ao terribly angry and upset

[[to...]]

My father is 73, for the last couple of years I have lived in worry of his declining memory/thinking or judgement abilities. It got to the point that last year I moved him in with me, I set up appointments at the memory clinic in town and finally this week he was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment, a memory disorder that is shown as not normal part of ageing, my dad has problems in short term memory, critical thinking etc.He is also at increased risk of developing alzheimer's.

 

At this appointment I learned that the medication my father is taking is not recommended for long term use and not suitable/ideal for seniors because of the effects it has on memory and balance (my dad has experienced 5-6 good falls since last christmas).

 

She suggested we wean him off the  meds slowly. When we got home, I read up on the pill she was talking abut (Bromazepam) and was blown away but it's side effects. I cannot understand how in good judgement, a physician can prescribe this pill to a senior for nearly FOUR years.

 

Earlier in the year,I accompanied my father to his doctor's, told him I had concerns over his memory (which he made light of) and this doctor never mentioned side effects to his medication, instead he said we could adress it later, gave my dad a cortisone injection for his knee and refilled his bromazepan prescritpion for a new year (he gives him 120 tablets with six refills for the year or whatever it is). In fact the memory clinic referal did not even come from him, I spoke to my own doctor who submitted the referral for my father. When my dad went back months later for another cortisone injection,  he did not mention the meds, or touch on the memory.

 

What a shock to the system to think the meds my father has been taking have actually been harming him-I thought my dad was beginning to get alzheimer's!! Why would this doctor give him these pills without a second thought, concern to the side effects or hey mention the side effects, the original prescription came when my father told him he had a hard time sleeping, my dad worries but he does not suffer from panic attacks..which i see the drug can help with...i still cannot believe this, four years, and impaired memory all from this little tiny pill, I have three very young children to care for, and now a father whose mind has been hurt by this prescription happy negligent doctor...hopefully some of you have advice or support, I am so saddened by this and have no idea how to help my dad, I just want to ask this man what the heck he was thinking??

[[Mo...]]

i understand you and this happened to 1000000 of people. i am filing a court case

against the health authorities overhere. no point in suing the doctor i think ,but whoever

is responsible for doctors not doing research on the side effects of meds. just typing

a script is not enough and is a bloody easy way of making a living. no need to go to

university for this.

 

i would do some more searching for a doctor who is benzo-wise or who is willing

to learn. it took me 8 months...but i have found one now. he can't believe it himself

which does not help me with my sxs but at least i can talk some sense with him.

 

take care , it must very hard with 3 young children to care for.

one big nightmare i suppose.

[[Br...]]

At this appointment I learned that the medication my father is taking is not recommended for long term use and not suitable/ideal for seniors because of the effects it has on memory and balance (my dad has experienced 5-6 good falls since last christmas).

 

 

I am not saying it is right or wrong but some benzo-aware doctors will leave seniors on benzos because it may take the patient difficult several years to taper off and that could represent a large chunk of their remaining life.

 

The reason why seniors, such as your father, got put on benzos in the first place is another matter again.

 

 

[[to...]]

Call me naive but I cannot imagine doctors across the country are just providing these pills, makes me angry and sad, and that it happens to soo many people, where is due diligence? sure there is cutbacks and doctor shortages with an overwhelming number of clients, but scan this message and the sheer number of people hurt by this twists my stomach into knots.