03Lightningrocks wrote:We just never know from day to day what seemingly insignificant decisions can drastically alter our lives. I believe that many of us tend to think over the counter equates to safe.
Isn't that kinda the premise, though? I thought the FDA only allowed drugs to be sold OTC if they (supposedly) don't interact with each other or common prescriptions. At least that's how the justification for the FDA's existence was explained to me. Well, that and RDAs for vitamins, nutrients, calories, and such.
no, always check with your parm first before starting something. I take Topomax, I know that glucosomine or condrotin, one of them, does not play well with it. So, I don't take either one. The FDA can't check on interactions, they can only check that it won't kill most of the people that take it, that's all.
~Tracy
Gun control is what you talk about when you don't want to talk about the truth ~ Colion Noir
gringo pistolero wrote:And talk to the actual Pharm.D if you have questions, not just some clerk running the cash register.
In my experience pharmacists are very willing to answer any questions that you may have about your prescriptions and their potential interaction with other medications.
I also suggest that you ask for and read the brochures from the drug manufacturer. Ask the pharmacist or your doctor about anything that you do not understand.
I set up a profile on drugs.com of the meds I take. Whenever I want to add anything new, even an OTC, I enter it in the profile. It shows EVERYTHING that could possibly interact. It's saved my butt a time or two, because even the pharmacist misses things sometimes. It's a great tool.
Songbird wrote:I set up a profile on drugs.com of the meds I take. Whenever I want to add anything new, even an OTC, I enter it in the profile. It shows EVERYTHING that could possibly interact. It's saved my butt a time or two, because even the pharmacist misses things sometimes. It's a great tool.
I'm so sorry for the family's loss.
Thanks for the information. I think I will try that. Sounds useful.
That is tragic and I have to admit that up until two months ago, I wasn't / didn't always care to read much and just figured it was safe. Two months ago, I donated a kidney to my mom and during the process, it was drilled in to me just how bad OTC drugs can be. One of the leading (but not the leading) to kidney and liver failure is OTC drugs. Kidneys process your NSAIDs and your Liver does the job for acetaminophen and other's. Stay safe and research the drugs you are taking!!!
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RX8er wrote:That is tragic and I have to admit that up until two months ago, I wasn't / didn't always care to read much and just figured it was safe. Two months ago, I donated a kidney to my mom and during the process, it was drilled in to me just how bad OTC drugs can be. One of the leading (but not the leading) to kidney and liver failure is OTC drugs. Kidneys process your NSAIDs and your Liver does the job for acetaminophen and other's. Stay safe and research the drugs you are taking!!!
RX8er - Donating a kidney to your mother is a priceless.
I am aware that acetaminophen is very hard on the liver and avoid taking it. It is difficult because it is an ingredient in so many OTC medicines so you get a double or triple dose if you take more than one thing. I will go so far as to say it should be removed the FDA approved medicines.
My father died from kidney cancer. I have always believed that his prolonged use of OTC and prescription sinus medicines caused or contributed to his illness and subsequent death.
Lost a most beloved uncle to liver failure from prolonged use of Tylenol. Nothing too serious, nothing unbelievable, 200 mg twice a day for minor back pain everyday for 20 years= dead at 42.
So sorry for your friends loss. It is so hard to lose someone, but so unexpectedly is even harder.
SAHM to four precious children. Wife to a loving husband.
"The women of this country learned long ago those without swords can still die upon them!" Eowyn in LOTR Two Towers
I got the rest of the story today. Before I say what happened, if the only contribution you have to the remainder of the thread is to pass judgement, save it. It's not appropriate here, considering it is somewhat personal and not a thread about a person not known by any of us.
He was on a maintenance anti depressant drug. I don't know which one. He has been on it for a couple years at least. He had in the past been able to get away with having an occasional drink without detrimental consequences. On this particular day, he took his medication later in the day than usual due to sleeping in. The night before this he was up on and off all night from congestion. After eating dinner he was feeling better and made a bad decision to have a drink. (No idea what kind). He went to sleep after the drink only to wake up congested a couple hours later. He took a decongestant. Sorry, I don't know what brand.
So here is the summary. Took maintenance anti depressant medication around noon or one pm. Ate a small meal about five. Had a drink after that, fell asleep early. Woke up and not thinking about it, took a decongestant. The estimated time of decongestant was a guess but his wife thought she remembered him getting out of bed and getting back around ten or so.
When she woke that morning, he had one foot on the floor, he was laying on his back in the bed with one hand clutching his chest and the other locked onto the edge of the mattress. It was obvious he woke long enough to know he was in trouble but didn't have enough time to be helped. He was already a grayish color. She told my daughter she knew he was gone as soon as she looked at him.
Pretty tragic story. I know how a person who has been on a medication for a long time will bend the rules. He always took that medication early morning. By eight at night when he would occasionally have a drink, the medication was mostly out of his bloodstream. On this day after taking it so late, the medication was still at strength. The combo of all three in his system was a deadly cocktail. His heart just stopped on him.
Not being personally associated with this couple, I don't know much more about them than what my daughter passed on to me. They were friends of my daughter and SIL. Wildbill mentioned something to me in a PM that I had thought about myself and did not mention earlier. One never knows but it is possible he had issues already going on with his heart and may not have known about them yet. This may have pushed it over the edge.
It sure makes one think about their own health. Many of us take it for granted that everything is good because we don't feel any symptoms yet. Based on the math of how long they were married, I am thinking he had to be right at the 38-40 age range.
Something like this reminds us to be careful about the maintenance meds and other drugs we constantly have pushed on us by our well meaning Doctors. The wrong combination of medication, and health issues can be deadly.
The Annoyed Man wrote:I know that people who take certain kinds of blood pressure meds are not supposed to take certain kinds of over the counter cold meds without their doctor's knowledge. Which BP med or cold med those would be, I don't know. I take BP pills every day, and I have taken cold meds....but never without my doctor's knowledge.
The last time I checked, most medical schools required one semester of pharmacology for graduation from their M.D. program.
So does vet school. OTH, a pharmacy degree takes 4 years of it. I usually ask my pharmacist first if I have an questions, but that's because I'll get answer from him/her within 5 minutes, whereas my doctor will call me back next Tuesday, and I could have taken a dirt nap in the meantime.
(...edited to remove a smiley I thoughtlessly included....)
Last edited by The Annoyed Man on Sat Feb 22, 2014 2:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”
A tragic reminder that drug interaction warnings should be followed even if we never had a bad reaction before. Something I'm guilty of myself. Prayers for your daughter's friend and the family.
sent to you from my safe space in the hill country
"Ask your doctor or pharmacist." 
