Category: First Aid

First Aid Near Drowning

Near Drowning

What is near-drowning?

Near-drowning is a common but out-of-date phrase for surviving a drowning event.

Drowning happens when a person is underwater and breathes water into the lungs. The airway (larynx) can spasm and close, or water can damage the lungs and keep them from taking in oxygen. In either case, the lungs can’t supply oxygen to the body. This can be deadly.

Going without oxygen has a rapid effect on the body.

  • Within 3 minutes underwater, most people lose consciousness.
  • Within 5 minutes underwater, the brain’s oxygen supply begins to drop. A lack of oxygen can cause brain damage.

Symptoms:

  • Pale cool skin
  • Weak or absent pulse
  • Labored or absent breathing
  • Slightly conscious or unconscious
  • Cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin)

What happens after a person survives a drowning?

Right after a drowning, a person may:

  • Be unconscious, unable to breathe, or without a heartbeat.
  • Gasp for air, cough up pink froth, vomit, or breathe rapidly.
  • Seem to be fine.

Even a little water in the lungs can cause serious lung problems in the next hours or days. Emergency medical care is critical after a person survives a drowning.

When to call your doctor

Call or other emergency services immediately if a drowning victim has:

  • Lost consciousness.
  • Stopped breathing.
  • No heartbeat.
  • Inhaled water and then gasped for air, coughed up pink froth, vomited, or breathed rapidly.
  • Become confused or seems to be in an altered mental state.

Call a doctor now if a recent drowning victim has new breathing problems or signs of a lung infection, such as:

  • A cough with or without colored mucus.
  • Rapid breathing. Breaths may also be shallow.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • A fever.
  • An unusual level of weakness.
  • A whistling noise (wheezing) while breathing.
  • Tightness in the chest.

Drowning Self-Care at Home:

In a drowning emergency, the sooner the victim is removed from the water and first aid is administered, the greater opportunity the victim has for surviving.

First aid for a drowning victim:

The focus of the first aid for a drowning victim in the water is to get oxygen into the lungs. Depending upon the circumstances, if there is concern that a neck injury is a possibility (for example, a diving accident) care should be taken to minimize movement of the neck.

When assessing a drowning victim, the first steps for care follow the initial American Heart Association guidelines.

  • Is the victim awake?
  • Are they breathing on their own?
  • Do they have a heartbeat?

Rescue breathing can begin in the water, but all other care requires that the victim be safely out of the water. If other people are available, send person to get help and call emergency. Send another person to get an automated external defibrillator (AED).

If the victim is breathing, he or she should be placed on their side in the recovery position to prevent potential aspiration should vomiting occur (inhaling vomit into the lung).

If the victim is not breathing and has no pulse, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This is one of the exceptions to the hands-only CPR guidelines. If possible, rescue breathing needs to be initiated in a possible drowning victim.

There are some controversies in medical research that potentially might confuse bystanders who are willing to help. It is important to remember that a drowning victim who is not breathing and does not have a pulse is effectively dead, and any attempts at helping are appropriate.

Recently, chest compression only resuscitation has been endorsed by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, and rescue breathing is not recommended. This is not the case with drowning, since the initial insult to the body is lack of oxygen. This requires providing oxygen to the victim as soon as possible. This is a different situation than a patient who collapses on dry land, usually has a heart rhythm disturbance and adequate oxygen levels are present in the blood for a few minutes.

It usually is recommended to start rewarming drowning victims by removing wet clothing and covering them in warm blankets. This is appropriate if the patient who has not lost their pulse, or has been resuscitated and is awake.

For a potential drowning victim who was administered CPR, and the pulse has returned, but is still not awake, keeping the patient cool may be appropriate.

More research is required to determine what new approaches might be applicable to effectively treat drowning victims.

Drowning Prevention

As with any accident, prevention is the key.

  • Learning how to swim should be a priority for all children and for people of all ages.
  • A home swimming pool should always be fenced and secure. Motion detectors may be helpful should the fence fail to keep out unsupervised children.
  • When participating in water sports, the use of a personal floatation device (life jacket) is mandatory. Pool toys are not a substitute.
  • Alcohol is a major contributor to drowning accidents. Water and alcohol don’t mix.
  • Never leave an infant unattended in a bath tub or near water.
  • Never leave a child unattended near water, whether that is a swimming pool or natural water.

