Change in Medication

Posted on February 26, 2005 in Coronary Medications Pulmonary

As I accumulate more and more meds, I experience more and more side effects. The latest involves my blood pressure medicine and my asthma. Atenolol exacerbates my wheezing. For the past several weeks, I have struggled to bring my bronchitis in control using a combination of vitamin therapy, antibiotics, and steroid inhalers.

The other day, my cardiologist listened to my chest and changed my medication to Diltiazem (aka Cardizem). After reading the instructions, I realize that I must make changes in my meds schedule.

Some people talk about how the medical world captures us in their world of pharmaceuticals. A few blame them for the increased cancer rate and this, I must admit, is true: because we’re not killed off by scourges such as whooping cough, polio, and measles, we live long enough to have them.

I think the real issue is that we don’t like change. And when side effects appear, some of us freak: we want things as they were. But this was never possible: as we aged our bodies grew weaker. The medications that I am on have made my life easier: from time to time, I must face that one or more of them causes an unpleasant reaction or interaction. So I must change. Which means I get a lot of practice at adjusting, which can only be healthy in the long run.