Class Talk Fall 2016

Growing up, it seemed like my family members were always on some type of medication. I don’t remember when it started, it just seems like they always took pills before bed. As the years passed I heard words like “high blood pressure” and “diabetes.” These words meant nothing to me at the time but now I know they were the reason my family members were taking those pills. For my interview I had a conversation with my parents. They had been taking their medications for a long time so they knew what they were taking and to my surprise they even knew about brand vs. generic names. When it came to talking about side effects and safe doses, I seemed to lose them. They had no clue about the safe doses of their medications, assuming the pharmacist and doctor knew what they were doing and that they would take care of them. I stressed the importance of information and especially with medications it’s not necessary to put all the faith in health care workers who are human and can make mistakes.

Growing up, it seemed like my family members were always on some type of medication. I don’t remember when it started, it just seems like they always took pills before bed. As the years passed I heard words like “high blood pressure” and “diabetes.” These words meant nothing to me at the time but now I know they were the reason my family members were taking those pills. For my interview I had a conversation with my parents. They had been taking their medications for a long time so they knew what they were taking and to my surprise they even knew about brand vs. generic names. When it came to talking about side effects and safe doses, I seemed to lose them. They had no clue about the safe doses of their medications, assuming the pharmacist and doctor knew what they were doing and that they would take care of them. I stressed the importance of information and especially with medications it’s not necessary to put all the faith in health care workers who are human and can make mistakes.

Growing up, it seemed like my family members were always on some type of medication. I don’t remember when it started, it just seems like they always took pills before bed. As the years passed I heard words like “high blood pressure” and “diabetes.” These words meant nothing to me at the time but now I know they were the reason my family members were taking those pills. For my interview I had a conversation with my parents. They had been taking their medications for a long time so they knew what they were taking and to my surprise they even knew about brand vs. generic names. When it came to talking about side effects and safe doses, I seemed to lose them. They had no clue about the safe doses of their medications, assuming the pharmacist and doctor knew what they were doing and that they would take care of them. I stressed the importance of information and especially with medications it’s not necessary to put all the faith in health care workers who are human and can make mistakes.

So I asked my two early thirties friends if they take any medications, prescribed or over the counter. They both said no. “Unless Advil counts? Like, for headaches?” It does actually!

I was even able to get the generic name out of them, but they were not aware of the side effects or safe doses. “I just take two.”

So here are the Ibuprofen (Advil) facts:

Usual adult analgesic dose: 200-400 mg 3 to 4 times a day

Adult max dose: Do not exceed 3200 mg/day

Usual child analgesic dose: 4-10 mg/kg every 6-8 hours

Child (6 months-12 year) max dose: Do not exceed 2400 mg/day

Most common side effects: headache, constipation, nausea, vomiting

Life threatening side effects: heart failure, stroke, myocardial infarction, GI bleeding, stevens-johnson syndrome, allergic anaphylaxis

References

Davis’s Drug Guide. Nursing Central. Accessed Feb 28, 2018

 

 

My aunt recently started taking multiple eye drops once she was diagnosed with acute angle closure glaucoma. She was confused at times on which eye drops did what for her eye. She can’t put the eye drops in herself so when I give them to her I tell her which ones are facilitating drainage and which ones are for inflammation. I also educate her on the side effects, specifically on which ones usually cause her eye to have a burning sensation. Since my aunt has a background in pharmacology, she actively tries to stay educated on the drugs she takes and side effects to be aware of. However, with her blurry vision from the glaucoma, looking up each eye drop has been difficult for her so she relies on me and her husband to educate her when she is unsure and has questions.

My aunt recently started taking multiple eye drops once she was diagnosed with acute angle closure glaucoma. She was confused at times on which eye drops did what for her eye. She can’t put the eye drops in herself so when I give them to her I tell her which ones are facilitating drainage and which ones are for inflammation. I also educate her on the side effects, specifically on which ones usually cause her eye to have a burning sensation. Since my aunt has a background in pharmacology, she actively tries to stay educated on the drugs she takes and side effects to be aware of. However, with her blurry vision from the glaucoma, looking up each eye drop has been difficult for her so she relies on me and her husband to educate her when she is unsure and has questions.

My aunt recently started taking multiple eye drops once she was diagnosed with acute angle closure glaucoma. She was confused at times on which eye drops did what for her eye. She can’t put the eye drops in herself so when I give them to her I tell her which ones are facilitating drainage and which ones are for inflammation. I also educate her on the side effects, specifically on which ones usually cause her eye to have a burning sensation. Since my aunt has a background in pharmacology, she actively tries to stay educated on the drugs she takes and side effects to be aware of. However, with her blurry vision from the glaucoma, looking up each eye drop has been difficult for her so she relies on me and her husband to educate her when she is unsure and has questions.

