Real-Life Stories
The following stories are taken from interviews with older
adults about the medications they take. To read letters and
anecdotes from site visitors click here.
Eva's Story
Eva is a 73-year old woman who lives alone. She walks a mile every day, eats a balanced diet, and loves to chat to neighbors she meets while she is out. Eva has high blood pressure for which her doctor has prescribed one medication. She regularly uses antacids, takes aspirin several times a week for mild arthritis, and takes Vitamin E "because it's good for old people like me". When questioned, Eva didn't actually know why Vitamin was supposed to be good for seniors. She has also been taking gingko biloba for about 15 months - "for my memory".
About 18 months ago Eva became depressed after she saw a friend knocked down by a car while crossing the street. Her friend wasn't badly injured, but Eva suffered from stress and kept reliving the incident: "I was afraid to leave the house - what if it had been me?"
Her physician prescribed an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication and for a while Eva felt more like her normal, cheerful self. However, she noticed that she was having trouble remembering appointments and kept forgetting simple things. Her son, who lives close by, suggested that she try some herbal remedies he had heard about, including gingko biloba and St. John's Wort. Eva blamed the prescription medication for her fuzzy-headedness and decided to cut back to half the dosage without informing her doctor.
Eva soon felt better and was so pleased that she felt she no longer needed the medication at all. She discontinued it gradually, over a couple of weeks, again without consulting her doctor.
Now, although her memory is back to normal, she is feeling unduly anxious: "What if I have an accident while I'm out walking? I'm worried all the time. Perhaps I should start the antidepressants again."
Possible problems: Gingko biloba and aspirin should not be used together because of an increased risk of internal bleeding. St. John's Wort, a mild antidepressant, should not be taken in conjuction with other antidepressants. Discontinuing prescribed medication without the advice of a doctor could be dangerous. Because Eva was taking several products, she might be wrong in assuming that the prescribed antidepressant was the cause of her problems. Eva needs to review all her medications with her physician, including the information that she discontinued a prescribed drug.
Fred's Story
Fred is a 74 year old, disabled veteran of the Korean War. He has a small apartment
in a retirement community in Charleston, SC. Fred suffers from
osteoporosis, high blood pressure, failing eyesight and a spastic
colon.
"I can't drive more than a couple of miles, and have to wear leg braces when I walk these days."
Fred currently has 11 prescribed medications. Six have to be taken every day, and the others when he needs them. Fred also takes 3 OTC products but he has never experienced polypharmacy problems. Fred is careful to tell his doctor about everything he takes, as well as his personal habits (smoking and drinking). Because he is a veteran his medications are free. He has check ups about 3 times a year. He only uses one pharmacist and the veteran's clinic uses a computerized prescription record which helps to reduce possible errors.
His doctor also provided him with an easy-to-remember medication schedule. Fred lines up his medication bottles and turns them upside down when he has taken a pill. His prescription meds are taken in the morning and at night, and others are used as needed.
Fred often volunteers through his church and helps other older adults in his community. "Lots of people are in worse shape than I am", he says.
Luis' Story
Luis, an older adult in excellent health, takes very few medications himself but has stories about his mother and brother. Luis' mother used to keep all her pills mixed up in a glass jar. She could describe the colors, shapes and names and insisted she knew what each was for. However, one evening when the light was dim she took an overdose of sleeping pills by mistake. Luckily, a neighbor who was a nurse found her and the overdose proved to be mild and she suffered no lasting ill effects.
Luis' brother, who is now on a regimen of several drugs following a heart attack, is having a hard time adjusting to his new status. He won't allow his wife to buy a pill dispenser because it reminds him of his condition. Adjusting to a long-term disability or chronic illness is often difficult, with the patient going through stages of anger and denial before acceptance of the condition.
