Upside Of Aging

5 Tips to Prevent Getting Sick from Medications

 

Somewhere along the line in my medical and health writing I learned that every medication has side effects. Studying the elderly I learned that many were taking a medication to counter act a medication they absolutely needed. When my mother started taking medications I quickly learned I had to ask her physician about the side effects of those medications because she was not going to say a word and suffer whatever.

 

1. Ask your physician to go through all the prescription drugs you take to make sure one drug isn't interfering with another.

 

During the last 10 to 15 years I learned that very few physicians have the time or the resources to examine all of the medications their patients are taking, even those that are prescribed by other physicians such as a dermatologist, or gynecologist, This needs to be done on a regular basis because a prescription from one doctor could be inhibiting a medication from another physician

 

 Recent research could show newer medications that are just as effective but have fewer side effects. Many doctors do not have the time to keep updated on all the medications although that is usually their intent when they read the medical journals over the week ends.

 

2. List all your prescriptions in one source, one drugstore. A pharmacist is often the person who discovers your medications are interfering one another.

 

3. Consider taking a generic drug first. It will cost you less. Doctors often prescribe the most current medication which is also the most expensive.  There is usually a generic available for most diseases.

 

4. If you have a new prescription that involves 2 or 3 new medications, take only one new medication at a time to see how your system will tolerate its effects. Then gradually add the next and the next.

 

5. You are the captain of your ship. Your physician cannot help you if you don't provide all the information. That means listing all the supplements you take and how much there is of each ingredient. You may be surprised at the amount you are taking of one vitamin or one herb when you add up everything.

Besides, there are supplements that interfere with medications and that can cause only havoc.

 

If you have other tips let us know.  Type them in the comment box so we can all take better care of ourselves.

 

To your successful aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

 

 

Medicine Can Make You Sick

For a few weeks my colleague had a few cramps and wasn't feeling 100 percent but ignored it and kept up with her work and life. Then one evening the pain was excruciating and she found herself in the Emergency Room. After tests and scans her physician asked her how much she drinks because her liver had all the signs of sclerosis of the liver.

MY colleague and buddy doesn't drink; maybe a glass of wine now and then. Surgery was scheduled while they looked for the source of her problem.

The discovery: My colleague had a foot fungus and was taking Lamisil. She had a prescription and continued to take the medication until her fungus went away. That took 18 months. The problem was she never told the doctor she started the prescription. Doctors usually check your blood for liver enzymes every 3 months when patients take Lamisil because one of the uncommon but serious side effects is possible liver damage.

You have to know that my colleague is a very bright and successful business woman but didn't pay attention to her medications. I bet that doesn't happen anymore.

What medications are you taking? Have you looked up their side effects? Have you asked your physician about their side effects even the uncommon ones? It is well worth your time.

I'd love to hear your story about medicine and side effects and what you discovered. Type them in the comments and share what you learned with the rest of us!

To your healthy aging success!

Ruthan brodsky

What You Need to Know About Vitamin D

Vitamin D is the new vitamin E. Everyone is talking about it and how much it means to your overall health.  Is it the latest fad or the real thing?

A research project that gave 1,200 healthy postmenopausal women either a placebo or calcium (1,500 mg) plus vitamin D (1,000 IU daily) found that the women who were given both vitamin D and calcium were 77 percent less likely to be diagnosed with cancer, especially breast cancer, over the next four years.

A larger trial, the Woman's Health Initiative, tested vitamin D (400 IU) and calcium or a placebo on 36,000 healthy women for an average of seven years. Vitamin D takers had no lower risk of breast cancer than the placebo takers. Many physicians say the dosage of Vitamin D in the research was not high enough and recommended more research on dosages of at least 1000 I.U.

Evidence about the benefits of vitamin D in humans is limited and mixed. One study in 2006 and a study early in 2009 in the Midwest, for example, showed a higher rate of pancreatic cancer among those with high blood levels of vitamin D.

On the other hand, animal and lab studies report that vitamin D does protect the heart. It seems to suppress inflammation which plays a major role in cardiovascular disease. Subjects from the Framingham Heart Study who had low vitamin D blood levels had a 60 percent higher risk of heart disease than those with higher levels. In still another study there was a suggestion that vitamin D may keep blood pressure from rising.

The conclusion from the scientists is that the studies show an association between low vitamin D levels and a higher risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular disease but they do not prove that one causes the other.

So what does all this information mean to you?  No definitive answer yet but  talk to your doctor anyway about vitamin D and see what your physician says about taking 1000 to 2000 IU daily. This is especially important if you're in those northern states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota where it is summer for only a few months in the year and then when it is sunny, the sun is not very strong. Instead of 20 minutes outdoors to get your dose of vitamin D you may have to spend 40 minutes.

I have deced to stick my nose out and  am taking in at least 200 I.U. daily.

What do you think your decision will be.  Share your thoughts in the comment box.

