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A Bothersome Trend


purple

Question

Many of you here who know me, know that I tend to say what I believe. Here's another one of those times....so if you think you aren't going to like it; stop reading now.

I see that several folks either claim or want to claim "medication side effects". Why not just tell your doc about the side effects and ask for a different med? You don't have to put up with side effects. I don't. Insist on a different med. It's your right to do that.

I just believe that filing claims for side effects of medications is not the intent of what the system was set up for.

{off soapbox now}

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  • HadIt.com Elder

Purple

Many vets take multiple drugs for multiple SC conditions. Take methadone or morphine and try operating on them. Side effects are part of a person's disability. Drugs also interact with other drugs you may need and then you have some sort of side effect that is disabling in some way. Just read the possible side effects of any drug you take and then multiply that by the number of drugs you take. Half the people here have had awful side effects from medications. Many suffer constant pain rather than deal with side effects.

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  • HadIt.com Elder

Many of us may as well be lab rats cause the VA uses us to test stuff and usually don't inform. They gave me lisinopril which caused a hacking cough cause it was cheap and I had to ask to get something else.

They gave me Avandia for diabetes and I developed Coronary Artery Disease. I am now looking at paper work to file a lawsuit as Lawyers believe that I have a claim that could be won against the pharmaceutical.

I would hazzard a guess that 99% of Veterans are given medication and side effects are not properly explained.

For example most anti depressants cause either partial or complete impotency in men and I guarantee most younger men would not even consider taking them.

I am off my soapbox.

PS My regular outside Doc is not good at explaining side effects either.

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  • HadIt.com Elder
Many of us may as well be lab rats cause the VA uses us to test stuff and usually don't inform. They gave me lisinopril which caused a hacking cough cause it was cheap and I had to ask to get something else.

They gave me Avandia for diabetes and I developed Coronary Artery Disease. I am now looking at paper work to file a lawsuit as Lawyers believe that I have a claim that could be won against the pharmaceutical.

I would hazzard a guess that 99% of Veterans are given medication and side effects are not properly explained.

For example most anti depressants cause either partial or complete impotency in men and I guarantee most younger men would not even consider taking them.

I am off my soapbox.

PS My regular outside Doc is not good at explaining side effects either.

Has anyone seen my cheese?

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Specific types and famalies of medications are RX'd for specific reasons.

When a doc RX's something, say, for blood pressure and the patient experience's

negative side effects, the doc and patient can try a different drug but it will be

something comparable to the initial drug and there most likely will still be some side effects.

I feel many medication side effects just can't be gotten away from.

If a veteran is RX'd a drug (on a regular basis) to treat SC'd disabilities, that

produces residual side effects the veteran is fully meets the criteria for

secondary SC for this.

For example, some family of drugs taken on a regular basis have side effects of causing diabetes.

This side effect can not be gotten away from.

The vet should file a claim for diabetes secondary to taking the drug for the SC'd condition.

Totally above board.

carlie

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Even in the civilian world, all the possible side effects are not fully explained. That is why they print out those full page sheets of side effects. As for interactions, I've recommended so many times on here for vets to google a "drug-drug interaction" site and input all of their meds. I've even gone so far as to print the info out and take it to the VA pharmacy and show it to them!

Being proactive when it comes to your meds is important.

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I am a seizure patient.

I am RX'd well over 15 different drugs per day.

In all the RX pamplets I get, at least 12 mention seizure as side effect.

I have been aware of this since I began taking medications.

It is better for me to treat most of my medical conditions, (even with the risk of lowering

my seizure thresh-hold) than to not treat my medical conditions.

Several years back I checked out my POSSIBLE drug interactions and had 43 of them.

carlie

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  • HadIt.com Elder

Anyone who takes meds should not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice

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I was recently put back on an anti-depressent (Wellbutrin) that I'm going to stop taking. Why? Side effects and the fact that I should've never been prescribed it in the first place. It has a warning that it shouldn't be given to pts with heart disease.

I'm not going to keep taking it, risk further damage to my heart & then file a claim. Duh, no. I'm just going to stop taking the med that is making me sicker.

I'll print out that info, highlight it and take it to my next doc appt (and be using it as evidence for my fee-based request).

Carlie--my son has (had) seizures as well. He takes Trileptal and that has been the only med that has completly stopped his seizures. He used to have between 25-30 per night. His seizures were only in his sleep. It's a wonder drug for him...the only side effect he has experienced is that it makes him slightly drowsy. I know that not all meds work for all ppl, especially when it comes to anti-seizure meds...he's been on so many meds. But just wanted to pass this info along.

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purple,

Trileptal is quite a good anti-seizure medication but it had the

same side effects on me that Tegretol did, about the third dose

I took I had to spend a few days in the hospital.

I am so glad it has worked out well for your son.

carlie

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  • HadIt.com Elder

I take Neurontin or gabapentin an anti seizure med for side effects. It helps me with painful neuropathy

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I do not see that claiming secondary disability from side effects and the residuals

of taking medications for SC'd disabilities as a "Bothersome Trend".

I see it as an additional claims process, allowed by regulations.

carlie

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  • HadIt.com Elder

Pete

I have the cough too and I take lisinopril. I am glad you mentioned that. It feels like something is sort of irritating my throat. I was taking another drug from a private doctor but the VA changed to the cheaper one.

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PR-That's printed on almost all med bottles and print-outs you get with your meds. It's widely known. What is does is mess with the absorption rate of the medication.

Take some time to look it up before getting upset.

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  • HadIt.com Elder

Everyone is getting upset. We need to be a little less judgemental. If you read all possible side effects of even tylenol you would not take it. If the medical professionals don't warn, or even know about side effects how can patients. Also, drug companies down play side effects and distort the severity of the side effects. The only doctor I have who warns me about side effects is my 70 year old VA shrink

who is a real, old time doctor from great state of Texas. How he survives being in the VA I don't know. I guess because he is most qualified doctor they have.

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  • HadIt.com Elder
I do not see that claiming secondary disability from side effects and the residuals

of taking medications for SC'd disabilities as a "Bothersome Trend".

I see it as an additional claims process, allowed by regulations.

carlie

I whole heartedly agree with Carlie.

If you have a Service connected condition and meds cause you other issues, you should be able to file for it.

I have seen claims approved for High Dose metropo. It can cause you to pass out ant any point during the day.

J

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The solution to that would be either to: (1) lower the dose, or (2) change to a different med.

If I filed for every med that has given me "a bad side effect" OMG....I'd tie up an RO for well over a year while real claims get bogged down.

I just think we need to more proactive in our own meds and less quick to slap down claim papers for something that happens all the time.

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I have a question for all of those who truly believe that it's ok to file a claim for medication side effects.

Let's say you see a civilian provider. You are prescribed a med, you experience a side effect. Who do you file a claim with then?

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  • HadIt.com Elder

Well the fact is the VA does award Service Connection for meds they prescribed so why not file if you can prove it?

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