prescription meds

[hmmbrdzz]

My doctor DID NOT advise me of any warnings, or ask me if I drank, she didnt even tell me this was an antidepressant. The ONLY thing she did was tell me to take one tablet daily at bedtime. I stopped taking it because the side effects were entirely TOO severe to continue taking it. I did however call her and tell her that I stopped taking it and her advice was that if I wanted to make an appointment to come in and get a different med, I was more than welcome to do so, if not dont worry about it, her exact words "its no big deal, I shouldn't still be having side effects from it since I stopped taking it a week ago, however, I already feel 10 times better than I did while I was taking it.

My response: This is just to give you some advice for "in the future". Your doctor should have (no matter what kind of doctor she was) informed you about this drug she was prescribing you. She put you on a tricyclic antidepressant, and whether it was low dose or not and was being prescribed for a spastic colon, she should have advised you about the risks of combining this drug with alcohol. For example -- had you been an alcoholic and she prescribed this medicine, and this doc had not asked you about your drinking habits and/or had not advised you of the potential dangers of drinking alcohol while on this drug, (and you combined the two and had a cardiac arrest on account of it) she could have been screwed (not to mention the shape you would have been in). She would have particularly been screwed if she knew of your drinking history of prescribed the medicine anyhow. (It would have been contraindicated.) Some antidepressants,
infact -- when combined with alcohol -- are death sentences and are therefore NOT prescribed or are prescribed very cautiously to suicidal patients because to do so gives the patient the availability of a ready-made suicide cocktail (alcohol and Elavil, for example). Had you been taking Elavil -- an antidepressant used to treat depression and sometimes used at low doses to treat sleep disorders and migraines, and you didn't know about drinking while taking this drug and drank while on it, you could have died. Your doctor needs a wake up call. You, as her patient, should let her know you are not happy that she prescribed you an antidepressant and didn't give you the warnings about drinking alcohol with this drug. And you need to read all prescription information when you get it from the pharmacy and abide by it. It's not fooling around when it tells you "DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WHILE TAKING THIS DRUG".

I'm sorry for going on and on, but I worked psychiatry for many years, and it's ingrained in my head that a doctor AND the nurse AND the pharmacist have a duty to inform the patient. It's called negligence when they don't. I'll shut up now. Thanks for listening. I needed that!



hmmbrdzz

 

[annie13]

FYI, ksjane,
I work in a pharmacy. About 90% of all medication comes with a warning "Do Not Drink Alcohol" and also, "call dr. immediatley if you have any trouble with the medication." ie... just what you were describing. Why did you wait "4 months" to complain about it? Did it really take that long for those kind of symptoms to take effect? I would say no. Your body becomes used to the meds after about 2 to 3 weeks. I'm not certain. The nurses on this forum can confirm this. We must also help the doctors and nurses to be sure to alert them of our alcohol use and also if the meds do not agree with us. We all should be more aware and ask questions. They are not mind readers. You must take more responsibility in you health care as well.
Annie

 

[dadrummer]

I recently purchased a 357 magnum pistol. Know what? I have read and re-read all the safety warnings and no where could I find " DO NOT LOAD THIS WEAPON, INSERT BARREL IN MOUTH, AND PULL TRIGGER"........................ daaaaaaaaaaa

 

[ksjane]

I did not have "side effects" for the entire 4 months of being on this medication. That is why when I started having "side effects" I quit EVERYTHING, the medication, drinking alcohol and caffeine. My intention was to detoxify my body so I could attempt to pinpoint the problem, whether it was the meds, alcohol, me or whatever. Thats when people started telling me about mixing medication with other things. However, after reading everyones post's-pharmacist's and all-I called my doctor to inform her of the problems I was having and that I quit taking the medication, she informed me that it was no big deal that I stopped taking it, and that if I felt the need to come in...fine, if not...that's fine too and that I should notify her if I have any "bizarre" changes . I also decided to go into Walgreen's and see what their prescription information said (since the ones on the internet that I found were slightly different), and low and behold......listed right under CAUTIONS: LIMIT alcohol consumption due to increased dizziness. It did not say DO NOT consume, so I guess I should've got the info before I panicked. I thank you all for your input. This has always been a helpful websight. (Even the person with the 357.)

 

[hmmbrdzz]

I did not have "side effects" for the entire 4 months of being on this medication. That is why when I started having "side effects" I quit EVERYTHING, the medication, drinking alcohol and caffeine. My intention was to detoxify my body so I could attempt to pinpoint the problem, whether it was the meds, alcohol, me or whatever. Thats when people started telling me about mixing medication with other things. However, after reading everyones post's-pharmacist's and all-I called my doctor to inform her of the problems I was having and that I quit taking the medication, she informed me that it was no big deal that I stopped taking it, and that if I felt the need to come in...fine, if not...that's fine too and that I should notify her if I have any "bizarre" changes . I also decided to go into Walgreen's and see what their prescription information said (since the ones on the internet that I found were slightly different), and low and behold......listed right under CAUTIONS: LIMIT alcohol consumption due to increased dizziness. It did not say DO NOT consume, so I guess I should've got the info before I panicked. I thank you all for your input. This has always been a helpful websight. (Even the person with the 357.)