Know where you are swimming:

  • Make certain the depth is at least 10 feet if you decide to dive into the water
  • Know about the dangerous undercurrents and waves that occur in fresh or sea water
  • Avoid dangerous marine animals such as jellyfish and fire coral
  • Know the depth of ice before walking on it
  • Never swim alone.
  • Learn CPR

Rescue for unconscious drowning victims

CPR for drowning patient

First Aid Nausea & Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting

Nausea is an unpleasant wavelike feeling in the back of the throat and/or stomach that may lead to vomiting. Vomiting is throwing up the contents of the stomach through the mouth. Retching is the movement of the stomach and esophagus without vomiting and is also called dry heaves. Although treatments have improved, nausea and vomiting are still serious side effects of cancer therapy. Some patients are bothered more by nausea than by vomiting.

Nausea and vomiting must be controlled to maintain the patient’s treatment and quality of life.

It is very important to prevent and control nausea and vomiting in patients with cancer, so that they can continue treatment and perform activities of daily life. Uncontrolled nausea and vomiting can cause the following:

  • Chemical changes in the body.
  • Mental changes.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Malnutrition.
  • Dehydration.
  • A torn esophagus.
  • Broken bones.
  • Reopening of surgical wounds.

There are four types of nausea and vomiting that are caused by cancer therapy:

  • Anticipatory.
  • Acute.
  • Delayed.
  • Chronic.

Anticipatory nausea and vomiting: If a patient has had nausea and vomiting after the previous three or four chemotherapy treatments, he or she may have anticipatory nausea and vomiting. The smells, sights, and sounds of the treatment room may remind the patient of previous times and may trigger nausea and vomiting before a new cycle of chemotherapy has even begun.

Acute nausea and vomiting: Usually happen within 24 hours after beginning chemotherapy

Delayed nausea and vomiting: Happen more than 24 hours after chemotherapy. Also called late nausea and vomiting.

Chronic nausea and vomiting: In patients with advanced cancer, chronic nausea and vomiting may be caused by the following:

  • Brain tumors or pressure on the brain.
  • Colon tumors.
  • Stomach ulcers.
  • Dehydration.
  • High or low levels of certain substances in the blood.
  • Medicines such as opioid or antidepressants.
  • Radiation therapy.

Causes

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are the most common causes of nausea and vomiting in patients being treated for cancer.

Nausea is controlled by a part of the central nervous system that controls involuntary body functions (like the heart beating). Vomiting is a reflex controlled by a vomiting center in the brain. Vomiting can be triggered by smell, taste, anxiety, pain, motion, poor blood flow, irritation, or changes in the body caused by inflammation.

The most common causes of nausea and vomiting are:

  • Chemotherapy.
  • Radiation therapy to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, liver, or brain.

Many factors increase the risk for nausea and vomiting.

Nausea and vomiting are more likely if the patient:

  • Had severe or frequent periods of nausea and vomiting after past chemotherapy sessions.
  • Is female.
  • Is younger than 50 years.
  • Has a fluid and/or electrolyte imbalance (dehydration, too much calcium in the blood, or too much fluid in the body’s tissues).
  • Has a tumor in the GI tract, liver, or brain.
  • Has constipation.
  • Is receiving certain drugs, such as opioid (pain medicine).
  • Has an infection or blood poisoning.
  • Has kidney disease.
  • Has anxiety.

Acute or Delayed Nausea and Vomiting:

Acute and delayed nausea and vomiting are common in patients being treated for cancer.

Chemotherapy is the most common cause of nausea and vomiting that is related to cancer treatment.

How often nausea and vomiting occur and how severe they are may be affected by the following:

  • The specific drug.
  • The dose of the drug or if it is given with other drugs.
  • How often the drug is given.
  • The way the drug is given.
  • The individual patient.

Acute nausea and vomiting are more likely in patients who:

  • Have had nausea and vomiting after previous chemotherapy sessions.
  • Are female.
  • Drink little or no alcohol.
  • Are young.

