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nomorepanic
17-06-10, 19:57
Found this site today that allows you to enter all the medications that you are taking and it will identify any possible interactions and contradictions for you.

I know we get quite a few posts on here asking if this drug is ok to take with that one etc so I thought this site might be useful for that.

You can search for any drug and it will tell you whether that drug would be suitable for you given the current medication that you are on.

I have registered and it looks ok.


The blurb on there says this:

We are changing the way that doctors, pharmacists, researchers and patients like you communicate about drug safety. We help you stay informed about your medications and help researchers access valuable feedback that can help improve how medications are used.

Launched in 2007 as a startup venture funded by Quintiles Transnational, "iGuard puts the power of improving medicines in your own hands," states Dr. Hugo Stephenson, founder and president of iGuard.org.uk.

We are bringing together patients, doctors, and researchers committed to improving the use of medications through better communication and want you to be part of it.


Please note this disclaimer of course:


DISCLAIMER: iGuard is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. iGuard cannot and does not take into consideration every possible interaction or account for individual responses to medicine. Different individuals may respond to medication in different ways. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have before making any changes to your treatment. The use of the iGuard site and its content is at your own risk. The iGuard site and the information contained in it is intended for users in the United Kingdom and information in other countries may be different.

bomberbeamish
19-06-10, 18:56
i think this site is not worth going on as it has made me very anixous now,,, its like google and we all know not to google, not good and has got people worked up,

Belfry1973
19-06-10, 19:05
After just seeing the reaction in the chatroom I agree with bomber. The site very much emphasis' the problems involved with taking the meds, contr-indications, side effects, etc. The vast majority of the comments are also very negative.

I can see this site reinforcing the negative views about medication and increasing peoples anxiety.

janni
19-06-10, 19:18
I know it has a disclaimer but two of my meds showed up red and set alarm bells ringing, then I started to worry about pain killers on top of my meds too. I think it could be a good site for some but not for others like me, but freedom of choice to look I guess.

london
19-06-10, 21:02
we need to know what we take dont we cant have our heads in the sand
sites worth a try

StandFree1903
19-06-10, 21:38
I ask my mum or chemist, If i feel sumits up i just call chemist (during the day), or ask my mum as she checks for me. and my mum only gives me the facts i wana know, not everthing that can make me anxious. Isnt Chemits and NHS24 around for this instead of a website?

nomorepanic
19-06-10, 22:34
Well I thought it was good as it explained to me about my medications and the interactions with other medication I was on.

I didn't post it to upset people, I did think it was a good site.

janni
19-06-10, 22:48
It is Nic hun. Recovered now and it is useful thank you.

hopers
20-06-10, 09:25
yhis site was really helpfull expaining the meds i was on and the interacyhion with other meds that it actually baught to my attion that 3 of my meds shouldnt be being mixed and m making an app at my docs to talk over wiht him if it wernt for nic posting the site i would never have known thanks nic xx

Belfry1973
20-06-10, 12:31
I'm not really criticising the site, I just feel that people should not read to much into some of the side effects and contr-indications. I just worry that people will change or stop taking their medication by themselves without consulting the G.P or pharmacist WHICH THEY ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT DO!

bomberbeamish
20-06-10, 16:03
due to this site i have stopped my seroquel as it has sent alarm bells ringing,, it says i shouldnt take with my othere meds,, and its typical its the weekend but will be at docs tomorrow,, for me i shouldnt of read this site and thats just me,, and im sure it will help others but i have a problem taking meds any way because of side effect ect, and i read people comments which has scared me. im not saying it crap but to people like me shoudnt read it. sorry nic i dont mean to be so hard about it.

ElizabethJane
20-06-10, 16:58
Dear Bomber I wouldn't take this site too seriously. I put in my meds and it was unable to give me an overview of my meds because not enough people who registered were taking lithium. It might help some people but certainly of no use to me either. Please do not stop taking your meds. Your pharmacy will have a record of all the drugs that you are taking and any contraindications will be flagged up on there. Please try not to panic and see your GP at the earliest opportunity.

KK77
20-06-10, 22:59
It couldn't tell me much about my meds either but I take an interest in reading other people's experiences so from that point of view it's useful. I didn't find anything on it alarming.

nomorepanic
20-06-10, 22:59
You should not just stop taking any medication - it says that on the site! Contact your GP for advice please.

suzy-sue
21-06-10, 23:00
I looked and checked out mine ,then my hubbys .All was ok ,but I did know that before ..I thought it was a very good site and better than a lot of the sites ive come across .Every drug has possible side effects and people who suffer with health anxiety ,shouldnt google or use these sites .Sometimes the advantages of mixing certain drugs with others ,outweighs the slight risk of a reaction .Your Dr would monitor you regularly if he /she thought there may be complications .Drug companys have to cover themselves to reveal a possible risk ,even a slight one ,to cover themselves .This site saves a lot of time ,and you can add or remove certain drugs when and if your Meds change .Thanks for posting it Nic . Sue x

ElizabethJane
22-06-10, 15:29
I'm glad that you were able to use it. I did not find it much help tbh. I guess that as it is an American site it only recognises drugs in common use in America? It did not recognise lithium and that is the drug that I would have the most problems with if I mixed it with other drugs or otc medicines. Fortunately I know the contraidictions already and trust the service my pharmacist gives me. I hope it is useful to others but it is not for me.

nomorepanic
22-06-10, 19:21
EJ - it is a UK site based in Berkshire.

I put in lithium and there were some user comments about it so they may be helpful for you.

ElizabethJane
23-06-10, 21:12
I tried this and I did not find it very helpful tbh. The site said that it needed more people taking lithium to join the site before they could comment on it. Thanks all the same.

Rous
18-09-10, 12:25
I just noticed this & tried it, it was useful for me.

3 of my meds interact, the main med I take interacts seperately with 2 others but both combined with my main med is something that wud explain some things lately happening to me, think I'll be bringing it up wae my doc next time I see them. For me this is good to know.

I'd say to anyone who thinks of using the site & has worries beforehand to not panic by the results, I'll admit I was dreading what might come up but to be honest I'd rather know now than have my family know after something happens to me if ye know what I mean.

I'd recommend this site but must warn folk not to panic by what they may see in their own results.

Remember your doctors know you, they know why they put you on the meds, they know what you take and they know that everyone reacts differently to different meds.

When I was taking many different meds a while back the combination wuda been vastly red-flagged by most folk and this site as a dangerous combo but in truth that combo was the only thing that worked for my pains & situation at the time and they didn't do me any harm.

Like I said everyone reacts differently so please don't panic by what you may see but take comfort in the fact you know now how the average person wud be on your meds, not neccessarily how you react to them, you may find your meds work well for you without problems like I was a while back on the dangerous combo the doc was giving me.

Like I said, don't panic by what you may see in your results but take comfort that the site only shows what the average person's response to your meds is, not you! :winks:

I wish I'd spotted this before, thanks Nic. :bighug1: