lilyjohn Posted September 4, 2003 Share Posted September 4, 2003 Precautions and medications As any of you have read my posts know I blame Johnny's death on both attitude and medications. Because of that I have done a lot of research. That belief and a conversation that I had with a pharmacist who worked for the medical board in Washington as helped me with a theory. When I called the medical board to find out how I should dispose of the injection able morphine that the nursing home gave me he made a comment. This comment came as answer to my question about why did they give Johnny so many medications that clearly stated that he should not have been given them. This was his answer. "When a person has cancer especially lung cancer they are considered terminal and all precautions are no longer considered." I find that so wrong and I have come up with something that you may all find interesting and may agree with. When a person has cancer attitude can be so important as you all know. It is hard to keep a positive attitude with the medical profession constantly telling you that there is no hope. Because of that many people develope anxiety as in Johnny's case. Soon they are experiencing either pain or shortness of breath. Many times that is because of the anxiety and the medications that they are taking. Then they are given more medication witch they learn to depend on. If they don't have it the pain and anxiety gets worse. Soon it is not enough by itself so other medications are added. Doctors pay no heed to the precautions so many times the situation just gets worse. I believe that the doctors know that and that is why they give time lines for a persons life. They know that in many cases it is not the cancer that kills but the medication. I believe that is why so many people have such positive results from alternate treatments. I also believe that is why doctors don't want to discuss them. Treatments such as touch therapy and sound and visual therapy relieve stress and anxiety. Diet often helps ease the side effects of the chemo or radiation. Because of that the patient requires very little pain medication or anxiety or depression medication. They recieve spiritual and emotional support and that too helps with those things. Many people live longer better lives because of the alternate treatments and because they reduce the amount of the dangerous and adictive medications that they take. Does any of this make sense? I really believe that it does and that is why I support other things over medication unless the medications are absolutely necassary. That too is why I say seek help from other means not just doctors. The have tunnel vision and refuse to see other things as positive. Let's find a way to out wit them! So many people already have. I have read post after post on all of the message boards stating that the cancer patient is using these things behind their doctors back and the doctors can't understand why they are doing so well!! I have heard it said that a little knowledge can be dangerous. My answer is don't settle for a little knowledge learn as much as you can and then dig some more to learn even more. Cancer can be beat there are many alive to attest to that. Maybe the "cure" for cancer is knowing what to do and what not to do. I also believe that a person should be told why they are feeling the different reactions of their body. Knowing the exact reason, not just a few words that frighten more than anything else, can mean the difference between a good quality of live and torment. Lillian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 4, 2003 Share Posted September 4, 2003 My husband is on Ambien, adivan, and prozac.. Or are you just talking about the stronger pain meds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilyjohn Posted September 4, 2003 Author Share Posted September 4, 2003 All medications have warnings about side effects and precautions. What I am saying is that in many cases those warnings are totaly ignored because of a cancer diagnosis. I was told that by the pharmacist at the medical board. He said that cancer especially lung cancer is considered terminal and all precautions are no longer considered. Ambian and Ativan are both benzadiapines. They are usually well tolerated but in some people they cause adverse reactions especially the Ativan tho it says that is usually dose related. The one thing all of the drugs both opiods and benzadapines as well as antidepressants have in common is that they slow down breathing. When a person is not breathing as fast nor as deep as they should carbon dioxide builds up in their blood causing an unbalance of blood gases. That can be dangerous but also it can be mistaken for a worsoning of the cancer instead of a symptom of over medication. Any lung problem requires caution is using medications but when cancer is diagnosed doctors just don't worry about those things. I believe that they should use the same precautions and have the same kind of intent with cancer patients that they do with any other kind of disease. They should aim for a cure and the best health posible dispite statistics. I think that statistics would be far better if it were not for the indiscriminate use of medications especially the stronger pain medications. Granted some people really need them and it that case they should be used. I just think in many cases they are given far too soon or for much longer than required. The best way to find out about medicaitons is to read about it on the web. There you will find the side effects and warnings. Medication when used right can do wonders. I just think that because they know the dangers and they believe that cancer will never be cured they give time lines that in many cases would have a different outcome had they paid heed to those warnings. I hope this helps you. Go on the web and search. Make sure you know exactly why the medication is given and what the side effects are as well as the precautions. Don't just read. Study the information then ask questions and demand answers! Best of Luck to you and your dad. Lillian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy RN Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 The ambien is a sleeping pill to take at bedtime, The prozac is an antidepressant and should be taken as ordered by the DR. Some people take 10 mg everyday some 20 mg, some 40 mg etc. And the ativan is for breakthrough anxiety or panic attacks. It should be used only then. If he is taking that one too often then I would make sure the Dr knows. He may want to increase the antidepressant. Good Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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