Medication's side effects: What you should know about?

Prescription and over-the-counter medications can have side effects that you
should be aware of before you take them for the first time. Doctors and
pharmacists should tell you about any known side effects. You should also
know that many medications could react when taking alcohol, nicotine or other
prescription medications. There can be both long-term and short-term
consequences and adverse effects of taking drugs. Some common
medications can cause injury, pain or symptoms of mental health disorders.

Pain relievers, stimulants

and tranquilizers (both legal

and illegal) can produce

symptoms of confusion,

depression and insomnia.

When your doctor

prescribes one of these

medications for you, ask

about the known side

effects listed by the

manufacturer of the

medication.

Medications are made of

chemicals that can cause

side effects. Common side

effects are nausea, blurred

vision, mood swings,

emotional upsets, and can

even cause confusion,

dizziness

To understand this you need to realize that your body is an immensely
complex structure built from chemicals that must be regulated in order to
function smoothly. Chemicals such as hormones and other molecular
messengers usually make these adjustments. Medicines often work by taking
the place of one of the body’s regulating chemicals to readjust the balance.
When this restores functioning it is seen as helpful.

Some foods should not be taken with certain medications.

Certain drugs are addictive, can impair brain function, cause mood
swings and disturb normal sleep patterns.

Did you know that pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle
relaxers and sedatives could have the side effect of agitation?

Did you know that pain relievers, drugs for angina relief,
anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antihistamines, anti-inflammatory
drugs, cold and cough drugs, steroids, decongestants, and sedatives
could cause the side effect of confusion?

Antidepressants can cause those taking them to experience
concentration problems?

Antidepressants can cause delusions, disorientation, euphoria,
hallucinations, insomnia, and also nightmares.

Certain types of medications are known to have side effects including heart
disease medications, pain relievers, cholesterol-lowering medications,
antidepressants, blood thinners, sedatives, antibiotics, water pills, narcotic pain
relievers, drugs that are taken for stomach or intestinal problems.

Side effects may be rare or common, serious or merely annoying. A medicine
with frequent mild side effects may be tolerated by the majority of people and
be regarded as relatively safe. On the other hand if a medicine has a less
common but more serious side effect it can mean that the medicine should only
be used when there is no alternative, and then with close monitoring. These
considerations require doctors to assess the risk of side effects versus the
expected benefit of any medication. In a life-threatening disease, even serious
side effects may be worth the risk; but for a mild, transient illness, little risk or
even discomfort should be tolerated.

The cold remedy you take makes you sleepy. The antidepressant gives you a
headache. The sinus decongestant makes your heart race.

Side effects are not only uncomfortable; they can cause individuals to stop
taking the medication because of the side effect. When the medication is
stopped without a doctor's advice, there can be consequences such as when a
patient is being treated for bipolar disorder (manic depression) and stops
medication abruptly, causing unusual behavior because of the abrupt
withdrawal of the medicine in the bloodstream.

Antidepressants have common side effects such as nausea, dry mouth,
diarrhea or constipation, sexual issues, dizziness, difficulty sleeping,
drowsiness, experiencing weight changes (loss or gain), and anxiety and
agitation. If the patient discusses any side effects experienced with the doctor,
then the doctor can adjust the dosage, change the time the dosage is taken or
even change the medication to another medication. Different individual may
respond to the same medication differently. It may take several tries before the
correct medication is found. Some antidepressants can even increase the risk
for suicide; so young people should be carefully monitored until they are
regulated on any new dosage or new medicine.

Prednisone is a corticosteroid and has many common side effects including
increased appetite, indigestion issues, nervousness or restlessness. If an
individual on prednisone experiences darkening or lightening skin color,
dizziness, or flushing of face or cheeks, hiccups, increased sweating or a
sensation of spinning they should contact their doctor immediately. Any
corticosteroid can lower your resistance to infections, so any infection you get
while on prednisone can be harder to treat.

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