Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 48

Thread: Drugs are funny stuff...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    29th October 2005 - 16:12
    Bike
    Had a 2007 Suzuki C50T Boulevard
    Location
    Orewa
    Posts
    5,852

    Drugs are funny stuff...

    Any one got funny stories of side effects and reactions to prescrition drugs?

    I am on 6 different meds for a variety of issues, three of them just for blood pressure... That's in addition to the painkillers, Tramadol and Diclophenac.

    I've been a prescription druggie for most of my adult life, and my medical file is a varied and interesting one for the Docs. I've nearly died five times and had a few accidents and injuries, the latest was tripping over a trailer drawbar and faceplanting the concrete, leading to stitches and a neat scar and either cracked or severely bruised ribs, (again...). I'm now called scarface the fall guy...

    Over the years I've lost a few body parts, fortunately not ones critical for life.

    I've experienced pretty much all the different painkillers, living on Pethedene for 12 months back in '80-'81, Fortrol and Morphine, etc. and most recently in hospital, Ketamine. This was an interesting drug, I halucinated on it consistently, and while in ICU in Auckland when my lungs decided to shut down after my accident where I broke my back.

    My wife and family were at my bedside, scared stiff whether I was going to pull through, yet they couldn't stop laughing at the silly stuff I was coming out with! Even back in the ward, I'd find myself having a conversation with the nurses, only to wake up and find there were no nurses there!

    Today I decided to go over all the meds I'm on to see what the side-effects were so I could isolate and stop worrying about symptoms that were caused by the meds and not by my own health issues. Needless to say, I found I''ve got an uphill battle against these side-effects, and I'm going to get a review from my GP to see if I can withdraw from any of them.

    Of the six meds, five cause fatigue and tiredness, three cause weight gain, three can cause impotence and sexual dysfunction, one can casue prostate problems, two cause memory loss and lapse of concentration, one interferes with vision, one causes fluid retention, and two cause sweatiness.

    I do tend to go to bed rather early and have some trouble with fatigue, I am having a real problem getting those extra 5kg off, I'm as absentminded as someone with Altzheimers and my poor wife is despairing at times how forgetful I can be.

    My ankles swell with the fluid retention and I tend to sweat a lot at night, sometimes soaking my pillow.

    I have an enlarged prostate requiring a med to prevent it restricting the very important tube... I get checked annually for any other problems and so far so good, my PSA level is normal.

    Sex? It's going to take a lot more than a few pills to stop me...

    I know many people have a variety of health issues so you might call this the "Med thread" for anyone wanting to let us in on some of their experiences.
    You don't get to be an old dog without learning a few tricks.
    Shorai Powersports batteries are very trick!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    13th June 2010 - 17:47
    Bike
    Exercycle
    Location
    Out in the cold
    Posts
    5,618
    I've taken myself off Statin drugs - cholesterol meds - due to the hallucinations.
    talk about technicolour dreams...
    Funnily enough the period on them coincided with a period when the motors I built went particularly well....
    You have my admiration Ed - I find it hard enough keeping track of what i'm on and I'm only on about half of your collection.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    29th October 2005 - 16:12
    Bike
    Had a 2007 Suzuki C50T Boulevard
    Location
    Orewa
    Posts
    5,852
    Quote Originally Posted by Grumph View Post
    I've taken myself off Statin drugs - cholesterol meds - due to the hallucinations.
    talk about technicolour dreams...
    Funnily enough the period on them coincided with a period when the motors I built went particularly well....
    You have my admiration Ed - I find it hard enough keeping track of what i'm on and I'm only on about half of your collection.
    It can take from 2 to 6 weeks for the body to adapt to a medication, so I don't recommend stopping a med without consulting the Doc first. Especially for such as heart or cholesterol issues. Along with Blood Pressure, these are called silent killers and you don't realise how serious your situation is until it's too late. I'd suggest going back to your Doc and talking about it with him and get your Cholesterol rechecked.
    You don't get to be an old dog without learning a few tricks.
    Shorai Powersports batteries are very trick!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    25th October 2002 - 17:30
    Bike
    GSXR1000
    Location
    Christchurch
    Posts
    9,061
    After my accident in '97 I had great visuals/experiences on the morphine they had me hooked up to. One was of walking down the corridor to ask the nurses to make me a sandwich, realising I didn't have my morphine stand with me, and opening my eyes and discovering myself sitting in my armchair n my hospital room. A gorilla also made an appearance once, watching me from the armchair as I lay in bed.

