My husband takes too many medications for his health conditions. Please advise.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

My husband has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and panic disorder with agoraphobia and is on several medicines. He is taking Glimepiride, Furosemide, Metformin-Januvia, Amlodipine, Lisinopril, Memantine, Pramipexole, Trintellix, Protonix, HCTZ, Tamsulosin, Donepezil, Clonazepam, Xanax, and Trazadone. I am concerned he is taking too many medicines. He just went off Abilify four months ago and started Haloperidol in the last two weeks. Both make him a zombie, with no facial expression, slowed movement, muscle weakness and restlessness. I took him off Haloperidol yesterday and he is now nervous, cannot be still, and cannot sleep. What medicines should he be taking?

Answer

Dr. Muhammad M. Hanif Md.

Cardiology Critical Care Physician General Medicine Internal Medicine

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I went through your query. I can understand you are worried about your husband's health and the medications he is taking.

The medications he is taking are all for the different issues he has and is necessary for his health. Antidepressant and sedative medications he is taking needs a review by his psychiatrist though. He may be taking too much of them that are raising the concerns you have regarding his mood and expressions at large.

As all of these medications act at the brain level by altering the chemicals running the brain, it would be better to consult his treating psychiatrist for a review of his medications. If you stop or alter any medication, it may have adverse effects on his health.

Many of the medications in the list are sedative and antidepressants. Sometimes, patients taking too many antidepressants and sedatives, suffer from symptoms like expressionless face and being too slow. It is actually the side effect of the medications that are sometimes necessary to be taken for other serious reasons they are prescribed for.

But, in some instances, we can review and cut short few if possible. If we give too many drugs of the same type, it may alter the balance in a way that can give adverse and unwanted effects on the body as a whole. If he is having expressions like you explained, I would recommend considering the medications to be reviewed by his psychiatrist.

Medications given for brain disorders take time to kick in. So, discuss with his psychiatrist in detail, and wait for results after his review of medications.

Hope it helps. Feel free to ask more if you need further assistance. I would be happy to assist. Regards.

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