Sue: Problems with multiple medicines (I) – Side effects (2)
Listen to patients and health professionals speak about their experience with taking multiple medicines.
Sue
Female
Age at interview: 65
Number of medicines: 16
Cultural background: Anglo-Australian
Sue aims to be as informed about her medicines as possible. She has spoken to her pharmacist about side effects she has experienced.
I have looked at prednisone on the Web before because I've been on prednisone before, but this time about three weeks ago I suddenly developed incredible cramps in my legs. I couldn't understand … it was such a shock. I was rolling around on the floor here, I couldn't ... because they were in both legs and both feet and it was … they were awful. So I went down to the pharmacist the next morning, the chemist, and he ... where they dispense all the medications and I said, what do you think this could be? I told her what I was on. I think at that stage the prednisone was still maybe 15 milligrams a day. So she printed out more information for me about prednisone and there it is, muscle weakness and cramps which either I hadn't noticed ... because I hadn't suffered from them before but it took me by surprise so maybe I hadn't noticed when I looked it up before. So, yes, I wish I ... I would have been able to say for myself then, that's what this is at least I know. Yes, so I think I'd prefer to know than not know.
The Living with multiple medicines project was developed in collaboration with Healthtalk Australia.