Do I Really Need to Take This Medicine?
Sara B. Jutte
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate, 2001
Ohio Northern University
Knowing
how to take your medicine the right way can be hard to do. When
your doctor gives you a new prescription, do you ask your doctor
and pharmacist a lot of questions? Do you really feel safe leaving
the pharmacy with your new prescription? One 24-year-old woman
with epilepsy should have asked more questions. She was watching
television with her husband when she suddenly had a seizure.
After a couple of minutes she was feeling better, but was tired
and took a nap. When she woke up, she had another seizure. This
time after a couple of minutes, she was unconscious. Her husband
rushed her to the hospital where she was taken to the intensive
care unit. Later that day she was declared brain dead.
Why did this happen to her? The husband thought
she had stopped taking her medicine. Maybe the medicine was
causing a bad side effect. Did she realize how severe a seizure
could be? Could it have been she did not have enough information
about the medicine? What if she did not have enough money to
refill her medicine? Did she wonder if she really needed to
take the medicine? These are just a few reasons why people do
not take their medicine correctly. They all add up to the fact
that half of all prescriptions that are filled in pharmacies
are not taken the right way.
Have you talked with your doctor and pharmacist
about why you need the medicine and how you should take it?
Hopefully, you have been given enough information and you do
take your medicine correctly. But no one is perfect. We could
all use a little help when it comes to taking our medicine the
right way. If medicine is taken correctly, you can control health
problems, prevent other health problems and save money in the
end.
Patients with epilepsy are not the only ones who
struggle to take their medicine. Trying to control breathing
problems is also hard to do. If you have asthma, has your doctor
or pharmacist shown you the correct way to use your inhaler?
There are many steps you need to take to make sure the medicine
in the inhaler is reaching the lungs and working. Do you need
to shake your inhaler? If you are supposed to shake you inhaler
and you do not, the right amount of drug may not get deep into
your lungs. By using your inhalers correctly, you can prevent
an attack or trip to the hospital.
Other people with high blood pressure may ask,
"Why do I have to take the medicine if I feel perfectly healthy?"
Even though with high blood pressure you feel all right, you
are still at more of a risk for a heart attack or other serious
problems if your blood pressure is not under control. You may
want to ask your doctor or pharmacist to help you design a system
so you can remember to take your blood pressure medicine at
the same time every day. Also, many people find it helpful to
check their blood pressure at home or when they stop by the
pharmacy. You can help out your doctor by keeping track of this
information and taking it to each doctor's visit.
For those who battle with diabetes, do you check
your blood sugar at least once a day? Do you remember to take
your medicine? Do you eat a lot of sweets? If you do not keep
your diet, exercise and blood sugar under good control, you
may be putting yourself at a greater risk for blindness or kidney
failure.
What can you do to make yourself more aware of
your medicine? Start by taking control of your own health. Be
involved in the decisions your doctor makes about your health
and medicine. Voice your concerns and ask questions. Keep a
log of how you feel and write down questions. Take this with
you to the doctor to remind you what questions to ask. By doing
this, you will learn and understand what the medicine is for
and what the medicine can do for you. The more you understand,
the better the chance is that you will take your medicine correctly.
Finding a pharmacist who will take time out of
their busy schedules to help you is also important. Pharmacists
can do more for you than just helping you with your medicine.
Do not be afraid to ask them to check your blood pressure or
show you how to use your inhaler. Ask them questions about your
blood glucose machines or about tips to help you remember to
take your medicine, such as setting up a calendar or pill container.
Make your pharmacist part of your healthcare team.
Don't leave the doctor's office or pharmacy without
knowing the answers to the following questions: