Shake & Rattle

I never said she didn’t need the TKR .
It was when she went into have it done that the list of her prescribed meds was checked.
She had been over prescribed for some time.
It was nothing to do with her knee problem.

Oh, ok.
I thought they were pain meds.

Does anyone have any advice about transferring to a new practice? I moved from a practice where the GPs knew me and my history, 150 miles away to a practice which had been under special measures and subsequently merged with a larger practice in the wider district. My records were transferred and my prescriptions were accepted by the new GPs; then I was called for a blood test. Now, nothing, although I am 83 and should have an annual review - or so I believed. However, I have now been asked to be part of a 'remote monitoring' system for which I have been supplied with a thermometer and an oximeter - I can use my own BP machine - and, starting in a week's time, will send in a weekly record of my results. It will be interesting to see how this pans out. Is it an adequate substitute for a face-to-face review with a GP? I have my doubts.

My problem is that I look extremely well, no-one believes I can be so unwell. 😉 I hate having to explain why I am unable to do certain things. I'm sure some people think I am a hypochondriac. It is upsetting, when people lack empathy.
I worked for thirty years as a teacher, despite being told I would never be fit enough.
Sheer bloody mindfulness and a shed load of medication got me through it..

It's amazing what a bit of make up and resilience can do. 😁 I'm actually embarrassed at how much of a drain I am on the NHS. DH says I have used up all of his and the rest of the family's NI contributions.

Don’t be embarrassed, my friend. Keep up the bloody mindedness and keep going strong. You’re a great lady!

Bella, as are you! 💕

ginny

I expect the above poster have checked with their GPs and had a medicine review.
I know if people who had been taking several medicines for months/ years. When they finally managed to get a review , nearly everyone ended up taking less.

Am catching up on replies.

Laughed when I read yours. Mums review last year, they added to it! The oxy's (on 2 different types and strengths, were started when she had her hip done in 2008, she can't come off them as there are no other pain killers strong enough, Dr told her that!) Mum too uses patches, heat pads, tens machines and the vile smelling deep heat on her knees daily! Don't think gentle rub in, think caked on! She even progressed to the aerosol version last week, gassing us (me and dogs) as she can't smell it! I opened window pretty fast!

She's been offered other hip and knees.... (She's been asking for years but advised against due to circulatory issues but they gave her steroid jabs instead) Now, because she's older and more decrepit (she admits that) she's been told she's "high risk, may die but we'll try not to let that happen" so she says she can't risk it.

I'm about to go out so haven't finished reading the thread yet but please suggest a prescription review with her surgery's clinical pharmacist.
I know someone who has (at Christmas) come off a drug she's been taking for 5 years and doesn't need!

i take 15 pills in the morning, 12 at night, this is not counting the painkillers, loperamide, anti-sickness and 8 vitamins (approved by doctor), it takes me about 2 hours to make up 4 weeks as they all come in boxes. what happened to bottles of pills, would be so much easier on my poor fingers.

Marydoll, agree with Spirit, so does mum.

She's a great grandma now and a.couple of months ago, I was talking to brother-in-law, he'd come to pick up grand daughter,.he was a fireman for 30 yrs and he said he feels it in his knees. I said I can still see mum in marquee with sprog (gd who's now a mum) on knee, changing her nappy whilst my sister was going around talking to folk. I'd asked mum, that was.26 years ago, did she think she would be so decrepit now? She said no.

She'd had warnings off doctors due to spinal damage and had heeded them, so she NEVER thought she'd be like she is.

Diet/exercise WON'T help with pain, neither will "breathing properly" (the pain team suggested she breathe better to alleviate her pain, this was before they read her records, once read, they discharged her.) In other words, the pain pills she's on, she's on for a reason! Not only that, but the one of the oxy's, it HAS to be a.certain brand, she's allergic to others!

I remember the days she used to be On nabumatone??? Big red horse pills! I.remember them as I did my back, GP prescribed them, mum pipes up "I'm on them!" I felt honoured !

She's 82 in September, but she says in her head she feels young, but the body is no longer able.

I use daily pill box sets that have 4 spaces per day . I make up 6 weeks supply at a time in different boxes . It is easy to keep track of what you have taken and what you have missed.

Went to see my GP about a strange lump on my hand, and she asked me which medication I was on. When I told her 'none' (I'm in early 70s) she was amazed and decided that I needed to take statins. Do doctors get paid for every drug they can persuade us to take? My blood pressure and BMI are fine, with just a slightly raised cholesterol level. Plenty of exercise. My 'risk assessment' (of a stroke or heart attack in the next 10 years) is 12%. Apparently anything over 10 and they recommend statins! Anyone else encountered this?

After a lung function test, I was taken off my Seretide inhaler, as the Respirologist said my asthma was so negligible, I didn't need it. I had been on it for 40 years, but felt much better after coming off. I also lost 2 stone, without changing my diet. I am not on any medication now. I have a rescue pack of antibiotics and steroids, as I sometimes get bad chest infections. Nothing to do with Asthma.

Chestnut

I'm afraid painkillers become ineffective when taken long term. It's best not to use them for long and to find alternatives through diet and exercise. I know that's not easy, but this can improve or cure many conditions.

