─ It is necessary to be aware of the toxic side effects before taking medication.
1 Day, 50 Pills: Otitis Turns into Uremia
pine Webmaster of Pineapple
2008/01/03 01:53
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United Daily News / Reporter Hong Jinghong / Taichung City Report / 2007.10.16 04:59 am
A 38-year-old woman in Taichung City, Zhan Guifang, sought treatment at a clinic for otitis media and continued taking medication for ten months. The amount of medication increased over time, even exceeding 50 pills a day. She was eventually hospitalized due to shock and diagnosed with uremia, potentially requiring lifelong dialysis.
Zhan Guifang's father, Zhan Chaosheng, filed charges against the clinic's physician, Chen Yanliang, for professional negligence, fraud, and grievous bodily harm. He also printed a booklet detailing his daughter's medical journey, with the cover stating, "Doctor prescribes over 20 types of medication a day, patient takes more than 50 pills daily," accusing Chen Yanliang of "turning otitis media into uremia."
Chen Yanliang, a physician at Taichung City's Nature Clinic, continued his practice as usual yesterday. When approached by reporters, he stated that the matter was under judicial review and declined to comment.
Zhan Guifang did not appear yesterday, with her father delivering the booklet to the media. Zhan Chaosheng expressed that his daughter only had a minor ear issue and never expected it to lead to dialysis. She has lost all hope and no longer trusts doctors.
In her account, Zhan Guifang mentioned that she visited Nature Clinic in May last year due to pain and discharge from her left ear, diagnosed as otitis media. Three months later, she developed nasal allergies and headaches, and her daily medication increased from 30 to over 50 pills.
After six months of medication, she developed rashes on her left arm and right thigh, along with facial and leg swelling. When she questioned the doctor, she was told it was a normal detoxification reaction due to a poor immune system.
By March this year, she felt extremely fatigued and experienced blurred vision in her right eye. She was examined at China Medical University Hospital, where kidney issues were suspected. In April, she was rushed to Fengyuan Hospital due to confusion and shock, then transferred to Taichung Veterans General Hospital. Tests revealed her serum creatinine levels were as high as 6.6 (normal range 0.6-1.1), leading to a diagnosis of kidney failure and the need for dialysis.
Zhan Guifang lamented her trust in Dr. Chen, likening it to a student's obedience to a teacher, only to end up needing dialysis.
Zhan Chaosheng reviewed his daughter's medical receipts, noting a wide array of medications, including multiple types of painkillers, which he found alarming.
He mentioned that on some days, his daughter took 19 types of medication, totaling over 50 pills, "enough to fill her up just by taking pills."
He printed 3,000 copies of his daughter's medical story booklet, distributing them to medical professionals for judgment and to warn the public about misdiagnosis. Zhan Chaosheng stated that if they win the lawsuit, the compensation will be donated to impoverished dialysis patients in Taichung County.
Xie Jialing, head of the Medical Affairs Section at Taichung City Health Bureau, said that if the court finds Chen Yanliang at fault, the case will be referred to the Physician Disciplinary Committee, with the most severe penalty being the revocation of his medical license.
Pharmacist: Taking 5 types of medication at once is 100% problematic
United Daily News / Reporter Hong Jinghong / Taichung City Report / 2007.10.16 03:08 am
"How can so many medications be prescribed?" Zhan Guifang's medication list revealed 19 types, with dozens of pills to be taken daily. A pharmacist stated that taking more than five types of medication at once can easily cause interactions, and taking so many pills at once is "100% problematic."
After reviewing Zhan Guifang's prescription, Lin Hongchang, head of the pharmacy department at Taichung Hospital, noted that three types of antihistamines for nasal congestion, rhinitis, and allergies were prescribed, along with three types of analgesics and antacids, and even two types of medication for bronchitis. In total, she was taking 40-50 pills a day, which he deemed excessive.
He pointed out that since muscle relaxants, which have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, were already prescribed, there was no need for additional painkillers.Based on the medication list, the patient may have symptoms such as a cold, nasal congestion, cough, and respiratory inflammation, paired with antacids to alleviate stomach discomfort. It appears that the symptoms are not severe, and there are no chronic illnesses. The doctor would prescribe a maximum of three to four types of medication, not exceeding sixteen pills per day.
Chen Jinhua, a standing director of the Taichung City Pharmacists Association, stated that according to statistics, the average number of pills per prescription for American patients is 1.8, while in Taiwan, it is 4.2. "Taking dozens of pills a day is really excessive."
He mentioned that taking too many medications not only increases the metabolic burden on the liver and kidneys but also leads to drug interactions, which can interfere with the efficacy of the medications and even affect health. If patients have doubts about the medications prescribed by their doctors after a consultation, they can directly ask the pharmacist or consult the local pharmacists' association to ensure their health.
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