Medicines have increased our life
longevity and ability to fight various diseases. Sometimes we tend to forget
the word ‘side effects’ because all we know is that medicines are only meant
for our good. Looking from a different angle we will see that most of the
medicines can give us side effects too. Now you will ask what side effects? A
side effect is a feeling or condition in the body which comes in an unexpected
manner soon after you had taken a medicine dose. It may be headaches, body
rashes, stomach ache, bloody stools, etc. We always hear from the medicine
companies, friends and family members that this medicine is bound to work, but
we will never hear about its side effects. No medicine company provides this
information on the medicine packet neither our doctor tells about it. All we do
is to ignore the side effects.
Side effects with medicines should
never be taken lightly because it is related to our health. Medicines can also
become our worst enemy by working against us this happens because they respond
differently in different human bodies. A medicine taken by us can interact with
other medicines in our body (like combining with OTC medicines, diet and
nutrition products or other prescribed medicine) and brings out the side
effects which can be seen within days, weeks or months. Most of the time these
side effects are not serious and can be treated by stopping the future medicine
dose or by taking a medicine with different composition and strength but if the
side effects remain for a long period of time then it becomes serious. Side
effects can damage our organs permanently and may even lead to death.
Here is the list of common side
effect by medicines
1. Cholesterol
lowering drugs – constipation, nausea, appetite loss, fever, muscle pain,
itchiness, stomach pain, swellings in different body parts, difficulty in
breathing and swallowing, yellowing of eyes being some of the commonly
occurring side effects.
2. Cold medicines
like acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine and pseudoephedrine – chest pain,
uneven heart beat, feeling of nervousness, no urination, nausea, stomach pain,
anxiety, chest pain, problem in breathing, dizziness and drowsiness,
constipation, insomnia, headache are common side effect.
3. Fever medicines – hives,
difficulty in breathing, dark urine, clay colored stools, nausea, appetite
loss, jaundice, itchiness and pain in upper part of the stomach are the common
once.
4. Diet pills – person
taking diet pills can experience liver problems, insomnia, increase in the
blood pressure, nervousness, dizziness, weakness, cramping etc.
5. Proton pump
inhibitors – Taking a proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole can give side
effect like nausea, diarrhea, fever, headache, gas, vomiting, rashes in skin,
difficulty in breathing, dizziness, pain in body, sleep deprivation, chest
pain, muscle cramps, joints pain, fever, bloody stools, etc. Long run of proton
pump inhibitors like omeprazole can make your bones weak and give you the
problem of osteoporosis. The side effects are more in people above 50 years of
age.
What step to take if
side effects happen to you?
First of all in case of any type of side effect you should
stop the medicine dose and seek your doctor’s advice. Report the side effects
online in the FDA website so that the FDA and health care professional can take
the necessary action against the medicine manufacture.
