Prescriptions

[Guest guest]

>

> I also had this problem when I tried Vicodin a month or so ago.

The thing is, I wonder if I basically cant take any decent drugs

orally any more? (The pill doesnt give me any probs though).

Wonder if I should go back and ask for injectable pain relief?

Hi Kristy..

Your reaction sounds very much like the same as mine to codine. You

could very well be allergic to it now. For my pain control after

the DS surgery, I used Tylenol3 w/codine. No reactions whatsoever

and worked great for me! A few months later, I took the T3 for

something else and I had your same results only I had a huge

pressure on my chest and vomitted. It seems that I have a bad

reaction to a lot of the pain killers now (vicodin, codine,

morphine), so somehow my body chemistry changed when I lost weight

and I cannot tolerate them anymore.

To be for sure, I would call your doc, but it sure does sound like

to me your are having an allergic reaction.

Hope this helps.

Liz P.

[Guest guest]

My problem is similar, everytime I take ANY medication larger than

a baby aspirin, I get severe esophageal spasms (major chest pain).

I can handle taking zoloft, and my aciphex, as both are very small

pills but anything larger and I am in agony! I found that for pain

relief, liquid Vicodin (hydrocodone) as well as liquid

Tylenol/codeine are both wonderful! I can take anything in liquid

form or if it is very small, it is only in the larger pill form that

I have problems and pain. I have to take nitro when the pain begins

and usually it stops within minutes, but it sure sucks when it

happens and it leaves me drained for days afterwards!

Hope you find relief!

Cindee

> I also had this problem when I tried Vicodin a month or so ago.

The thing is, I wonder if I basically cant take any decent drugs

orally any more? (The pill doesnt give me any probs though). Wonder

if I should go back and ask for injectable pain relief?

>

> Anyone experienced this or have anything to suggest?

>

> Thanks

> Kristy

>

> P.S Yes, i had eaten dinner (1 fillet of fried fish) about an hour

before taking the pills.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/26/2003 8:38:35 AM Central Daylight Time,

of_inanna@... writes:

> so somehow my body chemistry changed when I lost weight

> and I cannot tolerate them anymore.

>

>

FYI...An allergy doesn't manifest until you have been exposed to whatever

chemical that causes the problem. The body sees the thing as an intruder the

first time and makes antibodies(?_ against it. Then when it recognizes it a

second

time it has a bigger response, the the third time worse. So you have

(Usually) to have taken it or a similar chemical prior to a reaction. Make

sense?

Here's some more info:

Drug Reactions

Most people have probably experienced an unwanted side effect to a medicine

at some time in their lives. Many drugs commonly cause side effects, such as an

upset stomach after taking aspirin or drowsiness after taking a cold

medication. Adverse drug reactions also can be quite serious; they account for

an

estimated 106,000 deaths each year in the United States. As more medications are

approved each year, the problem is expected to grow. An adverse drug reaction

is any effect not intended by proper administration of a medication. Reactions

also can occur between medications, even nonprescription ones. Most adverse

drug reactions - more than 90 percent - do not involve the immune system. When

the immune system is involved, a person is said to have drug hypersensitivity.

Allergy is one type of hypersensitivity reaction. What is drug

hypersensitivity? Medications can cause unwanted reactions in many ways.

Sometimes, it's a

direct effect of the drug on the body. Drug hypersensitivity reactions occur

when the immune system responds to a medication or to the biologic products that

result when the body breaks down a medication. In some cases, the immune

system tries to attack the substance, causing symptoms of the drug reaction.

Drugs

also can cause allergic reactions similar to those caused by bee stings or

other allergenic substances. People who have a family history of allergic

diseases may be more likely to have drug allergy, but are not at greater risk to

develop non-allergic types of reactions. Fortunately, a family history of

allergy

to a particular drug does not increase a person's chance of being allergic to

that same drug. A person must have a previous exposure to a drug in order to

have a true allergic reaction to it. Such reactions most often occur when a

drug is administered intravenously or by injection, delivery methods that send

the drug directly to the bloodstream. Reactions occur less frequently when drugs

are taken by mouth. The chance of an allergic reaction increases when a

medication is administered frequently or in large doses. Certain medications are

more likely to cause allergic reactions than others due to their chemical

structure. Penicillin and other antibiotics are some of the most common culprits

of

allergic drug reactions. Penicillin, however, can also cause other types of

immune reactions, as well as reactions that do not involve the immune system.

