self-medication with over-the-counter drugs, is it safe?
By chiumee
@chiumee (850)
Philippines
November 30, 2009 4:08pm CST
what do you do when you are having some health troubles? do you immediately go to the pharmacy and ask for an over-the-counter (OTC) drug hoping that this will help your concern fast? do you think this will actually save your financial burden from visiting a doctor?
with today's confusing bodily conditions with similar signs and symptoms, i prefer to go to a doctor. of course i am also considering the payment for the consultation. but i can actually go to a public health center. this way, i will not be obliged to pay consultation fees. instead i will just pay for the medicine which is properly prescribed for my condition. citing the A-H1N1 or swine flu, i would not be confident to just go buy a decongestant if i new there is a season of this flu yet i have been to a crowded place. more specially if it is not a season for this condition and i get the flu. surely, i will have to see a doctor.
1 response
@NOBODYISPERFECT (96)
• United States
30 Nov 09
if you are taking any other medications at the time, yes, I would consult a doctor before taking it, I saw a show the other day, they said that mixing over the counter with prescription can actually kill you.
if you are not taking any other medications, I would just read the box or bottle, they usually have warnings, like "if you have trouble breathing do not take this"
and so on, and I would recommend talking to the person at the pharmacy (if you can, go to a place where the people who sell it are more likely to know those kinds of things)
