Prescription Meds

DianneLynn

It is totally amazing what doctors and their prescription meds can do to a body.

I've been taking Amitriptylene for Migraines for the last 5 weeks and despite working a good program with my eats and exercise, I have been feeling really uncomfortable even though last week I lost 2.5 lbs.

Well this week seemed to break the camels back so to speak. I feel so uncomfortable I can hardly breathe...when I went to the Docs...her scale read 10 lbs higher than mine and she wanted to monitor my weight from here on in.

As the day wore on, I eventually called my friendly pharmacist and talked to him about it..Well apparently this drug, which is a tricyclic antidepressant ( I AM NOT DEPRESSED) is commonly used for Migraine Headache therapy. It is notorious for slowing down the metabolism (OH GREAT! as if Hypothyroidism doesnt already contribute to that), causing massive water retention( MY ALREADY 2 DIURETICS A DAY CANT HANDLE IT) and stimulates the appetite( Well at least I have been on top of that one!!)

I've ditched the pills, how dare she!!! Why is it Doctors just cure one thing to cause another... GREAT...no migraines but I'll die of obesity within the year at this rate!!

Now I AM DEPRESSED!!! (not clinically...just a figure of speech)

I am going to stick to what I have been doing ..watching my cals and exercising as much as I can...hopefully this will drop off now!

Moral of this pathetic story:...Google and research every prescription you must take for whatever and talk to your friendly pharmacist ~ UGH!

Sorry for the Rant folks...sighs....

Happy Easter Folks!

DianneLynn

It is totally amazing what doctors and their prescription meds can do to a body.

I've been taking Amitriptylene for Migraines for the last 5 weeks and despite working a good program with my eats and exercise, I have been feeling really uncomfortable even though last week I lost 2.5 lbs.

Well this week seemed to break the camels back so to speak. I feel so uncomfortable I can hardly breathe...when I went to the Docs...her scale read 10 lbs higher than mine and she wanted to monitor my weight from here on in.

As the day wore on, I eventually called my friendly pharmacist and talked to him about it..Well apparently this drug, which is a tricyclic antidepressant ( I AM NOT DEPRESSED) is commonly used for Migraine Headache therapy. It is notorious for slowing down the metabolism (OH GREAT! as if Hypothyroidism doesnt already contribute to that), causing massive water retention( MY ALREADY 2 DIURETICS A DAY CANT HANDLE IT) and stimulates the appetite( Well at least I have been on top of that one!!)

I've ditched the pills, how dare she!!! Why is it Doctors just cure one thing to cause another... GREAT...no migraines but I'll die of obesity within the year at this rate!!

Now I AM DEPRESSED!!! (not clinically...just a figure of speech)

I am going to stick to what I have been doing ..watching my cals and exercising as much as I can...hopefully this will drop off now!

Moral of this pathetic story:...Google and research every prescription you must take for whatever and talk to your friendly pharmacist ~ UGH!

Sorry for the Rant folks...sighs....

Happy Easter Folks!

lotusfromthemud

Rant away! I blame my (no longer my) doctor for putting me at my heaviest weight.

I was gaining weight very quickly, which she very insensitively pointed out to me in an office visit. I was on a steroid (prednisone. . .which I think may be the devil) a beta-blocker, an anti-depressant and a prescription pain killer. I googled all of them, and weight gain, increased appetite and a slowed metabolism were side effects for all of them. I left the dr's office sobbing, because she just yelled at me because I was fat, and hadn't ever said to me that my medication may be to blame. Shame on her!

Take a deep breath, and examine your options. It is your right to receive proper care, and full information. If you think your doctor is not giving you the full care you deserve, do not hesitate to find a new one!

I found one that was willing to wean me off all of my medications, and I found that the side effects were truly worse than the symptoms they were treating. You may find that your thyroid meds are all you need, or you may find that carrying some extra weight is worth having your symptoms under control.

Oh, man, now I'm ranting.

Long story short: get the care you deserve, and read ALL the fine print.:flowerforyou:

elliott062907

OK, my experience with this topic??

