Updated July 2022.
Have you ever been hurt by a drug meant to aid one problem, only to find out later it caused a more serious one?
While this post does include a sponsored connections the information was researched and wrote by myself and shares my personal stories.
Pregnant women, for one, need to be especially considerate about what drugs – prescribed or over-the-count (OTC) they take. Its easy to assume your doctor knows best- but sometimes, rare times I hope, we do find in the news the occasional “con” doctor. You know, someone who plays doctor illegally.
If you knew they weren’t the real-thing you wouldn’t have gone to them.
And, on the side, let’s talk about being out of town on vacation or maybe you just moved to a large city like DC, NYC or Chicago and now you’re like… “I need to find an urgent care in Washington DC!” You want to be able to find emergency help you can trust so do your homework before you go to the city. Being prepared can ease your mind in case you do need to find a doctor in a busy place like Washington DC or Cleveland, Ohio.
Back to prescription drugs. Bonafide- legit doctors can be wrong too. They’re only human. We also have to be sure we are honest with our doctors about our symptoms and lifestyle because they are basing their prescriptions on what information we are giving them.
Assuming you know your doctor and totally trust their credentials the best line of defense for you, I think, is to:
- do research on your medical condition, yourself
- research what options for treatment are available
- then research the option your doctor prescribes for you
- if you’re traveling do your homework on where the best urgent care locations are relative to where you will be staying.
My story:
With both of my pregnancies I developed pre-eclampsia around 34 weeks gestation resulting in emergency c-section deliveries and subsequently both boys in the NICU for at least three weeks.
I had to be put on blood pressure meds for several months. With the delivery of my second child my doctors had trouble figuring out what kind of meds or how much of them to put me on as I was readmitted to the hospital the day after I was discharged.
They kept me for a couple nights, my blood pressure wouldn’t stabilize at what they thought was a safe range. I was very upset, crying in front of whoever (not like me to do) with being separated from my family or scared about my health, I wasn’t allowed to go see my baby in the NICU at times because my blood pressure was so high. So, the let me go home on meds and told me to come back if my blood pressure hit a certain number.
I researched blood pressure meds and went to my family doctor and we discussed switching from a beta blocker to an alpha blocker. She changed my meds and my blood pressure improved. I made a difference in my own health by being proactive and involved.
Back around the 1950-60s there was a drug out called thalidomide. I believe it was recommended for nausea. Pregnant women were taking this drug and having severely deformed children now called thalidomide babies. My own mother told me she was being pressured by her doctor to take it when she was pregnant with me. She refused, and I’m sure glad she did!
When I was pregnant with my children I struggled with being very nauseous and for my second pregnancy I seemed to be even worse. My doctor had me take, I believe it was a reduced dose of, over the counter allergy medicine.
Drugs have the power to not only help but to hurt. Be your own advocate and get the facts and be prepared.
