Nkechi Uduma
Medical expert in Rivers state have warned against self medication as it may likely endanger the lives of residents.
A pharmacist, Ekene Daniel, enumerated some of the health implications of purchasing drugs not recommended by healthcare providers.
“One of the dangers of self medication is the issue of drug and drug interaction.
” Drug and drug interaction is a change in a drug effect on the body when the drug is taken together with a second drug. It can delay, decrease or enhance absorption of either drug.
” This drug and drug interaction can have a dangerous effect on the liver because so many substances go into the body and in the process of the liver trying to metabolize all the drugs, it weighs the liver down.
” Another dangerous effect of self medication is when the person is not taking the right dosage as a result of administering the drugs by himself/herself. So, only the healthcare provider can recommend the right dosage and at the right time.
” An example is the drug “Ibuprofen”. One may be feeling pains and then go to a health care provider who may recommend the drug in order to relieve the pains. That doesn’t mean that anytime that same person feels pains, he/she should go and buy same drug because there is possibility that it may not be the same health problem.
“Most of these drugs need proper counselling from a medical expert because they are not supposed to be taken anyhow to avoid side effects.”
The pharmacist, also advised residents not to joke with their health.
“The most appropriate thing to do is, anytime one wants to take any drugs, one has to consult a healthcare provider. He/she will tell you the right time to take a particular drug, what not to take it with or what to take it with, which could be food or on any empty stomach, because some drugs actually work faster when one’s stomach is empty.
For example, drug like Antacid will be neutralized when taken with a glass of milk or the person taking it, drinks a glass of milk after. It would lose it’s power. So, these are the benefits one can get when one involves a healthcare provider.