In 2000 I had a horrible car wreck that almost killed my son. I broke a foot, toes, complete brake of the knee cap and jarred my hip.

I couldn't eat, sleep, walk, but went back to work in a half side body cast from toe to hip.

I was loosing weight from the whole shabang. Then the drugs on a 8 week schedule took hold.

I gained 20 lbs in 8 weeks.

After it was over nad I started therapy, I lost the weight and no more drugs....

There are so many side effects of medication........

rayneenie

I am all for these rant!

I am very unhappy with my doctor he does not treat anything I pretty much prescribe my own meds. I seriously call his office and say I want to have this prescribed and I want to pick it up at this Pharmacy and they tell me when it will be ready no questions asked. Then when I go into him with an issue he tells me no matter what the issue is that when I have Gastric Bypass (which I am not even eligable for now do to blood thinners) it will go away. The man has not treated me for anything since I first went in with Hypertension.

I am scared to find a new Doc though because no matter how bad this one is the last time I changed Tricare gave me worse. It was a female doc and she was trying to do my yearly and could not find my vagina. Infact she gave up on even finishing the test cause it was just too hard for her. I got off the table and called Tricare that day the rep laughed too when I told her the story. I have had 8 different Docs since I was put on Tricare just over 2 years ago and the only time I have recieved good care is when I go home and have to see my childhood doctor.


Sorry I ranted also but it just seemed like the right place.

icupfunny2000

I was at one point on that medication too for migraines.... but i found something better!


Its an over the counter medication called "mersendol" it had codine in it so if your ok with codine i would recomend it for migraines!! it is just as good as ametriptyline (sp) worked well for me!
only side effects i have had with it is it makes me sleepy but so did the ametriptylene and besides you usually want to sleep when you have a migraine:laugh:

its an over the counter medication in Canada, not sure your from canada but you might want to ask your dr about it anyways.
j~:flowerforyou:

yoginimary

Shame on your docs! There are some really good doctors out there though! I've always said, if you don't love your doctor as much as you love your vet, switch!

Insurance sucks big time! I cannot say enough bad things about insurance companies. (Must not get political, must not get political :laugh: )

wriglucy

Totally agree..I hate doctors. I switch doctors every year, just because I move every year, so I go through the same ordeal...EVERY time. This last doctor, I pretty much had to fight to get on blood pressure medicine, and finally I went in, and I was SUPER high, and she finally believed me. Also, I went to the Dr., I forget what for, but he put me on the meds that are known to cuase the most weight. I was not a happy girl. After that one, I know it's just a grudge...but I will never go to a guy Dr. again.

I feel you...Dr's suck. I did have one good one...but, then I moved.

maestrachistosa

OK, I know this is a serious topic...but a doctor, and a WOMAN doctor to boot, who can't find another woman's vagina! Are you FRIGGING KIDDING ME?!?!?! Oh, Rayneenie, that made me smile this morning! And I thought my experience was bad...I had a male doctor who upon examining my external "privates", informed me that it was difficult to see because of the hair. Um...gee...SO sorry...I didn't realize that I was supposed to get a Brazilian wax before my doctor's appointment!!!

DianneLynn

Thanks Everyone...it really helps to have someONE understand what I am going through.

I have raised my daughter and husband so healthily..that they are awesome...healthy, fit and trim.

I'm sure when others see us together they wonder why "He" married the blimp!

Yes I am from Canada and will find out about that med.

Changing doctors where I live isn't that easy. It took me 2 years to find this one...sighs...with any luck I'll be able to find a fantastic doctor when we move to Virginia...(my hubby was transferred there and we are in the throws of selling our home and buying there...)

Canadian Health Care was good in the 70's ...not bad in the early 80's...now its a joke. There are millions of people without family physicians and are attending substandard walk in clinics with 2-3 hour waits. Emergency Rooms are 12 hour waits. There is a severe shortage of Doctors and Nurses in this province (ONTARIO).

SoulfulLori

:explode: :explode:
This thread got me going. I'll spare you the "Tale of Two Cities" version of my story and direct you to my profile.

