I have to hit you up with this message, not just because I have an aunt that was a victim of having too many unnecessary drugs as part of her daily medication routine, but because I think it’s becoming a bigger problem for a lot of people.
Polypharmacy is the word used to describe a situation where:
1. too many unneeded drugs are prescribed to a patient.
2. a patient is taking too many forms of a drug.
3. there are too many pills to be taken during a day even if they are needed.
In my aunt’s case, she always thought she needed more drugs, but what was really happening was that she was prescribed drugs to treat the side effects of the drugs she was already taking. Once her doctor prescribed the drugs, it was hard for her to mentally and physically remove them from her daily routine – why else would the doctor prescribe them?
The only reason she stopped taking most of her meds is because she eventually couldn’t afford them (that’s a whole other issue!). At one point, she was taking 18 different medications. Since she hasn’t been able to pay for all 18, she is down to only 4 drugs…WHAT?!!! Yup, that’s right….only 4 medications now and she feels so much better!
I tried over and over again to tell her she didn’t need so many medications, but she would just come up with a reason for every single one of them. She agrees now that she was taking too many drugs.
I needed to send you this message because I see firsthand how patients are affected by being overmedicated. Drugs may be seen as powerful healers, but they can cause a lot of harm too. I think it’s important for patients to know that more drugs does not always mean better result.
Also, I want you all to know that Nova and I both greatly support lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, etc.) before falling back on a drug to help fix the problem – you’ll be an overall healthier person! Of course, we know that medications cannot always be avoided, but that’s why we are here – to help you learn all you can about the drugs you are taking.
We also support the use of herbal medications or other supplements and home remedies are wonderful too – we certainly don’t think prescription drugs are the only way to go!
As you’ve heard me say before, e-mail at cate@getpharmacyadvice.com with any questions or concerns – it will be a great way to get your medication therapy under control. Ask us about any herbal supplement, vitamin, home remedy, you name it, we’ll be here for you. Commenting on this article would be fabulous too 🙂
Wonderful, I’m glad we got that straightened out! While I have you here, use the form below to become a subscriber to our site. We’ll give you all the help you need – it will be great.
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In my mother’s case, we discovered this problem after I took over her care management when my father passed away. Her primary care physician, whom my mother adored, was not properly managing her care. Whenever he sent Mom to a specialist, he assumed that the specialist was doing everything correctly and simply filed the specialist’s report on Mom’s file. The result? Far too many drugs that produced strong dementia-like results. Each doctor was independently prescribing meds for Mom with little or no consideration for whatever other meds she was taking.
About the fourth month into my care management responsibilities, Mom fell, broke her hip, and was sent to a skilled nursing facility [nursing home] for rehab. While there, the facility’s nurse thoroughly reviewed Mom’s case and determined that several meds were no longer needed, other meds were not at an optimal dosage, and yet others contributed to a general observation of dementia because of their side effects, i.e., lethargy, confusion, etc. Thanks to the facility’s doctor and a new primary care physician who really took control of her care management, Mom’s meds were gradually adjusted to a regimen that was precisely what she needed.
As a result, Mom once again became (for the most part) the Mom we knew and loved throughout her life. But, more importantly, her quality of life was completely turned around. She looked forward to each and every new day instead sitting all day on her sofa in a world of foggy confusion, and pacing the floor all night.
Mike, thank you for sharing your experience with us. It is unfortunate how so many people can “fall through the cracks.”