Symptoms The most common types of allergic reactions to a drug are:

Skin rash or hives

Itchy skin

Wheezing or other breathing problems

Swelling of body parts

Anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction While these are the most

common symptoms of drug allergy, adverse reactions can occur in any organ or

system of the body. Allergic reactions can occur within minutes or hours of

exposure to a medication. Drug reactions can even occur some time after a

medication has been stopped. For example, a person may develop a rash or hives a

week

after stopping a medication. A " pseudoallergic, " or anaphylactoid, reaction

does not involve allergic antibodies and can occur without prior exposure.

Symptoms are similar to a true allergic reaction: a person may develop a rash or

hives, have difficulty breathing, and experience swelling of body parts. Common

causes of pseudoallergic reactions include aspirin and X-ray dye. Diagnosis

Adverse drug reactions can be difficult to diagnose, because they often can look

like other conditions. Further, although many common reactions to certain

drugs are known, others may not have been identified yet. It is important to

distinguish an allergic (hypersensitivity) reaction from a non-allergic

reaction.

If drug hypersensitivity is suspected, your doctor may send you to a specialist

in allergy and immunology. If you suspect you are having, or had, an adverse

reaction to a medication, take note of the circumstances. Your doctor will

want to know when the medication was taken, when the symptoms started, what the

symptoms were and how long they lasted, and any other medications you were

taking at the time, including nonprescription medications. Bring copies of any

treatment records of the reaction with you to the doctor's office. This

information is important for the diagnosis and treatment of your condition. Be

sure to

have the name of the exact medications you took to help the doctor identify

which drugs should be tested for hypersensitivity. It also will allow the

allergist to determine if there are alternative medications that would be safe

for

you to take - and which additional medications you should avoid in the future.

If possible, bring the suspected medications with you. Next, an allergist will

perform a physical examination. This is necessary to check for different

problems that may occur as part of an allergic reaction and to determine if

there

are other, non-allergic causes of the symptoms. The allergist will pay special

attention to any symptoms of a reaction that you still have, such as a skin

rash. Allergy skin testing is available to test for allergic reactions to only

a few drugs. Many experts recommend that testing not be done until there is a

future, compelling need to use the same medication again. In some cases, an

allergist will perform blood tests to identify antibodies against a medication.

Blood tests tend to be less sensitive than skin tests, so a skin test will be

used whenever possible. Treatment If a drug reaction is mild, treatment may be

limited to stopping the medication. In many cases, discontinuing the drug is

all that is needed. To relieve the symptoms of a more serious or persistent

reaction, an allergist may administer antihistamines, corticosteroids and other

medications. Antihistamines work by counteracting the chemical histamine,

which is released during the body's allergic response. Corticosteroids work by

reducing inflammation. In most cases, a person with drug hypersensitivity can

safely be given alternative drugs, and the drug that caused the reaction is

simply avoided. When no alternative medication exists, an allergist can

undertake

desensitization or graded challenge. These are methods of gradually introducing

a medication into the body in small doses until a therapeutic dose is

reached. Anaphylaxis Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening

reaction

that can occur within seconds or minutes of administration of a drug. Symptoms

of anaphylaxis include swelling of body parts; shortness of breath or

wheezing; a sudden drop in blood pressure, which may cause dizziness or loss of

consciousness; and shock Anaphylaxis requires emergency treatment. Several

drugs,

including epinephrine, antihistamines and corticosteroids, are often

administered. The patient may also receive oxygen and intravenous fluids. If you

take a

medication and develop any of the symptoms of anaphylaxis, immediately call

your local emergency phone number (911 in most locations in the United States

and

Canada). Although antihistamines are sometimes given to patients with

anaphylaxis, antihistamines alone are not likely to be adequate treatment. If

you are

with someone who develops any symptoms of anaphylaxis, call your local

emergency number. If he or she loses consciousness, lay the person down and

elevate

the feet. If you have a known drug allergy: If you have had a hypersensitivity

reaction to a drug:

Make sure all of your doctors know the medication you took and the reaction

you had;

Talk to your primary care doctor or allergist about other medications you

should avoid and which alternative medications are safe for you to take; and

If your allergy is severe, wear a medical alert tag or bracelet in case of

emergency.

in Bama

http://hometown.aol.com/mdl1031/myhomepage/profile.html

Surgery- RNY to DS revision on12/6 -377.5

12/17 - 346.5 ( minus 31lbs)

02/12-330.0 (minus 47.5 lbs)

05/12- 304.8 (minus 72.7 lbs)-BMI now 48

06/22- 290.8 (minus 86.7)BMI 46.