I spent a lifetime staying away from drugs and doing things the healthy way. I cannot tell you how important it is to know your own body and find a doctor that trusts YOUR intuition and listens. So hard to find but well worth the great deal of work. Now I hire and fire doctors like mad. I have one now that believes me when I say something is off and doesn't tryh to instantly cure it will meds. IF possible I think the first line of defense should be natural means...if possible. Integrated medicine is the way to go. When will we ever get there?!

Also...don't get me started about the US healthcare system. I spent $400 a month on health insurance only to still owe big $$$ and have the business office come to my room with me hooked to heart monitors telling me that my insurance won't cover the tests needed to save my life! *kitten*. Sorry for the foul mouth.

Good job DianneLynnn...go with your gut...you are doing the right thing!

yoginimary

Oh, for those that like the "whole body" approach to medicine, go to a DO rather than a MD. They both went through the same schooling, etc, but a DO has a different approach.

DianneLynn

umm...what is a DO?

yoginimary

Doctor of Osteopathy

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002020.htm

jillholleysmith

Very Interesting!!!! I do truly understand the frustration of dealing with doctors and insurance and definitely agree that healthcare is far from perfect. I feel, however, that I have to provide some information from the "other side". I am a registered nurse (12 yrs.) and am married to an MD. This is not meant in any way to make judgement against anyone who has posted but only to provide an alternate viewpoint.

Understand that 'most' people who go to the doctor, want a quick fix. That is, they want a pill to fix their problem/symptoms, etc. 'Most' are unwilling to accept advice to eat a healthy, low sodium and/or low fat diet, exercise, and/or other non-medicinal remedies. And why not? Isn't it easier to take a pill once or twice a day than eat to right and exercise?

Secondly, there is no way to know how your body will react to a medicine unless you actually take it. You may get some idea by case study side effects. Sometimes the same medication produces completely opposite side effects. For example; weight loss/loss of appetite and weight gain/increased appetite in different groups of people. Yet many people expect medical professionals to predict side effects beforehand.

Of course, you should be able to talk candidly with your healthcare professional without feeling upset or judged. It is also just as much a patients right and responsibility to check out available options and get a second opinion. You should feel comfortable with your doctor and if you don't it's ok to look elsewhere. (Yes, it's difficult in rural areas.) The patients role should be active; ask questions, reference articles, etc.

[I have to add a little tidbit here in reference to rayneenie, just so you know you're not alone in your experience . I had to place a urinary catheter in a patient. This procedure, which normally would take one person 5 min., ended up taking three people 30 min. I don't know your situation, but this woman was obese and had previously had children, both which make finding things more difficult. If I would not have had the two extra people helping, I would not have been able to perform this procedure by myself.]

[One for DianneLynn also. Just wondering if you have tried Imitrex, or one similar to that. It is the kind you take only when you feel a migraine coming on. Plus, keep up the exercise. Some studies have found that aerobic exercising 3+ times a week can decrease or eliminate migraines. Other studies find higher incidences of migraines in women taking birth control pills.]

Lastly, please remember that medicine is not perfect. It is constantly learning and changing. Medical professionals often live in fear of being sued when they are really trying their best. There are also many patients who constantly change doctors and symptoms in order to get narcotics for their addictions, making doctors leery of new patients or those who have atypical symptoms. Just do what is best for YOU!

I hope I didn't offend anyone.

DianneLynn

No offense Jill....I understand where you are coming from as my best friend is a Nurse and I worked for doctors for years (GP's, Internist/Endocrinologist/ Haematology in a Hospital).

I am aware of the nuances of medical practice under "normal" circumstances.

Alot of Canadian Doctors have left the country...the Great Canadian Brain Drain...the level of medical care in Canada has gone to Hades and what's left is substandard on a variety of levels.

No offense to anyone but I have seen it over and over again in this area...

I keep asking (about 6 times now) my doctor about Imitrex and each time she tells me Zomig is no different...shrugs...

Oh..and thanks Mary...prior to the Chiropractor I saw an Osteopath for almost a year to no avail.