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Should I continue taking my medicine?

M

Muusers

Jun 23, 2006
2,513
0
36
the Netherlands, Amsterdam
#1
I am currently on medication for a disease I'd rather not mention for personal reasons, it's not life threatening of any kind but it does make living a little harder than it should be. I take my medicine by syringe, inserting it in my blood. I've been using it for little over a year now and it's always done its job properly without any major side-effects.

But since a couple weeks the shots are loosing effect and they make me feel very tired, dizzy, nauseous and weak. Tonight I had another "attack", if you will. It is also the first time I don't know exactly what happened but I'll give the info I remember.

I was at a party when it happened, and unfortunately it was one of the worst I've had. A few of my friends noticed and escorted me back home, since I was in no state to bike back myself. My girlfriend said she would spend the night to keep an eye on me, no matter how much I pleaded for her to go back and sleep at home. (She's now lying next to me fast asleep.) I haven't told her yet about my condition because I didn't want her to worry about me too much, and I'd rather not tell her at all if I will stop having these fits.

I've already seen the doctor twice since the start of the symptoms, but he said there isn't really anything we can do now. We've already tried reducing and increasing the doses but it doesn't seem to help. It's also not an option to switch to an alternate medicine simply because it doesn't exist. I've already discussed with the doctor and my parents to stop taking it for a couple of weeks, just to see how I'll do without the shots. The doc said it wouldn't be a good idea and my parents support him in that decision. I mean, why wouldn't they, the medicine has worked superbly for almost a year. But for now I really don't want to take another shot just because I'm scared of what will happen the next time the medicine doesn't work.

So should I continue taking the shots?
 
#2
Muusers said:
I am currently on medication for a disease I'd rather not mention for personal reasons, it's not life threatening of any kind but it does make living a little harder than it should be. I take my medicine by syringe, inserting it in my blood. I've been using it for little over a year now and it's always done its job properly without any major side-effects.

But since a couple weeks the shots are loosing effect and they make me feel very tired, dizzy, nauseous and weak. Tonight I had another "attack", if you will. It is also the first time I don't know exactly what happened but I'll give the info I remember.

I was at a party when it happened, and unfortunately it was one of the worst I've had. A few of my friends noticed and escorted me back home, since I was in no state to bike back myself. My girlfriend said she would spend the night to keep an eye on me, no matter how much I pleaded for her to go back and sleep at home. (She's now lying next to me fast asleep.) I haven't told her yet about my condition because I didn't want her to worry about me too much, and I'd rather not tell her at all if I will stop having these fits.

I've already seen the doctor twice since the start of the symptoms, but he said there isn't really anything we can do now. We've already tried reducing and increasing the doses but it doesn't seem to help. It's also not an option to switch to an alternate medicine simply because it doesn't exist. I've already discussed with the doctor and my parents to stop taking it for a couple of weeks, just to see how I'll do without the shots. The doc said it wouldn't be a good idea and my parents support him in that decision. I mean, why wouldn't they, the medicine has worked superbly for almost a year. But for now I really don't want to take another shot just because I'm scared of what will happen the next time the medicine doesn't work.

So should I continue taking the shots?
Click to expand...

You should go with your doctor's advice, not a bunch of random bass players' on the internets, IMHO.
 
#3
Vince S. said:
You should go with your doctor's advice, not a bunch of random bass players' on the internets, IMHO.
Click to expand...
Unless the bass players tell you to continue listening to your doctor.

Continue with the medication, talk to your doctor at the earliest convenience. There may be a new medication or an alternate treatment, but discuss with your doctor before changing anything.
 
#7
This reminds me of a problem my father faced recently.

He is on meds for a number of things, and one recently (well, last year, it isnt as bad now), gave him a side effect where his blood pressure would drop very quickly and cause him to faint.

Similarly, there wasnt any really viable alternative medication. He asked a friend of the family for adive (who's a GP), and he turned round and say "Well, would you rather fall down sometimes, and get back up, or fall down and not?" (the guy is Irish so you have to think of that sentence with an Irish accent).

Basically, if you are told to keep on it, it is probably doing more good than bad. And if the condition is chronic (you dont say what it is, so not like we know if it is something that will only last a short period or what not) then I dont think dropping the meds could be viable.

Also, if you and your gf have been together for a fairly long time, it might be advisable that you tell her, so that if you do have a fit when she is about, she knows what to do (if there is anything that can be done).
 
#12
Get a second opinion, for sure.
Also, find a teaching hospital and see if you can get checked out there.

If you're taking any other meds, maybe there's something that is affecting this med.
If you're taking any other over the counter supplements, started new vitamins, started smoking pot or something like that that your Dr. doesn't know about, maybe there is some cross over effect going on.
 
#13
GeneralElectric said:
Is it herpes?
Click to expand...
I don't think so. That's a pretty normal disease in the US I gather (congratualtions US boy teenagers, you have given one in four chicks herpes, Onion-news said a while back), and should have more than one treatment/and Muuser would surely tell his girlfriend if he had something contageous. No, my bet is something that is lifestyle-related like.. Ok I forgot the English name. Just as well maybe.


Anyways Muuser, unless there is some bassgroovin' doctor around, listen to the one you allready got. It's known that removing some medications when you go on many may have a positive outcome, but you don't. You really ought to listen to your parents on this one :O
 
#18
I'm going with some disruptance in hormone-levels or life-style-thing I can't remember the name of.

Or no, I'm saying Lycanthropy too! Seems by far the most likely. I mean, you got ill around the full moon... And the medicine only stops the transformation - not the pain though it is supposed to (like in Harry Potter!!).

Whatever it is, I hope it is something you'll get better of.
 
#19
Without knowing your condition and what you're taking, it's impossible to even guess what you should do.

One thing that I would consider is that since the side effects did not change with a higher/lower dose of the medication, then maybe your new health problem is unrelated to the medicine.

I can think of a few possible problems you might have, but there's no point in guessing if you don't want to tell us. Right now I'm having a hard time thinking of what possible medical condition you could have that would be treated with IV drugs, but could be survived without them. Are you diabetic? I can't imagine being embarrassed about that. Thalassemia or some other blood disorder isn't exactly embarassing either, but you wouldn't want to quit your meds if you have a major blood problem. Same for inborn errors of metabolism.
 

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