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The meds only work if you take them.....
Oct. 24th, 2007 05:06 pmI'm paid to fix things. It may make an MD sound like a glorified handyman, but in essence I'm paid to fix things. AND after this week, I've decided we can be a rather odd species.
I went off last friday here in my journal about a young man not taking his medications and all the time I spent trying to clarify and then correct that situation, time that I would not be compensated for. Well, he was in to see me yesterday. Swore up and down he was taking his meds, and that maybe he missed one dose in 10. I pulled out the pharmacy records, showing him how often he'd actually filled his prescriptions and how, unless the pills were replicating themselves in his pill bottles, he was missing over 50% of what he was supposed to be taking. Took the wind right out of his sails. He was honestly shocked. Discussed using a weekly pill case (which he has and is not using), the alarm setting on his cell phone (which he has and is also not using), and a keychain pill bottle to keep a couple of emergency doses with him, should he not be home when its time to take his meds. HOPEFULLY, that's one problem solved.
My physician's assistant just came in to run some screwy labs by me. Nice lady with lousy cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as a recent fractured thrumb, whose labs are worse than they were a few months back. He asked if I wanted to increase her meds. Looking at her numbers I said, "well, first I'd like her to actually TAKE her meds." This lady had had a triglyceride level higher than her address, and initially responded well to the drug prescribed. It turns out, she's been stretching one month's supply out to two, not due to cost, but because she's afraid it'll hurt her liver. With her mom having died of a stroke in her mid-40's, not taking this med, which her liver was tolerating nicely, isn't a viable option. She looked at me and said she was nervous, but would take them, to which I responded, "I don't want you nervous, but nervous and alive is preferable to calm and dead of either a stroke or a heart attack. I know you've got a broken thumb, but you still have 9 other fingers to dial a phone with. Next time you're nervous about taking something, pick up the phone and call me!" Having known this lady for nearly 15 years (I delivered her 12 y/o), I have no trouble applying a little humor-tinged Jewish guilt, even if I have to do it in Spanish. My comment to her, brought both a smile, a hug and a peck on my cheek.
I found out this past weekend a friend who's become increasingly unable to function, stopped taking one of their anti-depressants some time back, cost being sited as a factor. I can only sadly shake my head at this, realizing I can neither force them to take their meds, nor take the medications for them. However after the last week, a blow gun with darts is starting to have an appeal.
I went off last friday here in my journal about a young man not taking his medications and all the time I spent trying to clarify and then correct that situation, time that I would not be compensated for. Well, he was in to see me yesterday. Swore up and down he was taking his meds, and that maybe he missed one dose in 10. I pulled out the pharmacy records, showing him how often he'd actually filled his prescriptions and how, unless the pills were replicating themselves in his pill bottles, he was missing over 50% of what he was supposed to be taking. Took the wind right out of his sails. He was honestly shocked. Discussed using a weekly pill case (which he has and is not using), the alarm setting on his cell phone (which he has and is also not using), and a keychain pill bottle to keep a couple of emergency doses with him, should he not be home when its time to take his meds. HOPEFULLY, that's one problem solved.
My physician's assistant just came in to run some screwy labs by me. Nice lady with lousy cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as a recent fractured thrumb, whose labs are worse than they were a few months back. He asked if I wanted to increase her meds. Looking at her numbers I said, "well, first I'd like her to actually TAKE her meds." This lady had had a triglyceride level higher than her address, and initially responded well to the drug prescribed. It turns out, she's been stretching one month's supply out to two, not due to cost, but because she's afraid it'll hurt her liver. With her mom having died of a stroke in her mid-40's, not taking this med, which her liver was tolerating nicely, isn't a viable option. She looked at me and said she was nervous, but would take them, to which I responded, "I don't want you nervous, but nervous and alive is preferable to calm and dead of either a stroke or a heart attack. I know you've got a broken thumb, but you still have 9 other fingers to dial a phone with. Next time you're nervous about taking something, pick up the phone and call me!" Having known this lady for nearly 15 years (I delivered her 12 y/o), I have no trouble applying a little humor-tinged Jewish guilt, even if I have to do it in Spanish. My comment to her, brought both a smile, a hug and a peck on my cheek.
I found out this past weekend a friend who's become increasingly unable to function, stopped taking one of their anti-depressants some time back, cost being sited as a factor. I can only sadly shake my head at this, realizing I can neither force them to take their meds, nor take the medications for them. However after the last week, a blow gun with darts is starting to have an appeal.