    After getting out of hospital I would still experience visuals on the morphine I was prescribed. I distinctly remember reading a bike magazine one day, I can still remember the layout of the page. Once again opened my eyes, sitting in my lounge with no mag in sight.

    I was on 35 pills a day when I left hospital to combat the pain, and as time tracked on it seemed the number or strength was only increasing. Then my doctor informed me that certain combinations of the pills I was on could lead to nastiness later on in life, so right then I gave them all up. Not an easy thing to do, but very liberating.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    17th July 2005 - 22:28
    Bike
    Dougcati, Geoff and Suzi
    Location
    Banjo town
    Posts
    10,162
    I was on amitriptilyne for a while for its nerve block purposes (chronic sciatica).
    Sent me mad, I was all smiles half the time. Got very dark on it too.

    Good times....
    Quote Originally Posted by Paul in NZ View Post
    Ha...Thats true but life is full horrible choices sometimes Merv. Then sometimes just plain stuff happens... and then some more stuff happens.....




    Alloy, stainless and Ti polishing.
    Bling your bike out!
    PM me

  6. #6
    Join Date
    13th November 2006 - 22:22
    Bike
    Suzuki Marauder VZ800
    Location
    Auckland
    Posts
    616
    Quote Originally Posted by Edbear View Post
    Tramadol
    That's bad shit, that. I had freaky bad withdrawal when I came off those, and I wasn't even taking as many as the doc said I could - they had me on 2 four times a day, I couldn't take more than 2 or 3 without zoning out.

    Quote Originally Posted by Grumph View Post
    I've taken myself off Statin drugs - cholesterol meds
    Good onya, there's a long list of side-effects of most statins yet the docs hand them out like lollies. I'd rather eat sensibly, do some exercise, and drink red wine...
    Redefining slow since 2006...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    29th October 2005 - 16:12
    Bike
    Had a 2007 Suzuki C50T Boulevard
    Location
    Orewa
    Posts
    5,852
    Quote Originally Posted by ducatilover View Post
    I was on amitriptilyne for a while for its nerve block purposes (chronic sciatica).
    Sent me mad, I was all smiles half the time. Got very dark on it too.

    Good times....
    Quote Originally Posted by rainman View Post
    That's bad shit, that. I had freaky bad withdrawal when I came off those, and I wasn't even taking as many as the doc said I could - they had me on 2 four times a day, I couldn't take more than 2 or 3 without zoning out.

    Good onya, there's a long list of side-effects of most statins yet the docs hand them out like lollies. I'd rather eat sensibly, do some exercise, and drink red wine...
    Quote Originally Posted by onearmedbandit View Post
    After my accident in '97 I had great visuals/experiences on the morphine they had me hooked up to. One was of walking down the corridor to ask the nurses to make me a sandwich, realising I didn't have my morphine stand with me, and opening my eyes and discovering myself sitting in my armchair n my hospital room. A gorilla also made an appearance once, watching me from the armchair as I lay in bed.

    After getting out of hospital I would still experience visuals on the morphine I was prescribed. I distinctly remember reading a bike magazine one day, I can still remember the layout of the page. Once again opened my eyes, sitting in my lounge with no mag in sight.

    I was on 35 pills a day when I left hospital to combat the pain, and as time tracked on it seemed the number or strength was only increasing. Then my doctor informed me that certain combinations of the pills I was on could lead to nastiness later on in life, so right then I gave them all up. Not an easy thing to do, but very liberating.
    A big problem with drugs is that we react differently as individuals and what may work well for one person could kill another. If a GP or Specialist is good, they will be careful to try one that should suit the individual and especially with psychotic drugs, will start on a low dose trial for a couple of weeks and reassess.

