When Is It Too Many Meds?!

[olenavygoat]

I've been asked by my last two employers if I should be operating motorized vehicles and/or machinery with the types/amount of meds I take. Hopefully the atachment comes thru with this posting.

Thanks!

Tom__s_meds.rtf

[hawkfire27]

Hey TOm, just thought I would add my two cents.....

1)

Amitripyline + Quetiapine + Zolpedim = the need for Bupropion for Concentration (you are taking three meds just for helping you sleep!!! Woah!)

2)

Amitripyline + APAP 325/Butalbital 50/caff 40mg + Diclofenac Sodium + Tramadol = 4 different meds for pain + headaches (you need to change to 1 stronger med)

3)

Testosterone Patch = Citalopram (maybe.....Artificial testostrone is known to cause anger issues, not only that but common side effects are frequent severe headached and insomnia, with a KNOWN interaction with Metformin and other diabetes meds)

4)

Citalopram + Quetiapine = Psych Meds

5)

Flunisolide + Loratadine = sinus meds (try changing your spray to something else....you need the spray because the Loratadine isn't working so you might as well not take the Loratadine which is known to significantly raise blood pressure).

6)

Most of these meds can effect your blood pressure and energy levels. I would go to a walgreens or some non-va hospital and sit down and talk with a pharmacists, take all the bottles with you and ask about side effects and interactions. A lot of drugs cause interactions because they are taken together but spreading them out over the day can prevent these interactions etc.

Anyway just my two cents! Take Care!

Tom's meds as of 12-4-09

Allkare adhesive remover Wipe One daily

Amitripyline HCL 25mg tab One at bed-time for migraine/headache

APAP 325/Butalbital 50/caff 40mg tab One - twice daily for migraine/headache

Artificial tears polyvinyl alcohol As needed for dry eyes

Bupropion HCL 100mg tab Two - twice daily for concentration

Citalopram 40mg tab One in a.m. for anger issues

Diclofenac Sodium 75mg EC tab Twice daily for arthritis pain

Ferrous Sulfate (iron) 325mg EC tab UD Three x daily for anemia

Flunisolide 0.025% 200D nasal spray Inhale 1 spray in each nostril for congestion

Lisinopril 40mg tab One in a.m. for blood pressure

Loratadine (Claritan) 10mg tab One daily for sinusitus

Metformin HCL 1000 tab One - twice daily for type 2 diabetes

Methocarbamol 500mg tab One - three time daily for muscle spasms

Omeprazole 20mg EC cap One in a.m. before eating for hiatel hernia

Pramoxine HCL 1% Ret cream As needed for roids and the red ass

Quetiapine Fumarate 200mg tab 1/2 at bed-time for bad dreams

Rosuvastatin 40mg tab One at bedtime for cholesterol

Testosterone 24 hr (Androderm) 5mg patch 1 nightly for raising level

Tramadol 50mg tab Two - four X daily for pain

Vitamin B Complex Capsule 1 daily for drag ass

Vitamin E 400 unit cap One - twice daily just because

Zolpidem C4 10mg As needed for sleep aide

[billy2]

I stopped taking citalopram, zolpidem, and gabapentin last week and I don't feel any different. Hopefully I can get rid of some more after I lose another 20 lbs.

Bill

[Vync]

billy2,

Did you choose to stop the medication or were you taken off of it by your doc? Some medications require you to taper off of them gently, because going cold turkey can lead to problems... Citalopram usually needs to be tapered off. Zolpidem usually does not require you to taper off, but you might lose out on some sleep. I am not sure about the gabapentin...

[billy2]

billy2,

Did you choose to stop the medication or were you taken off of it by your doc? Some medications require you to taper off of them gently, because going cold turkey can lead to problems... Citalopram usually needs to be tapered off. Zolpidem usually does not require you to taper off, but you might lose out on some sleep. I am not sure about the gabapentin...

Vync

I tapered off the Citalpram because I didn't think it worked for me and I'm not sure I want to use anti depressants for my PTSD.

I work out at the gym and the anger issues have gone down. I see the Mental Health person and shoot the shit every two weeks and try to learn to deal with issues now.

I started to put on weight with the gabapentin which was for my PN. The Dr. said if my sugar was under control the PN would not be as bad.

The sleep meds make me feel hung over if I don't sleep 8 hours.