Today’s Big Q: What Do You Mean by Overdosage?

Because pharmacies and technologies have made it easier for us to access our medicines, people tend to abuse such freedom. We take drugs for various reasons. We might take them to alleviate body pains or in order to prevent cancer and viruses spreading through our body. But the moment we use these drugs for reasons other than medication, we might suffer from different consequences.

As one of the active partners in promoting responsible drug use, Nick’s Drug Store, a trusted Pharmacy in Bronx, New York, wants to spread awareness of the gravity of drug overdose. Today, on the blog, we will discuss the extent of overdosage and how we can prevent it.

What is overdosage?

In layman’s term, it could refer to having too many drugs that your body cannot cope up with. It does not mean that these drugs have to be the ones prohibited by law. This could also refer to the different prescription medication that we are taking. When we have different prescription drugs taken at the same time, it could take its toll in our body.

How can we overdose from prescription drugs?

Generally, drugs sold in pharmacies and hospitals are still composed of different chemicals that are harmful to the body. Thus, we must keep in mind that although these medicines can help alleviate and relieve body pain, then it could still have side effects on our mental and physical health too.

Here are some unexpected ways our prescription drugs can be bad for us:

• Taking someone else’s medicine

  When you have a headache, stomach pains or constipation perhaps, the usual reaction would be you would ask a friend and family member on what is the best cure for it. Usually, they would suggest medicines that they have already tried and is quite effective for them. Because of this, you might want to self-medicate yourself and take the same prescription as well thinking that it would work for you too.

  Moreover, patients with a health complication like cancer might be taking different medication and they might think that asking for a similar medication when their prescription drug is unavailable is okay. But actually, this is not. The composition of each prescription medicine differs from one another and it could not create a good reaction in your body.

• Using prescription medicines as a drug

  Prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines can be easily bought in pharmacies. Pharmacists may think that you are using it to cure physical pain but your intention could be purely for recreation. This is where the conflict arises.

  When you take prescription drugs on huge amounts even if you do not feel any need for it could cause grave effects to your body. Seizures, shallowness of breathing, and even getting “high” could just be some of its effects.

How to prevent drug overdose?

The best way to prevent drug overdose is to strictly follow the prescription orders of the doctor. We must also read the labels and research more on the drugs in order for us to be aware of its prescribed dosage and possible side effects.

In addition, you also have to consult your doctor and pharmacists on the composition of the drug. You have to tell them about your past medications and if you have allergies. In this way, they could adjust the dosage or perform compounding of the medicines to make it suitable for you.

Drugs can be beneficial to us when used for all the right reasons. But once we tend to abuse its benefits in the body, we must be facing consequences beyond our imagination.

For your prescription drugs and medication compounding needs, visit us at Nick’s Drug Store, the leader in Compounding Pharmacy in Bronx, New York. For details, you can call us at 347-590-1029.