Posted by cubbybear on January 29, 2005, at 5:58:12
I just got out of the hospital (here in Thailand) for treatment of a bacterial infection and painful shoulder injury. I am presently taking MAOI Parnate, and I even gave a copy of the warnings and precautions in the Thai language to the hospital to insert in my file when I was admitted. I received Amoxycillin for the infection, Neurontin for the pain, plus Xanax for sedation,all of which are OK with the Parnate.
One evening I found a pill in the cup that didn't look familiar. It was "Ultracet." I was able to borrow a copy of the Thai version of PDS and saw that this med contains Tramodol, which is VERY risky with any MAOI. The next night, I found a tiny pill that turned out to be Nortriptyline, a TCA anti-depressant, which is ordinarily totally contraindicated with MAOIs. Obviously, somebody on the staff fully screwed up.
In all fairness, I realize that here in Thailand, where MAOIs are not even available,doctors know next to zero about them, and mistakes are more likely than in an English-speaking country where these drugs are more well known.
But, we MAOI users can't ever be TOO careful.
If ever given a pill in any hospital, we must ask exactly what it is and what it's for. We must determine somehow on the spot, from a reliable source like the PDR or conversation with the hospital pharmacist, if there are any contraindications. Don't let any nurse bully you either.
Had I not checked these meds out, the tiny Nortryptiline pill could have given me a lot more life-threatening headache than I had had to begin with, and the same goes for the Ultracet.
cubbybear
poster:cubbybear
thread:449672
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050128/msgs/449672.html