RaeJae Posted May 19, 2005 Report Share Posted May 19, 2005 Are any of you very drug sensitive? I have a hard time tolerating medications. I am doing better off the midrodrine and beta blockers, although I have runs of tachycardia and "greying out" it seems to be a toss up! The hardest part for me is the overall weakness and wiped out feeling when I am flared, I feel like I can't even think. Sound familiar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted May 19, 2005 Report Share Posted May 19, 2005 I used to be just drug sensitive... now I'm allergic to darned near everything (all antibiotics except ketec, cyclines and sulfa), codeine, compazine, prevacid ... and probably others I can't recall.Many of us here start with a dose typical for a small child and then slowly build up. It does help for me when trying something new, although some drugs, this is not possible.nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM3KIDZ Posted May 19, 2005 Report Share Posted May 19, 2005 I am also extremely sensitive to medications. I don't take anything unless I cut it 1/2. Most things don't work because of the side effects. I guess it's just all tial and error.Dayna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funnyfrog Posted May 19, 2005 Report Share Posted May 19, 2005 Hi - I am so sensitive to medications that my primary doctor hates trying me on any new medications ever because I am so sensitive to meds that I have a reaction to everything - I'm also started out on children's dosages and if necessary, worked up little by little to a regular dose to avoid complications, sometimes this works and sometimes this doesn't, depending on the medication. Because of our problems, I think that our adrenal systems are ready to attack and are on overload when something foreign enters our bodies - who knows? Beth Welcome to the forum also RAEJAE!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 Hi,I am drug sensitive but there are some medication that I can take.Ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steph37822 Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 oops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 I'm allergic to or sensitive to every drug known to man. I just had a post about my last one. That was fun. I take very few meds and my doctor gives infant doses as a rule. I think just about everyone here very sensitive to drugs. morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarthMother Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 For myself it may be dose related. I can rarely handle the "adult" dose for anything. And I find I can get good results with much smaller doses, even with tylenol and advil types of over-counter.Same with herbs or other natural remedies -- even new foods, I have to start really slow to see if I can tolerate.Good luck on your healing journey.EM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica2000 Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 Sure seems like drug sensitivity is a common problem for most of us, and I wonder what's the root cause of this. The low blood pressure? The body's inability to balance itself? Hormonal? Or maybe we're all basically hypersensitive in every way, and that makes us more likely to develop these autonomic problems.For a little while here I was happy I could tolerate Florinef. And today, kaboom ... jeans don't fit, I notice a double chin .... major freak out. I can live with an extra few pounds, since I"m not overweight, but if my face puffs up, I can't take it. I'm really caught between a rock and a hard place. SSRI's and the like will never work for me. I think I'm running out of options.Monica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mary from OH Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 I pretty much echo what everyone has said. I think the key is to take a new drug in BABY steps. Start at the LOWEST dose possible. Then break that dose (the pill) into half or quarters. Stay at that dosage for a few days until your body adjusts to it. If it's too much, back off the dose, if you can. Don't move up until your body is adjusted, then go up gradually. It may take you a LONG time to get up to a therapeutic dosage for you, but it's the only way that your body is able to do so. Try it, you may be surprised!! I was able to get up to an eventual 200mg a day (100mg am, 100mg pm) from not being able to tolerate it at all!!Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 Monica, I asked my doctor about this very thing. If he thought I was crazy or what. He said that when you take any drug, it may help the problem it's meant to, but the ans is a part of everything, so it affects other systems adversely. That made perfect sense to me, as the autonomic system does involve just about every part of our bodies as a whole. That made me feel a little better. morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenn202 Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 I think most people that have this problem are drug sensitive.I have actually cut off a tiny little bit of a pill, like a crumb to put in my mouth b/c I am so sensitive to things.Some stuff I tolerate better than others. Some drugs I feel sick in the beginning then mybody gets used to them, and some just make me ill and I never can take them.I've learned its trial and error..and if I dont try a particular drug then I will never know if I can have success with it...even though it is scary at times and I look at the bottle for a few weeks before going for it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 I have just one more thing to say here--be sure to check with the pharmacist regarding whether or not a specific medication is safe for cutting with a pill cutter. Some pills and capsules can be very dangerous if you cut them--usually, these are drugs that are made in a way to be time released and cutting can cause a rapid uptake of the meds and result in an overdose.Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mary from OH Posted May 21, 2005 Report Share Posted May 21, 2005 Nina-VERY, VERY true!!!! If you have one of those type of meds and need to titrate your dosages up. Usually there is an alternative way to get the medication. Whether it be sprinkle capsules or liquid or another way. But, Nina bring up an important point about checking about the safety of splitting pills. Not all pills are safe to split!Great reminder! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 im in the same boat - cant even handle paracetemol without feeling ordinary - florinef made me feel terrible and i couldnt think straight - antiinflamatories and other things like that are just a no go for me. Its almost like my MAO blood brain barrier isnt working or something - all sorts of things give me symptoms.the only thing ive tolerated so far is betablockers at low doses - so for me i take a tiny piece of a crushed antihistamine tablet and it works for me fine without sideeffects.my doctor says that some patients are very hard to medicate for reasons unknown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinp29 Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Yes, I can't handle any medications whatsoever. Well, I guess that's not true--I do take over-the-counter allergy/sinus stuff to get through my tough allergy days in the spring!! To be more specific, I can't tolerate prescription drugs!I found that the only things that have helped me are nutritional supplements.~Kristin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eli6596 Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Part of the problem is a difference in metabolism of drugs. Some people do not have enzymes that break down drugs as quickly as most of the population. We then have higher levels of the drug in our systems which causes the side effects. I don't know of any association of this problem with POTS specifically. Native Americans cannot handle alcohol because of a difference in metabolism of alcohol compared to caucasions.Karyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinp29 Posted May 29, 2005 Report Share Posted May 29, 2005 Good point about the metabolism, Karyn. I don't know if that's my problem or what--I just know that before I got POTS, I didn't have a problem with meds, and now I do!! ~Kristin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeJack101 Posted July 9, 2005 Report Share Posted July 9, 2005 I have found that this problem is caused by our nervous systems being unusually sensitive to medicinal substances. The nervous system itself over-responds to whatever the drug is telling it to do. That is why it is possible for a Dysautonomia patient to touch a medicine and get a quick reaction before blood has had time to circulate to the area it is affecting. Drug metabolism seems to not be related to this type of sensitivity. I also don't think people with Dysautonomia should try to increase their tolerance. Take the amount that has the proper amount of medicinal effect on your body, and if you need to eventually up the dose, do so carefully. I know there are people on here who didn't used to be so sensitive to drugs, but is there anyone who has noticed a reduction in their drug sensitivity? Are there any pills or therapies or etc. that have made the drug sensitivity go away? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiariMSwithPOTS Posted September 12, 2005 Report Share Posted September 12, 2005 I'm very sensitive to meds. Allergic. Need less medicine to do the work, etc.KLSBoston, MA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mngirl Posted September 12, 2005 Report Share Posted September 12, 2005 VERY true here - I just put all the ones that I have tried into one place and I literally had a target bag FULL! What a waste of money! I can't imagine the value of what I have!The Zofran alone without insurance (monthly supply - 60 pills) has a retail value of $1500!!!!! Isn't that crazy...at least those help though!This is another reason I am seeing this neuor tomorrow - the Midodrine finally works but my body can't handle the side effects - so which is worse, constant dizzy spells or not eatting? I have lost 15 lbs in the past 2 weeks!~Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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