Review drug changes with your doctor

DEAR DR. GOTT: Recently, on a popular TV program, a person was commenting on addictive drug usage. She was borrowing drugs from other people and also taking what she was prescribed.

For some time now, I have thought I’ve been overdosed by my physician. I am presently taking 31 — yes, 31 — pills a day. Recently I was prescribed Lyrica. I lost use of my limbs, falling several times. I wonder why my doctor never takes me off any of the other medications before adding a new one. That much medication mixed together can’t be good for a person. Please tell me what a person should do. We not only can’t afford it; we cannot get around.

DEAR READER: Unfortunately, you do not provide a medical history outlining what conditions you might have that require medication, but obviously there are a few. Some medications are most effective if taken three or four times a day — such as at breakfast, lunch, dinner and at bedtime. That might account for some of your drugs. Another thought that comes to mind is that you may be seeing more than one physician. Could this be the case, with both sources prescribing without the knowledge of the other? Believe it or not, this scenario is quite common.

I am inclined to think that you are not “overdosing,†but you may be overprescribed. Overdose refers to the intentional or accidental ingestion of a much higher than recommended dose of a given medication. I strongly urge you to make a list of all your medications, their strengths and the number of times per day you take each one. Request an appointment with your physician to discuss the regimen you are on. Ask what, if anything, can be reduced or eliminated. Keep in mind that some medications prescribed for a specific condition are sometimes used for an entirely unrelated disorder. And they work well.

So determine why you are taking each prescription and if there are common side effects of which you should be aware. For example, Lyrica is commonly prescribed for fibromyalgia, pain from shingles, partial seizures and several other conditions. Side effects of Lyrica depend on the amount prescribed. Higher doses are more likely to cause dizziness, sleepiness, blurred vision, weight gain and dry mouth than are lower ones. This is true of many medications — both prescription or over-the-counter drugs.

I cannot comment on whether the woman interviewed on television abuses drugs. From what little you said about the show, it appears she does have a problem. What I must emphasize emphatically is that absolutely no one should take medication prescribed for someone else. Drugs can interact adversely, and the risk is compounded if a person is on more than one drug. Unfortunately, bad reactions aren’t discovered until they occur, which, in some cases, might be too late. No one should run that risk.

Determine why you take what you take. If appropriate and acceptable, ask your physician to consider a trial without some of them.

I am sending you copies of my Health Reports, “Fibromyalgia†and “Consumer Tips on Medicine.†Others should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order for each report to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092, or download an order blank from my Web site, AskDrGottMD.com. Be sure to mention the title(s).

Peter Gott practiced medicine in Lakeville for 40 years.