Counting medication

Just a quickie (as the actress said to the Bishop ).
I am counting my meds right now, I want to see what I am taking and how many.
Havent done this for a while and would be nice to see if things are better (not worse... )

Its easy to log Triptans, they come in ones, I mean that is the dose.
If you count OTC etc, would you count the dose, or the tablets?

I take Excedrin/Anadin Extra for my more minor pain.
The dose is 2. Should I count the 2, or the doseage which is one?
I mean 1 isnt a dose is it.....it could be one bumper tablet and then it would only log as one.

I am going to shut up because I am confusing myself now.

Pen,

Are you counting because you are concerned about the number of pills you are taking or are you concerned with the mgs of the pills you are taking?

If it's the number of pills, then count how many, and if you are more concerned of the amount of mgs that go into your system daily, then count that.

I think that is what you are trying to say. Correct me if I am wrong.

I don't take triptans because they do not help me and I have problems with them, so I really am not that familiar with them anymore. Are you worried about the amount of acetemenophen(sp) or aspirin with OTC meds? and are trying to limit that?

Sorry if I am confused also

I confused myself, so no wonder I confused you.
I used to count meds and now I dont, but was just curious when I see people mentioning the amount of medication they take, how I compare.

Not concerned, been there, done that, no longer interested in MOH. Quite confident it is overplayed and I dont have it...
BUT, I do have only one working kidney and my GP has run my annual blood test.
She will ask about my intake of meds I know. But I dont want to overplay it.
So wondered if others count dosage or tablets....

If I take 2 OTC (the doseage) on say 3 days a week, have I taken 3, or 6?
Given that they could just issue a big pill of double does and then it would be just one a day.....3 a week.

I hope that is a bit clearer. Bou that was hard work, I think I need some pain killers now.

I will make this as easy as possible. Would you count a dose regardless of how many tabs that is, or the individual tablets....

P

you would count it as say 2 x 400mg ibuprofen /day???? or what ever you take so put in the number of tablets and the strength of those tabs.

Pen

Ok, now that I have taken some pain meds, I think I understand what you are saying TEASING!!

I too have never had rebounds from my meds, so that has never been an issue for me, thankfully.

I take lortab for my rescue or breakthrough med. I never use OTC as they do not work, nor do I use triptans for the same reason. My Dr. told me that I cannot take more than 8 tablets per day. They are 10/500. 10 being the narcotic and 500 being acetaminophen. I have to take two at a time, which would be 1000 mgs of acetaminophen. So, as far as dosage and tablets go Pen, I see that as being the same.

So, if you take 2 OTC (dosage) for 3 days, you are actually taking 6 pills and not 3. Also, whatever the mgs is for those OTCs are, you would times that by 2.

I am in a fog today with my head and all the other stress I am going through, but I think this is correct. I'm sure someone else can shed some light or better answer your question if i'm still not understanding.

Im not sure Im understanding either. To be fair some of this comes from my mother in laws arthritis drugs.
She counts each tablet, but my brother in law said since they are giving her 20mg where she used to have 400mg she should count the dose not the number of tablets....
She is worried she is taking more than she was....ok she is 87.

But when they put do not exceed in mg, as compared to sometimes do not exceed in tablets....
Pretty confusing..

I think I understand what you mean. My doc wants to know how many pills and of what strength. So I will put 2 pills times 500mg for my diabetes medication. That way I have the number of pills and the mg. Hope that helps.

I'd count the dosage. That's what makes the difference in your blood.
Bye

Ivy wrote:I'd count the dosage. That's what makes the difference in your blood.
Bye

Would you Ivy, thanks.

The only thing that tends to matter, and count to medical professionals, is the milligrams taken.

This can get confusing with some migraine medication, as it is ordered in tabs/caps, rather then milligrams.

Some medical proffessionals won't even know what the actually milligram dose of certain medications will be, as they are ordered in tab/caps. This is very common with triptans.

When I do patient teaching about medications I have the patient record:

1)the name of the medication

2)the dosage taken, whether it be "one tab" or "x1 400mg"

3) when it was taken

4) why it was taken

5) if it was effective

In most cases, the patient and I figure out together what the actual milligrams are, but in medications that combine several medications in one, such as gravergol, it is too complicated, so we just record it as "one cap".

Either way, attempting to include the milligrams is important, as taking two 500mg acetaminophens is different then taking two 325mg acetaminophens. (1000mg vs 650mg)

Thanks for this Milo.

What would be your take on the dont take medication more than 3 days a week to avoid MOH say...
Although we are told otherwise, my MIL gets headaches and tries to keep her medication to a minimum.
But if she takes 1 200mg (half the dose) on 4 days, total 800mg.
Rather than the allowed and full dose of 400mg say on 3 days, total 1200mg.
Is she in less danger of medication over use headache as she took less mg?
We are not sure what to tell her, as somedays she needs the full dose.

Myself yesterday took 1 Excedrin which did knock back my encroaching head ache.
I could have had the two but one did it.....is this better, or of no consequence..

I am not big on MOH theories, but in my opinion, taking half the dose four times is worse then taking the whole dose twice.

milo wrote:I am not big on MOH theories, but in my opinion, taking half the dose four times is worse then taking the whole dose twice.

I am done with the MOH too Milo, but although she has arthritis, she is getting headaches and has seen the MOH stuff in the newspaper. What you say concurs with what I understand as well.,

Therefore she might as well get more pain relief.
I have told her she isnt helping herself by taking half the dose, but she is freaky about taking too many tablets.

I shall try again.

TY
P

pen if you take a lokk again at the slides i sent from the neuro talk he goes over the meds record and show how half the dose each day is moh but taking the full dose with the brreaks isnt! he puts it very clearly and easy to understand.

Thanks Dawn I had forgotten them.
Those slides got me into a lot of trouble on here because I quoted his 2% figures but wouldn't give his name....
Against forum ethics.

I used to take just one tablet a few years ago. It was enough, I didnt need the second one.
But had I needed more I would have taken the two. I have totally given up even wondering about MOH.
But this is a bit curious, however not the origin of my post.

I dont know if MIL is getting MOH. She has never had headaches, but she is getting them now.
This is not the only person I have heard of getting headaches from pain killers, but I suspect it is a side effect of the medication.
After all arent headaches a side effect of just about every medication there is?