What is up with this?

[Ray9]

I am 75 years old. About ten years ago my blood pressure was rising so I began taking medication for it. Though I was not overweight the health practitioner told me that veins and arteries lose their plasticity as we age and become less flexible. This can lead to elevated blood pressure. I take low dose Amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker that restores normal blood pressure and has some other added benefits. My blood pressure has been in the normal range for a decade with no ill effects.

I am not an average 75-year-old. I ride a bicycle 50 per day at expert average speeds. I go to the gym 7 days a week and pump iron for 90 minutes. What I do every day would kill most people if they tried it once.

I went to the pharmacy to fill my Bp prescription and was told they had nothing for me. I notified the medical center and was told on the phone by a nurse that seemed to have no idea what was going on that they probably want to check me for liver damage even though for years I have had blood drawn every year and everything is always normal.

The problem is that I had nearly run out of the pills and was ambushed by whatever is going on. I went to the portal and saw this:

You have an upcoming DRUGS OF ABUSE COMPLIANCE MONITORING PANEL, URINE, LIPID PANEL (REFLEX DIRECT LDL), CBC, CMP W/FASTING GLUCOSE, PSA SCREEN, MAGNESIUM, TSH from your last visit.

I will not hear back until Monday, but I am very confused about this. I do not drink alcohol, smoke weed, or use any illegal drugs. They know that but they bushwhacked me with no Bp pills. What kind of reasonable medical practice is this?

 

[hjmick]

What kind of reasonable medical practice is this?

The kind that covers their ass and protects them legally. And it's probably state or federally mandated...

 

[rightwinger]

Be a good opportunity to check your BP without medication

You sound like you may not need it

 

[Moonglow]

I lowered my blood pressure naturally, I told her to find somewhere else to live, my wife that is.

 

[Donald H]

I am 75 years old. About ten years ago my blood pressure was rising so I began taking medication for it. Though I was not overweight the health practitioner told me that veins and arteries lose their plasticity as we age and become less flexible. This can lead to elevated blood pressure. I take low dose Amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker that restores normal blood pressure and has some other added benefits. My blood pressure has been in the normal range for a decade with no ill effects.

I am not an average 75-year-old. I ride a bicycle 50 per day at expert average speeds. I go to the gym 7 days a week and pump iron for 90 minutes. What I do every day would kill most people if they tried it once.

I went to the pharmacy to fill my Bp prescription and was told they had nothing for me. I notified the medical center and was told on the phone by a nurse that seemed to have no idea what was going on that they probably want to check me for liver damage even though for years I have had blood drawn every year and everything is always normal.

The problem is that I had nearly run out of the pills and was ambushed by whatever is going on. I went to the portal and saw this:

You have an upcoming DRUGS OF ABUSE COMPLIANCE MONITORING PANEL, URINE, LIPID PANEL (REFLEX DIRECT LDL), CBC, CMP W/FASTING GLUCOSE, PSA SCREEN, MAGNESIUM, TSH from your last visit.

I will not hear back until Monday, but I am very confused about this. I do not drink alcohol, smoke weed, or use any illegal drugs. They know that but they bushwhacked me with no Bp pills. What kind of reasonable medical practice is this?

Are you on Steroids?

 

[Woodznutz]

I lowered my blood pressure naturally, I told her to find somewhere else to live, my wife that is.

Also a good way to lose 200 pounds of ugly fat.

 

[Woodznutz]

I stopped taking Lisinopril and my BP returned to normal. I also quit the statin, which had weakened my muscles. If this has shortened my life, so be it.

 

[Baron Von Murderpaws]

Some drugs have to be monitored and readjusted, because they can be "addictive".

I take the lowest dose of an opioid pain killer, and the pharmacy has to call it in to the doctor every time it's due. I cannot get a standard refill order on it because it's considered "addictive".

Different healthcare facilities call them different things, but basically they are just giving you a check up for using this specific drug for so long, and seeing if it's needs to be adusted, changed, or dropped from your use.

 

[Ray9]

Are you on Steroids?

I thought about it many years ago but I saw what it did to others.

 

[Baron Von Murderpaws]

I stopped taking Lisinopril and my BP returned to normal. I also quit the statin, which had weakened my muscles. If this has shortened my life, so be it.

I still take this stuff. May be why I'm so freeking tired all the time.

 

[Woodznutz]

I still take this stuff. May be why I'm so freeking tired all the time.

The burden such meds place on the body can be enormous. Doctors are usually in denial of this, but they will change your meds if you insist.

 

[Likkmee]

I still take this stuff. May be why I'm so freeking tired all the time.

Hibiscus tea 3x a day. Throw the other shit away. 122/82 a lil while ago

 

[Baron Von Murderpaws]

The burden such meds place on the body can be enormous. Doctors are usually in denial of this, but they will change your meds if you insist.

Well, the problem with meds is.......you never know for sure what (if any) side effects they have on you personally.
Generically hinted at side effects are one thing, but what affects you one way may affect me completely different, or not at all.

