What The Doctors Don’t Tell You! Getting The Most From Your Medication
- timetoheal1210
- Sep 26, 2022
- 3 min read
This is for anyone who requires medication to be taken via prescription, especially for those with Long Term Health Conditions (LTHCs) and Disabilities who take a range of medications for different medical conditions. Relevant when you get a new medication, medication is reviewed /analysed/changed.
Getting The Most From Your Medication
Did you know that taking steroid medication such as Hydrocortisone for those with Adrenal Insufficiency can cause some very serious side effects, in both the long and short term? Did you know that simply changing the time you take that medication could improve its effectiveness? Some simple steps can make a big difference.
How to get it to work the best!
It may not seem important, or it may be daunting but reading those long and complex sheets of paper inside your medication boxes is crucial. They can be very daunting and scary. If that is the case then the NHS provide a more simple approach. You can access full details through the NHS A-Z Guide To Medication pages on their website. Examples are;
Hydrocortisone Oral Medication Precautions have all the details you need
Ensure you follow any guidelines on the box label - it will talk about when to take it and whether with or without food.
Hydrocortisone is usually taken in different sized doses throughout the day. Check your prescription carefully and ensure the timings are right. Usually, the highest dose is in the morning.
Do not take this medication with Grapefruit Juice as it will stop your medication from being absorbed into the body.
Understanding when you might need to take extra medication
If you have Addison’s Disease/Pituitary Insufficiency then you will need to learn the Sick Day Rules. Found in detail through the Addison's Disease Self Help Group (ADSHG)
If exercising, having surgery or going through a stressful time your medication may need changing. Contact your consultant/GP to establish the correct doses. The additional stress placed on your body means more cortisol is needed to avoid a crisis.
Avoiding and Recognising the Side Effects of Medication
Medication for constipation can cause problems. Laxido for example is not supposed to be taken any less than an hour before or after medication that you may already be taking.
Did you know the regulation of your hormones has an impact on your bone health? For information about how the pituitary gland can affect bone health, The Royal Osteoporosis Society Blog has all the details.
Medication Interaction between Specialists
Mental Health UK report, ’’More than 15 million people - 30% of the UK population - live with one or more long-term conditions, and more than 4 million of these people will also have a mental health problem.
Hydrocortisone taken in large doses, for a long period can cause mental health conditions to develop. These can end up needing treatment. They also have an impact on any current mental health conditions you may already have. Close monitoring can be essential.
In some cases, certain medication combinations can even lead to addictions to gambling or shopping. Rare but crucial to making consultants aware of what you are taking.
Taking an antipsychotic medication like Sondate can cause prolactin to increase. Monitoring is required for pituitary patients.
Keeping Safe and Well
Ensure you have adequate supplies for all your medications. At least a week's emergency supply, especially if you are travelling.
Remember that hydrocortisone vials have expiry dates, so check these carefully.
New boxes can be confusing. With supply problems caused by Brexit and the pandemic, sourcing medications can be problematic.
These simple steps could make a difference. So happy reading and getting the most from your treatment! Trial and error may be involved but that’s part of the learning curve.
The Important Links
Mayo Clinic - Oral Hydrocortisone Precautions
Blood Pressure UK - How To Take Your Blood Pressure Medication
Mental Health - Physical Health Conditions
Mayo Clinic - Medication Precautions
The Royal Osteoporosis Society - Bone Health
The NHS - A-Z Medications Information Sheets
The Addison’s Disease Self Help Group - Sick Day Rules
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