Medication can be a great way to maintain your health. It can treat a variety of major and minor conditions when prescribed properly. The trouble is, taking medication comes with its own risks. That’s why it’s important to talk to your doctor about the medications you’re taking.
You don’t have to have a reason to bring up your medications with your doctor. If you want to talk about your meds, go ahead and do it at your next appointment! However, if you’re struggling to figure out if it’s worth scheduling an appointment, or you aren’t sure if you should bring it up with your doctor next time you see them, these seven reasons can help you make up your mind.
You Don’t Like the Side Effects
Medications can have side effects. Some are easy to live with, while others aren’t. If you’re experiencing side effects that make you uncomfortable or concerned, you should always bring them up with your doctor.
Although some side effects might be common, others may not be. Unfortunately, medications aren’t always as safe as they initially seemed to be, which leads many patients to seek compensation for product liability from drug companies. By talking to your doctor at the first sign of a problem, you can avoid potentially life-changing side effects from a dangerous medication.
What kinds of side effects should you look out for? Any change you notice should be brought up with your doctor, but some other symptoms that could be a sign there’s trouble include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Suicidal thoughts
You Want to Take Fewer Pills Each Day
Did you know the average American in their late 60’s takes up to 15 prescriptions each year? Many of these medications are taken at the same time on a daily basis. That’s a lot of pills!
No one sets out to take that many medications, but over the years, it’s easy for prescriptions to sneak up on you. Not only can taking all that medication have the potential to harm your health, remembering to take all those meds can be nearly impossible!
Talk to your doctor about taking fewer pills. You may discover that a few of your medications can be combined into one pill, while others can be eliminated altogether with simple changes to your diet or lifestyle.
Just make sure you talk to your doctor before stopping your medication. It can be dangerous to stop taking some medication when your body is used to it.
You Are Taking a Medicine You’ve Never Had Before
It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor whenever you start taking a new medication. There are many drug interactions that can be dangerous to your health. By talking to your doctor, they can offer alternatives to some of the drugs you’re taking so those interactions don’t take place.
It’s important to talk to your doctor about any new prescribed medications you’re taking, but you also have to talk to them about any over the counter medications you take. They can interact with other over the counter drugs, in addition to prescriptions, and cause some serious side effects and health problems.
Things Aren’t Getting Better
You take medication to manage your symptoms. The whole point is that medication is supposed to make your life better. If your life hasn’t gotten any better, and especially if it has gotten worse, you should definitely bring it up with your doctor.
A lot of research is done on medication before it can be prescribed, but that doesn’t mean it works the same for everyone. Some people may have a lot of success with a certain drug, while someone else may not even notice they’re taking it.
There are alternatives for most medications, so if you aren’t having any luck with one, you can ask your doctor if there is something else you can try.
You’re Seeing More Than One Doctor
A fact of life today is that general practitioners are no longer the norm. That can be a good and a bad thing. Doctors know more than ever about their area of study, but because they aren’t treating your entire body, it’s easy to end up with multiple doctors.
That can spell trouble if you take medication. Something one doctor prescribed may go unnoticed by another doctor. Make sure you always bring a medication list to your appointments so every doctor can see exactly what medication you’re taking.
Even if you have more than one doctor, you should try not to have more than one pharmacist. They can help you keep an eye on all the medications you take and suggest alternatives if they have a concern.
You Have a New Diagnosis
Our bodies and our health changes throughout our lives. You may have been healthy throughout your 30’s but you might end up being diagnosed with a medical condition in your 40’s. For others, different diagnoses have followed them throughout their lifetimes.
No matter what your health history, you should talk about any new diagnosis with your doctors, and how that diagnosis will impact the medication you’re taking. Medication you’re already taking may need to be changed because you have to start taking something new.
You Want to Pursue More Natural Treatment Options
It’s your doctor’s job to provide you with medicine when you’re in need. However, that doesn’t mean you need medicine. Although pharmaceuticals can help with many ailments, so can more natural treatments. If you want to pursue more natural treatment options, don’t be afraid to bring it up with your doctor.
Many doctors are able to offer diet, exercise, and supplement options that can help you limit the number of medications you take. They may also be able to refer you to a naturopathic physician in your area.
Don’t be afraid to bring up your prescriptions with your doctor! There are many ways they can help you, regardless of what concerns you have.
