Symptoms of polypharmacy

Polypharmacy is sometimes overlooked because the symptoms it causes can be confused with symptoms of normal aging or another disease, somtimes resulting in still more drugs being prescribed to treat the new symptoms.

Some signs that are caused by interactions between drugs or side-effects of drugs can include:

• tiredness, sleepiness or decreased alertness
• constipation, diarrhea or incontinence
• loss of appetite
• confusion (all the time or only sometimes)
• falls
• depression or lack of interest in your usual activities
• weakness
• tremor
• hallucinations - seeing or hearing things
• anxiety or excitability
• feeling dizzy
• decreased sexual behavior
• skin rashes

Sometimes side effects occur shortly after starting a new medication, but in other cases they take a while to appear. Never assume that a symptom is just a sign of "getting old" - talk to your doctor, who is responsible for making sure that your medications are safe and effective.

See our section on Talking to your doctor.