Risks Associated w/Too Many Medications

[Alock2020]

I'm currently taking 8 medications for which there are no listed drug interaction effects, but I can't help but wonder whether doctors and pharmacists actually know what happens when so many medications are taken.

Currently, I'm on:

Carbodopa/Levidopa

Rasigiline

Nurianz

Bupropion

Gabapentin

Quetiapine

Valium (as needed)

Losartan

In addition, my neurologist wants me to add Pramipexole.

I have greater anxiety than before I was diagnosed with Parkinson's, sometimes escalating into panic attacks, but I also get extended periods of fatigue. My pharmacist has told me that while she can look up specific interactions, no one really knows what happens when a whole bunch of different medications are taken - whether there are complex interactions.

On the one hand, I'm concerned that if I drop a medication, the symptoms that it's treating will return. On the other, I'm beginning to think that maybe I'm being poisoned.

[Hikoi]

No one can know exactly because you interact with each medication uniquely. I believe I have known people taking that variety of meds. I think fear and anxiety are giving you this to focus on but if you resolve this they will find another thing. Try to believe you are ok.

[Chris1960-2]

Against anxiety and panick attacks you can add Lithium Orotate. I gave it to my mother who is PwP (only 5mg of Li element = approximately 120-130mg of LiOr) and it was like night and day.

[LAJ12345]

Perhaps consider getting a second opinion from a new GP? Print out the side effects of all the medications from their specs and see if you are taking medications treating side effects of other medications.

My husband became anxious on sertraline which is an ssri and levodopa as well makes him jittery. He is now off sertraline and takes 1/4 Kemadrin x 2 per day which is supposed to offset the effects of the other meds. Don’t think that you want to go adding another to the mix though!

If you can find in the list of side effects symptoms you are now suffering , and for which you have been given new medications, I would ask doctor about reducing the dose of the original down slowly if possible, and if possible the next one if side effects subside . What symptoms were the original medications prescribed for? If any of the original symptoms were bearable you might consider putting up with them, withdrawing from the medications very slowly under doctors supervision to see if any of the subsequent problems go away too.

If you aren’t already sticking to a strict diet I would at the same time modify your diet to exclude sugar, gluten, seed oils, additives, processed food and possibly dairy and eat more vegetables and fruit, fish , olive oil eg Mediterranean diet. And if you are not exercising begin walking each day if you can until you are doing about an hour a day. This type of regime can slowly reverse many chronic health problems.

You might be an over-responder to medications like my husband. He gets every side effect of any medications he takes. We have found that some things work at 1/4 the dose or even less.

[Gwennie1]

To some Pramipexole is a wonder drug and for others is a total and utter nightmare.My experience is of the latter.It was also very difficult to stop.