Most of us have medicines box at home and self-help remedies to treat common ailments such as upset stomach, headache, fever and some common aches and pains that are heard of in the day-to-day life.
People who take these medicines by following dosage instructions, the side effects are minimal and mild and they do feel relieved from the discomfort.
The problems start when people start to select a combination of more than one medicine because they notice multiple symptoms.
But this choosing of combination medicines complicates the matter further and chances are there that such a combination proves to be a harmful medicine combination.
We should actually avoid all and any combinations of medications unless we are under the supervision of a doctor and he/she has prescribed the same.
It is not possible to give an exhaustive list of various combinations of medicines that should be avoided and can be harmful.
So the safest is to avoid combination medicines altogether.
One more way to ensure that you do not end up being harmed from a combination medicine is by reading labels carefully and seek doctor’s or pharmacist’s help if you want to go for a particular combination and are not sure about the consequences.
The number one thing to keep in mind is to avoid alcohol or at least to be taken in moderation if you are taking any medications- whether you are self-medicating or following your doctor’s prescription, avoid alcohol during the period.
Some of the combinations that can cause adverse effects may be alcohol with any of the following medicines; cough syrups, pain relievers, antihistamines or drugs to combat insomnia.
The consequences if alcohol is not avoided can involve severe dizziness, experiencing inability to coordinate or drowsiness.
Another thing to avoid are the sedatives you may be taking.
They should never be mixed with drugs for sleep disorders. Even if it’s herbal medicine.
can result in dizziness and heart palpitations. The combination is also likely to create an amplified effect that may lasts through the following day and can impair body’s various functions.
Another combination to avoid is medicines such as aspirin. They tend to thin the blood and shouldn’t be combined with blood thinners like warfarin.
People suffering from heart ailments and high blood pressure should avoid medicines to treat cold like decongestants. Laxatives and diuretics should generally be avoided if you have any other stoma.
It is suggested that you only treat the symptoms you have, it’s a good idea to use a multi-drug formula wherever suitable because it allows the patient to obtain relief for several symptoms in a combination that has been tested for safety’s ailments like pain, vomiting or diarrhea.
The wrong combination can lead to headaches, heartburn, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and dizziness. Some serious side effects that require immediate attention may include: heart palpitations, rashes, increase or decrease in blood pressure etc.
If you or someone you know has taken a medicine combination that has resulted in a mild drug interaction, you should discuss it with your doctor at the earliest.
It’s the best practice to avoid combination medicines or read the labels before using them. It helps to check the label for expire date also even if you are taking a medicine without wanting to combine it with other medicines.