Delayed nausea and vomiting are more likely in patients who:

  • Are receiving high-dose chemotherapy.
  • Are receiving chemotherapy two or more days in a row.
  • Have had acute nausea and vomiting with chemotherapy.
  • Are female.
  • Drink little or no alcohol.
  • Are young.

Acute and delayed nausea and vomiting are usually treated with drugs.

Acute and delayed nausea and vomiting are usually treated with antinausea drugs. Some types of chemotherapy are more likely to cause acute nausea and vomiting. Drugs may be given before each treatment to prevent nausea and vomiting. After chemotherapy, drugs may be given to prevent delayed vomiting. Some drugs last only a short time in the body and need to be given more often. Others last a long time and are given less often.

The following table shows drugs that are commonly used to treat nausea and vomiting caused by cancer treatment:

Treating Nausea and Vomiting Without Drugs

Treatment without drugs is sometimes used to control nausea and vomiting.

Non-drug treatments may help relieve nausea and vomiting, and may help anti nausea drugs work better. These treatments include:

  • Nutrition changes (see the Nausea section in the PDQ summary on Nutrition in Cancer Care for more information).
  • Acupuncture and acupressure (see the PDQ summary on Acupuncture for more information).
  • Behavior therapy.
  • Relaxation methods: Guided imagery and hypnosis are relaxation techniques that have been studied and shown to be helpful in anticipatory nausea and vomiting.

First Aid Indigestion

Indigestion

Indigestion is a term that describes a feeling of fullness or discomfort in the upper abdomen. Signs of indigestion may be vague but can also include belching, heartburn, bloating, and nausea. Also called dyspepsia (and non-acid dyspepsia), it is a common symptom caused by many conditions and is not a disease unto itself. Some investigators suggest heartburn and indigestion are closely related, others separate these two conditions.

Indigestion Symptoms

Common indigestion symptoms include:

  • abdominal pain,
  • heartburn or acid indigestion (acid reflux),
  • bloating (full feeling),
  • excessive gas (belching, burping or flatulence),
  • nausea with or without vomiting,
  • acidic taste in the mouth,
  • gurgling, rumbling, or growling stomach discomfort,
  • constipation or diarrhea, and
  • decreased appetite

Indigestion Causes

Indigestion is a symptom of many different conditions. It is usually related to a functional problem (difficulty processing food or stomach acids). This dysfunction of the gastrointestinal system can be caused most often by diseases, medications, and lifestyle.

Disease or conditions that may cause indigestion include:

  • ulcers (gastric or duodenal ulcer);
  • GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease);
  • esophagitis;
  • hiatal hernia;
  • gallstones;
  • pregnancy (especially late term);
  • inflammation of the pancreas (acute or chronic pancreatitis);
  • inflammation of the stomach (acute or chronic gastritis);
  • stomach infections and food poisoning;
  • irritable bowel syndrome (IBS);
  • thyroid disease;
  • gastroparesis (a condition where the stomach doesn’t empty properly, this often occurs in people with diabetes);
  • food allergies or sensitivities (such aslactose intolerance);
  • depression; and
  • stomach cancer (rare).

Medications that may cause indigestion include:

  • aspirin and many other painkillers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs);
  • steroids (such as prednisone, methylprednisolone [Medrol, Medrol Dosepak], and Decadron);
  • estrogen and oral contraceptives;
  • antibiotics (such as erythromycin and tetracycline);
  • thyroid medication;
  • blood pressure medication;
  • cholesterol medications (statin drugs); and
  • pain medications (codeine and other narcotics).

Lifestyle factors that may cause indigestion include:

  • eating too much, eating too fast;
  • eating fatty, greasy or spicy foods;
  • excessive alcohol intake;
  • smoking;
  • stress, fatigue and anxiety;
  • caffeine; and
  • moderate to intense exercise immediately after eating

When to Seek Medical Care

Indigestion symptoms are signs of other medical conditions or problems.

If indigestion symptoms are mild or resolve in a short time, talk to your doctor about how to treat it.

