given for a colonoscopy affect my memory over two years later?

    The most common "twilight drug" given for colonoscopy is versed (midazolam). Versed is a short-acting benzodiazepine used as a sedative before invasive medical procedures. It has strong anti-anxiety, anti-seizure, and muscle relaxation properties...
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17. 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...
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18. Will Mom's new medications make her sleepy all the time?

    Both Ambien and Remeron cause drowsiness. In combination, they could definitely increase general drowsiness in your mom. There are certain factors that might increase your mom's likelihood of experiencing daytime drowsiness. This includes her medication dose, age, kidney function, and liver function...
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19. 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...
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20. Is Serequel available in liquid form?

    Unfortunately, Seroquel is not available in a liquid form. However, other antipsychotics are available in forms that may be easier for him to take. The two that I know and have experience with are listed below:
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