To your healthy aging.

Ruthan

The Dangers of Aspirin

The Dangers of Aspirin

While I was writing about over-the-counter medications in my previous post, I also wanted to include talking about nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include aspirin products. Warnings on the labels today tell consumers about the risk of stomach bleeding.

When we're in pain, it's difficult to pay attention to a label warning us not to take a product if we're at high risk for a negative result. Yet the second major cause for ulcers is irritation of the stomach because of regular use of NSAIDs.

Over-The-Counter Medications Require Caution

The latest news from the FDA is that the labels of over-the-counter products for pain relief that contain acetaminophen are now required to highlight warnings about the risk of potentially serious side effects. These products currently have a warning about the risk of liver damage. They include products such as Tylenol, Robitussin, NyQuil, Sudafed Sinus & Headache, and Excedrin P.M., Excedrin Migraine, Goody's Headache Powders, Dimetapp, Sinutab

One conclusion from a recent study is that if you take OTC products on occasion, your risk of these side effects is probably low. The bad news is that certain medical conditions plus any drugs you may be taking can raise your risk.

The big problem for you is that as you get older you are also at higher risk for problems because your body doesn't tolerate medications as well as it did when you were younger and your kidneys don't function as well which means they become more prone to damage.

You need to be concerned about acetaminophen and its potential risk of sever liver damage especially if you take one of the products on a regular basis. Most of the severe liver damage is caused by taking too much of the product. Pain is something you want to get rid of and if that means taking more pills we hardly think of over-the-counter treatments as being dangerous.

It looks like we have to think again because part of that concern is that you may not know that acetaminophen is an ingredient in cough and cold medications and in several prescription pain medications such as Ultracet, Vicodin and Percocet. We get into trouble when we combine two or more of these medications.

The maximum dosage of acetaminophen is 4 grams or less in a 24-hour period. That means limiting yourself to eight Tylenol tables, 500-miligram. If you already have liver problems, reduce your intake to 2 or 3 grams.

Other treatment options include physical therapy, exercise and stretching. However, if you're not already in an exercise program, I recommend that you go to your primary care physician who can refer you to a rheumatologist or orthopedist who will evaluate you and maybe refer you to a physical therapist or physiatrist so that you learn to exercise the correct way and not hurt yourself even more.

To your successful aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

DRug Interactions - What You Should Know

I started thinking about the number of prescription drugs that people take as they age. Someone told me that the average number of prescriptions for a person at age 60 is 8 separate medications. That means there are people who may take 12 or 14 medications. How do you maintain control?

There are many opportunities today to learn about your health and to take better care of yourself. Part of that understanding is knowing about the medicines you take. For instance, if one of your doctor's prescribes 2 medications and another doctor prescribes another 2 medications, how do you know if the medications aren't interacting and causing more harm than good?

Drug interactions may make your medication less effective or they can cause more severe side effects because the action of a particular drug is increased. Some drug interactions can be harmful. Actually reading the label every time you use a nonprescription or prescription drug and taking the time to learn about drug interactions may be critical to your health.

It's not that difficult to reduce the risk of potentially harmful drug interactions. It just takes a little information and some common sense.

There are 3 different types of drug interactions. The first is drug to drug interaction when two or more drugs react with each other. This interaction may cause an unexpected side effect. For instance, taking a drug for your allergies while taking a drug to help you sleep can slow your reaction time when driving.

A second interaction is drug to food or beverages. For instance drinking alcohol while taking some medications may also slow your reaction time and make you feel tired.

A third general interaction is taking a medication when you have an existing medical condition that makes that prescription harmful. For instance, if you have high blood pressure you could experience a harmful reaction with some nasal decongestants.

A good idea is to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you take on any new prescription. That may sound like a simple solution but it's a start.

To your successful aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

Medication Risks and Benefits

There is a growing movement that consumers should be able to calculate the benefits and risks of a prescription drug just like we can figure out the fat and calories of a chocolate chip cookie.

Inspired by the nutrition fact panels on food packaging, researchers at the Dartmouth Medical School are asking federal regulators to consider numerical

Tables that quantify the benefits of a drug versus a placebo and list the side the side effects as well. These drug fact boxes would appear on ads and on the packaging of the prescription.

This idea was presented at an F.D.A. hearing last month which focused on improving drug information for parents. The agency has acknowledged that there are complaints about not enough information regarding prescriptions in general.

Federal law does require that drug ads include a brief summary about the possible side effects of a medication and about who should not be taking a certain drug. In TV commercials we usually hear this list read more quickly than an auctioneer calling off cattle.

The concern is that ads don't explain how well a drug does work other than a few testimonials and personal stories. Critics call this misleading advertising. Other critics feel the ads are too vague about risks. The thinking is that if consumers have more information about drugs they might avoid the less effective drugs no matter how much they advertise.