If you have any of the following symptoms of severe indigestion, if your symptoms last more than a few days, or if they worsen noticeably, seek medical care immediately:

  • Vomiting or blood in vomit (blood can be red or dark, like coffee grounds)
  • Loss of appetite
  • Trouble swallowing
  • Black, tarry stools or visible blood in stools
  • Severe pain in the upper right abdomen
  • Sudden, severe pain in the abdomen, particularly on the right side (the liver, gallbladder, and appendix are located here)
  • Yellow coloring of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
  • Discomfort unrelated to eating
  • Lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting due to symptoms

Prevention

Most episodes of indigestion go away within hours without medical attention. If indigestion symptoms worsen, consult a physician.

Indigestion caused by lifestyle habits can often be prevented.

  • Do not chew with your mouth open, talk while chewing, or eat quickly. This causes you to swallow air, which can aggravate indigestion.
  • Chew food completely and eat slowly.
  • Drink fluids after meals, rather than during.
  • Avoid late-night eating.
  • Avoid spicy, greasy foods.
  • Quit smoking.
  • Avoid alcoholic beverages.
  • Avoid caffeine.
  • Wait at least one hour after eating to exercise.
  • Always take aspirin and NSAIDs with food.
  • If you are lactose intolerant or allergic to a food, avoid the aggravating foods.
  • Meditation may help if indigestion is caused by stress or anxiety

First aid video for indigestion-1

First aid video for indigestion-2

First Aid Muscle Cramps

First aid -Muscle cramps

What are muscle cramps?

A muscle cramp is a strong, painful contraction or tightening of a muscle that comes on suddenly and lasts from a few seconds to several minutes. It often occurs in the legs. A muscle cramp is also called a Charley horse.

Nighttime leg cramps are usually sudden spasms, or tightening, of muscles in the calf. The muscle cramps can sometimes happen in the thigh or the foot. They often occur just as you are falling asleep or waking up.

What causes muscle cramps?

The cause of muscle cramps isn’t always known. Muscle cramps may be brought on by many conditions or activities, such as:

  • Exercising, injury, or overuse of muscles.
  • Pregnancy. Cramps may occur because of decreased amounts of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, especially in the later months of pregnancy.
  • Exposure to cold temperatures, especially to cold water.
  • Other medical conditions, such as blood flow problems (peripheral arterial disease), kidney disease, thyroid disease, and multiple sclerosis.
  • Standing on a hard surface for a long time, sitting for a long time, or putting your legs in awkward positions while you sleep.
  • Not having enough potassium, calcium, and other minerals in your blood.
  • Being dehydrated, which means that your body has lost too much fluid.
  • Taking certain medicines, such as anti psychotics, birth control pills, diuretics, stains, and steroids.

Types of cramps

1) Tetany

In tetany, all of the nerve cells in the body are activated, which then stimulate the muscles. This reaction causes spasms or cramps throughout the body.

Sometimes, tetanic cramps are indistinguishable from “true” cramps. The accompanying changes of sensation or other nerve functions that occurs with tetany may not be apparent because the cramp pain is masking or distracting from it.

The muscle cramps caused by the disease tetanus are due to a blocking of the inhibition to the neurons that supply muscles and are not classified as tetany.

The most common cause of tetany is lack of calcium. Low ionic calcium can be hidden in blood tests.  Symptoms could be an arm cramp, while numbness and tingling occurs around the mouth or other areas of the body.  The ability to swallow may also be impaired as the larynx goes into spasm.  Tetany is sometimes impossible to tell from true cramps since tingling can be masked by pain and anxiety.

An excess of phosphate (high phosphate-to-calcium ratio) can also trigger the spasms. As well as the under function of the parathyroid gland and it is possible that low levels of carbon dioxide, most commonly caused by hyperventilation,  causes tetany by altering the albumin binding of calcium such that the ionised (physiologically influencing) fraction of calcium is reduced.

Signs 

  •  Hyperreflexia – overactive neurological reflexes.
  • Carpopedal spasm – spasms of the hands and feet.
  • Cramps.
  • Laryngospasm – spasm of the larynx, the voice box.

