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My father takes 11 drugs and two kinds of insulin every day. Adding to the possibility of confusion is the similarity of the names of manufacturers drugs and the generic version.
After the insulin mix up last Friday night, when Dad accidentally injected an extra dose of one insulin when he was supposed to take another, I know he is not adequately watching his prescription drug usage.
I also found out recently that several of the prescriptions he takes twice a day are actually supposed to be taken three times a day. I wondered why he had left over pills when we order all of his drugs at one time through an internet supplier promoted by his health care plan.
He doesn’t always understand what he is taking and why. That he is almost totally blind doesn’t help the situation. I know other seniors are struggling to keep their medications in order.
I spent hours recently, trying to find generic replacement drugs to cut down on expenses. The similarity in some of the drug names made the search extremely difficult.
In the news today is an article that indicates help is on the way. There are websites under development that will help with the name confusion. Also, the Food and Drug Administration is seeking to work with manufacturers to better test names prior to seeking approval to sell their products.
In the meantime, here are several suggestions to help avoid drug name confusion:
- When picking up a prescription, if the pills look different than last time make sure you verify with the pharmacist that you have the correct drug.
- Have the doctor write the diagnosis on the prescription. The diagnosis will show up on the bottle reminding you why you are taking that particular pill.
- Know why you are taking a particular prescription. Ask the doctor to explain the reason for the drug. Having a better understanding of what you are taking and why will help keep the medications straight in your mind.
With many new drugs coming on the market, anything that can be done to help people keep their medications in good order, with less likelihood of error, is good news.
If you take numerous medications, what do you do to stay organized? Have you inadvertently taken the wrong prescription due to similar names?
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3 responses so far ↓
1 Edie // Sep 2, 2008 at 11:43 am
Barbara, I appreciate the link and mention of this blog, but I would like the credit for writing this entry. It may be a linking error, so please check it out. Thank you.
2 Carol Marak // Sep 2, 2008 at 11:59 am
Yes, drugs and confusion is a serious problem for everyone, especially elders. It’s a good idea to stay on top of their prescriptions by talking with their doctor – learning about side effects, take with or without food or over the counter drugs.. i.e. my dad was taking an antibiotic.. I asked his pharmacist is there anything we should be aware of? He said to allow 2 hours between taking the antibiotic with a mineral supplement which can actually block the active ingredient of the prescription medication… I’ve learned over the years to always talk with my dad’s doctor and pharmacist to make sure he is taking them properly..
3 Edie // Sep 4, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Many people do not think about checking the finer points of taking medication. I know I didn’t for years. Now that I’m with Dad and he is taking so many meds, I see the wisdom in knowing as much as possible about side effects, especially in how drugs interact with each other.
I had never heard about the recommended 2-hour wait between taking an antibiotic and a mineral supplement. That is something people need to know.
Thanks for stopping by – hope you come back again.