    I was hooked on DHC which ended up, along with the disease I had, putting me in a wheelchair and it was a living nightmare to get off the stuff!
    You don't get to be an old dog without learning a few tricks.
    Shorai Powersports batteries are very trick!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    26th April 2008 - 00:01
    Bike
    KTM 950SM, '78 X7, FZ750, GN250
    Location
    Wellington
    Posts
    706
    The side effects of the illegal ones don't seem nearly as harsh..

  9. #9
    Join Date
    1st February 2004 - 11:00
    Bike
    MG V11 Nero Corsa LeMans
    Location
    out west a chch
    Posts
    9,468
    Quote Originally Posted by rainman View Post
    Good onya, there's a long list of side-effects of most statins yet the docs hand them out like lollies. I'd rather eat sensibly, do some exercise, and drink red wine...
    One of a few Im on, never bothered looking it up, what are these side affects you mention?

    Quote Originally Posted by onearmedbandit View Post
    Then my doctor informed me that certain combinations of the pills I was on could lead to nastiness later on in life, so right then I gave them all up. Not an easy thing to do, but very liberating.
    proberly a bit late to say I thought you always a bit nasty anyways

    Na, resepct to OAB and Edbear... I have it easy in comparasion, altho OAB will no doubt out live me.


    Actually... was just thinking after reading OAB's choice to say no, My dad died of the same cancer I have, after seeing him consume the drugs and the side affects from I swore I will never do cemo, but since then I now have a young family and Im not sure if I would take that chance... ya never know should it happen, it might just work... naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, when ya fucked ya fucked
    cheers DD
    (Definately Dodgy)



  10. #10
    Join Date
    14th April 2005 - 12:00
    Bike
    1990 Yamaha Virago XV1100
    Location
    Dunedin
    Posts
    3,685
    Quote Originally Posted by rainman View Post
    ...there's a long list of side-effects of most statins yet the docs hand them out like lollies. I'd rather eat sensibly, do some exercise, and drink red wine...
    I'm on Atorvastatin, don't seem to have any side effects at all.
    Can I believe the magic of your size... (The Shirelles)

  11. #11
    Join Date
    29th October 2005 - 16:12
    Bike
    Had a 2007 Suzuki C50T Boulevard
    Location
    Orewa
    Posts
    5,852
    Quote Originally Posted by dangerous View Post
    One of a few Im on, never bothered looking it up, what are these side affects you mention?

    proberly a bit late to say I thought you always a bit nasty anyways

    Na, resepct to OAB and Edbear... I have it easy in comparasion, altho OAB will no doubt out live me.


    Actually... was just thinking after reading OAB's choice to say no, My dad died of the same cancer I have, after seeing him consume the drugs and the side affects from I swore I will never do cemo, but since then I now have a young family and Im not sure if I would take that chance... ya never know should it happen, it might just work... naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, when ya fucked ya fucked
    Not computing... How's it that you "have it easy by comparison"?
    You don't get to be an old dog without learning a few tricks.
    Shorai Powersports batteries are very trick!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    14th October 2009 - 18:18
    Bike
    1999 Suzuki TL1000sx
    Location
    Napier
    Posts
    241
    I watched my 2 and a half year old turn into a happy funny version of the girl off "the exorcist". The nurse had put her on 5mls of morphine an hour for 4 hours, she only weighed around 7kg or so. Was quite funny till she passed out and nearly died from an overdose. Then they decided they'd put her on Ketamine coz they thought she had a bad reaction to the "adult" morphine dose (fucken dumb shits). That ketamine is some muffed up shit yo! I felt like slapping the nurses fat face!
    Watch out for those drug dealing doctors out there, I've seen one friend slowly killed by their prescription pills

