Every day doctors write prescriptions, many of them for standard ailments in modern American society: diabetes, high blood pressured, elevated cholesterol, and depression. Some of us have multiple doctors, from our primary care physician to orthopedic surgeons, GI specialists, and cardiologists. Americans spend more on healthcare and prescriptions than any other nationality, and some studies say seniors may be taking, on average, as many as 15 different prescriptions.
This sounds like a recipe for disaster. Drugs can interact with each other and even amplify or diminish the effectiveness of each other. Most of the stories we hear about celebrity overdoses list numerous central nervous system (CNS) depressants, which in combination can create a deadly cocktail. In fact, in the last decade prescription opiates have overtaken illegal drugs as a cause for emergency room visits.
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The fastest way to get into trouble with prescription drugs is to simply trust that they are fine as long as the doctor prescribed them. All drugs have side effects, and any drug can be dangerous if taken improperly.
Here are five myths about prescription drugs that could get you into trouble.
1. Drugs prescribed by your doctor are always safe
Drugs are drugs. They might be safer than street drugs because you can't control the quality of the latter, but many prescription drugs have a profound impact on the body and/or mind and their power should never be underestimated. Many drugs have later turned ou to be more harmful than helpful, so stay informed about reported side effects or problems with a specific drug you are prescribed.
This myth is the most common rationale for people abusing opiates. They believe they are not real drug addicts because a doctor prescribed them the pills. They will believe this even after resorting to doctor shopping to get more of the prescription than any single doctor could recommend.
2. I can take some of my friend's pain pills and it will be fine
Pills are prescribed for specific people. The doctor should take into consideration what other medications you are taking, any allergies or sensitivities you have, and in the case of opiates, drinking habits. Did you know many opiate painkillers include analgesics such as aspirin? If you are allergic to aspirin, and don't realize a particular pill contains it, you could find yourself in the emergency room.
3. I have no liability if I give my friend my bottle of leftover Vicodin
This is essentially prescribing medication without a medical license. Don't think this can't come back to haunt you. Did you know that you might have liability if that friend then drives after taking your Vicodin? Personal injury attorneys regularly look for opportunities to find deep pockets when a third-party is injured. In Massachusetts and a few other states, doctors who do not advise patients of the side effects of drugs (such as reduced ability to drive a motor vehicle) can be sued by third parties. By handing over your Schedule II narcotics you have essentially become a drug dealer.
4. I can drive after taking a prescription medication
Whether or not you can drive on your prescription medication depends on the side effects. Some drugs reduce your reaction time or may make you dizzy or sluggish. Some drugs will impair you as much as alcohol would. Most doctors will tell you to take a new prescription when you know you won't have to drive a car, so that you are aware of the effects it has on you and can assess if you indeed can drive after taking the drug. Opiates are one class of drugs that have dramatic effects on perceptions and reaction time, and you should not drive after taking them under any circumstance.
5. If my doctors prescribe me multiple medications, it's safe to take them all around the same time
Not necessarily. Let's say your primary care physician prescribes you one medication, your psychiatrist two others, and your orthopedic surgeon yet another. What if a few of these drugs are CNS depressants: an opiate painkiller, an anti-anxiety medication, and a sleeping pill. Taking all three of these around the same time could be dangerous; the higher the dose, the more risk. If you also drink alcohol you may be creating an even more lethal cocktail. CNS depressants do exactly what they say: they depress your central nervous system, which includes control over your respiratory system. Take too much, you stop breathing.
If you hold a deep respect for the powerful impact prescription medications can have on you, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from the consequences of uninformed decisions. Some believe the modern world was made possible through the discovery of penicillin because antibiotics meant fewer deaths due to common infections and an overall healthier population. Prescription drugs can save lives. Taken incorrectly or without due consideration, they can also be deadly.
Five Dangerous Myths About Prescription Drugs
Vera Appleyard is an author and VP of Internet Marketing for Elements Behavioral Health. She has an MFA in Dramatic Writing from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. She has worked in the addiction treatment field for 10 years and blogs about recovery from addiction at http://addiction-recovery-blog.com and http://www.addictiontreatmentmagazine.com
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