Poll of the Day > Side effects on medications don't "stack" right?

(+) Yeah! (+)

If you have three medications with seizures as a rare side effect that doesn't stack to a less rare side effect, correct?

It still remains all independent from each other? Or does it depend where the chemicals hit in your body?
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Statistically speaking youre more likely to have a seizure if you take 3 diff things that each have the probability of causing a seizure

P sure somebody can explain the math
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I think it depends. The effects of acetaminophen and alcohol on the liver, for example, definitely stack.

For the most part the variables are independent of each other and wouldnt necessarily stack, but logically thinking you would think you have greater odds of having a rare side effect by having more variables that could cause that side effect.

Really you should ask the pharmacist.

Grendel posted...

Really you should ask the pharmacist.

Yeah, or I was going to ask the psychiatric nurse practitioner when I see him Tuesday. But I have another prescription to fill so I can definitely ask the pharmacist. I know that @LanHikari10 is a pharmacist. But I didn't know if anyone here had a general idea in the meantime. Obviously not for serious medical advice.
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If one thing has a 1% chance to do that thing, and you take three different things that have a 1% chance to do that same thing, you have three 1% chances to do that thing, not a 3% chance to do that thing. However, three 1% chances is more than one 1% chance of doing that thing.

Think of it as buying 20 lottery tickets. You have a higher chance, but they dont stack on top of each other. You just have a higher chance because you bought more.

MICHALECOLE posted...

If one thing has a 1% chance to do that thing, and you take three different things that have a 1% chance to do that same thing, you have three 1% chances to do that thing, not a 3% chance to do that thing. However, three 1% chances is more than one 1% chance of doing that thing.

Think of it as buying 20 lottery tickets. You have a higher chance, but they dont stack on top of each other. You just have a higher chance because you bought more.

Yea this is a much better explanation of what I said.

MICHALECOLE posted...

If one thing has a 1% chance to do that thing, and you take three different things that have a 1% chance to do that same thing, you have three 1% chances to do that thing, not a 3% chance to do that thing. However, three 1% chances is more than one 1% chance of doing that thing.

What if each medication hits the same thing though? If each medication chemically hits the same organ? That's where I get confused. Because I know what you're saying. And I'd get that if it was medications that hit different organs but this is all going to my brain at the same time.
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Eat all your pills at once and you'll be fine.
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Yellow posted...

Eat all your pills at once and you'll be fine.

I do ;-;
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Jen0125 posted...

MICHALECOLE posted...

If one thing has a 1% chance to do that thing, and you take three different things that have a 1% chance to do that same thing, you have three 1% chances to do that thing, not a 3% chance to do that thing. However, three 1% chances is more than one 1% chance of doing that thing.

What if each medication hits the same thing though? If each medication chemically hits the same organ? That's where I get confused. Because I know what you're saying. And I'd get that if it was medications that hit different organs but this is all going to my brain at the same time.

Medication is different than lottery tickets. Medication affects other medication. It changes the percentages of things. From a strictly mathematical perspective, it doesnt affect much. From a medical standpoint? Idk Im not a doctor.

But most of the time rare side effects literally mean nothing. It means a person taking that medication had that specific side effect and they have to put that down for the rest of time as a side effect whether that was the reason that happened or not.

I hope I used the correct forms of affect and effect the entire time

Well all I can say is I hope I don't have a seizure.
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they upgrade to a super seizure
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@SunWuKung420 knows a lot about seizures.

Im not a doctor, but I think most side effects are bullshit. I hate that they have to put do not take this drug if you are allergic to this drug in their commercials.

I hate defending the pharmaceutical companies, because theyre all scam artists who just make money on peoples lives, but Ive always thought things like that are bullshit. If a person shits their pants while taking a certain medication, diarrhea will forever be considered a side effect for that medication.

MICHALECOLE posted...

I hate that they have to put do not take this drug if you are allergic to this drug in their commercials.

that always makes me laugh. it's like yeah, no shit sherlock.
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Jen0125 posted...

MICHALECOLE posted...

I hate that they have to put do not take this drug if you are allergic to this drug in their commercials.

that always makes me laugh. it's like yeah, no shit sherlock.

Its bullshit.. it makes the actual side effects to each drug meaningless.

And when theyre prescription drugs? Were always told sorry no universal healthcare, thats why we have the best doctors but if we have the best doctors then stop selling me prescription pills. The doctor should prescribe me what I need, whether its for depression or a back ache or my dick cant get hard or whatever, and he should explain to me what the side effects are for this specific medication. Thats literally their job. Not a fucking commercial on tv where Im like WOW THAT DRUG LOOKS GOOD, IMA CALL MY DOCTOR

You should probably ask a doctor or pharmacist about that one.

i agree. i really dislike that we have commercials for medication.

it also weirds me out that pharmaceutical companies have reps that give free samples of the medication to doctors to give to their patients to try out before they prescribe it to them. and they give them other free things like pens, pads of paper, etc. it's like they give the doctor some incentive to prescribe more of their medication. it's super shady.
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Depends on what medicines we're talking about. Even if several medicines are metabolized in the liver, that doesn't mean they're going to stack per se. There's a whole class of CYP450 enzymes that metabolize different drugs even in the same class. And even drugs that work similarly or are for the same thing don't have the exact same properties, whether that means different protein binding in the blood, CNS penetration, etc.

Just as an example, I see patients all the time on several different types of antidepressants at the same time, most typically I see an SSRI/SNRI with a TCA.

But at the end of the day, it really depends on the medicines in question, but I'd assume if they were all prescribed by the same doctor and filled by the same pharmacy it'll be okay.
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LanHikari10 posted...

But at the end of the day, it really depends on the medicines in question, but I'd assume if they were all prescribed by the same doctor and filled by the same pharmacy it'll be okay.

Do you really believe that?

I would assume that it's not a higher risk because the antidepressant and the other pill is a common add-on medication for antidepressants. The third medication is an anxiety medication in the antihistamine class of medications.

The antidepressant I take is an SNRI. The add-on medication is an NDRI.
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That's an extremely common cocktail that I see quite often and I don't see issues with my patients that are on similar combos.
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Do those have side effects that stack? Because they both have dry mouth as a side effect and it got worse well I started taking the add-on medication. So I just don't want to be having seizures all over the place.
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Its not mtg jen

ima bop you one
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What are you, little bunny foo foo?

I'd have to look more deeply into this, but I wouldn't say that the effects stack as to mean they add together. If they're both at normal dosages and you've had no history of seizures in the past, I wouldn't worry. And if you're on bupropion, my assumption is you've never had any history of them.

As for dry mouth/anticholinergic effects, I can see that since that's a much more common side effect. Were you experiencing any dry mouth when the anticholinergic was started?
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The dry mouth started when I began taking the SNRI.

It's actually dry throat and the mucus membranes in my nose.
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I dunno but I imagine you can call the pharmacy where you got them filled and ask about interactions
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it's mostly been the pharmacy that's talked to me about what my prescriptions could do to me
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MICHALECOLE posted...

LanHikari10 posted...

But at the end of the day, it really depends on the medicines in question, but I'd assume if they were all prescribed by the same doctor and filled by the same pharmacy it'll be okay.

Do you really believe that?

Most doctors and pharmacists are actually interested in doing their job properly and to the best of their ability. A certain degree of skepticism is necessary because there are those that are just out to make as much money as they can by pushing the boundaries of what's legal, as well as those who just don't know their craft well enough to be practicing it, but you can generally trust them.
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