Frustrated With Trying To Take Medicines

[Christine]

There are many days where I just really HATE my body--metabolically that is.

I have a lot of "issues" and, of course, most doctors try to prescribe medication for them. As I've gotten older, I've become terribly phobic about new medications but I try to be a good sport and take them.

For my anxiety disorder, I have tried EVERY SSRI out there (with the exception of Lexapro) and they all have such awful side effects that I cannot function.

The lastest medical trauma has been my high heart rate. I got a new, wonderful GP who listened to my tale of woe about meds and side effects. He prescribe Verapamil for my high heart rate in the "teenager's dose" (his words). In it's regular strength, it is a blood pressure medicine, in the lower strength it is used to treat migraine headaches. It is supposed to be very well tolerated. It's side effect is lower heart rate (which I'm looking for). So, I take my first pill Saturday morning. I was scared to death, but I felt pretty good all day, though didn't notice my heart rate was any lower.

Woke up Sunday morning and noticed that my chest and face were a bit flushed. Now, I "flush" easily so I figured maybe it was just warm in the room or something. Then I thought "well, this medication is supposed to open the blood vessel and increase blood flow" so I figured this might just be a common side effect. I think facial flushing was listed. So, I then popped my second pill.

Last night, as I was getting ready for bed, I noticed I was very red (I had a turtleneck on all day). My arms, chest, neck, and even stomach were red. Looked like I had a sunburn. The inner sides of my arms had a fine, sandpaper-like rash. Great, so I'm apparently ALLERGIC to this stuff.

I just feel sooooo frustrated that I cannot take ANYTHING that will help me.

Am I the only person out there who has a tough time with meds? Usually mine are side effect related and not allergy related so this is a new one for me.

 

[Disney Doll]

Unfortunately, being sensitive to meds is one of those things has to be done by trial and error. You have to keep trying things until you find the ones that don't bother you.

 

[Christine]

Unfortunately, being sensitive to meds is one of those things has to be done by trial and error. You have to keep trying things until you find the ones that don't bother you.

Disney Doll. Thanks. It's just such a major PITA!!! Especially when I know other people that can pop stuff like candy and get quality back in their lives. It's very depressing for me. But, hey, it's the body I've been given and I can't give back, now can I.

I did see, in some further internet research today, that flushing and temporary skin rash are listed as one of the more common side effects of this medication. Not all the prescription monographs say this, but some did. And I flush pretty easy anyway (fair skin, rosacea).

Oh well, I see the doctor tomorrow so I'll see what new medicine he has for me.

 

[luvwinnie]

I have a friend who is very sensitive to meds...unfortunately she has a lot of medical problems also. She had side effects that her dr. didn't even know could happen!

Hugs to you.

 

[Disneyrsh]

That's a bummer that verapamil didn't work for you; my grandmother's on it for tachycardia and it's working really well for her (at 86!). Can you ask your doc if there's another med you're taking that interacts with the verapamil that you could change? It took my grandmother a few years and a few cardiologists before they got the balance of medicines right for her.

 

[C.Ann]

Good golly, do I feel your pain!! I am SOOOOO sensitive to medications it's unbelievable.. But the worst part is when the doctors don't listen to me.. It's easier for me to tell them what I "can" take - rather than go through the mile-long list of what I "can't" take - and yet they always want me to try something new rather than stick with the tried and true..

My biggest issue with trying something new is that it's MY money that is being flushed down the toilet when the new meds cause a bad reaction and when they do the "sample" route it still entails not having the problem solved until they finally agree that it's not tolerated and that of course means another trip back to the doctor and another co-pay and another script or bottle of samples that end up in the toilet..

I don't have that kind of money to waste and I just wish they would listen and stick with what works!! I realize that I'm not a doctor, but it's my body and no one knows better than me how it reacts to various medications..

 

[Christine]

My biggest issue with trying something new is that it's MY money that is being flushed down the toilet when the new meds cause a bad reaction and when they do the "sample" route it still entails not having the problem solved until they finally agree that it's not tolerated and that of course means another trip back to the doctor and another co-pay and another script or bottle of samples that end up in the toilet..

Oh, I hear ya!! You should see my medicine cabinet. I could probably medicated 10 people for 6 months on what I have leftover. I think I am better stocked than my local pharmacy!

 

[Christine]

That's a bummer that verapamil didn't work for you; my grandmother's on it for tachycardia and it's working really well for her (at 86!). Can you ask your doc if there's another med you're taking that interacts with the verapamil that you could change? It took my grandmother a few years and a few cardiologists before they got the balance of medicines right for her.

It is a bummer as I didn't really get any *bad* feelings from it. Just the flushing and skin rash. I could try the beta blockers again (Inderal). They work really well on the tachycardia but they make me sluggish. Being slowed down and sluggish is a big side effect for beta blockers and the calcium-channel blockers (verapamil) do not have this effect--they just have *other* effects. I do know that the beta blockers do not give me rashes or make me flush so I may just have to go to a low dose of those.

 

[chell]

I realize that I'm not a doctor, but it's my body and no one knows better than me how it reacts to various medications..

I know exactly how you feel about that! Sometimes if they would just listen to us.

Christine I'm sorry you have to go through all of this and all this frustration. There are many meds that I simply cannot take either. Most of the meds my doctor tries with me simply do not have the effect they should, especially ones for pain relief. Nothing will even take the edge off of my pain. Then I have tons of allergies to deal with and many medications are eliminated because of that. Like you said we can't send these bodies back. Too bad we can't trade up.

Do you ever get to where you simply can't even swallow your pills? Some days, like today, I have the worst time trying to swallow my medicine.

 

[Christine]

Do you ever get to where you simply can't even swallow your pills? Some days, like today, I have the worst time trying to swallow my medicine.

No too bad. I have noticed, lately, that my Prilosec doesn't want to go down often. I have had more problems with bigger pills than I used to. I blame it on aging. Gosh, the other day I had a tough time choking down a Centrum vitamin. It's like it just didn't want to leave the back of my throat.