Medications: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly...

So Many Medicines

Many of us take medications every day. Some may be over the counter (OTC) medications including pain relievers, sleep aids, herbs, vitamins and minerals and many are prescription medications. Take a peek into most medicine cabinets and you will find a variety of medicines that we all take, and many times we take them for granted.

Risks and Benefits

I am often asked, as a health care provider, about the side effects of many medicines I prescribe. The fact is that there is NO medication without a side effect. Too much aspirin can thin the blood and cause excess bleeding. Too much Tylenol can be fatal. There are risks of taking every medicine, as well as benefits. One has to measure the risks versus the benefits. We are more aware of the side effects of medicines today because of magazine and television ads. The FDA makes drug manufacturers spell out all the side effects of a drug, even if they are rare, to educate the public. You can get good information about risks and benefits of the medications you take from your health care provider, your pharmacist or a reliable online resource like WebMD.

Mixing Medications

Medication interactions make prescribing and taking medicines more complex. Many medications ramp up or ramp down the metabolism of another drug in the liver, causing serious consequences. Other drugs that do the same thing in the body, for example; thinning the blood, should not be taken together. When you are on Coumadin or Plavix, you should not take aspirin and OTC non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like Advil, Motrin and Aleve without your health care provider's knowledge.

Here's a Big NO-NO

Never take another person's medications. You don't know how you will react to them, since they are not prescribed for you. And you don't know how they will react with the other medications you take. Many patients have been taking strong pain medication for years and are used to the side effects. Other patients are drug naive and may have serious side effects from taking the same medications including dizziness and the risk of falling.

How Do You Wade Through The Confusion?

Be aware of what you are taking. Know the trade and generic names of all your medications and why they were prescribed for you. You can ask your health care provider and pharmacist about the drugs you take. You do not have to be a chemist to understand the basics of your drugs. Just know the basics.

Let's Face It; Medicines Are Part Of Our Lives

When medications are used properly, for the intent they are prescribed, they are very helpful to your basic health and well being. While it is true that you can drop your blood pressure and cholesterol with diet and exercise, sometimes your actions are not enough. You need some help with medicines. We need medications to keep our blood pressure and cholesterol low to prevent heart attack and stroke. We need drugs to help prevent ANOTHER stroke or heart attack. We need medicine to reduce the pain of arthritis so we can get out and be more active. Some of us may need medicines for overactive bladder to keep us out of the bathroom and get us back in the game of life. Medications truly have helped so many live better, longer, more active lives.

So What Can You Do To Take Medicines And Stay Safe?

First of all, keep the medicines in their original containers. Don't put your aspirin in an old vitamin bottle. Organize your daily medications with a weekly pill box. If you get medications with childproof lids, make sure you keep your medicines away from little ones. Many medicines that are safe for you can be fatal for children.

Shop at one pharmacy. Your pharmacist can point out medications that may have drug interactions with other prescription and OTC drugs. Let all your doctors know about medicines you take from other specialists.

Last but not least, bring ALL your medicines to your office visits. Your health care provider can look at the medicines and help you prevent drug to drug interactions and serious complications from taking some medicines together. He or she can help you streamline your drugs by prescribing new combo drugs. Some OTC and prescription medicines can be eliminated. And suggestions can be made to keep your drug costs low by prescribing safe, effective generic medications.

Take your medications seriously. Know what you are taking. Take them as prescribed. Don't try to play Doctor. Make medicine changes with your health care provider. Be an informed consumer.