Drugs: Elderly at Risk

[pompeyfaith]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

I went on a 6 week course a while ago "managing long term health conditions" and the lecturer there was a woman in her 60's that takes no meds at all for her conditions and she even starves herself for 1 day a month as she says it detoxifies her body which gives her a clear head and body.

I had never heard of that before, however she does look fit for her age so maybe she knows something we dont

Does make you wonder

[Angry Cat]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

So sorry di
it is the cocktail of drugs that is causing concern...

I started this thread because of the research done by the University of East Anglia & Kent, which rang alarm bells!

[di30]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

It is worrying, di30.

Especially, re: the elderly!

Yes too damn right it is

I refused to take some painkillers I was given a few weeks back, although I did collect them from the chemist, but read the leaflet and thought stuff that! I done without them and handed them back in.

[di30]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

Di,

Blimey that is a lot, and I thought the 8 I take is bad enough.

Is is PF, and everytime we asked for a review with the doc, they said it was all essential for dad's needs, and when you think he was just 69 when he passed away (in fact its coming up a year on the 11th of this month) it makes you think with all these pills and so doesn't it?

Yet that is what he was having when he was at home, in the EMI nursing home they had added extra meds

[Angry Cat]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

That again was one of the tablets my dad had to take a few times a day everyday, he did have problems with his heart and suffered a massive heart attack and a stroke!
However, he only suffered after being on those meds for a number of years, still its worrying!

It is worrying, di30.

Especially, re: the elderly!

[pompeyfaith]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

Di,

Blimey that is a lot, and I thought the 8 I take is bad enough.

[di30]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

I have been having a sort out with my mother, going through my beloved dad things, as we not got round to dealing with everything, and we came across copies of dad's repeat prescriptions, its shocking......

This also includes the intake of the meds in the media news today.
Ibruprofen 400MG Take one 3 times a day.

[pompeyfaith]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

I am on aspirin and have been taking 75mg a day for the past 21 years.

[di30]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

That again was one of the tablets my dad had to take a few times a day everyday, he did have problems with his heart and suffered a massive heart attack and a stroke!
However, he only suffered after being on those meds for a number of years, still its worrying!

[Angry Cat]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

Also, fears about ibuprofen:
Ibuprofen and aspirin linked to irregular heart rhythm 2012 Indy Info

[Angry Cat]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

Fatal cocktail of common drugs putting elderly at risk - Telegraph

Following on from the above; concerns over doctors prescribing anti-depressants:
BBC News - Concern over frequent use of anti-depressants in women

IMO GP's have been prescribing these for years without considering other alternatives... and;
obviously not being aware of the consequences at the time and later on in life!
http://www.platform51.org/downloads/...epressants.pdf

[di30]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

Its scary indeed!

Over a week ago I was given codeine co codamol 30/500mg, but did not bother taken them and handed them back to the chemist, I made do without them with more natural remedies and bared the pain as much as I could.

Of course I am on 2 lots of BP meds for high BP, and that's my lot, and a few inhalers.

But my poor dad, he had pages and pages of repeat prescriptions, and we asked many times for this to be reviewed - with them coming back and insisted they were essential to all health conditions he had.

Even the nursing home the 2 different ones he stayed in couldn't believe it and contacted dad's GP to check if these were right.

And I second that Angry Cat my dad lasted until the age of 69.

[Angry Cat]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

Makes you sit up and think, doesn't it!

Especially, if you have been involved with the loss of a loved one.

As well as the obvious!

[confused76]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

Garlok,

Dichlofenac very nearly killed my 82 year old father a couple of weeks ago. He'd been in a nasty car accident and was in hospital. They put him, reasonably, on this drug. Unfortunately one of the common side effects is that it attacks your liver and kidney function. His liver function decreased to around 10% of what it should be and he was in acute renal failure. Fortunately my brother in law is a GP and he happened to visit dad during this and suggested to the medics that the Dichlofenac could be the cause. They took him off it and hey presto, he's still with us and just last week came out of hospital after being in for 8 weeks!

wow Caspar, i'm so pleased to hear your dad is ok! scary stuff...x

[caspar]

Re: Drugs: Elderly at Risk

Garlok,

Dichlofenac very nearly killed my 82 year old father a couple of weeks ago. He'd been in a nasty car accident and was in hospital. They put him, reasonably, on this drug. Unfortunately one of the common side effects is that it attacks your liver and kidney function. His liver function decreased to around 10% of what it should be and he was in acute renal failure. Fortunately my brother in law is a GP and he happened to visit dad during this and suggested to the medics that the Dichlofenac could be the cause. They took him off it and hey presto, he's still with us and just last week came out of hospital after being in for 8 weeks!