[Guest guest]

> My problem is similar, everytime I take ANY medication larger than

> a baby aspirin, I get severe esophageal spasms (major chest pain).

> I can handle taking zoloft, and my aciphex, as both are very small

> pills but anything larger and I am in agony! I found that for pain

> relief, liquid Vicodin (hydrocodone) as well as liquid

> Tylenol/codeine are both wonderful! I can take anything in liquid

> form or if it is very small, it is only in the larger pill form

that

> I have problems and pain. I have to take nitro when the pain begins

> and usually it stops within minutes, but it sure sucks when it

> happens and it leaves me drained for days afterwards!

>

> Hope you find relief!

>

> Cindee

>

> so- its pills that cause the problem?? if they are in liquid form,

its ok?? is that because of digestion?

>

> > I also had this problem when I tried Vicodin a month or so ago.

> The thing is, I wonder if I basically cant take any decent drugs

> orally any more? (The pill doesnt give me any probs though).

Wonder

> if I should go back and ask for injectable pain relief?

> >

> > Anyone experienced this or have anything to suggest?

> >

> > Thanks

> > Kristy

> >

> > P.S Yes, i had eaten dinner (1 fillet of fried fish) about an

hour

> before taking the pills.

[Guest guest]

> > > Anyone experienced this or have anything to suggest?

> > >

> > > Thanks

> > > Kristy

> > >

My guess is that you are having a reaction to the codein. Ihad a

reaction from the vicodin, but not like yours (as we are all

different) I was taking it for my butt pain, and found that it is a

colin restrictor, and was causing the majority of my butt pain, so I

quit taking it and opted for ibuprphen, and although I still have

butt pain, it is the regular type I have had in the past and not the

intense total consuming pain I was having while on vicodin. I would

talk to your Dr. to get some relief.

take care and dont over do...

love you,

Sharon in Onyx

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the great Info .

It actually got worse after I posted, so I went back to the doc today and he

gave me digesic instead...havent tried it yet - too scared!

Kristy

[Guest guest]

My prescriptions provide 3 months worth of thyroxine at a time, so theoretically

I need 4 prescriptions a year. However, my mum's GP's prescriptions only provide

2 months of pills each time, hence her needing 6 prescriptions a year. OK,

hypothyroid patients are exempt from prescription charges so our wallets don't

suffer, though it IS a nuisance having to make extra trips for repeat

prescriptions if you are otherwise stable.

My concern is that what appears to be a deliberate money-raising ploy on the

part of the NHS (charging someone for 6 prescriptions rather than 4), is being

manipulated in the media to look like we've become a nation of pill poppers.

Ouch!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1261436/A-nation-pill-poppers-Prescripti\

ons-soar-pick-16-EACH-year.html

Reminds me a bit of out local library claiming it more successful as it has

icreased the number of books borrowed when, in fact, it has merely reduced the

loan period from 4 weeks to 3 weeks forcing people to have to renew more

frequently.

Out of interest, how frequently do other people on this forum have to go for

repeat prescriptions?

[Guest guest]

It was our PCT who instigated the monthly only prescriptions. They said it was to save money as they are very much in the red. However, I find some of our doctors are gradually changing prescriptions to two monthly in some cases.

Lilian

Re: Prescriptions

My surgery will only dispense 1 month's supply at a time which is a bit ridiculous. Fortunately I can request a repeat online or I'd have to make 2 trips adding to my 'carbon footprint'!!! As someone pointed out those without cars or the internet could take almost half a day to get their prescriptions as our rural buses only run every 90 minutes. I was told the reason behind this 'system' was so the doctor could review dosage and ensure appropriate blood tests were taken regularly. Clearly an untruth seeing as my surgery has only actually tested my bloods twice in 3 years, once when I was first diagnosed and again recently when I complained (again) recently that thyroxine was about as much use as sugar pills.To cap it all the PCT has apparently rejected the dispensary's licence renewal at our surgery meaning we'll now have to travel 8 miles to the nearest pharmacy plus presumably visit the surgery to pick up the repeat prescription first.Progress - not!!Regards> Out of interest, how frequently do other people on this forum have to go for repeat prescriptions? ------------------------------------TPA is not medically qualified. Consult with a qualified medical practitioner before changing medication.