What you need to know about medication

How many times have you seen an ad on television, asking if you have used this or that drug? The ad would finish up with a phone number for you to call if you or a loved one had, had a heartache, or stoke, or any other major illness, or cause of death while taking that particular drug. We have all seen them.

Now don’t get me wrong, I do believe people should go to the doctor. If you have an illness, which continues over a long period of time a doctor is definitely needed. The only thing I want to stress is don’t just take any old prescription, without reading over the material first.

Doctors are human, and pharmacists are human, they can make mistakes just the same as we do. If you have any questions regarding the medication, you have been given, call or go back and talk to the pharmacist, or the doctor. You may even need a second or third opinion. Don't feel like you can’t ask questions about the meds that they have prescribed for you.

When I first became a mom, I was using the same doctor my parents had used since I was a toddler. Like most new parents I would freak over every little runny nose, a cough, and rash my first-born had. One day after taking her in to the doctor, he asked me if I had any questions, and although he had asked me that same question each and every time I was in his office. My answer was the same, I said, No. His next question floored me.

He asked, ‘Why not?’

“Because I trust you, doc.” I answered.

Then he said, ”Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you trust me as your doctor, and I’m trilled to be watching your child grow, as I’ve watched you over the years, but even I can make a mistake. I’m not God. Let me ask you this, have you ever really read what is on the paper about the medications I prescribed for you, your husband or your child.”

I truthfully hadn’t. Much like every one else I had just taken the medication home and followed the dosage on the bottle.

You know your mother is extremely allergic to penicillin, right. I had known that. I had never been allergic to it, so I hadn’t thought about it much. So to me it was no big deal. I told him so.

Can you read the prescription I gave today? He asked.

I read the prescription; the medication was different from the one I had been giving to my daughter. He continued to tell me, the one he had been prescribing was a cousin to penicillin. The medicine could have caused an allergic reaction in my daughter. If he hadn’t seen my mother just days ago, he would not have realized the mistake. Chance were my daughter would never be allergic to any meds, but don’t ever take chances with medication. Find out what they are, the side affects the medication causes, and if you have questions about anything in, on, or about what have read on it, always ask. Taking your child to a doctor is good, but know what you give your child. That makes you a great parent.

From that day on I read, I asked questions, I knew what medication my family took, what side effect the medicine might cause, and what medications they could take with it. There are so many medicines out there that can cause trouble if you take two or more at the same time. I remember my uncle and all the medicine that was lined up on his table to take three times a day, and I often wondered if they weren’t counter acting each other. He never seemed to get any better. Some people have turned violent while taking two or more medication at a time. So please if you are taking the time to read this hub, take the time to read the papers they hand out with your medication.

There are many medications out there that go by the same name, but are used for different areas of your body. My father was going in for eye surgery. We went down to fill his subscription for the eye drops he was to take before hand. He brought them home, and of course I followed my doctor’s advice once again. I read. The name of the medication was the same only this time the bottle had printed ‘put one drop in ear three times a day’.

So I called the doctor, and then I called the pharmacy, a mistake had been made. Doctors are wonderful, but they need our help. They see hundreds, if not thousands of people in between your visits, so they glance through our files. Not because they don’t want to take the time to read them thoroughly, but because they are busy! They do catch most things, but sometimes something will be missed. The same goes for your pharmacy, the pharmacists are busy, but they are human and can make mistakes. It is your health, your life, your mind, and your body; so don’t just take for granted that someone else knows it better then you. Ask questions, and gain the knowledge about what you need to be healthy. Read through the pages they give you with your medication, one day those papers may save your life.