I have been on Co codamol x1 twice a day for almost 2 years. It was prescribed for pain after a broken hip op, up to 8 a day permitted. They still help with the pain of my osteoarthritis and spinal conditions. One of the side effects it actually helped with was the diarrhoea from IBS was more controlled on the tablets and it also was the only medication that kept my persistent cough in check too. My GP is happy to prescribe them for me long term as it's better than the frequent courses high dose steroids I was taking. I have never been tempted to increase the dose although they only take the edge off the pain.

As to diet and exercise, they made no difference to my cough or the IBS and I weigh less than 8 and a half stone so can't really afford to lose much from the persistent tummy troubles.

Luckily with my 89th birthday a couple of months away, I only take one regular B.P. tablet in a regular basis. Obviously take an occasional 'pain killer' if necessary when I have been overdoing the gardening etc. I hate having to take more than is necessary, fearing that if taken too often, they would lose the benefit.

annodomini

Does anyone have any advice about transferring to a new practice? I moved from a practice where the GPs knew me and my history, 150 miles away to a practice which had been under special measures and subsequently merged with a larger practice in the wider district. My records were transferred and my prescriptions were accepted by the new GPs; then I was called for a blood test. Now, nothing, although I am 83 and should have an annual review - or so I believed. However, I have now been asked to be part of a 'remote monitoring' system for which I have been supplied with a thermometer and an oximeter - I can use my own BP machine - and, starting in a week's time, will send in a weekly record of my results. It will be interesting to see how this pans out. Is it an adequate substitute for a face-to-face review with a GP? I have my doubts.

I think that's how things are done now. I was texted and asked to make a GP appointment for a "cardiac review". I had a heart attack in 2017, so I assumed it was some kind of five-year follow up (even if over a year late). I thought I might at least have an ECG.

I turned up and discovered my appointment was with a nurse, who took my blood pressure and weighed me - that was it! I weigh myself and take my own blood pressure regularly anyway, so I knew there isn't a problem with either.

I also mentioned the hip pain I have, which I've been trying to get treated for over a year, but can't get a GP appointment. I said it affects how much I can exercise, with knock on effects for my heart. I know nurses can make appointments, but this one just nodded and did nothing, even though an X ray I had last month confirmed I have osteoarthritis.

I can't help thinking that the appointment was a waste of everybody's time - time which could actually have been used to treat someone.

My husband has 28, all for high blood pressure!

Someone here mentioned a hypochondriac friend. I don’t have one of those but I DID have a father who THOROUGHLY ENJOYED his medications. By that, I mean he enjoyed marching downstairs in the morning, opening a large kitchen drawer kept for the purpose and proudly displaying all the drugs he had to take. When we were present, he would earnestly describe EVERY tablet he took and what it was for. If we were lucky(?) he would also go into detail about the side effects! As I remember, warfarin was his favourite and he would delight in describing its blood thinning properties and how he could ‘bleed to death’ if he suffered any kind of cut. My mum took it all very seriously bless her, although she was on nearly as much medication as he was, and lived in terror of him becoming really ill. Strangely enough when he did become really ill with vascular dementia she coped very well. No tablet could help him much then unfortunately.

There is NO REASON for any human (or dog/cat!) to be on that many prescribed medications. They are all conflicting with each other and causing Severe Side Effects!

Her primary Doctor is not overly concerned about this?? Or is he the one prescribing most of these meds?

Doctors are subsidized by pharmaceutical companies to PUSH certain medications.

You need to get a second opinion for a proper study of what is going on here. Your mother has lost her quality of life because of complacent and greedy doctors. Properly diagnosed I bet she could live on half, or less, and recover her senses, vibrancy and health.

This happened to my friend and with the help of another Doctor she became her original self again and is much healthier.

Over medication can slowly kill a person, if not monitored properly.

I had to compile a spreadsheet for DHs meds when he was receiving palliative care. Not only were the drugs constantly changing but dosage too. I had little plastic pots with lids and added the drug name making them up everyday. He was easily over 30 a day.

I take 27 different pills every day and three inhalers plus a nebuliser once a day.
I didn’t realise until I just counted them !
But I’m still here! And I slowly walk my little dogs round the park every day using my four wheel Walker .
The crocuses round the trees were glorious this morning 😍😀

There is NO REASON for any human (or dog/cat!) to be on that many prescribed medications. They are all conflicting with each other and causing Severe Side Effects!

Gundy, unless you are the personal clinician of the posters (myself included), who are on a great deal of drugs how can you possibly know? Or have I misunderstood what you are saying?

My consultants, as is my pharmacist, are very aware of the contra indications, especially as I am allergic to a fair number of medications. They are very rigorous in managing and monitoring them. I am very much on the ball and do my own checking too, when a new drug is suggested. I ahve to be!

Without those meds, I wouldn't be here.

Unti I had my hip replaced I was on 27 tablets per day now I’m down to 4

MaryDoll I stand by what I say. I’m not a medical Dr or RN, but I worked in a hospital for 20 years with medical staff.

Twenty-seven different kinds of medications daily is off the charts! Please, anyone on that prescribed load should be reevaluated!

Grundy I think you may find that people on over 20 different meds a day will by default be reevaluated frequently as they will have some serious health problems. For example my DH is monitored regularly by the GP, Consultants in Cardiology, Vascular surgery, Neurology, Haematology. The Heart failure team. The Asthma nurse at the surgery, the respiratory team at the hospital and probably more I’ve forgotten.

I may have misunderstood but I think the OP was talking total pills taken rather than total different medications.