My grandmother is ill

[Solidify]

Well I honestly don't know what to say other than be strong for your mother and try to help as much as possible.

That's what I've been doing up to this point but the stress is building up for my mother. Also, it's starting to get to both my sisters and I as well.

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Updated December 22nd, 2010;

My mother says that my grandmother has schizophrenia but I wasn't convinced so I decided to take a look at my grandmother's prescriptions and dosages. Here is what I found.

Spoiler (Click to View)

In order of appearance.

PMS-Quetiapine

Quetiapine belongs to a class of medications known as antipsychotics. It is used to treat symptoms of schizophrenia, manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder, and depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder. It works by affecting the actions of certain chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters. [...]

Riva-Citalopram

Citalopram belongs to a group of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It is used to treat depression. SSRIs improve depression by increasing the amount of serotonin (a neurotransmitter) in certain areas of the brain, which in turn improves the ability of the brain to transmit messages from one nerve cell to another.

Although you may start feeling better within a few weeks of treatment, the full effects of the medication may not be evident until several weeks of treatment have passed. [...]

Amlodipine

Amlodipine belongs to the family of medications known as calcium channel blockers. Amlodipine is used to treat high blood pressure and angina (chest pain). It works to control blood pressure and reduces the number of angina attacks by widening and relaxing blood vessels.

Hyzaar

This is a combination product that contains two medications used to lower hypertension (high blood pressure), losartan and hydrochlorothiazide. Losartan belongs to a class of medications called angiotensin II blockers. They help to lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels. Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic or "water pill" that helps control blood pressure by getting rid of excess salt and water.

This combination medication is used to treat high blood pressure for people who are stabilized on losartan and hydrochlorothiazide used as individual medications.

Lipitor

Atorvastatin belongs to the group of medications known as HMG CoA reductase inhibitors ("statins"). It is used to treat people who have high cholesterol levels, including those people who have certain inherited cholesterol disorders. When you use this medication, you also need to make lifestyle changes, including switching to a diet low in fat and cholesterol, quitting smoking, and increasing the amount of exercise you do.

Atorvastatin works by blocking an enzyme that is used to make cholesterol in the liver. When that enzyme is blocked, less cholesterol is produced and the amount of cholesterol in the blood decreases. Atorvastatin lowers the level of total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad" cholesterol), and raises high density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good" cholesterol) levels. Reduction of cholesterol levels in the blood has been shown to reduce the risks associated with heart disease, such as heart attack.

Atorvastatin is used to reduce the risk of heart attack in people experiencing symptoms associated with heart disease.

Atorvastatin is also used to reduce the risk of heart attack in people with high blood pressure who have at least 3 additional risk factors for heart disease but not experiencing symptoms associated with heart disease. The risk factors of heart disease for these individuals include:

• being male
  
• being 55 years old or older
  
• enlarged heart ventricles
  
• family history of heart disease
  
• smoking
  
• specific abnormalities on an ECG
  
• the total cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol ratio that is greater than or equal to 6
  
• type 2 diabetes
  

Atorvastatin is also used to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in people with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes who have other risk factors for heart disease but not experiencing symptoms associated with heart disease. The risk factors of heart disease for these individuals include:

• a specific type of protein in the urine
  
• being 55 years old or older
  
• disease of the retina
  
• smoking
  

The medication usually takes about 2 to 4 weeks to have a significant effect on the cholesterol level in your blood. After this time, your doctor will likely send you for a blood test to check for changes in your cholesterol levels. [...]

Synthroid

Levothyroxine is a thyroid hormone supplement used to treat people who do not produce enough thyroid hormone on their own. Levothyroxine helps to reduce the symptoms of low thyroid hormone such as weight gain, sensitivity to cold, lack of energy, and dry skin. It may take several weeks for this medication to have a noticeable effect on your condition. [...]

Apo-Omeprazole

Omeprazole belongs to the family of medications called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). It slows or prevents the production of acid within the stomach.

It is used to treat conditions where reduction in acid secretion is required for proper healing, including stomach and intestinal ulcers (gastric and duodenal ulcers), the prevention and treatment of ulcers associated with medications known as NSAIDs, reflux esophagitis, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, heartburn, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

It is also used in combination with antibiotics to treat stomach ulcers caused by H. pylori bacteria. [...]


I'm nowhere close to being able to question a licensed doctor's pharmaceutical expertise but from what I see, there's a whole lot of medication for my grandmother's cholesterol. It just seems very overwhelming, not to mention, redundant.