Reviewing your meds

My wife is a walking pharmacy. Fortunately, our druggist routinely reviews all she is prescribed and coaches her to ask for a second look by her family physician. On more than one occasion he has found contraindications on new prescriptions.

Secondly, YouTube has many coaching videos on aging, including physical rehabilitation, nutrition, maintaining capacities, and on reducing meds that might now be doing more harm than good. Most are given by experts, although some are by so-called influencers whose advice should be taken with a grain of salt...or at least confirmed by better authorities.

Sounds like a trifecta win.
I have been thinking about the effects of drugs and supplements I take.
A team member has mentioned having my med protocol evaluated. It would be a more intensive evaluation. And I would have to pay out of pocket. Reading your experience…I’m going to do it.
I really want a successful outcome. Just one would be so welcome. I’ve had too many less than positive results.
I’ll be sure to post the process and results.

@k5t If you are on Medicare and use 5 or more Rx meds, you can request an annual review with a Doctor of Pharmacy or RN trained in med evaluation. It has helped us immensely over the years. It was a pharmacist who figured out why my asthma medsxwere not working well!

@k5t
I don't think your local pharmacist would charge for reviewing your meds.
I intend to have my PCP review my meds at my annual physical.
Good luck in getting this done.

@sueinmn
Good info! I had no idea. Ty

Hi,
I'm glad you found Amlodipine! It is a fantastic drug for blood pressure. I am also on Amlodipine. It worked great at lowering my blood pressure after trying so many other drugs that just weren't doing what they should have been doing. I also had no side effects from it. And I usually react to everything! Another thing that helps lower blood pressure is to drink a glass of water before you take your blood pressure.
I wish you the best.
PML

I routinely review my meds with my primary care, cardiologist, rheumatologist and hematologist-oncologist. They always seem concerned about interactions, side effects and effects on blood work etc. You have to ask questions to get answers, especially when changing or adding meds. My pharmacist is always asking if I have any questions when I pick up meds. I always ask if there's anything I should be questioning. I can see where a review by a qualified outsider would be beneficial too, as long as they know your symptoms/diagnosis and reasons for taking each med, vitamin and supplement.

@sueinmn
My visit with the Doctor of Pharmacy was delightful!
Her knowledge of OTC supplements was very helpful in confirming that I was taking supplements of real value and being suckered by scam companies.

Years ago, a friend’s wife went to the bathroom after dinner and died. Her death was due to a combination of drugs she was taking. Each doctor added another to her list.

Check the side affects of your meds and for any interactions. Do you need to be on them forever?

@joanland While in the ideal world our PCP can do this, in reality they usually have 15-30 minutes total to spend on all our concerns in an appointment. A review by a Doctor of Pharmacy who has access to your medical records would be even better.
This is a 30 minute or longer visit focused ENTIRELY on your medications and supplements by someone with special training in the task.
You can do this by phone or in person, and they should send you a questionnaire in advance to get you complete information. We do this every year or two, especially if a new health concern has added meds to our regimen.