2) Dystonic cramps – are when the opposite muscle groups to that needed contract.  Examples include the jaw eyelids and larynx.

The final category is dystonic cramps, in which muscles that are not needed for the intended movement are stimulated to contract. Muscles that are affected by this type of cramping include those that ordinarily work in the opposite direction of the intended movement, and/or others that exaggerate the movement. Some dystonic cramps usually affect small groups of muscles (eyelids, jaws, neck, larynx, etc.). The hands and arms may be affected during the performance of repetitive activities such as those associated with handwriting (writer’s cramp), typing, playing certain musical instruments, and many others. Each of these repetitive activities may also produce true cramps from muscle fatigue. Dystonic cramps are not as common as true cramps.

3) Contractures – muscles can’t relax due to lack of ATP.  This can occur with no muscle activity be inherited or acquired.

A contracture is a scarring of the soft tissues that muscle movements normally affect. When a contracture is present, the tissue that is involved cannot move completely,whether the corresponding muscle is activated or relaxed. This is because the scarred tissue cannot move in response to muscle movements. This leads to a fixed body part with loss of full range of motion. The most common type of contracture occurs in the palm of the hand and affects the tendons that normally cause the fingers to close with gripping. Most commonly, this form of contracture affects the ring finger.

How can you stop a muscle cramp when it happens:

You may need to try several different ways to stop a muscle cramp before you find what works best for you. Here are some things you can try:

  • Stretch and massage the muscle.
  • Take a warm shower or bath to relax the muscle. A heating pad placed on the muscle can also help.
  • Try using an ice or cold pack. Always keep a cloth between your skin and the ice pack.
  • Take an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve). Read and follow all instructions on the label.
  • If your doctor prescribes medicines for muscle cramps, take them exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor if you have any problems with your medicine.
  • Drink plenty of fluids. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade, will often help leg cramps.

Here are some things you can try for a leg cramp:

  • Walk around, or jiggle your leg.
  • Stretch your calf muscles. You can do this stretch while you sit or stand:
    • While sitting, straighten your leg and flex your foot up toward your knee. It may help to place a rolled towel under the ball of your foot and, while holding the towel at both ends, gently pull the towel toward you while keeping your knee straight.
    • While standing about 2 ft (0.6 m) from a wall, lean forward against the wall. Keep the knee of the affected leg straight and the heel on the ground. Do this while you bend the knee of the other leg. See a picture of how to do this calf stretch.

Can medications cause muscle cramps?

Numerous medicines can cause cramps. Potent diuretic medications, such as furosemide (Lasix), or the vigorous removal of body fluids, even with less potent diuretics, can induce cramps by depleting body fluid and sodium. Simultaneously, diuretics often cause the loss of potassium, calcium, and magnesium, which can also cause cramps.

Some medicines used to lower cholesterol, such as lovastatin (Mevacor), can also lead to cramps. Cramps are sometimes noted in addicted individuals during withdrawal from medications and substances that have sedative effects, including alcohol, barbiturates and other sedatives, anti-anxiety agents such as benzodiazepines (for example, diazepam [Valium] and alprazolam [Xanax]), narcotics, and other drugs.

Can vitamin deficiencies cause muscle cramps?

Several vitamin deficiency states may directly or indirectly lead to muscle cramps. These include deficiencies of thiamine (B1), pantothenic acid (B5), and pyridoxine (B6). The precise role of deficiency of these vitamins in causing cramps is unknown.

Muscle Cramps Symptom:

Characteristically, a cramp is painful, often severely so. Usually, the sufferer must stop whateveractivity is under way and seek relief from the cramp; the person is unable to use the affected muscle while it is cramping. Severe cramps may be associated with soreness and swelling, which can occasionally persist up to several days after the cramp has subsided. At the time of cramping, the knotted muscle will bulge, feel very firm, and may be tender.

There are no special tests for cramps. Nevertheless, the diagnosis of muscle cramps is relatively easy. Most people know what cramps are and when they have one. If present during a cramp, the doctor, or any other bystander, can feel the tense, firm bulge of the cramped muscle.

