Just a thought on coronavirus and medication

[LAJ12345]

I am wondering if some of the older folks who aren’t making it are dying because they are not being given their medication for other illnesses. Many have 2-3 underlying illnesses but would the doctors treating the virus give people their insulin shots? Or heart medication? Or even know what drugs they were taking.

I remember once my husbands elderly stepfather was taken off in an ambulance and took his mum too. She is diabetic. She was at the hospital for hours before we could get there and they never thought to check her medication or even feed her although she was in her 80s. All her medication was left behind at her house which was an hours drive away and we had to go and get it as they wouldn’t prescribe for her at the hospital.

Lesson learned... have a list of medication you need next to your medicines. Get a medic alert bracelet, tell everyone in your household where the drugs are and about the list. That would give you the best chance of medicating you properly if in hospital.

[Goldencbc]

Good information. Thanks.

[park_bear]

Good thinking! We know how much difficulty Parkinson's patients have to be properly medicated in hospitals - why would it be different for, say, diabetics, especially if on a ventilator.

[Hikoi]

Yes the doctor treating the virus would give the patient their insulin.

[LAJ12345 in reply to Hikoi]

Hopefully if it’s all there detailed what they need . But if it’s not there for them they might not have the time to go and look up records to check what drugs they’re on and get them prescribed if it gets very busy. Even if they could it’s saving valuable time if they don’t have to.

[Astra7]

My father in law almost died in hospital when they forgot to give him some meds he had become dependent on (Valium - thanks to his GP). Luckily his wife was a nurse so she sorted it out.