The Side Effects of Self Medication

We live in a country where self medication is common place, in fact people take pride in popping pills that they can purchase OTC - Over the Counter. 

Uncles offer advice on what symptoms mean and which pills alleviate said symptoms, chemists are part time doctors and peddle their latest wares, listing out the benefits of vitamins, antidotes and keep you young medicines.

I know so many people, who keep a handy stock of pills, for every known common ailment and sometimes uncommon ones as well. And at the first sniffle, tickle or pain, starts the self diagnosing, "Maybe it’s this, maybe it’s that" and down goes the medicine with a beatific smile.

  

We also live in a country where prescriptions aren't necessarily needed, and the length of the relationship with your friendly neighbourhood chemist, is prescription enough.

Of course with apps like BuzzPharma, ordering medicines home is easy, prescriptions are essential, and no part time doctors to deal with, I reckon that the crazy pill popping and self medication will stop.

There are some serious side effects to self medicating. 

First of all - one mustn't self diagnose, unless you have spent a few years studying and a few hundred nights cramming your head with all the possible ailments that mankind suffers from, you really have no idea what you're dealing with. With new diseases on the horizon attacking our species, getting a diagnosis from people who know best is the safest way ahead.

Second of all – if you have an ailment that’s common, like a case of tonsillitis say, do know the degree of infection, can you peer inside your own throat and figure out if your tonsils are pink, swollen, blotchy or oozing pus (yes that happens). So how would you know the dosage, the anti biotic, what medicines are needed to counter the side effects of the anti biotic (yes, sadly that does happen too), what to eat (I was once prescribed vanilla ice cream to deal with a very bad case of tonsillitis, I speak from experience) and how long must you consume the medicine.

Relapses occur when a dosage hasn't been taken for long enough to kill the offending bacterial intruder. A less than required dosage just sort of stuns the bacteria and then it gathers steam and before you know it, you’re out of commission again and now dealing with a strain which has grown immune to the said drug (what doesn't kill the bacteria makes it stronger, survival of the fittest – pick your metaphor)

And also aren't you weakening your immunity, by popping pills regularly aren't you building up a chemical co-dependency to deal with common ailments that your body is designed to fight and throw out of its system. Yes one does feel weak when the body is battling a nasty intruder, but that’s an indicator that you need to rest, hydrate, consult a doctor and take a day off. It definitely does not mean pop a pill and head to work, that just makes it worse.

And finally with self medication one really only cures low hanging fruit, I mean a headache is not an ailment it’s a symptom of something deeper that’s not right, sometimes as simple as dehydration, or oncoming myopia but an Aspirin or a Disprin is not going to fix the dehydration of myopia, but it will make you ignore what your body is trying to tell you and maybe worsen the problem for another day.

Do yourself a favour, don’t self diagnose, don’t self medicate, reach out to a doctor if you’re unwell.

Today it’s as simple as logging on to a Zywee.com and locating a doctor, hospital, reading reviews and making an informed decision about who treats what ails you.