editorial - "Don't Be a Good Patient" | Arthritis Information

 

Gives an example of RLS caused by meds used to treat other condition:

My doctor was angry every time i told her i had a bad reaction, she finally quit giving me meds until I yelled at her to try arava again.  She made me so mad.  I can't take drugs that stop my breathing, even if she wants me to.  Just can't happen.Great article. 

SnowOwl - you should copy every word you just wrote and paste it in the 'Comments' section under the article!

I'm glad your husband is doing so much better!

I am convinced that one reason I'm still alive, and also healthier, is that I did question my treatment. Absolutely essential that you take control for your care. I am a big believer of being non compliant! lol NOt really. My docs don't like me because I question every drug they put me on. SO WHAT! That is my right and  I should question them. I had been having migraines and my GP wanted to put me on paxil. I didn't want to go on it because i don't see what that has to do with anything maybe stress ok...anyway. I took the paxil even though I didn't want to and threw up for 24 hours afterwards. Maybe that is my body saying I don't need it. I gotta throw a counter point in here... my father could very well have died because he didn't listen to his doctors.  They wanted him to have an angiogram and stress tests several months ago but he wanted the problem with his legs (pain due to poor circulation) worked on first.  As a matter of fact, the doctor told me that they were in his office a few weeks ago, and he wanted my father to be taken by ambulance to the hospital but my stepmother accused him of being greedy and that their insurance doesn't cover such "extravagance" (actually it does) and that these doctors ought to try putting themselves in the patient's shoes, yadda yadda yadda...

And my stepmom always second-guesses the doctors - quite frankly it's embarrassing to have to sit with them while she acts like she's god's gift to cardiology, intensive care nursing, pulmonology, etc.  She was just raising hell yesterday because they're checking my father's blood sugar several times per day.  She accused the nurse and the hospital of trying to pad the bill with unnecessary testing.  Never mind the fact that his fasting blood sugar was over 200 and they had to give him insulin... she insisted on ranting that he's not diabetic so all this is a waste of money.

Yes, but how much of our problems are reactions to the meds vs. the actual disease? [QUOTE=Pip!]Yes, but how much of our problems are reactions to the meds vs. the actual disease? I am definitely un compliant! I have been allergic to several meds and after taking pred for a week, I flat out told him "Do not give me pred because I will not take it. It's a short term fix and I can't stand the sweating, heart racing, eye bulging, (just to name a few side effects). He remembers when I go see him and says "You don't take pred, right?" RIGHT ON! ALSO I am one of those patients that will get every weird side effect there is to get and am opposite. For instance: Nyquil makes me hyper and Dayquil makes me sleepy. From the article:  "We don’t condone people stopping their prescription drugs without their doctors’ involvement and advice. But we hate it when doctors just prescribe more medicine to treat drug side effects, instead of stepping back to see if there is some other way to accomplish the goal." Where did SnowOwl diescribe this?  I keep seeing references but not the original post.  Never mind, I'll just read it on that link. I don't know, I think that being "non compliant" is good advice in any aspect of life if you know for sure that someone is telling you to do something that will harm you.  So in that case, being non compliant is really just using common sense. EXACTLY!

How come we go see a MD and all our common sense goes out the window?

Pip

Me and my common sense go to the doctor.  I never leave it at home!  My commen sense is named Stan and is my DH.  So between the 2 of us I'm pretty well covered. You know, you are my hero!  Look at this list people.  She worked on figuring out what was helping and what was covering other side effects.  Is this not fantastic? 

Thanks, Pip.  One has to be vigilent about weaning or stopping meds.  I made a chronological list of all of my meds, reasons I was taking, why it was prescribed, why I was still taking it, side effects/versus results and actual results.  This gave me a baseline and questions for my primary.  I stopped Celebrex due to possible cardiac side effects.  Already had cardiac issues from RA.  Stopped Protonix because I didn't need the protection after stopping Celebrex and Pred.  Tapered off Pred - took 2 years.  Stopped Ultram because it was ineffective, same with Neurontin. 

Before you go back on Neurontin - you might try that Whole Lemon Olive Oil Drink with the lecithin in it.  The recipe is here on AI somewhere.  It reversed my neuropathy.  And I'd love a non-AP experimenter!  LOL unless you are like me and stop all meds! I haven't told my doctor yet-or that I don't plan on going back to see him.  I actually feel MUCH better since I have stopped my meds. I don't really have any complaints, I feel really good. Now when I was on the sulfa EVERYTHING hurt.  As pip and I discussed it may have been a little  herx, but regardless I feel good!
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