Money wise how's life as a pharmacist? D you have a big house or other luxuries?
Anonymous
Before I answer this question, let me first state that this should not be the primary reason that anyone would want to be a pharmacist. It is a very important job, and for the sake of the patients and the pharmacist it would be best if they are actually passionate about medicine and want to be a pharmacists regardless of the money.
Now, in terms of money it is all relative. What is a lot of money to some people isn’t much money to others. Most pharmacists, depending on the job type and region, make between $90K-130K per year or so. I have a modest home and live a conservative lifestyle, but do not have to worry about money. I’m not balling like Floyd Mayweather, but I am financially secure.
I am a financially savvy person myself. I can attest that you will find many pharmacists that do live in big homes and drive expensive cars. That is their choice however, and barring any substantial additional income will likely prevent them from accumulating substantial wealth and retiring at a reasonable age.
What would be the physiological reason for a PPI to stop working? I was on Aciphex for three years wtih great success and symptom relief, then weaned myself off fairly successfully, was off for two years, and began to take it again recently (at double the dose as per my gastroenterologist's advice about two weeks ago after I experienced a severe flareup of symptoms). Taking the Aciphex at twice the dose has been like taking nothing. Can't seem to find an answer for this anywhere. Thank you.
Anonymous
Hmm, not really sure about the answer to your specific question on this one. I imagine the most likely explanation is a worsening of your disease process (assuming you are taking it for GERD). Sometimes GERD doesn’t respond adequately to PPI treatment. Are symptoms constant, or only worse at times? Did the PPI help at all? Sometimes patients have worse symptoms at night, and a possible solution to that would be to add an H-2 blocker such as Zantac at bedtime, although no strong evidence supports that. Another possible attempt at a solution would be to get changed to a different PPI. No evidence supports any PPI as being more effective than the others, but some people seem to respond better to one PPI than other. If this is the case with you, I wouldn’t really have an explanation for why AcipHex worked before but not now.
My boyfriend recently suffered a concussion, which also resulted in a ruptured ear drum. He is in a lot of pain but the doctor only prescribed him ibuprofen (mainly for the swelling). He has some Vicodin. Is it safe for him to take the Vicodin considering his concussion?
Anonymous
Hello,
The big concern would be that he will be at a heightened risk of sedation, confusion, and other neurologic effects due to additive effects of the concussive symptoms and drug side effects. While these do not pose any long term harms, he could be at an increased risk of falls and accidents. It would be wise for him to avoid any situations in which he could hurt himself or others while taking it (such as driving or operating machinery).
I am taking warfarin for the 3rd week now. 3 days ago my INR reading was 7.8 in which i was experiencing hematuria. my question is, does this elevation had a effect to my current ankle problem. i thought the pain i was feeling due to my ankle problem ( not the bone but the tissue around my ankle) was improving but since the elevation of my INR the pain is unbelievable. I can't move my foot without feeling the pain. I was off warfarin for the last 2 days and had resume it. will the pain improve?
Anonymous
I honestly doubt the two were related.
What are your thoughts on Drug Information as a career? Pros? Moreso the cons? What is the future of this specialty? Any other insights including perhaps why you didn't go down this path are appreciated as well.
Anonymous
Sorry for the delayed response.
Technically, most pharmacists will spend some of their professional lives dealing with drug information. Whether you work in the retail, clinic or institutional setting, you are going to have to obtain information and evaluate that information according to the situation.
I will assume that you are talking about a career in which your job description is to obtain and evaluate drug information. The pros would be learning new stuff everyday, and not dealing with all of the cons of working in one of the aforementioned settings. The cons would be a lack of direct patient care, relationship building with other healthcare professionals, and I would imagine a limited opportunity to advance your career. I say this in ignorance though, as I have literally no experience in this setting. I had a 4 week “drug information” experiential experience during my clinical rotations, but it wasn’t a true drug information setting.
Drug information centers a few and far between, so getting in one would be very difficult. I never really thought about it as a career, and I don’t think it would suit me as I am one that is always looking to move around and try new things.
Aaron
What are your thoughts on Procrit vs. Aranesp? For example, someone taking a Procrit injection every two weeks if hemoglobin is < 12 g/dL, etc. Is it worthwhile to switch to Aranesp monthly? Thanks.
Anonymous
It would be worthwhile if the less frequent injections are a big advantage for you…depending on the cost of course. It may be more expensive to switch to Aranesp, so that would be a factor as well.
There is a good bit more clinical data and experience with Procrit, but no evidence to suggest that one is “better” or safer than the other. So to me, the only two factors are going to be convenience and cost.
Lastly, depending on the reason you need Procrit, you may want to talk with your healthcare provider about modifying your target hemoglobin. Last year, the FDA issued an advisory recommending more conservative hemoglobin targets for kidney disease patients in light of the risks of Procrit or Aranesp treatment. As a general rule, you probably shouldn’t start on it until your hemoglobin is falling below 10, and your goal for treatment should not exceed 10-11.
http://themedicineguy.com/post/6936015666/fda-warning-anemia-drugs
Hope this helps!
-Aaron Emmel, Pharm.D., BCNSP, BCPS
