At 10:23 PM 3/25/98 +0000, you wrote:
>When I got ready to have my elbow surgery I found it interesting that
>my pharmacist and his computer said No to demerol and all opiates,
>while the neuro said there should be no trouble.
>Who really has the straight info???
>I have begun to believe that even though the Dr. must prescribe, the
>pharmacist really knows what is going to happen.
>
>don't forget how to laugh (and do it often)
>Marling McReynolds
>[log in to unmask]
>
Marling,
YOU have the straight info.
Like you, I learned about the interaction of selegiline and demerol through
this list and through the internet. I asked my new ND about it, and he had
his receptionist call the pharmacist. The pharmacist looked it up and read
back the warning to the receptionist.
The next time I visited my ND, he had been to a ND's seminar and he knew
all about it.
When the time came for my hernia surgery, I made certain that the
anesthesiologist and the surgeon knew about the interaction and I had them
both refer back to the now-knowledgeable ND.
I am not putting down the ND nor the pharmacist nor the anesthesiologist
nor the surgeon, but they have so many medications, so many diseases, so
many new things to learn about and retain in their memories that it is
understandable (though possibly also inexcusable) that they may not be
fully aware of all interactions. The PDR that they have in their office
went to press one to thirteen months ago, if not more, and I'll bet that
they haven't read the book cover to cover and absorbed it all.
Thanks to this list, YOU have the information about the medications that
affect you, and chances are that you have they are in your conscious
knowledge long before they reach that of a general neurologist.
I suggest that you not do your own doctoring, and that you not tell your
doctor what to prescribe for you (though you could make suggestions). But
you have every right to tell your doctor what NOT to give you and expect
those instructions to be carried out. You also need to know in advance if
the doctor feels that there is any risk in carrying out your instructions.
We are taught that the internet - and this listserv - may contain false
information. Were the information about demerol incorrrect, the doctor
still could use other analgesics and you would not be at risk. But if our
information is right (and I believe it is), using demerol is risky at the
very least.
So, right or wrong, YOU have the straight info.
Art
Arthur Hirsch [] [log in to unmask] [] Lewisville, TX
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Always Remember This:
Happiness Is Right, So Choose Happiness
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