Table of contents:
- The cause after taking medication it makes you sick
- 1. Prescribe a new drug
- 2. Take other drugs
- 3. Age factor
- 4. Diet foods
- 5. Take two drugs with the same side effect
- 6. You also take supplements or herbal medicines
Have you ever had a situation where you have taken medication but feel that the drug is not working in your body? In fact, over time the drug actually makes you sick and makes you feel worse. If so, maybe you are doing some things without realizing that the medicine that is supposed to treat you doesn't work in your body.
The cause after taking medication it makes you sick
This condition might happen. Not many people know that the medicine you are taking can make you even sicker. That is why, to ensure that the drugs you are taking work safely and effectively, you must know what factors can affect the efficacy of the drug. Here are some things that cause the drugs you take to make you sick:
1. Prescribe a new drug
The side effects of drugs can happen at any time. However, it is more likely to occur when you try a new drug or change the dose of a drug that you previously took. That is why, before taking medication, you must first ask your doctor or pharmacist for any side effects. The reason is, there are drugs such as antibiotics that cause nausea that is not serious and can still be treated.
Some other drugs will also have side effects that may last a long time. For example, blood pressure medications that can cause you to cough. In fact, some serious side effects sometimes appear such as blood in the urine or stool, shortness of breath, blurred vision, or a severe headache. If this happens, consult a doctor immediately.
2. Take other drugs
Although over-the-counter drugs do not require a doctor's prescription, these types of drugs can still cause side effects. Not only that, this type of drug is very likely to interact if you are taking over-the-counter drugs together with prescription drugs.
The most commonly used over-the-counter drugs such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and aspirin can cause side effects, especially in the elderly. If you are on thyroid medication, you will need to avoid certain cold medicines. The reason is, the content of pseudoephedrine and decongestants makes you drowsy and will interfere with the performance of thyroid drugs. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using an over the counter medicine to make sure it's safe.
3. Age factor
Aging is one of the factors that plays an important role in changing the effectiveness of drugs to treat you. The reason is, aging has been linked to a decrease in the various functions of your internal organs such as the kidneys, which can cause the process of removing drugs from the body for too long so that drug exposure in the body takes longer That is why, certain drugs that have a high risk are not recommended to be prescribed to people who are over 65 years of age.
4. Diet foods
Drinking a glass of grapefruit juice or enjoying a bowl of vegetable salad does sound healthy and harmless. However, some of the healthy foods that you may normally eat while on a diet can cause serious interactions with certain medications. For example, if you drink a glass of grapefruit juice and then afterwards take a statin drug - a type of drug to lower cholesterol in the blood, the effect can weaken muscles and cause kidney damage. Not only that, if you eat green vegetables rich in vitamin K such as cabbage can interfere with the performance of the drug warfarin in preventing blood clots.
5. Take two drugs with the same side effect
The side effects of drugs can sometimes be additive in nature. This means that taking two or more drugs with the same side effect will double your experience of these side effects or make your symptoms worse. For example, you may take more than one sedative such as opioids, muscle relaxants, anti-anxiety drugs, antihistamines, or sleeping pills. The effect does not make you calmer, it will make you experience twice as much fatigue.
Well, this is actually not safe for you to drive and do other activities. In essence, changing the dosage of your medication without a doctor's prescription will actually make you more likely to experience side effects.
6. You also take supplements or herbal medicines
According to a study in JAMA Internal Medicine, it is known that more than 42 percent of adults do not tell their doctors if they are taking complementary drugs such as supplements and herbal medicines. The reason is because they are afraid of disapproval with their doctor. Unlike prescription drugs, herbal medicines are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) and do not go through extensive testing to prove that they are safe and effective before being sold to the public.
Vitamins, supplements, and herbal medicines all have side effects and can interact with other drugs. that is why, never forget to consult a doctor first before taking certain drugs.
