Wrongly Prescribed medication

keithdc

baza52 wrote: »

i would expect doctors to know which medicines interact with other medicines especially those that are common.

This link seems to suggest it is the doctors responsibility to check the drugs they prescribe. http://patient.info/doctor/general-prescribing-guidance

Safe prescribing
This is becoming an important issue, as evidenced by its increasing prominence in the undergraduate medical syllabus. Issues which need to be considered include:[2]
Prescribing within limits of competence.
Evidence-based prescribing.
Interaction with other drugs.
Concordance, tolerability and formulation.
Adverse effects.
Checking dosages.
Using prescribing formularies.
Keeping up to date and following clinical guidelines, where available, from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) or Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).
Using electronic systems where available that can enhance the safety of prescribing.
Responsible delegation of prescribing administration and dispensing.

But... the drug was prescribed appropriately. There was no contraindication to prescribing the drug.
The potential benefit of the drug was considered to outweigh any risk.

Just because you suffered a side-effect does not mean that the drug was prescribed inappropriately.


In your original post, you said
"The following day I'm googling the steroids to see what they will do etc and then also google Naproxen.
At this point I start to read the side effects if prescribed at the same time as an SSRI that I have been taking for many years.
It says the two types of tablets should not be taken together unless under strict monitoring from GP and first signs of shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing should be immediately reported to GP."

As per the naproxen summary of product characteristics, there is an increased risk of GI bleeding if naproxen is taken with an SSRI.

Naproxen may cause shortness of breath etc, but this has nothing to do with taking an SSRI.

baza52

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Yes that's true as far as it goes. For instance antibiotics make the contraceptive pill less effective. However people are different and if drugs which could interact were never prescribed together most people wouldn't be able to be prescribed more than one drug at a time. That's why its important to read the leaflet and look out for and report any problems.

Then the GP should make you aware of any potential problems and at the very least recognise an interaction when new drugs are prescribed.
This did not happen on my 2nd visit.
Its not up to me to act like a chemist and research any drugs I'm given.
Its the doctors job.

Bennifred1

It's a rare drug which has no possible side effects, and that risk is multiplied with every drug added to the mix. Sometimes the drug to treat one thing causes other serious problems too and it can all spiral.......
It's all very well saying that it is the doctor's responsibility to know or check every drug or combination that they prescribe, but for one's own sake it makes sense to take responsibility of one's own health and not take anything at face value. The doctor isn't the one who will suffer if he gets it wrong. Check and double check! Be your own best health advocate,

Torry_Quine

baza52 wrote: »

Then the GP should make you aware of any potential problems and at the very least recognise an interaction when new drugs are prescribed.
This did not happen on my 2nd visit.
Its not up to me to act like a chemist and research any drugs I'm given.
Its the doctors job.

If the GP were to make you aware of potential problems then appointments would last much longer. You have to take responsibility and it doesn't mean that doctors aren't respnsible.

baza52

keithdc wrote: »

But... the drug was prescribed appropriately. There was no contraindication to prescribing the drug.
The potential benefit of the drug was considered to outweigh any risk.

Just because you suffered a side-effect does not mean that the drug was prescribed inappropriately.


In your original post, you said
"The following day I'm googling the steroids to see what they will do etc and then also google Naproxen.
At this point I start to read the side effects if prescribed at the same time as an SSRI that I have been taking for many years.
It says the two types of tablets should not be taken together unless under strict monitoring from GP and first signs of shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing should be immediately reported to GP."

As per the naproxen summary of product characteristics, there is an increased risk of GI bleeding if naproxen is taken with an SSRI.

Naproxen may cause shortness of breath etc, but this has nothing to do with taking an SSRI.

perhaps I worded the OP wrongly.

How do then explain me seeing DR number 2 2 weeks after starting Naproxen with serious breathing difficulty and a cough and Dr number 2 not recognising it was connected to newly prescribed drugs?

Is that my responsibility to work this out or the GP?

baza52

Torry_Quine wrote: »

If the GP were to make you aware of potential problems then appointments would last much longer. You have to take responsibility and it doesn't mean that doctors aren't respnsible.

GMC says you SHOULD be aware of interactions.

8. If you are unsure about interactions or other aspects of prescribing and medicines management you should seek advice from experienced colleagues, including pharmacists, prescribing advisers and clinical pharmacologists.

http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/ethical_guidance/14317.asp

Torry_Quine

baza52 wrote: »

perhaps I worded the OP wrongly.

How do then explain me seeing DR number 2 2 weeks after starting Naproxen with serious breathing difficulty and a cough and Dr number 2 not recognising it was connected to newly prescribed drugs?

Is that my responsibility to work this out or the GP?

That's very different though from saying the Naproxen interacted with your other medication though. Did you mention the breathing problems only started after you took the Naproxen.?

baza52 wrote: »

GMC says you SHOULD be aware of interactions.

8. If you are unsure about interactions or other aspects of prescribing and medicines management you should seek advice from experienced colleagues, including pharmacists, prescribing advisers and clinical pharmacologists.

http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/ethical_guidance/14317.asp

Of course, but we all react differently.

Hedgehog99

ARandomMiser wrote: »

Glad you got sorted.
You would think that with the levels of computerisation these days this sort of thing could be avoided.

Trouble is, it needs a human who knows what they're doing to program the computer system in the first place and today's reliance on computers for assistance in prescribing is probably why fewer doctors keep the relevant working knowledge up to scratch because they use it less now that computers do it for them. Until they don't & someone such as OP has a problem such as OP's.

SevenOfNine

GP told me my frozen shoulder would "get better in it's own in time". Struggled for a couple of months then changed GP, new one referred me to another surgery which had a physiotherapist.

After a brief assessment with a nurse she called a GP to give me a cortisone injection (totally painless), after only 2 sessions with the physio I had FULL use of my shoulder/arm absolutely pain free.

No more physio required but told to come back for repeat cortisone jab if I had problems after 3 months - not necessary. The ability to use my shoulder/arm through normal everyday living, with the cortisone holding off any pain was enough to mobilise it properly.

This was a few years ago & I've had no problems since.

Fluffybunny80

I've taken sertraline and Naproxen 500 mg twice daily for years with no ill side effects.
It would have most likely just been the Naproxen alone that didn't agree with you, not related to the SSRI.