Do You Really Need All of Those Pills?

 

Seniors take a lot of pills, which is one of the reasons that drug costs have become a huge topic for discussion.  Partly this is because the population is getting older. With advancing age comes a crop of health problem that require more and more drugs to treat them.  On the other hand, we have become addicted to “quick fixes” and we expect our doctors to prescribe something new every time we visit.

 

If you are taking a combination of prescription and over-the-counter medications that reaches into double digits you may be putting yourself at risk.  It is important that you discuss all of your medications with your doctors.  They need to be aware that you are concerned both about your health and about keeping costs down.

 

Studies show that 20-30% of people over 65 are taking one or more medications that they shouldn’t, especially if tranquilizers and sleeping pills are in the mix.  Older folks do not metabolize medications as quickly and are more sensitive to drug effects than younger adults.  Any drug has the potential to cause side effects, and this risk skyrockets when people take many drugs at the same time.

If you are taking four or more drugs, any one of which could interact with any of the others, it is a recipe for disaster.  When you are seeing more than one doctor and each one is adding more drugs to the mix the problem compounds.  The more drugs you take the greater the risk of side effects.  If you are taking 11 or more drugs daily the risk of a drug interaction approaches 100%.

 

What kind of side effects are we talking about?  Let’s see:  confusion, memory loss, increasing risk of falls, hallucinations, rash, hangover effects, addiction, dry mouth, difficulty urination to name a few.  If you are taking sedatives, tranquilizers, pain medicines and antidepressants you need to be monitored carefully.  You need to be aware that your independent status is at risk if you are experiencing any of these side effects.

 

You need to be a responsible part of your health care team.  You can’t ensure that your doctor knows all of the pills that you are taking or that he knows the best ones for you.  Newer is not necessarily better.  You can discuss new medications that you read about in the media but don’t let commercials talk you into taking more and more medications.  Learn as much as you can about your drugs and pay attention to likely side effects.

 

In his book “Breaking the Rules of Aging,” by David Lipschitz, M.D. he recommends that people 65 and older should:

·        Discuss the drugs you are taking with a geriatrician (a specialist in treating older adults).

·        If you are seeing more than one doctor, ask the one you trust the most to coordinate your care.

·        Every time you see a doctor, take a list of all of the drugs you are taking (including supplements and over-the counter).

·        Be familiar with both the generic and brand names.

·        Get your drugs from the same pharmacy (they will keep computerized records and help you interpret or watch for interactions).

·        Follow directions exactly.  Many side effects are caused by poor compliance (use a memory aid like a pill box to help you keep track).

·        Know side effects and keep track of symptoms as they develop and ask your doctor immediately.