After a hectic day at college, I decided to drop by at my uncle's shop. Just after I walked in, a lady came in. I thought she was a customer and stood up immediately to attend to her. She smiled at me and then my uncle called my name, saying he knew her and they were friends.
He introduced me as his little neice and we exchanged pleasantries. Just when I turned to put my earplugs on, I heard my uncle ask" How is that old man that was rushed in, to the hospital the other day. Her response was" He's dead. From the looks on my uncle's face, one could easily tell he was shocked. I wanted to hear the rest of the story, so I lowered the volume of my music and kept eavesdropping on them.
From her explanation, I was quite certain that she was a Certified Nurse. I also learnt that the old man was having an extremely low heart beat as well as pressure, when he was being admitted into the hospital. Days after he became stable and exhibited signs of recovery, he was discharged and placed on drugs prescribed by his doctor. The doctor gave a Stern warning to the old man and his family members to strictly adhere to his prescriptions.
Among the drugs given to him, there was this particular one that was divided into 4 parts.i think that was the most active drug among all the others given to him. Two days, later, the old man was rushed back to the hospital and pronounced Dead by his doctor.
His oldest daughter in tears told the doctor that her father noticed that his health condition wasn't improving and tried taking an overdose which she caught him. She booked an appointment with the doctor against the next day, but her father did not wake up.
An autopsy report carried out, revealed to them that their Father took an overdose of his drugs, which lead to his death. Among the drugs found in the system, the one which was divided into four parts was more pronounced. Right there a thought struck in my head and I wondered" Do people deliberately refuse to take their medications as prescribed by their doctor, because they weren't seeing their desired results? Or do they think taking an overdose would speed up their recovery process?
Have you ever wondered such too..
As imperfect humans, we always fall sick, and the need to see a physician for treatment always arises. Sometimes we're given drugs, other times, we are asked to take injections. Before a drug is issued out to patient, a prescription from your doctor is required.
Your doctor's prescription is a written order for the administration of a medicine. Taking your medications as prescribed by your physician is very important, as this can prevent your sickness/disease from getting worse, prevent further hospitalization and even death.
It is so unfortunate that people do not follow health care instructions and have become Doctors of their own body. They decide to take their medications anyhow they like, some even take it in excess to speed up their recovery process.Taking an overdose of your prescribed drugs can also be attributed to drug abuse and this could cause further problems.
How sad - I guess that was the same thing, the old man mentioned earlier thought, which cost him his life.
People choose not to follow health care instructions, as a result of not understanding the doctors prescriptions, forgetfulness, cost factor, multiple medications with different prescriptions or the medications seems not to be working. Etc.
Why then is it important to take your drugs as prescribed by your Doctor
Here's what you should know.
* Each drug recommended by your Doctor for a particular illness has it's duration and strenght at which it works in the body. When it becomes too much in the body, complications could arise leading to Chronic organ failure.
* Another thing to note is that, every drug has it's side effects. A drug meant for treating a particular illness could have side effects on another part of the body. Large doses of such drugs/ medication can make the side effects more pronounced.
* Have you ever noticed that before a drug is prescribed, you'll be asked your age, well yes.. this is because people respond differently to drugs. While some in a particular age group react faster, others could react slowly. Taking your drugs as prescribed is tailored to your individual needs and body requirements.
Tips to Help You Take Your Medications
1. Create a routine
2. Keep it visible
3. Set an alarm: if a drug/ medication has a duration of 8 hours, setting an alarm that kicks off at exactly 8 hours can help you keep track.
4. Inform your family members or a trusted associate, to always alert you when it's time to take your drugs.
5. Use a dosette box (pill box): This is a multicompartment compliance aid for storing scheduled doses of medications.
6. Make use of a Pill reminder app
7. Use calendar alerts
8. Ask your doctor to simplify your medication.: If you find it very difficult to take more than three drugs at once per day, consult with your doctor. Do not select the ones you like and abadon the rest. Your doctor might be able to find a similar drug that can be taken once a day.
9. If you notice any change in your body that doesn't seem right. Please visit your healthcare provider.
"Life is a precious gift, stick to your Doctor's instructions. A wise man always play by the rules."
