Over the Counter Medication and Dangerous Drug Combinations to Avoid

Disclaimer: I am not a health professional. Please seek the advice of your doctor before you change your diet, exercise program, or make any other lifestyle change.

From 1999 to 2004 accidental overdoses nearly doubled. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), they were the 2^nd leading cause of accidental deaths in the Unites States behind car accidents. The CDC has proclaimed that the higher use of prescription drugs has led to the extraordinary rise in accidental overdose cases.

Many of us stereotype drug users to live in urban areas and use hard, illegal drugs. That is not always the case, especially regarding the use of prescription drugs. The growing prescription drug abuse epidemic is mainly in suburban, white, middle class areas, and many of them are dangerous to mix. For example, sedatives should not be combined with any other sedatives unless prescribed by the same doctor.

In the case of an emergency, it is always helpful to have a laminated card with the prescription drugs, over the counter drugs (OTC), vitamins, minerals and herbs you take on a regular basis. Having this card could save your life, and will be a tremendous asset to your medical chart in each of your doctors’ offices.

Line up all your medicines and supplements, write down dosage, how often you take them and the date you started taking them. Print off the list from your computer, or write legibly on a business card sized piece of cardboard. Laminate your list so that it stays clean and legible, and don’t forget to update as needed.

If you run out of room, feel free to use both sides of the card, or print a whole sheet to carry with you at all times. You just never know when you are going to need that card (or sheet) to save your life. Anything can happen, and it's always better to be prepared.

Doctors and Pharmacists are people too. They are human, which means mistakes can be made. Granted, mistakes are extremely few and far between. Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt to do your own research when prescribed a new drug.

• Ask your doctor exactly what the medication is for and about the possible side effects
• Read the pharmacy pamphlet once your prescription is filled before you leave the pharmacy so that you may ask the pharmacist if you have any concerns
• Visit the internet to check (for a third time) the benefits and dangers of the prescribed drug (the most reliable links are WebMD.com and MayoClinic.com)
• Ask a personally known healthcare professional, if you know one (I have 3 nurses in my family, all in different fields)

Another reason for you to always carry a list of your medications, vitamins and herbs are to inform any emergency personnel of what is already in your body. Herbs, vitamins, minerals, if taken in large quantities can be hazardous at a minimum. Check for compatibility with your medications through doctor and online at one of the above mentioned websites.

It is also important to know which vitamins are water soluble and which are fat soluble. Usually the oily vitamins are fat soluble, and those are the vitamins you REALLY need to watch. For example, Vitamin C will absorb into your body and any excess will be expelled when you urinate. However, Vitamin E is fat soluble and will remain in your system. Too much Vitamin E could cause a stroke or bleeding in the brain. NEVER take more than 400 IUs per day unless otherwise instructed by your doctor. High Calcium and Vitamin D levels can cause kidney and liver disease, yet is extremely important to have in our bodies (especially menopausal women). Please consult your doctor for your personal recommended amount.

Herbs may interfere with your medications as well. For example, St. John's Wort, a terrific, natural mood enhancer, may interfere with anti-depressants, inhibitors for HIV, birth control, and some Asthma inhalants. Once again, please check with your doctor if you are taking prescription or OTC medications and you decide to try herbs.

Thank you for your interest in my writing. I certainly hope this article was helpful and brought a new light to the subject of safety. I like to learn from others, as well, so please say what you would like to in the comments section; and I ask that you remain professional when doing so.

"Be kind to one another" ~ Ellen

God Bless You ~ Margaret Sullivan