Muscle cramps cause the following:

  • Local pain
  • Tenderness
  • Firmness of the involved muscle

This disturbs the function of the involved extremity. When a hand muscle is affected, it can lead to difficulty in writing (writer’s cramp) or grasping. When the muscles of the calf or foot are affected, it can lead to difficulty walking.

What is the treatment of skeletal muscle cramps?

Most cramps can be stopped if the muscle can be stretched. For many cramps of the feet and legs, this stretching can often be accomplished by standing up and walking around. For a calf muscle cramp, the person can stand about 2 to 2.5 feet from a wall (possibly farther for a tall person) and lean into the wall to place the forearms against the wall with the knees and back straight and the heels in contact with the floor. (It is best to learn this maneuver at a time when you don’t have the cramp.) Another technique involves flexing the ankle by pulling the toes up toward the head while still lying in bed with the leg as straight as possible. For writer’s cramp (contractual in the hand), pressing the hand on a wall with the fingers facing down will stretch the cramping finger flexor muscles.

Gently massaging the muscle will often help it to relax, as will applying warmth from a heating pad or hot soak. If the cramp is associated with fluid loss, as is often the case with vigorous physical activity, fluid and electrolyte (especially sodium and potassium) replacement is essential. Medicines generally are not needed to treat an ordinary cramp that is active since most cramps subside spontaneously before enough medicine would be absorbed to even have an effect.

Tips:

  • Stay hydrated, especially if the weather is warm.
  • Warm up and stretch before exercising, making sure to stretch your sides.
  • Breathe deeply and evenly while exercising.
  • Eat Bananas before you exercise, the potassium will keep you from cramping up.
  • Make sure there is enough potassium in your diet. Bananas and orange juice are among the good sources of potassium.
  • Choose cooler times of day to exercise.
  • Avoid exercising, especially swimming, for an hour or so after eating.
  • For shin splints, ice the area. Take a painkiller like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Take a couple of weeks off from high-impact exercise, then get back into exercising gradually.
  • Focusing on your breathing helps to bring the cramp under control and it gives you something to think about besides the pain.

How can you prevent muscle cramps:

These tips may help prevent muscle cramps:

  • Drink plenty of water and other fluids, enough so that your urine is light yellow or clear like water.
  • Limit or avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine. These can make you dehydrated, which means your body has lost too much fluid.
  • Make sure you are eating healthy foods (especially if you are pregnant) that are rich in calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
  • Ride a bike or stationary bike to condition and stretch your muscles.
  • Stretch your muscles every day, especially before and after exercise and at bedtime.
  • Don’t suddenly increase the amount of exercise you get. Increase your exercise a little each week.
  • Take a daily multi vitamin supplement.

Muscle Cramps Treatment:

The primary treatment of muscle cramps involves methods to relax the affected muscle. This typically involves stretching, massage, and heat application. Other treatments are directed toward the underlying cause of the muscle cramps and can include re hydration, electrolyte repletion, hormone treatment, calcium supplementation, etc.

Self-Care at Home

  • Most cramps can be stopped if the involved muscle can be stretched. For many cramps of the feet and legs, this stretching can often be accomplished by standing up and walking around. For a calf muscle cramp, the person can stand about 2-2½ feet from a wall (possibly farther for a tall person) and lean into the wall to place the forearms against the wall with the knees and back straight and the heels in contact with the floor.
  • Another technique involves flexing the ankle by pulling the toes up toward the head while still lying in bed with the leg as straight as possible. For writer’s cramp (contractures in the hand), pressing the hand on a wall with the fingers facing down will stretch the cramping finger flexor muscles.
  • Gently massaging the muscle will often help it to relax, as will applying warmth from a heating pad or hot soak. If the cramp is associated with fluid loss, as is often the case with vigorous physical activity, fluid and electrolyte (especially sodium and potassium) replacement is essential. Medicines are not generally needed to treat an ordinary cramp that is active since most cramps subside spontaneously before enough medicine would be absorbed to even have an effect.

First aid video for muscle cramp-1

First aid video for muscle cramp-2

First Aid Medicine Safety

Medicine Safety

Understanding how your medicines work, and being alert to the following things can save your life, and help avoid medicinal mishaps. Medicine safety is no joke, read below for tips to keep you safe and informed.