My response: Pass me that bottle, and put that 357 away.


hmmbrdzz

 

[ksjane]

bottoms up

 

[lkc15507]

Hey Dad! I'm particularly fond of the Ruger Security Six I have. Double action, bull barrel, stainless, .357 mag. I didn't need instructions to tell me not to put it in my mouth!

 

[ksjane]

I can see how easy it would be to compare taking medication prescribed by a DOCTOR and putting a gun in your mouth and pulling the trigger. Pretty creative there guys.

 

[karen_walker]

I am not sure how obvious the point has to be for you to get it. Do you drink while taking over the counter meds? Why anyone would drink while taking a prescription med is beyond me other than they have troubles!

 

[ksjane]

Actually, I take birth control pills EVERYDAY, and sometimes I take tylenol, and sometimes I eat rolaids, and sometimes I have a few beers, and sometimes I have a glass of wine, apparently I am not the only one who is missing the point here. I DIDNOT however, chase a bottle of aspirin with a bottle of vodka.

 

[karen_walker]

And you have taken the birth control pills and the aspirin and rolaids along with a drink or two and not had a problem. HOWEVER, did you read the labels on the products before you drank while taking them or did you just assume it was okay? And had you gotten sick from taking them would you have been mad to learn you shouldn't drink with them? Who would you be mad at yourself or your doctor?

You can chase a bottle of aspirin with a bottle of vodka if you want just don't blame anyone but yourself.

 

[dadrummer]

"Actually I take birth control pills everday, and sometimes I take Tylenol, and sometimes I eat Rolaids, and sometime I drink beer, etc."

Don't be surprised when "sometimes" your ass drops dead. Hopefully it won't be while you are driving so you won't kill a member of the band or God forbid, some really innocent soul!!



Sorry, LN, I see this crap every night........enough is enough. To KS Jane. You can read the writing on the wall, or on a tombstone. "I was killed by a drunk that only drank "Sometimes".
But, know what? I'm dead forever...........
To KS, good luck........Dowop is out of this one!

 

[ksjane]

"Actually I take birth control pills everday, and sometimes I take Tylenol, and sometimes I eat Rolaids, and sometime I drink beer, etc."

Don't be surprised when "sometimes" your ass drops dead. Hopefully it won't be while you are driving so you won't kill a member of the band or God forbid, some really innocent soul!!



Sorry, LN, I see this crap every night........enough is enough. To KS Jane. You can read the writing on the wall, or on a tombstone. "I was killed by a drunk that only drank "Sometimes".
But, know what? I'm dead forever...........
To KS, good luck........Dowop is out of this one!

I'm glad you guys have NOTHING better to do than to blow things COMPLETELY out of proportion. First of all, I DONT.......HAVE NEVER......WILL NEVER...drink and drive. Second, I talked to a REAL doctor, (instead of hoping to get some helpful suggestions from a computer screen) and we were able to pinpoint the problem...and I know you're all just dying to know.....my previous doctor (who is also now under investigation for malpractice---ironically not having anything to do with my "case") prescribed a medication that was supposed to be taken in combination with another medication, however, she prescribed the "wrong" combination. Imagine that, so ya see, I have no intentions of my ass dropping dead anytime soon, nor taking any innocent souls with me.
Oh and I also checked with this new Doctor, (just wanted to make sure) but he informed me that as long as I DON'T consume more than 3 alcoholic drinks EVERDAY (unlike what some of you may think), then its perfectly OK to take a couple of tylenol when you have a headache. Thanks for everything guys. I have been using this site for about three years now, and it has (for the most part) been a VERY HELPFUL sight, and I will continue to use it, I also forgive those of you who only hear what you want to hear, because as I look around this website--it seems there is a lot of that going on. But its still a great and helpful site.

 

[hmmbrdzz]

I'm glad you guys have NOTHING better to do than to blow things COMPLETELY out of proportion. First of all, I DONT.......HAVE NEVER......WILL NEVER...drink and drive. Second, I talked to a REAL doctor, (instead of hoping to get some helpful suggestions from a computer screen) and we were able to pinpoint the problem...and I know you're all just dying to know.....my previous doctor (who is also now under investigation for malpractice---ironically not having anything to do with my "case") prescribed a medication that was supposed to be taken in combination with another medication, however, she prescribed the "wrong" combination. Imagine that, so ya see, I have no intentions of my ass dropping dead anytime soon, nor taking any innocent souls with me.
Oh and I also checked with this new Doctor, (just wanted to make sure) but he informed me that as long as I DON'T consume more than 3 alcoholic drinks EVERDAY (unlike what some of you may think), then its perfectly OK to take a couple of tylenol when you have a headache. Thanks for everything guys. I have been using this site for about three years now, and it has (for the most part) been a VERY HELPFUL sight, and I will continue to use it, I also forgive those of you who only hear what you want to hear, because as I look around this website--it seems there is a lot of that going on. But its still a great and helpful site.

My response: Aren't you glad you came here to be tried and convicted of driving drunk and killing people and consuming Tylenol and killing yourself!!!??? I was just waiting for you to come back, and I'm so glad you did!

hmmbrdzz