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What to do after Armour non-compliance & other pitfalls?
by aliwitsend, Mar 30, 2008 01:48AM
Please note I am posting this as a purely hypothetical issue. Given elderly patients can be very non-compliant or confused, and then the bloodwork says that an increase from 2 grain to 3 grain is what is needed. So here we go,
except that it is easy to forget that we don't know how much or even if the patient was taking the medicine, let alone for how long. Is it safe to go from 0mg to 180mg (3 grains) Armour thyroid (not synthetic)? I thought things were supposed to be very incremental to keep things like cardiac function optimum. That's kinda important for the patient also. Hypothetically speaking, we want to keep the patient in good health or return them to better health vs. any less favorable outcomes. Hypothetically speaking, it should not be an extremely concerned & worried child, an unconcerned spouse, an oblivious patient, and a PCP who may not have understood the non-compliance problem adequately in the first place. So if any of you kind MD's wish to join me in this sticky-wicket, God Bless You. A kind endocrinologist would be extremely welcome. Additionally, how long can the non-compliance thing go on, before there are even bigger fish to worry about? Please feel free to email me privately as this is a sticky-wicket. Blessings.
except that it is easy to forget that we don't know how much or even if the patient was taking the medicine, let alone for how long. Is it safe to go from 0mg to 180mg (3 grains) Armour thyroid (not synthetic)? I thought things were supposed to be very incremental to keep things like cardiac function optimum. That's kinda important for the patient also. Hypothetically speaking, we want to keep the patient in good health or return them to better health vs. any less favorable outcomes. Hypothetically speaking, it should not be an extremely concerned & worried child, an unconcerned spouse, an oblivious patient, and a PCP who may not have understood the non-compliance problem adequately in the first place. So if any of you kind MD's wish to join me in this sticky-wicket, God Bless You. A kind endocrinologist would be extremely welcome. Additionally, how long can the non-compliance thing go on, before there are even bigger fish to worry about? Please feel free to email me privately as this is a sticky-wicket. Blessings.
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I am confused...... due to your statement if asking for MD compliance in your statement. IS there an assumption you will be finding MD's here on this community forum?
What non compliance are you referring? I have read this post twice and just can't get what you are looking for. Sorry - just trying to understand.
It sounds like you are worried your Mother, for example, is not taking her meds and now the doctor wants to raise her meds because nobody is telling the doctor that the patient is taking them sporadically or not at all.
Is that the hypothetical situation?
Talk to the patient, and the patient's spouse. Is there a compliance isssue? If so, tell the doctor. No point in changing the scrip to 180 if the patient is not taking the 120.
It's not a crime. Elderly people often need supervision with their meds. Get a weekly pill organizer and fill it for them.
We live with my MIL, and not only do all three of us have pill organizers, but my wife asks me if I've taken my meds, and physically hands my MIL her meds in a cup at the appropriate times.
In my case, the pill organizer is crucial. I often can't remember ten minutes after I've taken my pills if I took them or not. Looking at the pill organizer answers the question.
Does that help at all?