Hello friends and welcome to my 93 rd blog.

Before I start this blog, I need to say that I am writing it as a health professional, a mother and wife, and a great deal of what I write is  information I have gleaned from reading, researching and pondering. Often what I write is based on opinion and as we all know the applied science of medicine is a veritable minefield. I am not a pharmacist, doctor, physician or psychologist. As I have said before, I am just a girl, a physio and nutrition coach, hoping to make a difference in a few people’s lives.

When my children were small, I was that  person who, at the drop of a hat, rushed my children off to the GP.   I also was not satisfied  unless my children were put on some form of medication. Most of the time it was an antibiotic, and after the consult with the doctor, we went on our merry way home, armed with a full bag of meds, as a cough syrup, nasal spray, ear drops and  Calpol or Stopayne (syrup used for the treatment of pain and  high temperatures) would usually accompany said antibiotic. All Happy Days. Within five days to a week my child would be better and  health and harmony was restored once more.

In retrospect, I really wish I had not done this. Had I known then what I know now,  I would have reassessed  their diet and tweaked a few things.  I would also have explored the alternative therapy route, and more than likely would have bought supplements, herbs and essential oils. I would hope that I would have done some research on homeopathy, as this would have surely been beneficial , too. My boys may have needed an antibiotic sometimes, but I would have tried to ensure that it was due to the fact that they had a bacterial infection, and not a viral one, as antibiotics do diddly squat for viral infections.  As we all know hindsight is a wonderful thing and my adult boys do not seem to have suffered too grave a consequence from all of this. Well, let’s hope so!!!

In July this year, I had my first proper annual medical.  My bloods came back indicating that I could potentially have a hypothyroid issue. I did not, or do not, seem to have the symptoms associated with this, but on the recommendation of my  medical practitioner, I made some changes to my diet and added extra supplementation to my regime. Her feeling was that we should try this prior to embarking on the chronic medication which is prescribed for this. I have just had a redo of my tests. The TG antibody marker has improved. It is still elevated, but less so. I have yet to have a chat to the doctor but I am cautiously optimistic that I may be able to manage my hypothyroidism  with  lifestyle adaptations. However, and this is very important, if it is recommended that I start taking thyroid meds, I will definitely do this. There will always be a need for conventional meds, for many acute and some chronic illnesses.

Since I took over Karen’s practice two and a half years ago, I have had a very steep learning curve. One thing has struck my again and again. Most of the more mature folk that I treat are on at least five conventional medications. This is called polypharmacy. The risk of harmful effects, drug interactions and hospitalizations increase when you take too many medications. You may ask, so what? Surely they are all necessary? Well that is a debatable point. However, my huge concern is that there appears to be a lack of a holistic approach to this.

Mrs Brown has a consult with Doc A, who prescribes her a med. Then she heads to  Doc B some weeks or months later. He adds another, followed by a third from  Doc C, and then a fourth and fifth from Doc D. Before we know it there are five meds. This is not uncommon. Many mature folk are managed by numerous members of the medical fraternity, all of whom are doing their very best for their patients. Then suddenly Mrs Brown falls for no apparent reason, and retrospectively, it is established that the combined action of the meds have caused dizziness and a foggy head and this is pretty likely the cause of her fall and subsequent total hip replacement.

There is not one person whom we can blame and obviously there are numerous  factors in play but this is pretty scary and I feel that  perhaps if the meds were assisted holistically on an ongoing basis, this could perhaps have been avoided.

Most of the folk who read my blogs are still spring- chicken like. However, some of us are also still are blessed to have elderly parents and friends who might benefit from some medication tips. I also believe that there is no time like the present for us to learn as much as we can about medication and its personal effect on us, for our future health and wellness.

 A  few tips about  the use of medication.

1. Research your new meds before taking them.

When a GP suggests that you start a new medication,  examine the effect that it may have on you personally. Read , research and establish whether the benefits outweigh the risks.  We obviously do not want to die from a heart attack or stroke but we do need  to ensure that what we take makes us feel better,  that it does not adversely affect the quality of our lives, and that it does not just prolong our life.

2. Consider lifestyle changes.

If you are diagnosed with a chronic condition,  explore lifestyle changes at the same time as you start on your medication. if you are able, begin the lifestyle changes (diet, weight loss, exercise, sleep, relaxation techniques and vitamin D) before embarking on the new medication.

 

3.Be cautious about trusting  (Food and Drug Administration)FDA approved drugs.

What FDA approved actually means  is that the benefits of a drug outweigh its risks. If the drug is used in the right patients, in the right way, at the right dose and there are no drugs that are contra-indicated taken with it, then the benefits outweigh the risks. So many variables which makes me wary of FDA approval.  I have spoken of this in a previous blog.

 

4.Natural medication.

There is a wonderful and big place for herbal remedies, but again be careful when adding them to the conventional meds mix or vice versa, as there can be a negative reaction. One of my patients started taking zinc after she was tested positive for Covid and had a terrible reaction to it, and it would seem that this was due to conventional meds she was taking for high blood pressure.

5. Changes as we age.

As we get older, our brain becomes more sensitive to the effects of drugs. medication stays in our body longer because we have less muscle and fat. our kidneys and liver do not process meds as efficiently as we age and our bodies contain less water so the drugs become more concentrated. These are factors to take into consideration with more mature folks and the meds that they are taking.

Some safety tips to manage your medication.

1. Track your meds.

It’s up to you to do this as it is highly unlikely that your detailed medication list is available to all your health professionals online. Electronic medical records systems often do not talk to one another!!

2. Keep a list.

For your safety, carry your own updated list, and keep one on your fridge or bathroom mirror. Make sure to include your conventional meds, over the counter drugs and supplements.

3. Stick to one pharmacy.

Try to use one pharmacy for all your prescriptions so drug interactions can be easily and consistently checked by the pharmacist/s.

4. Do not start a new drug alone.

It is rare, but if you have severe allergic reaction, you will need immediate help. If you live alone, try to take the meds at work when people are around.

5. Check your prescription.

When you pick up your script ensure that both your name and the the drug name on the bottle. Mix ups of meds can occur.

6. Read the insert.

Make sure when you start taking a new drug that you are well versed in the side effects and contra indications of the drug. If you experience any, tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

7. Beware of the prescription cascade.

Sometimes new drugs may be prescribed to deal with symptoms that have been caused by a drug that you are already tasking. This is called the prescription cascade. When describing new symptoms, ask your GP whether they may not be the result of a med you are tasking.

8. Look out for changes.

Communicate with your doctor or pharmacist regarding any changes that have taken place subsequent to your starting new drugs.

9. Review all your medications regularly.

This will help pick up any issues that tasking drugs together may cause. It will also be great in assessing whether all the meds are still indicated.

10. Ask questions.

If your medical practitioner suggests a new medication, ask what it is for, what the benefits the Canadian Medication appropriateness and deprescribing Network are and what the risks are. If you feel you do not have sufficient knowledge, refer to Mr Google.

11. Deprescribing.

This is the process of taking a drug holiday or a trial of stopping a medication. This is a reasonable request from you as a patient, as if it is not a life saving drug and is causing adverse side effects, it may be better to stop it. This must be done under carefully monitored conditions.

12. Consult your medical practitioner before stopping or changing medication.

This is beyond important.

Most of this blog have been thoughts from Dr Ray Hinish, the Canadian medication appropriateness and Deprescribing Network and my own  thoughts and experiences.

These are my thoughts and some general medical information to be used for educational purposes only. For specific questions about medication, please consult your doctor or a healthcare professional.

Please always strive to be kind to you and your body.