You can call the toll free number for your mail order.

Or you can go online to the drug's website...

Many community pharmacists are NOT experts in every drug.
They will look up a data base and read off it. The data base typically reflects the drug insert mandated by the FDA.

Rxlist.com is often useful as well. RxList and the like will have basic information, about to take with food, or not...what to avoid, major drug interactions etc. Efficacy? That would be more tricky. Doctors who keep up will share efficacy with patients based on their experience, but for new drugs? That is a big problem since there is no experience yet.

Excellent links and advice Mrs. D.

A BIG thanks for that. The more we get informed, the morer we can make informed decisions and the more we can avoid potential problems in our care.

With love, Erika

It makes me really sad to read most of your sentiments on this topic.

I take advantage of some of the pharm company's perks, although the truth is it has been years since they were as heavy handed as one poster suggested. In my experience most providers are informed, caring and considerate of their patient's best interests when prescribing even to the point of asking about insurance co-pays etc.

I also google when asked about something I am not familiar with and have always figured they would be appreciative that I took their questions seriously and decided to do some research. Maybe not? Most times it is either something they are mispronouncing or misinterpreting rather than something I haven’t heard of anyway.

Well said Jules.

said with the kindest voice:

My husband is a doctor- and a good one at that-. But that is all. A good doctor. He is well informed about the drugs he prescribes but likely does not know everything about every drug. He's a wise, caring devoted human. Human- like the rest of us.....

What I thought was of value to bring forward was how information with respect to research and treatments are disseminated with bias; rather than to berate or accuse any one form of medical practitioner of wrong doing .

As with anything, the pendulum swing between awesomely terrific and terribly awful is bound to be present with respect to medical practitioners as well.

It is unfortunate that the pendulum has apparently been set to swing preferably in one direction when it comes to provision of the information that both medical practitioners as well as the people that they care for, rely upon.
Thus, even when the best of intentions and precautions are front and center, it becomes difficult to avoid negative consequences.
Understanding this is also important .

With love, Erika

I wrote on another thread I was taking Mirapex for leg and back movements during the night. I noted the rather extreme side effects, but the doctor had not read them, was in a hurry--although she usually gives me plenty of time (she's the pcp, can't say the same for the specialists). Now I'm having some really bad side effects, so off the Mirapex even if I have to jerk at night. I'm praying to not jerk so I can sleep. But I'm having emotional problems which came on suddenly and which I attribute to this drug primarily--depression, and that's a side effect. I was doing well emotionally, so fie to the Mirapex.

I was poisoned for about 14 years by taking Meprobamate, a muscle relaxer. It helped my severe stomach pain, which may have been spasm caused by Porphyria. But finally this drug (one of the ten worst for Porphyria) gave me extreme neurological problems which resulted in MS diagnosis. As some of you know, my MS and Porphyria dx's are entangled, no hope of disentangling them because some of the neuro symptoms are the same. I do have the MRI and VER showing MS damage after taking Mepro. Was it really Porphyria? Considering that several relatives on the same "line" had MS, I suspect I have both diseases. And that one caused the other. So not to worry about that, just to say that this drug pushed at me hard for 14 years without adequate thought gave me even more severe neuro problems than I'd had. A good doctor got me off Mepro with Klonopin, the only way to break the Mepro habit. I thought the habit was hopeless until I met this good doctor, who was a maverick, but RIGHT!

My son begged me to get off Mepro all the time he was growing up. Just the way he flushed my cigarettes down the toilet. Poor little boy having to grow up with sick drugged mother. Phooey to the whole thing.

Anytime one of my customers has a question about their meds, that's the first thing I tell them to do. Sometimes, the only info a doc has is what the Drug Rep tells them. Better docs investigate, but, you never know what/or how far they take that. Pharmacists are tested on their knowledge (depending on where they work) every six months to every 18 months. They must know the recommended dosages, side effects & conterindications (interactions with other meds).

To the best of my knowledge... pharmacists in Michigan (including the UP), are required to take 30 accredited hrs of CE every 24months for relicensure.

Any other "testing" could be done by the employer for company or hospital regs if those are a part of employment conditions.

With the computer databases in place today in pharmacies, looking up drug info is safer than relying on memory.
Most of my CE revolves around therapeutics and disease states in which medications would be included.

Doctors can look up things... but they often choose not to. They order and delegate.
Also many things that are complex in therapeutics are now in computers in the better hospitals.
Figuring out dosing regimens is a click away now. And still they will not do it themselves. They will call the pharmacy in hosp at all hours for the most basic things...and staff at night is typically very small and the pharmacist has to make sterile IVs (in sterile garb) and what not and field these minor lazy calls which places the IV product at risk! I have seen several quit those conditions and move on!

Seems the doctors in teaching hospitals tend to be better informed in this regard, about treatments etc. They seem to find the time for that.

I wasn't trying to bash my Neuro. Just honestly stating what he answered my question with. And yes, it was a little irritating.

That said, I always look up meds that I've never taken before. Or I look on NeuroTalk.....there's bound to be someone here that's had experience with whatever it is I'm checking out.

It just seems to me that if a doctor is going to prescribe something to someone they should have at least looked it up to see if it interacts with meds the patient is already taking.

My Neuro sits with a laptop furiously typing what I'm assuming is notes about my visit and my condition. It would just take a minute to look up a med in question and both of us could see what it says together. Then, if I have any questions we could discuss it.

I know there are doctors out there that go the extra mile for their patients and give a higher level of care and empathy than others. My PCP is like that. Unfortunately, for Neuro issues I have to go to the Neuro.

QUOTE: My Neuro sits with a laptop furiously typing what I'm assuming is notes about my visit and my condition.

Describes my PCP's replacement to a tee; reminds me more of a booking agent at the airport. My regular PCP & neuro on the other hand always make eye contact and engage me in some conversation before they turn to their lap-tops. Similarly both are cautious with recommending meds that they aren't familiar with .

I too rely on information from a pharmacist as well as on doing my own research with respect to meds and supplements. Considering the time that often involves, I can understand why some physicians may not have the time or inclination to do so.

With love, Erika