Back in 1999 I was working at the hospital pharmacy.
I was in college and preparing for a future in medicine. I was a pharmacy tech. I helped the pharmacist fill the orders and then transport the meds to the various floors.
It was a fun job and I loved the people I worked with.
But the one thing that always bothered me was the amount of medication people were on. Now don’t get me wrong, the doctors weren’t over prescribing meds, it’s just that these people were very sick.
I decided, that when I was a doctor, I wanted to help people stay healthy and keep the medications to a minimum.
As an Osteopath, I believe that the body can heal itself. My job is to clear the path for self-healing.
This is what all doctors want, but in this day and age, it seems the cards are stacked against us. Our water supply is poisoned. Our food is toxic. Our sunlight is artificial.
And for every complaint we have, there’s a pill that can be prescribed.
Today, I want to talk about something you don’t hear much about. Deprescribing.
Deprescribing is a systematic approach to reducing the medications you’re taking. And I think that’s more important now than ever.
#1 Polypharmacy sucks
Polypharmacy is the use of multiple medications by one person.
We are not talking about misuse here. We are talking about taking meds as prescribed. But with the greater increase in medications, the greater the risk of interactions between them. (Not to mention higher cost)
Sometimes you prescribe meds to treat the side effects from other meds. The cycle just repeats.
By adapting a Deprescribing system, you can streamline your treatment options and reduce overall risk. Reducing risk reduces harm.
And that is what it’s all about.
#2 Patients Feel Better
In my experience, patients almost always feel better when taking less meds.
The plan is to simplify. We’re not talking about stopping treatments just for the heck of it. But using a common sense approach to evaluate the current treatment plan and goals for going forward. It’s not enough for a patient to be “okay”. They should be healing.
Review medications and asses for need, effectiveness, and risks. Maybe you can’t completely stop a treatment yet, but possibly you can do just as well on a lowered dose.
Dose reduction is a vital part of Deprescribing.
#3 The System Reinforces the Goal
Health is never found in a pill.
The goal for my patients has nothing to do with taking meds or not taking meds. The goal is for them to be healthy (and if it’s not too much to ask…happy). By reviewing current treatments and discussing lifestyle modifications, we aim for ways to reach their goals with or without medication.
Momentum is a powerful ally. Make a little progress in the way you want to go, and let the momentum keep pushing you forward. The system reinforces the goal.
I may not always be successful with this, but that doesn’t keep me from trying.
Deprescribing is a critical component to the health of patients.
Talk to your doctor and see if there are any medications that you are taking that could be reduced, stopped, or changed.
Make a plan. Eat healthy. Stay active. Say your prayers.
And God willing…
Live long and prosper.
p.s.
Never stop or change a medicine without talking to your doctor.
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