Re: Importance of keeping track drugs and drug reactions

[Guest guest]

> I discovered the importance of knowing what drugs they're giving to

> your loved one in the hospital and watching your loved one for

reactions

> to the drug.

That's a VERY good point, Karin. I have definitely noticed the more

I get into this thing, the more critical it is to try and figure out

what drug is causing what side effect (plus, I have not been on so

many drugs simultaneously so as to not be able to tell " which drug

causes which side effect " ).

I have also been pretty fortunate (so far, knock on wood!)

not to have " obstructive " side effects from anything (except maybe a

little from the morphine in the past - which cleared up with the

start of Xeloda! See, there are often advantages which go along with

the disadvantages of most of these therapies LOL!).

I hope that your Dad's obstructive symptoms will resolve a bit on

their own without need for further surgery any time soon, cause I

know how nasty these can be!

Best Wishes,

[Guest guest]

Your dad seems to be having a lot of the problems I had. I too had a

bad reaction to reglan. Once they lowered my pain medication, I

started having the shakes after an administering of reglan. It was

terrible and my wife and sister-in-law had the scariest looks on

their faces while I shook uncontrollably.

As I understand it, phenegrin (sp?) is an antinausea drug. I was

given ativan to help me sleep.

This type of thing is why almost everyone here will recommend that

someone is with your dad at all times. Always question what is being

given and why. Question, question, question. If the answer doesn't

feel right, keep asking. If you don't watch them, they could make a

mistake (unlikely but possible) or like you saw, they just aren't

paying attention.

It has been my experience that some hospitals are just bad as far as

paying attention/patient care and others are pretty good. Remember

this the next time you have to make a choice about hospitals.

Prayers going your way,

Cliff H.

> Hi all,

>

> I discovered the importance of knowing what drugs they're giving to

> your loved one in the hospital and watching your loved one for

reactions

> to the drug.

>

> My dad is extremely sensitive to drugs and had terrible reactions to

> Ativan and Thorazine. They took him off those, but then he still

> started seeming to be worse at certain times of the day. He was

having

> breathing problems, spasms, confusion, and some other scary effects

> during certain times ofthe day. My dad kept telling me, " I feel

fine unti

> they give me one of the drugs and then I feel terrible. " I kept

asking

> what they were giving them, but they said " Nothing new. Just

Reglan for

> the stomach and then Phenaren (sp?) for the nausea. I got the

feeling

> that the Reglan was no big deal and that probably wasn't causing any

> problems.

>

> Well, last night I started looking on the web and found out that

Reglan

> can cause some very bad reactions in some people. I saw listed the

> exact problems he was having under the " Rare " side effects. Then I

> looked under " Phenaren " and that had some bad effects too, some of

> which were similar to the Reglan (but not quite as bad). So I

figured he

> shouldn't be on the Reglan at all, and definitely not both of them

at

> the same time. I called the nurses station last night and told

them not

> to give him any more Reglan--amazingly, they said they wouldn't

> (although they had just given him another dose about 15 minutes

before

> I called).

>

> My mom and I are going there again today to spend the day with

> him. I'm going to start writing down exactly what they're giving

> him and when, as well as how he is feeling. I'm going to see that

> the doctor sits down with us and tells us what they're giving him.

>

> I wish I would have done this sooner. Maybe he would be doing

> better. I know for sure we could have gotten him up and

moving/sitting

> up more if he didn't feel so lousy, which would I really think

would help

> him be able to get his digestive system working and help the partial

> obstruction resolve itself.

>

> Karin (Toby's daughter)

[Guest guest]

If you don't watch them, they could make a

> mistake (unlikely but possible)

I don't know what hospitals you've been in, but at the hospitals I was

at in New York City a mistake was the RULE not the exception to the

rule. Your " unlikely " comment thus made me chuckle.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

All I know is that when my mom was in the hospital, it almost took an

act of God to get anyone to pay attention to what was going on. She

couldn't eat anything so they posted that note on the door (NPO is

what they say, I think), talked to the food svcs manager, etc... The

entire time she was in that hellhole, er... hospital, they never

failed to bring a meal to her. We finally gave up and started eating

them ourselves, outside her room. It was absolutely ridiculous.

I was trying to be diplomatic since I don't really know how good the

hospital and nurses are there. Bottom line: don't trust anyone!

Glad I could " brighten " you evening.

Best regards,

Cliff H.

> If you don't watch them, they could make a

> > mistake (unlikely but possible)

>

> I don't know what hospitals you've been in, but at the hospitals I

was

> at in New York City a mistake was the RULE not the exception to the

> rule. Your " unlikely " comment thus made me chuckle.

>

> Jodi

[Guest guest]

Bully for you. I stay right there and I check the meds,take notes,read(as

did you)

discuss with others and I have heard some strange things. Due to a lack of

funding,

and an extremely low reimbursement rates,many clinscs or hematology and

oncology

groups look for ways to cut costs. Some use generic drugs,some have an agree

with

a group of pharaceutical companies to use cretain meds. Some don't have any

oharacist on duty at certain times, and have a schedule ahead of time so meds

get

mixed. Life stinks.life sucks, but no one wants it to end.ezcuse the

vulgarity but

it served it's purpose. There has to be a way for the government to establish

cancer care centers and afforadable care for all..Just a thought. Stay well,

Hugs and prayers

Nick & Jane