Isn’t it time you left this to the experts?

If you pride yourself as someone who self-medicates, this is for you. Active! on why mixing different schools of medicine and prescriptions can prove to be a lethal combination

Isn't it time you left this to the experts?

If you pride yourself as someone who self-medicates, this is for you. Active! on why mixing different schools of medicine and prescriptions can prove to be a lethal combination

Popping a painkiller without your doctor's approval can be deadly. General Physician BK Shah shares how a few weeks ago he had a 14-year-old boy came to him complaining of blisters all over his body. Shah later discovered that in spite of being on homeopathic medication for body pain, the boy decided to take a painkiller.

"When he was brought to me I realised he was suffering from Steven Johnson syndrome, a life-threatening skin condition. He had high fever and was immediately admitted to the ICU where he stayed for 10 days," reveals Shah.

Experts say that this incident is not an isolated one. Patients often resort to self-medication, consume banned drugs or mix various allopathic medicine with Ayurvedic or homeopathic ones.

Consult and consume
Doctors advise visiting reliable chemists with valid drug licenses. According to Dr Vimal Pahuja, GP, Dr LH Hiranandani Hospital, certain common drugs that people buy from the chemist without a doctor's prescription can hamper their health.

"There are similar-looking and similar-sounding drugs. But they might not be the ones that you need," says Dr Pahuja. He stresses that a doctor's prescription is the most important thing to carry when you go to a chemist.
Moreover, he says that there are times when the same drug is sold by different brands.

He warns, however, that the patient should stick to the brand recommended by the doctor as various brands have their respective quantities and may not match the dosage prescribed by the doctor. Thus one has to ensure that the medicine you have been given corresponds with the same name, which has been prescribed.u00a0
Also, even if the chemist insists, it is advised not to settle for substitutes without confirming it with your
doctor.

Choose the right medicine
Shantanu Jaradi, director of Dentzz Dental Care Centre, advises gathering the required information before buying a medicine. "Request a sample from your physician when you are first prescribed a medication to help you establish a 'baseline' of a product's characteristics, including its appearance, taste, texture, reactions and packaging," says Jaradi.

He adds that to ensure that the recommended medicine is purchased, one should compare packaging, look for differences in paper, printing, colour, and fonts on pack. The pharmacy from where the medicines are bought should be contacted immediately in case of concerns about quality of the drug or packaging.

Warning: danger
Experts advise looking out for a red warning mark on drugs like anticoagulant Warfarin, anti-anxiety drugs like Alprazolam and others that are not to be handed over without a prescription.

However, harm is not always caused by these forbidden medicines, but also by ones like Lemolate and Enteroquinol, which are easily available but can cause harm if consumed without consulting a doctor.

According to BK Shah, cough syrups can be troublesome in this regard. Shah informs that productive, asthmatic and dry are the three types of coughs and the drug instaryl is the common ingredient for all cough syrups.

"The letter 'P' on the bottle means it is for productive cough, 'D' for dry ones and 'A' for asthmatic ones. Without consultation if you buy the syrup you may end up buying the one which will not cure the type of cough you have," says Shah.

He adds that a wrong cough syrup can cause various problems ranging from giddiness to internal and external rashes. Children with low immunity tend to be at greater risk.

Even drugs prescribed for diabetes can be mistaken by the patient, says diabetologist Raghunath Pathaki. Most diabetes-related products have 'G' written on the labels, which people assume is the only criterion to keep in mind. Pathaki cautions, however, that sometimes a tablet might have double or triple combination of drugs that are not suited in a particular case, adding that 90 per cent of the time people don't check the medicine they are buying.

"A wrong or a banned drug may affect sugar levels causing low or high-blood sugar attacks or even allergic reactions," shares Pathaki.

According to cardiologist Dr Hasmukh Ravat, Fortis Hospital, the side-effects of banned or incorrect drugs in children can cause allergies, bone and pulmonary side effects while adults can suffer from liver, kidney, brain and heart and gastrointestinal problems. Neurological issues like internal bleeding, cardiac arrest, dropping of blood pressure and more can also take place if the proper drug is not administered.

"Certain drugs have severe side effects and toxicity. They cause general side effects to various organs in the body. Many drugs cause toxicity in the manner of causing heart problems. These can be from blood-pressure fluctuations or irregular heart rate. They affect pumping power of the heart," says Ravat adding that side-effects are more severe in patients with heart problems.

Not for everyone: Viagra
Rajan Bhonsle, Professor and Head of the Department of Sexual Medicine at KEM Hospital and Seth GS Medical College, says that medicines to enhance one's sexual life when bought without a prescription can have
undesired repercussions.

For example, a patient suffering from health problems will typically consume medicines that that are rich in nitride content, and he can therefore endanger his life by deciding to consume Viagra without medical
consent.

"Most patients complain of sexual problems. There are certain medications prescribed for particular problems.

For example, someone suffering from premature ejaculation is prescribed specific drugs that will not work for someone who has erectile dysfunction, and can actually aggravate the problem, if taken," says Bhonsle.

Banned drugs
BM Inamdar, current president, India Medical Association Mumbai Chapter informs that during the clinical trials effects and side-effects of drugs are evaluated. In those scientific trials show that the drug has harmful effects, then it is banned. Else, if when surveyed by medical authorities, a drug is found to be sub-standard, then it is immediately withdrawn from the market.u00a0u00a0

However, Inamdar admits that it is difficult to keep a check on whether these drugs are actually available in the market, as the drug controlling authorities do not provide all the doctors and hospitals a list of banned drugs. As a result he says that doctors have to solely rely on internet and journals to keep a track of which
medicine is banned.

"Sometimes drugs are banned but they continue to be made and are available in the market. The government, corporation and chemists should come forward and stress on having some sort of guidelines to ensure that proper information regarding banned rugs is circulated," says Inamdar.

6 things to keep in mind while buying medicines
1. Always purchase medicines from a reputed pharmacy.

2. Ensure that you take a bill with the batch number written. This batch number should tally with the batch number given on your vial or the strip of the medicine you have purchased.

3. Check for the manufacturing or import license on the drug, as certified by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation.

4. See if ingredients and address details of the manufacturer are clearly mentioned.

5. Check for the manufacturing date, expiry date and name of the company.

6. Do not buy any medicine that is loosely packed or if the seal of the bottle is broken.

Banned drugs

Nimesulide: Nimesulide containing products are not permitted in several countries for children below 12 years. The drug has been considered to be Hepatotoxic and children are considered more susceptible to it.

Cisapride: Use of this drug is reported to increase risk of serious cardiac arrhythmia.

Tegaserod: It is used for irritable bowel syndrome and chronic constipation. The drug shows a 10-fold increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. The most popular Indian name of this drug is Ibsinorm and Tegibs.

Phenylpropanolamine: It is associated with the risk of hypertensive episodes like cardiac congestive failures and hemorrhage strokes. Vicks Action 500 is banned due to rich content of this drug.

Rosiglitazone: This anti-diabetic drug causes liver toxicity and failure.

Gatifloxacin: This antibiotic shoots up and also dips blood-sugar levels. It is also known to cause heart movement abnormality.

Pseudoephtrine: Commonly used for cold and related issues, this drug was banned after 50 years of use without any side-effects. Could cause insomnia if taken at night.

Chlorpropamide: Used to treat Type 2 diabetes. This drug lowers blood-sugar levels