Please see the new Resources page to “Tee-up” your medication list for your next doctor’s visit!

Golf bags are typically filled with 14 clubs. Though the clubs may be a similar number, iron or wood,  the clubs themselves may not be ideal from one player to the next. Recently, my son was practicing with his teammates for a college golf tournament. As he placed the tee into the ground for the first swing of the day, his driver shaft snapped. He could not believe that this was happening, just three days before his tournament, and a day before he was scheduled to leave. Even more so, the shaft was relatively new, as he just purchased it earlier this year in preparation for the new golf season.

After a difficult round of golf, his teammates scrambled to try to find a shaft as close to the one that just snapped. The stiffness, length, and material all mattered. A close enough match was found but he still needed to practice with the “new” driver before the tournament.

As you know, medications can also vary from patient to patient, but how often do we take recommendations from our friends to try some herbal, OTC, or supplement that they feel strongly about? I remember a woman asked that I review her medications. She had just as many herbals as she had prescriptions. She asked the indication for each herbal, as she was uncertain. I asked for time to research, as I was unfamiliar with some of the products.

After reviewing the list, it appeared that many of the herbals were indicated for blood glucose regulation or diabetes. I mentioned this and also added that it does not appear from her prescriptions that she has diabetes. She said, “I don’t, but my friend does!” Her friend had told her about the products and encouraged her to take them as well. We decided to deprescribe a number of the unnecessary herbals and those that we’re interacting with a blood thinner and thyroid medication she was taking.

What is in your medicine cabinet? How many non-prescription products might you be taking through a friend’s recommendation? As in golf, where one club for one player may not be ideal for another player, the same goes for medications.

In the previous blogs, we have started the process of deprescribing. Under the tab Templates and Resources, please see the template for the med list link. Check the bullet points on the document and consider if you are self-treating and if you are taking products that you are uncertain of, that perhaps a friend encouraged you to take.

Keep returning to my website and blog each week for more information on the deprescribing process and for other templates and resources.