Prescription Medications

Overview

There are thousands of different prescription medications used to treat hundreds of different medical conditions. Your doctor and your pharmacist are your best sources of information about your prescription medications.

Guidelines for taking every kind of prescription medication could fill several books. Common types covered here include antibiotics, minor tranquilizers, and sleeping pills.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are drugs that kill bacteria. They are effective against bacteria only and have no effect on viruses. Therefore, antibiotics will not cure the common cold, flu, or any other viral illness. Unless you have a bacterial infection, it's best to avoid the possible adverse effects of antibiotics, which may include:

• Side effects, including allergic reactions. Common side effects of antibiotics include nausea, diarrhea, and increased sensitivity to sunlight. Most side effects are mild, but some, especially allergic reactions, can be severe. A severe allergic reaction usually causes shortness of breath and can be life-threatening. If you have any unexpected reaction to an antibiotic, tell your health professional before another antibiotic is prescribed.
• Secondary infections. Antibiotics kill most of the bacteria in your body that are sensitive to them, including the bacteria that help your body. Antibiotics can destroy the bacterial balance in your body, leading to stomach upset, diarrhea, vaginal infections, or other problems.
• Bacterial resistance. When antibiotics are used too often, bacteria change so that the antibiotics are no longer effective against them. This makes bacterial infections more difficult to treat.

When you and your health professional have decided that an antibiotic is necessary, carefully follow the instructions for taking the prescription.

• Take the whole dose for as many days as prescribed, unless you have unexpected side effects (in which case, call your health professional). Antibiotics kill off many bacteria quite quickly, so you may feel better in a few days. However, if you stop taking the antibiotic too soon, the weaker bacteria will have been eliminated, but the stronger ones may survive and multiply.
• Be sure you understand any special instructions for taking the medication. The instructions should be printed on the label, but double-check with your doctor and pharmacist.
• Store antibiotics in a cool, dry place. Check carefully to see if they need refrigeration.
• Never give an antibiotic prescribed for one person to someone else.
• Do not save leftover antibiotics, and do not take an antibiotic prescribed for another illness without a health professional's approval.

Minor Tranquilizers and Sleeping Pills

Minor tranquilizers (such as Valium, Librium, Xanax, and Tranxene) and sleeping pills (such as Dalmane, Restoril, Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata) are widely prescribed. However, these medicines can cause problems, including memory loss, addiction, and injuries from falls caused by drug-induced unsteadiness. In rare cases, people taking these medicines have done activities, such as driving and eating, while still asleep. These medicines also can cause a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). Therefore, you should use these medicines with caution.

Minor tranquilizers can be effective for short periods of time. However, long-term use is often of limited value and introduces the risk of addiction and mental impairment.

Sleeping pills may help for a few days or a few weeks, but using them for more than a month generally causes more sleep problems than it solves. For other approaches, see the topic Sleep Problems.

If you have been taking minor tranquilizers or sleeping pills for a while, talk with your doctor about whether you can stop taking the medication or reduce your dosage. If you have experienced any unsteadiness, dizziness, memory loss, or signs of an allergic reaction, tell your doctor.

Medication Problems

Several kinds of adverse medication reactions can occur. See the medication guidelines for tips on how to avoid common medication problems.

Side effects. Side effects are predictable but unpleasant reactions to a medication. They are usually mild but can be inconvenient. In some cases, they are more serious.

Allergies. Some people have severe, sometimes life-threatening reactions (called anaphylaxis) to certain medications. For signs of an allergic reaction, see the topic Allergic Reaction.

Medication interactions. These occur when two or more prescription or nonprescription medications or herbal supplements mix in a person's body and cause an adverse reaction. The symptoms can be severe and may be improperly diagnosed as a new illness.

Medication-food interactions. These occur when medications react with food. Some medications work best when taken with food, but others should be taken on an empty stomach. Some medication-food reactions can cause serious symptoms.

Overmedication. Sometimes the full adult dose of a medication is too much for small people and those over age 60. Taking too much of a medication can be very dangerous.

Addiction. Long-term use of some medications can lead to dependency, and severe reactions may occur if the medications are withdrawn suddenly. Narcotics, tranquilizers, and barbiturates must be taken very carefully to prevent addiction. For more information, see the topic Alcohol and Drug Problems.

Save Money on Medications

Nonprescription and prescription medications can be very expensive. Here are some ways to cut your medication costs:

• Buy generic nonprescription products. They are chemically equivalent to brand-name drugs but are usually cheaper. Ask your doctor if generic forms of your prescription medications are available and appropriate for you.
• Shop around and compare prices at several pharmacies. Prices can vary widely. It may be worth paying a little more if you know and trust the pharmacist.
• Ask your doctor for samples of newly prescribed medications, or ask your pharmacist to fill only the first week's worth of pills. If the medication has to be changed later, you will have saved paying for the full prescription.
• Consider buying expensive drugs that you use regularly from reputable mail-order or Internet pharmacies if they charge less. The only disadvantage is that you will not have a partnership with a local pharmacist.

Related Information

• Alcohol and Drug Problems
• Allergic Reaction
• Allergic Rhinitis
• Nonprescription Medications and Products
• Reducing Medication Costs
• Sleep Problems, Age 12 and Older