Happy Pills

I mentioned a few days ago of my frustration with the meds not working. I even whined a little I believe. Well, I went to visit my Rheumatologist yesterday and had quite an interesting experience.

First of all, he did not like my theory that the medicine he has me on is messing with my immune system. He said there have been no studies that back up my theory. Pish posh. I don’t need no stinking studies! I stand by my theory and when someone does do a study linking this medicine to decreased immune function I’m going to be shouting ‘I TOLD YOU SO’ from the mountain top (or at least my little Hilltop).

He also told me I had to stay on it because, while it may not be helping all my joint pain, it is keeping the nasty overactive white blood cells from destroying the lining of my brain and lungs and heart and whatnot. I guess that’s something.

He did switch my anti-inflammatory however. He thinks that will help. Okay, whatever. I just take whatever they give me, like the little guinea pig that I am.

I headed to the pharmacy, grabbed my new meds then ran back home to get Ann and drive her downtown to Scottish Rite. I popped the new pill on the way. In hindsight I can see that taking a new medicine for the first time on the day I have to drive downtown is probably not the most intelligent thing I’ve ever done. I got downtown just fine, but as I was sitting in the waiting room I started feeling a little funny, lightheaded if you will.

I pulled out the pamphlet that came with my new medicine to see if dizziness was a side effect. Yes, yes it is a side effect…of the anti seizure med I just ingested.

Hummm? Odd. I’ve never had a seizure. Why would the Dr give me an anti seizure med to help with inflammation?

I called the pharmacist to ask them this question. The answer? He didn’t. The pharmacy got the medicine wrong. YIKES!

The pharmacist assured me that it would not harm me, after he learned I had only taken one dose. Well, good thing I read the thing! I went back in to the pharmacy to take back the wrong med and get the right one. Interestingly, I was not angry. I was rather peaceful about the whole thing…people make mistakes, no big deal, they fixed it.

Later in the day, when I told Sir D, he became angry and then I became angry. That was dangerous! What if they’d given me something bad? It could have killed me! Sir D was surprised I handled it so well and did not yell at the pharmacist.

I mentioned this mishap to a friend who told me that that particular anti seizure med has a ‘mood enhancer’ in it.

Ahhh! Now it makes since. I guess the pharmacy learned that if you screw up someone’s meds at least give them the happy pills!

Needless to say, I’ll be checking my meds from now on!