  13. #13
    Join Date
    24th September 2008 - 08:56
    Bike
    its pink has tassles and training wheels
    Location
    Papakura
    Posts
    138
    My old lady was on medication to lower her blood pressure at one stage (she had been suffering from extreme fatigue to the point of falling asleep while driving, and migraines that no matter what medication she took they wouldn't go away). Once medicated her blood pressure dropped, but the side effects kicked in. Severe vertigo, having to lie down before she fell down etc. It was that bad the blood pressure medication was disposed of as she couldn't cope with the extreme vertigo, and serious changes were made around diet and exercise. Weights down. Hasn't had any issues since.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    13th November 2006 - 22:22
    Bike
    Suzuki Marauder VZ800
    Location
    Auckland
    Posts
    616
    Quote Originally Posted by dangerous View Post
    One of a few Im on, never bothered looking it up, what are these side affects you mention?
    There's an amazing number of people on statins, Losec, blood pressure pills, whatever... and for life, not just as a short term course of treatment. Ask around any group of middle-aged or even younger people and you'll be surprised how many. At least that's my experience. Wonder how we coped 50 years ago before these wonder drugs were available? Wonder who stands to gain from large bits of the population taking regular drugs? Hmmmm...

    Side effects vary and not everyone has them, but see below.

    Quote Originally Posted by Virago View Post
    I'm on Atorvastatin, don't seem to have any side effects at all.
    Atorvastatin = Lipitor. Side effects are depression, forgetfulness verging on dementia levels, feeling of mental dysfunction, muscle cramps and pain, low libido, heart palpitations, headaches...

    I was on Lipex (simvastatin) for a while and had the headaches, depression and chronic forgetfulness. Tried another but that gave me muscle pain and weakness, so I did a bit more research. I have normal LDL but abnormally low HDL, so the ratio's make me fall into their statistical modelling for heart risk. When challenged the doc couldn't tell me the cause of the low HDL, how the statins were going to raise it, whether it was actually a bad thing, why the bloody ratio was so important... so I said no thanks and have not looked back.

    Low HDL is apparently called Hypoalphalipoproteinemia, and is genetic - my brother has it too. It's unclear that it's a huge problem, and can probably be mitigated by eating things high in vitamin B2 (vegemite, avos, carrots, leaf veges, meat and fish, plus heaps more, list on Wikipedia under NIacin).

    Edit: the doc tried to put me on Bezalip which is a fibrate and apparently addresses hypoalphalipoproteinemia, but apparently it isn't effective on it's own, and combined with statins increases the risk of rhabdomyolysis. Look it up, you won't like it. I didn't, so passed, thanks. I'd rather have the heart attack.

    I heard a podcast by this guy a while ago. Shitty website but the interview was worthwhile. Can't remember which show it was though.

    I don't take Losec anymore either, just figured out what was causing the indigestion and stopped eating it. No worries. I'll take handfuls of drugs when I'm nearly dead. (Actually I won't, I'm happy to go gently into that good night when my time comes).
    Redefining slow since 2006...

  15. #15
    Join Date
    1st February 2004 - 11:00
    Bike
    MG V11 Nero Corsa LeMans
    Location
    out west a chch
    Posts
    9,468
    Quote Originally Posted by Edbear View Post
    Not computing... How's it that you "have it easy by comparison"?
    Ive never nearly died, unlike my old man I get regular opps and I have bigger issues than that... for now. Also it affects my normal way of life very little, sounds like your the other way around.



    Quote Originally Posted by XxKiTtiExX View Post
    Once medicated her blood pressure dropped, but the side effects kicked in. Severe vertigo, having to lie down before she fell down etc.
    vertago... that is so debilatating, suffered it for 20 odd years, at its worse it drops you to the floor holds ya like a magnet, midely its like being drunk and hungover at once. Nothing to do with medacation tho and theres been many a test done on me from MRA to sticking electrodes in the ear drum.



    Quote Originally Posted by rainman View Post
    I was on Lipex (simvastatin) for a while and had the headaches, depression and chronic forgetfulness. Tried another but that gave me muscle pain and weakness,
    I am, but dont get headaches any worse, memorys just getting old any way and am on antidepresent Fluoxatine so who would know... 1 in 5 of a heartattach I was so figgered Id give it a try.
    cheers DD
    (Definately Dodgy)



Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •