Wellness

[novamc1]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/16/health/elderly-drugs-addiction.html

[maestra]

This class of drugs are so very dangerous and can easily become addictive, even when used as prescribed by MD.

[kaydee50]

IMO most drugs are overprescribed and overused.  People look for a quick fix.  A dangerous situation.

[highmaintenancejan]

I think the government needs to quit getting involved between doctors and patients.  I think a doctor knows his/her patients and knows what THE patient needs!!!! It's becoming ridiculous.  Doctors can't practice medicine anymore!!!!!

[novamc1]

List of some of the drug names at issue in the story........

Ativan

Klonopkin

Valium

Xanax

Ambien

Sonata

Lunesta

[RedTop]

I agree that the meds listed are not the best choice for an elderly person.    Over 2 years ago, I had a conversation with my mothers doctor regarding her out of control anxiety issues.   I particularly asked about 3 of the medications @novamc1 is referring to, and mom’s doctor absolutely would not prescribe any type of this medication for her, due to the likelihood of her aging system overprocessing the med and increasing her risk for falls and serious injury.   

In my last job, I recorded and processed the falls of hospital patients, the majority of which were always attributed to these medications.    These same meds were also overused at the personal care home my grandmother resided in before her passing, and every patient on them had multiple falls.   There are safer meds that can be prescribed.

[novamc1]

@RedTop

My dad entered  an assisted living facility in his early 90's and after about a year,, his prescribed drug list climbed from one page to four pages .  I paid the bills, so I know  this. 

I  saw firsthand how those drugs turned a perfectly rational man (with elderly mental quirks, of course) into a blithering, spasmodic, noncommunicative idiot in the space of just one year.   

As he exhibited each new symptom of mental agitation and odd behavior that "disturbed the other residents", he was placed on one more drug.  The final cocktail of all these drugs, I am convinced, is what led to his death.  I'm also convinced he didn't need all the drugs he was prescribed at all.

My sis and I were not always consulted as this situation developed, and when we noticed, and spoke up, we were ignored.   I did succeed in getting one doctor to take him off of one drug that I could see was causing problems, but most medical decisions wound up gettting made at the convenience of the assisted living facility doctors once we couldn't easiy transport dad to a doctor outside of the facility.

We can't say that his life ended  too early in his mid-90s, but I'm sure without all those psychiatric drugs, he would have been a lot more comfortable.

[DeniseColo]

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@highmaintenancejan wrote:

I think the government needs to quit getting involved between doctors and patients.  I think a doctor knows his/her patients and knows what THE patient needs!!!! It's becoming ridiculous.  Doctors can't practice medicine anymore!!!!!

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@highmaintenancejan -- I absolutely agree with what you said.  It is quite concerning that the government is making it so difficult for those who need access to controlled substances to treat their medical conditions, whether it be for severe pain, severe anxiety or substance use disorders.  Many Doctors are no longer prescribing the opioids and/or benzodiazapines their patients need to have some quality of life...even if the benefits of these far outweigh the risks for the INDIVIDUAL patient.  Access to Doctors who provide  medication assisted therapy (buprenorphine/methadone) for opioid abuse has long been limited.

[highmaintenancejan]

RIGHT, I'm not talking about nursing homes, etc. I'm talking about functioning people, or people trying to function (65 and above) in their everyday lives!!!  Keep the government out of the patient/doctor relationship!!!

[lovesrecess]

I saw the same with my father in-law. The nursing homes or other assisted living places love to administer these drugs because it keeps the residents docile and compliant for the most part. There is usually a "doctor" who comes by once a week and just prints out a script for most of these drugs without even seeing the residents. I often wonder if my dear father in-law would still be wih us if it wasn't for these drugs. He was not sick; he was old. You can't fix old with drugs!