cymbalta and other meds

[starfish]

hi

so my grandma's been on cymbalta since jan 8th and she's become a zombie. it hurts so much to see her like that. my mom and i (we're not doctors, i know) suspect that cymbalta is causing all the ugly side effects. she used to take paxil along with many other meds, (she has a heart condition, sensitive stomach, insomnia, etc) and she was doing ok, but since she started cymb, her condition's been worsening to the point she doesn't recognize anyone anymore. these are some of the meds she's taking along with cymb :

ebixa

halcion

rivotril

ativan

digoxine

kaliolite

omeprazol

those are the ones i can remember

any comment/advice/insight would be greatly appreciated

[wake me when i'm dead]

*shrug* drug interactions

[olga]

Cymbalta has a sedating effect as well as working as an AD, so combined with Ativan and Halcion, I'm amazed that your grandmother is conscious at all. I'm surprised that the doctor(s) are prescribing such a combination.

Can your mother talk to the MDs? Why is Gramma getting all this sedating stuff?

olga

[MiaB]

rivotril is a heavy duty benzo, so that adds to things. It doesn't make sense to me that she'd be prescribed ativan AND rivotril. I think you need to speak to her doctor/s asap. Drug interactions are very delicate and unpredictable things, and perhaps they just did not consider weighing up each med against another. (bad practice on their part IMO)

[starfish]

yeah basically my grandma's cardiologist is an asshole. he's the one who prescribed all that crap.

thank god for my cousin's t. he recommended a geriatric pdoc, and he went to evaluate grandma's condition (she can't leave the house). He decided to put away 6 meds (ativan, halcion, celebrex, cymbalta, akineton and some other i can't remember). And he's going to see grandma again on friday to check if she's making any progress.

Mom and i are so goddamn angry at the cardiologist. He prescribes meds just because he has a prescriptions notepad and a pen. we need to find her another one. the problem is, no one wants to come home to check her. that's why we've been sticking with the asshole for so long.

well the good thing is she's off those meds already. i think all we can expect now is progress, maybe slow, but progress indeed.

thanks for your comments.

[olga]

I'm glad you and your mom care about gramma enough to be checking up on all this stuff. So many old people are alone in the world with no one who cares what happens to them.

Should she come off them all at once, with no tapering? Is someone with her every day? That would be my only concern now.

I hope she pulls out of all this stuff. You might also check with the local Health Department and see if she is eligible for a Visiting Nurse. Some of those nurses are very smart and trained in geriatrics, and would be helpful in acting as a liaison to whichever doc you end up using.

good luck--

olga

[starfish]

she's doing better already. my mom talked to her on the phone and she said she sounded much better (almost ok) and so says my aunt. She and my cousin live with her (it's grandma's house actually) so she's never alone, and my uncle (big family lol) hired a nurse to help my aunt with my grandma's needs.

it seems that she's off all those meds already, that's what the new doc indicated. Just one thing : he gave her Risperdal to keep her controlled but not sedated.

Now Grandma and i can sit in front of the tv to watch desperate housewives and share some Risperdal lol