When you’re still in the doctor’s office:

Questions to ask your doctor and other tips…

  • Ask your doctor for the medicine that offers the best balance of price and results or outcomes. This tells your doctor in a clear way that treatment goals need to be set, evaluated, communicated and achieved.
  • If you’re older (over 60) or have kidney disease be certain to ask if the new medications being prescribed will be removed by the kidneys. If this will happen your doctor will most likely want to adjust the dosage.
  • Be sure to discuss with your doctor how often you’ll need to take the medication. Be honest, if you don’t think you’ll remember three times a day perhaps there’s another medicine for the same problem you’ll only need to take once a day. You should *always* take your medicine as directed on the bottle.
  • Ask for the name of the disease the medicine treats to be put on the label. This way if you’re taking several medicines you won’t risk getting them confused. It will also give the pharmacist an extra check when it comes to filling prescriptions and making sure they’re giving you the correct drugs.
  • You may wish to ask about side effects, if a certain drug will make you dizzy or tired and you need to take it in the mornings before work, you way want to try a different drug that will allow you to function properly. Some drugs have side effects that are worse than the thing they’ve been prescribed to cure, so knowing this may make you decide to use a different drug.
  • It’s also important to find out how soon you can expect to see results and what you should do if the medication doesn’t seem to be working.

While talking with your doctor, show him that you’re really interested in your health, and making sure you understand what he or she is telling you. take notes, repeat directions and other information, and ask questions- even if you think they may seem foolish or trivial. Feel free to also inquire as to whether they have any printed information on your medicines on hand. It shows your doctor you care and keeps you safe and informed. To make sure you don’t forget something you may want to bring a list of questions with you before you visit the doctors office.

When you go to the pharmacy:

When your pharmacist hands you your prescription bag it’s often stapled shut- open it up before you walk away. Inside it is your prescription and a brief patient info sheet. Your pharmacist can give you lots of information, and answer your questions about your medications. So if you have any questions about the medication, interactions, or other directions your doctor might have failed to mention, take this opportunity to ask them.

Read the label when you look at your prescription. It seems simple, but many people don’t do it. Reading the label will give you very valuable information- such as taking the medicine with food, and not taking it along with other medications. Ask if you should avoid certain foods, beverages, other medicines, or activities while you are taking the drug. Question anything you don’t understand or that doesn’t seem right. Be especially alert to unexpected changes, such as receiving a prescription refill that seems to have a different strength or appearance from your original prescription. If you have questions don’t hesitate- Ask.

Use the same pharmacy for all your medicines. Again this seems simple, but again it’s something overlooked by many people. Using different pharmacies means that when having prescriptions filled for new drugs a single pharmacy might not have a list off all the medications you’re currently taking. This makes it easy for mistakes to happen. You could be prescribed a medicine by one pharmacy that will interact with one you’re already taking that comes from a different pharmacy. Medicine reactions can be very dangerous, so use one pharmacy for all your medicine needs to keep yourself safe. It also gives you an opportunity to develop an good relationship with your pharmacist, they’ll be familiar with your medicines which will further decrease the risk of error.

Another way to avoid interactions is by having your medications mapped. This shows all the drugs you’re taking, prescription, non-prescription and herbal, lists side effects, interaction notices, and maps out a logical daily routine for taking your medicine. All of this is on a single sheet of paper as opposed to the multiple pieces of paper that you get for individual prescriptions that you need to organize yourself. This is a fast and simple way to keep you safe and give your doctor and pharmacist and extra final check.

If a medicine you’re on is life sustaining, or you’re deathly allergic to a certain type of medicine, you may want to invest in a medicine alert bracelet, tag, or card. These can be worn or kept in a wallet and if anything happens to you they’ll let the medical response teams know what they need to do to help you.

When you get home:

Organize your medicines, if you’ve had them mapped then you’ve got a handy daily schedule telling you when you need to take your medicine. makes several copies of this in case one gets lost. If you keep a profile of the drugs you take be sure to keep it updated. Make a list of everything you’re taking- prescription, non-prescription, herbal, medicinal foods, etc- and share it with your doctor and pharmacist this will help prevent drug interactions.

