Staying Safe with Pharmaceuticals
Get educated.Read as much information as you can on any drug before taking it. Learn the possible dangers and weigh them against the potential benefits.Ask your doctor and pharmacist about their experiences with patients who have used this medication. Find out whether to take the drug with meals or on an empty stomach, side effects to watch for, and what to do in case of an adverse reaction.
Create a “medication card.”
Make a list that summarizes all prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and all supplements you take. Include the name of the product, its strength, the dose and frequency at which you use it, your reason for taking it, the date when you first started it, and the names and phone numbers of your doctors and pharmacist. Keep this card in your wallet as a ready reference. You can also receive a free medication card by mail from the University of Connecticut Health Center. Call 800-535-6232 or download it from http://health.uchc.edu/medicard/index.htm.
Learn about drug interactions.
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all your drugs and supplements. Inquire about possible interactions. Read the drug package inserts. This book also discusses possible drug interactions. Replenish nutrients known to be depleted by the medications you are taking. This book is a good resource for that purpose. Be extra-cautious with new drugs. As you read earlier in this chapter, adverse reactions are often discovered after new drugs have been on the market for a few years or longer. Stick with tried-and-true drugs. If you must use a new one, request the lowest starting dose possible.
Choose natural therapies.
Whenever you can safely do so, try natural remedies instead of drug therapies.Work with a doctor who will support this decision, and make a holistic doctor a part of your health care team.
References:
Fontanarosa, PB, D Rennie, and CD DeAngelis. 2004. Postmarketing surveillance—lack of vigilance, lack of trust. Journal of the American Medical Association. 292(21):2647–50.
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