INTERACTION?METHYLPREDNISOLONE/ERYTHROMYCIN

I HAVE A MITRAL VALVE PROLAPSE. I'LL BE HAVING SURGERY THIS MONDAY. I HAD A SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA REMOVED FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY TONGUE IN AUG. OF LAST YEAR. DR. SAW A WHITE PATCH WHEN I WENT BACK IN NOV.,REMOVED IT AND IT CAME BACK SCC, ALSO. SAID HE GOT IT ALL BOTH TIMES, BUT WHEN I WENT BACK IN DEC., HE SAID HE STILL WASN'T HAPPY WITH THE WAY IT LOOKS.
ANYWAY, HE SENT ME TO MY NEW REGULAR DR, FOR EKG, LABS. I TOLD HIM I HAD SOME SWELLING UNDER MY CHIN, AND ONE OF THE LYMPH NODES IN MY NECK FELT A LITTLE SWOLLEN. HE ORDERED A CAT SCAN, WHICH CAME BACK NORMAL.(ONE SLIGHTLY ENLARGED LYMPH NODE, BUT NO PROBLEM.) HE PRESCRIBED METHYLPREDNISOLONE AND ERYTHROMYCIN. I NOTICED ABOUT THE SECOND DAY THAT MY HEARTBEAT WAS FASTER, I WAS HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING AND I HAVE HAD VAGUE, DULL CHEST PAIN. I CALLED MY REGULAR DR.'S NURSE THIS MORNING ABOUT TEST RESULTS, AND TOLD HER ABOUT THE EXTRA HEARTBEATS AND CHEST PAIN. SHE TALKED TO THE DR., CALLED ME BACK AND TOLD ME TO STOP TAKING THE STEROIDS. I THEN WENT AND LOOKED AT THE PAGES THAT CAME WITH THE MEDS ( SHOULD'VE DONE THAT BEFORE TAKING THEM, RIGHT?) AND ON THE METHYLPREDNISOLONE PAGE, IT SAYS,"DO NOT STOP TAKING THIS MEDICINE WITHOUT CHECKING WITH YOUR DR. (WHICH I DID.) STOPPING THIS MEDICINE SUDDENLY MAY CAUSE SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS. KEEP ALL DR. AND LAB APPTS. WHILE USING THIS MEDICINE. BEFORE HAVING ANY MED., DENTAL, EMERGENCY CARE OR SURGERY, TELL DR. YOU ARE USING THIS MED.(WHICH I DID.) ADDITIONAL MONITORING OF YOUR DOSE OR CONDITION MAY BE NEEDED IF YOU ARE TAKING MACROLIDE ANTIBIOTICS(e.g., ERYTHROMYCIN),...INFORM YOUR DR. OF ANY MED. CONDITIONS INCLUDING HEART DISEASE, HBP (WHICH I DID.) ON THE ERYTHROMYCIN PAGE, IT SAYS,"ADDITIONAL MONITORING OF YOUR DOSE OR CONDITION MAY BE NEEDED IF YOU ARE TAKING CORTICOSTEROIDS, INCLUDING METHYLPREDNISOLONE. INFORM YOUR DR. ABOUT ANY OTHER MEDS. YOU TAKE BESIDES ERYTHROMYCIN THAT MAY AFFECT HEART RHYTHM (QTc PROLONGATION IN THE EKG). QTc PROLONGATION CAN INFREQUENTLY RESULT IN SERIOUS, RARELY FATAL, IRREGLAR HEARTBEATS. ASK FOR INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT WHETHER YOU NEED TO STOP ANY OTHER QTc-PROLONGING MEDS YOU MAY BE USING IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF THIS EFFECT."
I SHOULD TELL YOU, THAT ON THE ROUTINE EKG, BEFORE I STARTED TAKING THE PRESCRIBED MEDS, THE INTERPRETATION WAS,"NORMAL SINUS RHYTHM, POSSIBLE LEFT ATRIAL ENLARGEMENT (NURSE SAID THAT WAS BECAUSE OF MY MVP.)RSR' or QR PATTERN IN V1 SUGGESTS RIGHT VENTRICULAR CONDUCTION DELAY(SHE SAID IT MAY HAVE BEEN BECAUSE I MOVED, BUT I WAS BEING VERY STILL.)
I AM WAITING ON A RETURN CALL FROM MY SURGEON'S NURSE NOW, SO I CAN TELL HER ABOUT ALL THIS, BUT I REALLY WANTED TO GET ANOTHER OPINION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY SINCE I'VE HAD SLIGHT DULL, ON-AND-OFF PAIN IN MY LEFT ARM THIS MORNING, AT THE SAME TIME AS THE DULL, ON-AND-OFF CHEST PAIN. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME AND CONCERN.
                                                                                                                                       -BEVERLY    

[sobermommy]

I just wanted to let you know you will be in my thoughts and prayers...as will the doctors. I pray that you get wonderful results from your surgery on Monday. God bless..Lynn

[stacys_aunt]

Thanks, Lynn. I had my surgery Monday, and the Dr. didn't have to cut as much as he thought he would; it was to take about 1-1/2 to 2 hrs., but it only took 30 minutes. It took me a long time to get over the anesthesia, though; I could barely hold my eyes open all day!
I haven't heard from the path report yet; the nurse called yesterday to check on me, and said she will call me when they get it.
I really appreciate your prayers; it means so much.
Have a blessed day!
                              -Beverly