It’s not uncommon to receive a prescription for a medication after visiting your doctor. While prescriptions are designed to treat various medical issues, overprescribing and overuse of some prescription drugs is an ongoing issue throughout the U.S.
Even if you and your loved ones do not currently take any prescription drugs, it’s important to gain a better understanding of prescription drugs so that you can keep you and your family safe and healthy.
Myth #1: Prescription Drugs Are Completely Safe
In a perfect world, prescription drugs would be safe for anyone to take but just take a look at the list of potential side effects when you get a prescription, and you know that there are risks to taking medication.
Even though your doctor has prescribed a medication that they believe will treat your medical condition safely, you should always be aware of adverse effects. Before you accept a prescription from your doctor, discuss all the possible side effects and address all concerns. Explore all of your treatment options before settling on a prescription drug.
Most prescription drugs can cause harm to those who don’t benefit from them (such as heart medicine), so always keep your prescriptions out of reach of children and other family members.
Myth #2: The Medicine Cabinet Is The Best Place To Store Your Prescription Drugs
Unless you live alone, your medicine cabinet may not be the safest place to store medications. Keeping your prescription drugs in an unsecured area is not only dangerous for households with small children, but it may be an invitation for visitors to take some of your pills without you knowing.
Prescription drug abuse affects people of all ages from preteens to the elderly, so never assume that your friends, family, and other visitors to your home are not looking for prescription drugs to take. It’s best to keep your prescriptions in a lock box or a cabinet that you can lock up.
Myth #3: Sharing or Using Prescription Drugs Is Safe On Occasion
Unless a medication is prescribed to you, it’s never safe to take. Often people will have leftover painkillers or other seemingly harmless prescription drugs in their cabinet that they no longer take. Sharing them or using them sporadically can be dangerous to your health.
Myth #4: Medical Professionals Always Prescribe The Right Drug
While the majority of medical professionals make decisions that they believe to be the best for their patients, it’s not uncommon to overprescribe drugs or choose the wrong one. Many doctors are pressed for time, and rather than exploring all the treatment options they often write out a prescription.
One of the most over prescribed and misused prescription drugs is opioids like Fentanyl. While addiction and overdoses are growing in numbers due to the opioid epidemic, doctors continue to prescribe opioids. Even though every person who takes opioid for pain will not become addicted or abuse their prescription, it’s a risky type of drug to prescribe.
If you are prescribed a medication, pay attention to any possible side effects and contact your doctor immediately if you experience anything out of the ordinary.
If you believe that you have been unnecessarily prescribed a drug or if you have experienced additional health problems due to your prescription, you may be able to receive compensation, so it’s best to speak with a legal team that is experienced in drug injury law.