That’s a complex cocktail

I’m worried about my mother. She’s 65 and has Type 2 diabetes and mild depression. In the past few months, her behavior has changed dramatically. She is very lethargic and has no energy to do housework. She sleeps a lot and often falls when she gets up. She says she feels dizzy.

She’s normally industrious, loves the outdoors and keeps a very clean home. She says her blood sugars are good during the day, but they go extremely low at night.

Her doctor told her to take Dramamine and cold medicine for the vertigo. She also takes Abilify, Actos, atenolol, Benicar, furosemide, gabapentin, glimepiride, insulin, Lipitor, paroxetine, potassium chloride, Sular and at times Acetaminophen PM.

This is a lot of medicine! Your mother needs a specialist in geriatric medicine who can review everything carefully for side effects and interactions. She should not stop any medication on her own, but the doctor needs to see if she really needs each of the medications in this complex regimen.

Abilify is of particular concern because it can complicate the treatment of diabetes and can be dangerous in older patients. It also may contribute to dizziness on arising.

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I use Travatan, similar to Lumigan, for glaucoma. My eyes have turned from brown to almost black. People should be warned about this.

A change in the color of the iris is a well-known reaction to this class of glaucoma drops. Your doctor should have warned you.

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Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist and Teresa Graedon is an expert in medical anthropology and nutrition. www.peoplespharmacy.com