The article titled, “How Can I Love My Body Again?” from the AAKP website discusses the concerns of sexuality among peritoneal dialysis patients. The article gives many great suggestions on how to approach healthcare workers about concerns and how to cope with their new body image. The first states the patient must speak up. Research has shown that healthcare professionals don’t bring this topic up often so the patient must advocate for themselves and speak up about their thoughts and concerns. As the body adjusts to the dialysate, patient should discuss and report symptoms with their medical team. Another great tool was to utilize discussion boards or with permission, talk to other patients that are going through the same feelings and have found a balance in their treatment to have their desired lifestyle. A permanent catheter can contribute to a negative body image so discussing these feelings with other helps one feel normal and arrive at solutions that lead to a more positive body image.  The article discusses exercise to improve a sense of well-being. A wardrobe change may need to be considered as the body adjusts to the treatment. Keeping yourself in good appearance also helps one feel attractive and not just a medical patient that gets dialysis. Engaging in the senses can add a little romance in activities. Catheter placement can also be a concern during sex as it should be secured safely. It’s important for the patient to also consider their partners feelings and address any concerns they have about the catheter or treatment during sex. Considering what others think and how they feel helps the patient to reclaim aspects of themselves and improves communication. The last tip the article gives is to have a sense of humor. Be serious about the medical care but also work to enjoy life and maintain aspects of life that are enjoyable and redefine yourself! This was such a great positive article for patients to read and overcome fear and receive guidance to continue normal aspects of life during this treatment process.

The article titled, “How Can I Love My Body Again?” from the AAKP website discusses the concerns of sexuality among peritoneal dialysis patients. The article gives many great suggestions on how to approach healthcare workers about concerns and how to cope with their new body image. The first states the patient must speak up. Research has shown that healthcare professionals don’t bring this topic up often so the patient must advocate for themselves and speak up about their thoughts and concerns. As the body adjusts to the dialysate, patient should discuss and report symptoms with their medical team. Another great tool was to utilize discussion boards or with permission, talk to other patients that are going through the same feelings and have found a balance in their treatment to have their desired lifestyle. A permanent catheter can contribute to a negative body image so discussing these feelings with other helps one feel normal and arrive at solutions that lead to a more positive body image.  The article discusses exercise to improve a sense of well-being. A wardrobe change may need to be considered as the body adjusts to the treatment. Keeping yourself in good appearance also helps one feel attractive and not just a medical patient that gets dialysis. Engaging in the senses can add a little romance in activities. Catheter placement can also be a concern during sex as it should be secured safely. It’s important for the patient to also consider their partners feelings and address any concerns they have about the catheter or treatment during sex. Considering what others think and how they feel helps the patient to reclaim aspects of themselves and improves communication. The last tip the article gives is to have a sense of humor. Be serious about the medical care but also work to enjoy life and maintain aspects of life that are enjoyable and redefine yourself! This was such a great positive article for patients to read and overcome fear and receive guidance to continue normal aspects of life during this treatment process.

The article titled, “How Can I Love My Body Again?” from the AAKP website discusses the concerns of sexuality among peritoneal dialysis patients. The article gives many great suggestions on how to approach healthcare workers about concerns and how to cope with their new body image. The first states the patient must speak up. Research has shown that healthcare professionals don’t bring this topic up often so the patient must advocate for themselves and speak up about their thoughts and concerns. As the body adjusts to the dialysate, patient should discuss and report symptoms with their medical team. Another great tool was to utilize discussion boards or with permission, talk to other patients that are going through the same feelings and have found a balance in their treatment to have their desired lifestyle. A permanent catheter can contribute to a negative body image so discussing these feelings with other helps one feel normal and arrive at solutions that lead to a more positive body image.  The article discusses exercise to improve a sense of well-being. A wardrobe change may need to be considered as the body adjusts to the treatment. Keeping yourself in good appearance also helps one feel attractive and not just a medical patient that gets dialysis. Engaging in the senses can add a little romance in activities. Catheter placement can also be a concern during sex as it should be secured safely. It’s important for the patient to also consider their partners feelings and address any concerns they have about the catheter or treatment during sex. Considering what others think and how they feel helps the patient to reclaim aspects of themselves and improves communication. The last tip the article gives is to have a sense of humor. Be serious about the medical care but also work to enjoy life and maintain aspects of life that are enjoyable and redefine yourself! This was such a great positive article for patients to read and overcome fear and receive guidance to continue normal aspects of life during this treatment process.