Physicians assess treatment success by looking at numbers. Blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and thyroid function are all tracked with numbers. The goal is usually to get these measurements into a normal range.
It’s too bad there is no simple number to measure quality of life. That’s what patients really care about.
Medications may get blood pressure close to the magic number of 120/80. Sometimes, though, this success makes patients feel miserable.
One reader told this story: “My doctor started adjusting my blood pressure meds a few years ago. I was on atenolol and he switched me to Coreg. That made me light-headed and dizzy and sapped my energy. I complained to no avail, as he responded, ‘The Coreg is good for you.’
“Then the doctor added Diovan. The result was side effects galore: racing heart, muscle aches and exhaustion with minimal exertion. I continued to complain to the doctor until finally I just quit Diovan.
“The doctor sent me to the cardiologist, who agreed I was on the wrong med. He cut out the Coreg and started amlodipine (Norvasc). I took amlodipine for ten days, but my heart was racing with irregular beats. After two office visits and two phone calls, the cardiologist stopped the amlodipine and restarted the Coreg. He said I had the worst case of adrenaline rebound he’d ever seen.
“The next day, I had an ambulance ride to the ER with low blood pressure, low blood sugar, hypothermia and dehydration. The ER doctor said it was a virus, hydrated me and sent me home. Two days later, I landed back in the ER where they found liver toxicity. I was admitted into the hospital and they found the culprit for my liver failure: amlodipine.
“Why don’t doctors know the side effects of the meds they prescribe? If I had been warned, I might not have ended up in the hospital.”
In sports medicine, doctors frequently ask their patients about their pain level, mobility and ability to function. They use a rating score so they can track how well the physical therapy is working to accomplish the patient’s goals.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if patients could fill out a scorecard for symptoms so doctors would know how the treatment was working? This would make it easier for both the patient and the physician to evaluate quality of life.
We have heard from hundreds of people who are prescribed statin-type drugs to lower cholesterol. They end up with fabulous numbers but some suffer from side effects that interfere with their activities.
We received this report: “After taking Lipitor for years I began to experience numbness and tingling in my hands and feet. I could not feel hot and cold but did have all sorts of itching, burning and shooting pains in my feet that made it hard to sleep or even wear shoes.
“A pinprick test showed the problem was in both legs and hands. Blood work ruled out undiagnosed diabetes. Stopping Lipitor resulted in noticeable improvement within a month. My physician finally agreed that I should not take any statin again.
“A year later, I am elated by the turnaround. My energy level has soared and now I love walking for exercise.”
Quality of life is as important as numbers on a chart. It should be measured just like blood pressure or cholesterol.
