Current Medication & Supplement Schedule

7/09/07: Several changes in Med Schedule, since it's been over a year since I updated it. I'll indicate changes and a bit of history in the Notes section.

UPON AWAKENING BEFORE BREAKFAST:

Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
lisinopril/15mg	1 10mg tab + 1/2 more upon awakening before breakfast	Given to lower her blood pressure and protect her kidneys; works by relaxing the blood vessels; Has slowly been increased from total 20mg/day to total 40mg/day since April, 2007
Niferex-150 Forte [150 mg elemental iron] Rx with extra B12 and folic acid	1 tab upon awakening before breakfast	to keep her iron deficiency anemia under control; switched from breakfast to immediately upon awakening in order to separate doses by a couple of hours apiece.
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with iron supplement	helps the body metabolize iron
Protonix/40 mg	upon awakening before breakfast	standard pre-breakfast med; protects her intestinal lining to prevent ulceration and bleeding
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill before breakfast	If her blood sugar is high enough so that it doesn't drop too low in the 45 minutes or so before she actually eats breakfast.

BREAKFAST

Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	Helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin when used with glipizide; also protects digestive tract lining; lately, we've gone a week here and a week there without it.
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
coated aspirin/81 mg	1 tab with breakfast	standard breakfast med - given for anti-coagulant properties; adult buffered aspirin can be substituted if she's complaining of aches, pains or unusual stiffness
Daily Senior Multivitamin	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
garlic/1000 mg	2 500 mg tabs with meal	standard breakfast supplement; a natural antibiotic and anti-coagulant
1 12 oz cup Yogi Tea Detox or Peach Detox tea	with meal	This tea is specifically designed to promote liver and kidney functions.
2 tbl Benefiber	with meal, in orange juice	promotes timely, easy bowel evacuation; may occasionally be given in lower or higher doses
1/2 tsp cinnamon	with meal, sprinkled on toast	said to increase cell sensitivity to insulin

DINNER:

Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	Given with meal if sufficient hours have passed between arising and dinner or if her BG is exceedingly high before dinner. Otherwise, given at bedtime.
Niferex-150 Forte [150 mg elemental iron] Rx with extra B12 and folic acid	1 tab upon awakening before breakfast	to keep her iron deficiency anemia under control; switched from breakfast to immediately upon awakening in order to separate doses by a couple of hours apiece.
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with iron supplement	helps the body metabolize iron
lisinopril/10mg	1 10mg tab with meal	Given to lower her blood pressure and protect her kidneys; works by relaxing the blood vessels; Has slowly been increased from total 20mg/day to total 40mg/day since April, 2007.
garlic/1000 mg	2 500 mg tabs with meal	given for anti-coagulant and antibiotic properties
calcium-vitamin D/500-200 mg	with meal	believed to be an osteoporosis preventative; although current research suggests that it does not perform well in women; I give it to her anyway because I doubt that it will hurt her and the extra Vitamin C is probably good for her
100 mg Macrodantin	with meal	to prevent UTIs

JUST BEFORE BED:

Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill before bed	Rarely given at bedtime in order to separate the two doses by several hours; given only in cases of lots of carbohydrates throughout the day; otherwise, see DINNER MEDS
Niferex-150 [150 mg elemental iron]	just before sleep	to keep her iron deficiency anemia under control
lisinopril/15 mg	1 10mg tab + 1/2 tab more	Given to lower her blood pressure and protect her kidneys; works by relaxing the blood vessels; Has slowly been increased from total 20mg/day to total 40mg/day since April, 2007.

OTHER TIMES:

Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
Concentrated oxygen, 2-3/lpm continuous	when she's sleeping	to make sure she doesn't become breathless
Tanked pulse oxygen, 2-3/lpm	when she's sitting around or indulging in light moving	if she becomes breathless; she does not always use this when she's up
Tanked oxygen, 2/lpm continuous	when she's moving or exercising	almost always uses this

    The following are prescribed meds, treatments or supplements (all the rest are OTC supplementals which, although approved by her PCP, were not suggested by him):

• Niferex-150 Forte
• Protonix (Rx)
• Glipizide (Rx)
• Lisinopril (Rx)
• Macrodantin (Rx)
• Oxygen, 2-3/lpm pulse and continuous (Rx)
• 81 mg Aspirin
• Oscal: Calcium/Vitamin D combo (recommended by the nursing home; although research has since shown that this supplement does not alleviate the possibility of breakage or weakening bone structure, I continue it anyway, since it seems likely that it couldn't hurt
• Iron Supplementation: a third OTC Niferex-150 capsule per day

    The following are administered occasionally, as needed:

• Opcon-A for itchy, weepy eyes
• Phillip's Milk of Magnesia to break through constipation
• Ducosate Sodium if a little more help is needed to break through constipation
• Extra Strength Tums for very occasional upset stomach
• Extra Strength Acetaminophen for occasionally unusual aches and stiffness
• Adult Buffered Aspirin for occasionally unusual aches and stiffness
• 200 mg Ibuprofen for occasionally unusual aches and stiffness
• {Rx} Furosemide 10-20 mg once to twice a day for very occasional abdominal water retention; when I give this to her I note it in these daily reports.
• {Rx} Metoclopramide 5 mg administered 1/2 hour before meal in the case of very occasional nausea. When I give this to her I note it in these daily reports.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: You'll notice that I have on hand three different types of OTC analgesic. Although she rarely asks for or needs an analgesic and will sometimes refuse one when I suggest it, I make a judgment call regarding which to use: Ibuprofen if the pain is sharp and appears to have been provoked by some kind of movement "mistake"; Adult Buffered Aspirin if the stiffness and/or aches occur in the morning before breakfast, in which case I switch out her normal 81 mg aspirin with the Adult dose, also at other times during the day if she appears to be especially ruddy and can handle aspirin; Extra Strength Tylenol (sometimes halved) if she seems pale and/or more frail than usual and she's had either an Adult Buffered Aspirin or an Ibuprofen much earlier in the day. I automatically see to it that I do not "mix" analgesics within an 8 hour period.