How To Be An Informed Drug Consumer
It is Unfortunate, but medication errors happen. They happen in hospitals, in pharmacies, and very frequently at home. Often, people get seriously ill or die as a result of these errors.
The more information a consumer possesses, the better able he is to protect himself from errors and take care of himself. It is imperative you ask your Pharmacists, Doctors, and Nurses about your medications, and you have the right to expect answers.
If you have a chronic illness, head to your nearest book store or library and pick up one of the consumer guides written about the condition. Find out all you can about your illness and the medications you are taking. Your understanding of your condition will help you to accomplish better compliance.
Although your Doctors, Nurses and Pharmacists work hard to keep you healthy, a great deal of responsibility also rests in you. Learn what questions to ask. Expect answers - insist on them - it's your life and your health!
Your Pharmacist can be your partner in preventing medication errors. It is to your benefit to find one who offers services like monitoring your therapy and keeping a complete list in the pharmacy computer of all your medications (both prescribed and over-the-counter) and chronic medical conditions.
He will also keep records of vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking even if you bought them at another outlet. The service is worth any extra cost. With this information in one place, your Pharmacist can help to protect you against harmful drug interactions, duplication of medications and other potentially serious or life threatening problems.
Before you leave the pharmacy, your pharmacist should give you printed information about your medication and make sure that you possess the answers to important facts such as:
1.What are the brand and generic names of the medications? 2.Why am I taking it? 3.How much should I take, and how often? 4.When is the best time to take it? 5.What side effects should I expect, if any, and what procedure should I follow if they occur? 6.What should I do if I miss a dose? 7.Can my medication interact with other medications or foods? 8.Does this replace anything I was taking before? 9.Where and how do I store it?
If you buy non-prescription medications, read the labels carefully. They might contain ingredients you should not take, medications that would disrupt the efficacy of your prescriptive drugs. If you suffer from high blood pressure, thyroid disease, diabetes or other chronic health problems, non-prescriptive medications may interact with your other medications rendering them ineffective, cause an allergic reaction, or not be correct for your symptoms. Ask your Pharmacist for help if you have any condition that may be affected by such products.
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