Valley of the Dolls: Pt. l

Some days it seems my whole life is pills, pills, pills…or “dolls” as Neely refers to them in the film< “Valley of the Dolls” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-TXJMKVa_g

Miss Neely O’Hara is played by a woefully miscast but brilliantly over the top Patty Duke, trying to earn some adult film role cred after years of playing a dual role as teenaged (get this) “twin” cousins on the popular “Patty Duke” television show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXhiKZz0wEo

 “Gimme my dolls!” she screams at one point to obliterate her pain (or the pain of screaming lines like those).

But, I digress; the pills that rule my life are not ones that I’m screaming for (although Neely may have been onto something).

No, the colorful little pellets I refer to are the prescription medications for Miss Cathy’s daily consumption.

In the mornings she takes:

1)    Vitamin D3 1000iu                             (1 per day)      For Bone Health

2)    Vitamin B-12                                      (1 per day)      Keep the body's nerve and     

                                                                                    blood cells healthy

3)    Losartan Potassium 25mg                   (1 per day)      For High Blood Pressure

4)    Folic Acid 1mg                                    (1 per day)      For Memory

5)    Amlodipine Besylate 10mg                (1 per day)      For High Blood Pressure

6)    Metformin 500 mg                              (2 per day)      For Type 2 Diabetes

7)    Escitaopram 5 mg                               (1 per day)      For Anxiety

In the evening she takes:

1)    Aspirin 81mg                                      (1 per at nite)  Prevention of Blood Clots

2)    Donepezil 5mg                                    (1 per at nite)  For Alzheimer’s

3)    Namenda XR 28mg                             (1 per at nite)  For Alzheimer’s

4)    Metformin 500 mg                              (1 per at nite)  For Type 2 Diabetes

As you can see, it’s quite the list and now her neurologists want to add to it!

Time to step back and see if Miss Cathy can fit another ‘doll’ on her shelve.

Before I present the best possible options to mom for her consideration, I (along with her doctor(s) need to access the benefits, effectiveness, side effects, costs and toll of all these medications on her system.