Learn the names, doses, and strength, of the drugs you take:

Take your medications exactly as your doctor and the label on the bottle prescribe. Doing this ensures that the medicine will work the way it’s supposed to, and keeps you safe from bad interactions and other complications. Don’t take to little, as it lessens the effect of the medicine, and don’t take too much as it could be toxic. Occasionally missing a pill is also big deal- some medicines really do need to be taken every day. talk to your doctor to find out about how your medicines will react if missed. Also make sure that you finish a prescription you’ve been given unless instructed otherwise. If you’re unsure if you were supposed to finish it or not call your doctor.

If you realize you have more questions once you get home, don’t hesitate to call your doctor or pharmacist. It is also important to call them before adding any other drugs (even non-prescription and herbal) to your daily drug regiment. If you’re doctor or pharmacist won’t make time to answer your questions you may want to consider finding some new health care providers who will make time for your questions- which ARE important.

Reactions:

If you think you may have had a reaction, no matter how minor –a headache which wasn’t in the listed side effects, a sudden appearance of a rash, etc- call your doctor immediately to set up an appointment. If the reaction seems moderate to severe call 911 or have a friend drive you to the nearest ER. Even if it turns out to be a false alarm, always be aware of things like that. Also, when you go to the doctor don’t just tell them about the new medicine you’ve been taking, give them a list of everything so that they can check for drug interactions. If you’ve had a reaction your medications need to be changed, so don’t hesitate. Minor reactions will get steadily worse and lead to bigger problems.

If you are older and on medications, be careful. Some medications can make the elderly and those with a weak immune system miserable. The side effects of many drugs will leave these people bedridden, sick, and generally unhappy. the elderly especially are at risk because as you age your body adapts and reacts differently to medications. So if 6 years ago you took a medicine that worked for you very well, and you start taking it again, now as a senior citizen, you may see and feel considerably different. In situations like this you may not think to ask your doctor many questions about the drug because you’ve taken it before. But it’s important to understand that while the drug hasn’t changed your body has, and the two will interact differently and the medicine needs to be reevaluated to make sure it is the correct medication for your current state and situation.

Traveling Safely with Medications

Many medications can cause “photo sensitivity,” or increased sensitivity to sunlight. Even if you don’t usually sunburn, taking medications that cause this reaction could greatly increase your chances of getting a bad burn. Your pharmacist can advise you about whether your medication can cause photo sensitivity and recommend the right SPF (skin protection factor) for your skin type.

  • If you are flying, keep your medications in your carry-on luggage so that you have access to them during your flight and will not lose them in the event that your luggage gets lost. Plus, keeping your medications with you helps prevent exposure to extreme temperatures in the baggage compartment, which can alter the drug’s effectiveness. Keep in mind that airport security requires that your medications be transported in their original, labeled containers.
  • If your medication requires you to use a syringe – insulin, for instance – you may need to carry your prescription with you to ensure that you can pass through airport security. The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes be prepared to provide airport security personnel with copies of prescriptions for diabetes medications and supplies as well as complete contact information for the doctor who prescribes the insulin.
  • Make sure that you carry your doctor’s and your pharmacy’s phone numbers with you when you are away from home. In case you lose your medications, you may need a new prescription. You should also keep on hand a list of all your prescriptions.
  • If you are traveling through several time zones, consult with your doctor or pharmacist to work out a specific plan for adjusting the timing and dosage of your medications. This will prevent you from taking too much or too little.
  • If you are visiting a foreign country, beware of buying “over-the-counter” medications. Many medicines that are available by prescription in the United States are available “over the counter” in other countries. Some of these medications could have different ingredients, and may not undergo comparable quality control. Buying these medications could put you at risk for allergic reactions, drug interactions, or other problems.
  • If you are visiting a hot, humid climate, be sure to keep your medications in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Never store medications in the glove compartment of your car. Also, because of the heat and humidity that build up in a bathroom, it is the worst place to store medication whether you are at home or on the road.
  • Take along more medication than the number of days you’ve planned to be away. This will allow you to be prepared for unexpected delays.