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How to take over the counter medications safely
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Mixing over the counter medications can be dangerous
Over the counter medications account for over $30 billion in sales last year. The major categories are cold and cough (24%) analgesics (22%) and digestive remedies (20%). Skin care products, eye and ear remedies and skin care products make up the remainder. Most are helpful when used properly however too often they are used for purposes they are not intended for or used improperly. The most important things to know are the active ingredients in the preparations so that you know what you are taking; know about any health warnings; and know how to take them.
A specific area of concern with over the counter medicines is when products sold for different uses have the same active ingredient. For instance an allergy preparation may have the same active ingredient as a sleeping tablet. A cold and cough remedy may have the same active ingredient as a headache remedy or a prescription pain reliever. To minimize the risks of an accidental overdose it is important to avoid taking multiple medications with the same active ingredient at the same time. It is YOUR responsibility to review the active ingredients. By law all OTC medicines must have all of their active ingredients listed on the package. For your prescription drugs the active ingredients are listed on the container label.
THE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS The active ingredients are the chemicals in the product that allow it to work. Some are single ingredient preparations like Tylenol Gelcaps while others are multi ingredient combinations such as Excedrin Headache Caplets. The active ingredient will be listed first on the label along with the amount or dose of medication in each pill or teaspoon of liquid. This section will also tell you the purpose of the medication. For example Ibuprofen equal to 200mg (NSAID) for pain or fever reduction.
USES
This section of the drug label tells you for what symptoms and health conditions the FDA has approved for this medication to treat or prevent. For example: "Temporarily relieves minor aches and pains due to headache, muscle aches, backpain..."
WARNINGS
This section of the drug label includes the following types of warnings: Do not take if pregnant. Keep out of the reach of children. Conditions that may require advice from your doctor before you use the medication. Possible interactions with other drugs and food . Possible side effects of the medication. When to stop taking the medication and when to contact a doctor. This is an important part of the label. They don't call it a WARNING for nothing!
DIRECTIONS
This section of the label tells you how much of the medication to take, how to take it, and how often to take it. Moreover, the directions will tell you the correct method for using the medication for children and adults. Taking too little will not give you the desired effect while taking too much could be dangerous. Also pay attention to dosage for children. Some are okay for children 12 and over while some are not.
OTHER INFORMATION
This section of the drug label tells you how to store the medication and how much sodium, potassium and calcium the product contains, if any. It may also tell you about any tamper resistant imprinting there may be on the bottle or packaging.
INACTIVE INGREDIENTS
This section of the label tells you about substances in the medication that are not intended to treat your symptoms or health condition. These substances may include colors, flavors, preservatives, and binders. It is important that you be aware of these ingredients because they can cause allergic reactions in some people. Things like whey, lactose and sorbital could be problematic in some people.
Remember to talk with your pharmacist or another health care professional if you have questions about using OTC medicines, and especially before using them in combination with prescription medication, dietary supplements or other OTC or prescription medicines.
I will be having a series of articles on several main ingredients that are found in common over the counter medications starting with Acetaminophen first. Be watching for them.
Healthy blessings,
Tracy Lynn
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