Understanding The Side Effects

Something that Robert and I are learning the last few weeks is that it is important to be aware not only of the symptoms ann how they compare in relation to whatever the ilness might be, but also to the side effects of the medications that are being prescribed to you. We already know that the leg movement in Robert is most likely restless leg syndrome. Like the doctor said, without the blood test, he isn't going to give an "official" diagnosis but he was willing to bet his life on it. Especially since the symptoms match up with RLS and not HD. The medication that he was taking did nothing for RLS and never will. The doctor suggested that Robert go back to his original doctor and request a change in medication. Mainly because this one has some unpleasant side effects and can be highly addictive if used for the wrong purposes. Since Robert was only taking one a night to help him sleep, he was fortunate enough not to develop an addiction to it. But after some research, we began to realize that he is experiencing some of the unwanted side effects and it is having a major impact on his life. Depressed thoughts, angry outbursts, more vivid hallucenic type dreams and even memory loss are just a few of the side effects that are experienced by people taking this particular medication. For the last year and a half that Robert has been taking this medicine, he has been dealing with each one of these side effects in spades. At first blush, we assumed that it is just a result of the HD begining to set in, so we didn't put much thought into it. The symptoms are what they are and there is nothing we can do about it. But, for the most part, HD is a gradual thing. It shouldn't cause the type of changes in a person that Robert has been dealing with almost out of no where. And, they have only begun to this extreme since he began taking this medication. I am not saying he was never angry, a bit down or that he ever forgot anythng. That is normal, but it seems to have increased drastically since he started the medicine that is supposed to help him. So, Robert has decided to stop this medication. In just a few days, he has noticed an improvement in his mood and his tempoer. It seems like this medication must have been affecting him in some way after all. Which is why it is important to really read up on any new medications that you are given by the doctor and understand what the potential side effects are. Does the benefit outwiegh the side effects? Is it really the best possible treatment or is there something else that can be used to help with the current problem? We put a lot of faith in the doctor to know what is best for us, but they don't always give us all the facts. Unless we ask, the full range of side effects are not always shared. And when you are given a medication after the wrong diagnosis, there can be even more negative repercussions. For me, this is a lesson learned and I will be much more cognizant of what types of medication both Robert and I are being prescribed. As time goes on, I will have to be the advocate for all of Robert's care and I would hate for him to have haullicinations and be unable to explain it to me. If I was seeing crazy stuff and couldn't articualate it to someone, I would probably go crazy. So, pay attention to the medications that you and your family have been given by the doctor. Weigh the good and the bad carefully and decide if it is worth the side effects that might be caused. For us, at this moment in time, this medicine is worse for Robert and the negatives outweigh the benefits - especially when it was prescribed for the completely wrong reason.