Mom's Daily Tests & Meds: 2004 - 2006

Daily postings of Mom's in-home tests, administered medications, food eaten and the relationship among the three and her life.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Current Medication & Supplement Schedule

4/4/06: Change in Med Schedule: From here on out, including today, Mom will be receiving three Niferex-150 iron supplement capsules: Two of the prescription preparation with added B12 and Folic Acid (by prescription) and one OTC capsule.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: She will continue with mostly one glipizide 10 mg per day but her PCP assented to me supplementing that with two, depending on diet and activity level.

UPON AWAKENING BEFORE BREAKFAST:
Med/Dose Administration Explanation
lisinopril/10 mg 1 10 mg tab upon awakening before breakfast given to lower her blood pressure and protect her kidneys; works by relaxing the blood vessels
Niferex-150 [150 mg elemental iron] 1 tab upon awakening before breakfast to keep her iron deficiency anemia under control; switched from breakfast to immediately upon awakening in order to separate doses by about 12 hours.
vitamin C/500 mg 1/2 1000 mg tab with iron supplement helps the body metabolize iron
Protonix/40 mg upon awakening before breakfast standard pre-breakfast med; protects her intestinal lining to prevent ulceration and bleeding

BREAKFAST
Med/Dose Administration Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz just before meal helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin when used with glipizide
glipizide ER/10 mg 1 pill with meal standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
coated aspirin/81 mg 1 tab with breakfast standard breakfast med - given for anti-coagulant properties
Daily Senior Multivitamin with breakfast standard breakfast supplement
garlic/1250 mg with meal standard breakfast supplement; a natural antibiotic and anti-coagulant
1 1200 mg Omega-3 Fish Oil capsule with meal Although her PCP is not concerned about her cholesterol and triglycerides, I've added this to see if it helps keep these levels optimum. As well, it seems that there are other benefits ascribed to this supplement which may or may not apply to my mother, including sharper mental functioning and increased skin elasticity.
1 12 oz cup Yogi Tea Detox or Peach Detox tea with meal This tea is specifically designed to promote liver and kidney functions.
2 tbl Benefiber with meal, in orange juice promotes timely, easy bowel evacuation; may occasionally be given in lower or higher doses
1/2 tsp cinnamon with meal, sprinkled on toast said to increase cell sensitivity to insulin

No regular LUNCH medications or supplements.

DINNER:
Med/Dose Administration Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz just before meal helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin when used with glipizide
folic acid/400 mcg with dinner standard breakfast supplement
vitamin E/400 IU with meal given for anti-coagulant properties
garlic/1250 mg with meal given for anti-coagulant and antibiotic properties
calcium-vitamin D/500-200 mg with meal believed to be an osteoporosis preventative; although current research suggests that it does not perform well in women; I give it to her anyway because I doubt that it will hurt her and the extra Vitamin C is probably good for her
100 mg Macrodantin with meal to prevent UTIs
ADDITIONAL NOTE: If Mom decides to have dessert, which is very occasionally, or we have an unusually heavy carb day I have lately decided to supplement these dinners/days with a second 10 mg of glipizide, just to make sure she her blood sugar doesn't soar at night while she's sleeping. When this happens, I note it in the daily reports.

JUST BEFORE BED:
Med/Dose Administration Explanation
Niferex-150 [150 mg elemental iron] just before sleep to keep her iron deficiency anemia under control
vitamin C/500 mg 1/2 1000 mg tab with iron supplement helps the body metabolize iron
lisinopril/10 mg 1 of 10 mg tab given to lower her blood pressure and protect her kidneys; works by relaxing the blood vessels
100 mg Macrodantin with meal to prevent UTIs

OTHER TIMES:
Med/Dose Administration Explanation
Concentrated oxygen, 2-3/lpm continuous when she's sleeping to make sure she doesn't become breathless
Tanked pulse oxygen, 2-3/lpm when she's sitting around or indulging in light moving if she becomes breathless; she does not always use this when she's up
Tanked oxygen, 2/lpm continuous when she's moving or exercising almost always uses this
A third Niferex-150, the OTC at "lunch" additional iron supplement to try to conteract currently low, for my mother, hemoglobin

    The following are prescribed meds, treatments or supplements (all the rest are OTC supplementals which, although approved by her PCP, were not suggested by him):
  • Protonix (Rx)
  • Glipizide (Rx)
  • Lisinopril (Rx)
  • Macrodantin (Rx)
  • Oxygen, 2-3/lpm pulse and continuous (Rx)
  • 81 mg Aspirin
  • Oscal: Calcium/Vitamin D combo (recommended by the nursing home; although research has since shown that this supplement does not alleviate the possibility of breakage or weakening bone structure, I continue it anyway, since it seems likely that it couldn't hurt
  • Iron Supplementation; the specific supplement I use was not suggested by her doctors; in fact, their suggestions were, through our experience, shown to be far less effective than this one and prone to increase the possibility of needed transfusions; I found this supplement through research
    The following are administered occasionally, as needed:
  • Opcon-A for itchy, weepy eyes
  • Phillip's Milk of Magnesia to break through constipation
  • Ducosate Sodium if a little more help is needed to break through constipation
  • Extra Strength Tums for very occasional upset stomach
  • Extra Strength Acetaminophen for occasionally unusual aches and stiffness
  • Adult Buffered Aspirin for occasionally unusual aches and stiffness
  • 200 mg Ibuprofen for occasionally unusual aches and stiffness
  • {Rx} Furosemide 10-20 mg once to twice a day for very occasional abdominal water retention; when I give this to her I note it in these daily reports.
  • {Rx} Metoclopramide 5 mg administered 1/2 hour before meal in the case of very occasional nausea. When I give this to her I note it in these daily reports.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: You'll notice that I have on hand three different types of OTC analgesic. Although she rarely asks for or needs an analgesic and will sometimes refuse one when I suggest it, I make a judgment call regarding which to use: Ibuprofen if the pain is sharp and appears to have been provoked by some kind of movement "mistake"; Adult Buffered Aspirin if the stiffness and/or aches occur in the morning before breakfast, in which case I switch out her normal 81 mg aspirin with the Adult dose, also at other times during the day if she appears to be especially ruddy and can handle aspirin; Extra Strength Tylenol (sometimes halved) if she seems pale and/or more frail than usual and she's had either an Adult Buffered Aspirin or an Ibuprofen much earlier in the day. I automatically see to it that I do not "mix" analgesics within an 8 hour period.

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