Wow! What a novel approach to considering that we consumers may be interested in taking some responsibility for our medication. Interested in knowing what you think about this notion.

Right now, the thought is still in concept stage.

To your success no matter your age.

Ruthan Brodsky

Statins Do More Than Lower Cholesterol

There was an excellent explanation of why the media is focuses so much on the medical world singing the praises of statin treatment for just about everyone in the January issue of the Cleveland Clinic's Heart Advisor.

The answer in a nutshell – the media and most likely some health providers – didn't read all the details of the research and analyze the information correctly.

First the research…

The recent landmark study, JUPITER for Justification for the Use of Statins in Primary Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin), reports that the meds cut the risk of heart attacks and strokes in half, even among people with low levels of LDL or the bad cholesterol. That apparently was reason enough for the headlines such as Statin Drugs Save the World.

Dr. Leslie Cho, director of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation at Cleveland Clinic says the study's results should NOT be stated as evidence that everyone needs to begin statin therapy regardless of their cholesterol levels.

He points out that the study participants were selected because they had risks of heart disease such as elevated levels of C-reactive protein. In addition, almost half of the participants were obese, had high blood pressure, elevated CRP and metabolic syndrome. Also, the average age of the patients was 66 which indicate that some of the patients were in their 80s. More importantly, all were at risk for heart disease.

The notion was that statin therapy may help prevent these people from developing more health issues and that would be good.

If you are not at risk, or not dealing with one of these health issues such as being overweight or having an elevated CRP, the research results do not apply to you.

Besides, says Dr. Chou, there are some issues with statin drugs themselves. One common complaint, for example, is that the drugs cause muscle cramping and there's a risky of myopathy or muscle weakness or disease.

Dr. Cho also comments that the word is still out about the long-term impact of statin therapy and there is some comment in the medical world that statin therapy may have become too aggressive.

On the other hand, the list of benefits from statin drugs is good news for physicians with at-risk patients. It appears that changing to a healthy lifestyle and taking the meds is likely to keep at-risk patients in better health.

Now you can plan your goals for 2009. If you think you may be a candidate for the statins, get checked out by your physician. If not, keep focusing on that healthy lifestyle!

To your successful aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

Prescription Medication: How Much Should You Be Taking?

I remember when my mother was in an auto accident and they gave her a relaxant – a tranquilizer to calm her down so they could stitch close some deep cuts. It took her at least 3 days to get over the medication.

 It was very scary because the next day she was not making any sense – out of it. The nurses and I figured it out that because of her age, 89, and her small size, she should not have been given a regular adult dosage. Her liver probably couldn't break down the medication very well and her kidneys probably weren't very efficient in eliminating the tranquilizer. But who knew? I for sure didn't think about those possibilities.

That incident was my practical application of something I knew: that one size doesn't fit all in prescription medication.

What the experts have figured out is that the best dose of any medication is the lowest dosage that works. The problem is few physicians have the time or the motivation to customize drug doses for all their patients. For instance, someone starting on a low dose may require extra monitoring in the beginning to make sure the dose is working adequately. The advantage of this approach is that over the long haul there is more efficient use of the medication and probably less side effects from too much medication.

The fact is there are major problems caused by approved drugs in which the dosage is too high for individual patients. Besides being possibly lethal, many people stop taking their medication because the side effects of a large dose is unbearable.

One of the reasons for the overdosing is that drug companies recommend starting amounts that apply to all adults and as I said, one size doesn't fit all. A pill that is one dose for all patients is much easier for a doctor to prescribe then choosing from a selection of dosages.

Pharmaceutical companies tend to use high does of a drug in clinical studies submitted to the FDA to demonstrate the drug works. If all goes well, the FDA usually approves the drug at those levels. Because older people aren't typically included in clinical trials, these recommended doses are often too high for them. Then the problem is complicated when a patient is on other drugs or the patient is ill.

Women may also be more sensitive then men to medication because they usually weigh less than men. Besides, until very recently, women have been left out of most clinical trials.

Unless there's an emergency situation, it seems to me that the sensible thing to do is to start low and boost the dose if necessary. This approach should work with chronic illnesses and easily monitored disorders such as elevated cholesterol, blood-pressure, or glucose.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

When prescribed a new drug for a chronic condition, ask your doctor if you can start with a lower dose. That's particularly important if you're female, thin or small and have bad reactions to medication.

If you do start with a low dose, make sure you are monitored by your physician.

Ask about side effects of any new medication. Keep a log and list any symptoms and problems you've developed when you started the medication.Don't assume that listlessness, confusion, constipation, unsteady gait are normal signs of aging.

Bring all your medications, including supplements and herbal remedies, to the doctor's office at least every 6 months. Check for doses that can be reduced.

I think this information will be useful for you to get off to a great start in 2009.

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To your successful aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

Ruthan Brodsky helps business owners and professionals promote their services and products with quality content and useful information products.