Minimo   59 #1 Posted April 11, 2014 My gp has been slowly killing me for several years.  I am just out of hospital after a crisis blew up leaving me dangerously at risk. The hospital found that two of my meds interact to cause a problem with sodium level in my blood. Had it gone on much longer I could have died.  Back home, it took me just a few minutes to find out about these two drugs incompatibility.  Thank you very much gp. Who can you trust these days? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Cyclone   10 #2 Posted April 11, 2014 Technically your pharmacist should have spotted that. They dedicate pretty much their entire training to learning about drug interactions, your GP on the other hand spends about 6 months learning that stuff, and it was probably 20 years ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Minimo   59 #3 Posted April 11, 2014 Thanks for that Cyclone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
truman   10 #4 Posted April 11, 2014 Technically your pharmacist should have spotted that. They dedicate pretty much their entire training to learning about drug interactions, your GP on the other hand spends about 6 months learning that stuff, and it was probably 20 years ago.  That assumes that the two drugs were on the same prescription..maybe they were prescribed at different times... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Minimo   59 #5 Posted April 11, 2014 Same prescription which is in fact on repeat. So they have just kept doling them out month after month, and I kept taking them, assuming that the tablets were good for me. One certainly was, in fact it was essential, the other one I'm not sure about. Urgent visit to the gp asap needed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
maccapacca   10 #6 Posted April 11, 2014 Which drugs are you talking about? Just because they interact diesnt mean theyre mutuslly exclusive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Daven   10 #7 Posted April 11, 2014 Which drugs are you talking about? Just because they interact diesnt mean theyre mutuslly exclusive.  I agree that knowing the two drugs involved would be helpful as sometimes drugs that interact are used together - however strange that may sound. I agree that the pharmacist checks all drugs a patient is on before dispensing them and it does seem odd that they didn't pick up on the interaction before now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Minimo   59 #8 Posted April 11, 2014 (edited) ........... Edited April 12, 2014 by Minimo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
medusa   16 #9 Posted April 11, 2014 I'm on a whole selection of drugs which are known to interact with each other, to the point that my pharmacist rang my palliative care consultant to check that they were to be taken together when they were first prescribed. Some interactions are merely notes for the doctors to be aware of, rather than being dangerous.  I'm glad that this has now been highlighted and you can be changed to a different drug for your hypertension Minimo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Minimo   59 #10 Posted April 11, 2014 Thanks Medusa. I'm finding myself unexpectedly weepy today, it's most disconcerting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Mr Bloom   10 #11 Posted April 11, 2014 My gp has been slowly killing me for several years. I am just out of hospital after a crisis blew up leaving me dangerously at risk. The hospital found that two of my meds interact to cause a problem with sodium level in my blood. Had it gone on much longer I could have died.  Back home, it took me just a few minutes to find out about these two drugs incompatibility.  Thank you very much gp. Who can you trust these days?  I fail to see how this could have happened. I thought it was all computerised now and when you prescribe a new med if it can possibly interact with the other, or exacerbate one of your pre-existing conditions, then each time it is prescribed a warning comes up on the monitor which you have to 'appease' before it goes away. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Minimo   59 #12 Posted April 11, 2014 (edited) .......... Edited April 12, 2014 by Minimo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...