And the big problem with that is, the docs never tell you what the side effects are, can be, or might not be in your case. So you never know if something develops or changes, you have no idea what it is because of. Even if you go to the doc for it, they may not know, if they've never heard of another patient getting such a side effect from whatever med they are taking.

I'm on like 10 meds now, and to try and find out which one is causing what, or interacting with another med, would take more dr. visits than I have money to pay for.

 

[Woodznutz]

Some drugs have to be monitored and readjusted, because they can be "addictive".

I take the lowest dose of an opioid pain killer, and the pharmacy has to call it in to the doctor every time it's due. I cannot get a standard refill order on it because it's considered "addictive".

Different healthcare facilities call them different things, but basically they are just giving you a check up for using this specific drug for so long, and seeing if it's needs to be adusted, changed, or dropped from your use.

My doctor took me off of Vicodin but said I could have all the Neurontin I wanted.

 

[Woodznutz]

Well, the problem with meds is.......you never know for sure what (if any) side effects they have on you personally.
Generically hinted at side effects are one thing, but what affects you one way may affect me completely different, or not at all.

And the big problem with that is, the docs never tell you what the side effects are, can be, or might not be in your case. So you never know if something develops or changes, you have no idea what it is because of. Even if you go to the doc for it, they may not know, if they've never heard of another patient getting such a side effect from whatever med they are taking.

I'm on like 10 meds now, and to try and find out which one is causing what, or interacting with another med, would take more dr. visits than I have money to pay for.

My sister was on about 15 meds, ostensibly to counteract the side effects of others. When she finally changed doctors, he was aghast at her condition and began to reduce the number of meds. She did improve somewhat but it was too little too late. Her whole system was wrecked by that time.

 

[Baron Von Murderpaws]

My sister was on about 15 meds, ostensibly to counteract the side effects of others. When she finally changed doctors, he was aghast at her condition and began to reduce the number of meds. She did improve somewhat but it was too little too late. Her whole system was wrecked by that time.

I've known some people like that.
Unfortunately, right now, I'm out of work and don't have any insurance.
So, I have to wait unitl I can find another job......but that may not be until after 2024, the way things are going.

 

[1srelluc]

Old folks "one up" thread.....If it's not their pills then it's their maladies.

I swear if I her another old fart bitching about their pills/maladies it will be too soon.

It's got so at the morning eatery that's half of what you hear....For fuck's sake, bear it in silence, nobody cares except for the gossip potential.

They will even ask me "what meds do you take", I just say "a couple".....I'd much rather talk about other stuff.

Oh, and Lord help you if you take on a limp for some reason.....Half the town will know about it before I pay my bill and leave.

Full disclosure, I'm a old fart too.

 

[JustAGuy1]

I stopped taking Lisinopril and my BP returned to normal. I also quit the statin, which had weakened my muscles. If this has shortened my life, so be it.

I took lisinopril for 10 years then one day it put me into anaphylactic shock, it almost took me out.

 

[Woodznutz]

I took lisinopril for 10 years then one day it put me into anaphylactic shock, it almost took me out.

It took it for about 8 years. During that time my BP was never stable. I had huge swings and spikes that required nitroglycerin to control. When I stopped taking it my BP stabilized and returned to normal within weeks. It took a couple of years for the constant congestion in my sinuses to abate, although I still have some congestion that I might have to live with.

 

[Dekster]

I am 75 years old. About ten years ago my blood pressure was rising so I began taking medication for it. Though I was not overweight the health practitioner told me that veins and arteries lose their plasticity as we age and become less flexible. This can lead to elevated blood pressure. I take low dose Amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker that restores normal blood pressure and has some other added benefits. My blood pressure has been in the normal range for a decade with no ill effects.

I am not an average 75-year-old. I ride a bicycle 50 per day at expert average speeds. I go to the gym 7 days a week and pump iron for 90 minutes. What I do every day would kill most people if they tried it once.

I went to the pharmacy to fill my Bp prescription and was told they had nothing for me. I notified the medical center and was told on the phone by a nurse that seemed to have no idea what was going on that they probably want to check me for liver damage even though for years I have had blood drawn every year and everything is always normal.

The problem is that I had nearly run out of the pills and was ambushed by whatever is going on. I went to the portal and saw this:

You have an upcoming DRUGS OF ABUSE COMPLIANCE MONITORING PANEL, URINE, LIPID PANEL (REFLEX DIRECT LDL), CBC, CMP W/FASTING GLUCOSE, PSA SCREEN, MAGNESIUM, TSH from your last visit.

I will not hear back until Monday, but I am very confused about this. I do not drink alcohol, smoke weed, or use any illegal drugs. They know that but they bushwhacked me with no Bp pills. What kind of reasonable medical practice is this?

CSAP's test for lots of things but that is not the only test you are taking. It sounds like they are just going to draw lots of vials and do lots of tests to see where you are generally.