← Return to Medication reconciliation: Who do I talk with to review all my meds?

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@sueinmn

@gcranor WAIT! I know what it feels like to be in pain, on a ton of meds, and not know "what to do" next. But...
Before you take a drastic action like this, you need to know how to safely make the change. Many medications must be tapered - stopping suddenly can cause physical withdrawal symptoms - a potentially dangerous or even fatal reaction. Others can cause psychological withdrawal symptoms - extremely unpleasant issues like mood swings, hallucinations, depression. Among those you need to be especially concerned about tapering are: gabapentin, pain meds from pump, Sumitriptan and Sterling (Sterane.)

If you really want to stop the medications, you need to find a clinical pharmacy specialist (may be a pharmacist or a specially trained nurse) or advanced practice pharmacist, who will work with you and your doctors to help identify potential drug interactions, age or condition related drug changes needed, and safe ways to taper off unwanted medications.

With such a wide array of medications, you will need a written taper plan, with regular follow-ups, to do this safely.

Are all of your specialists part of a single clinic and/or hospital system? If so, they may have someone who will have access to all of your records and be able to coordinate with your doctors. If not, you need help to find a professional to help with this.

Another option is to seek treatment in a Pain Rehabilitation Clinic, such as at Mayo, where they not only help get off the meds, but also work on other strategies for living with and managing your pain with fewer medications. You can read about it here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/pain-rehabilitation-center/sections/overview/ovc-20481691

Do either of these options sound like something you can do?
Sue

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Replies to "@gcranor WAIT! I know what it feels like to be in pain, on a ton of..."

Yes, thank you