An alarming number of us don’t follow our doctor’s instructions on how and when we should take a prescribed medicine, and it’s having dire consequences. About 140,000 Aussies end up in hospital every year as a result of taking the wrong medicine, and death can occur in severe cases.

So how are we getting it so wrong? Here are some common problems, plus how to prevent them in the first place.

GETTING THE DOSE WRONG
Every medication has a fixed level when its concentration in the body is enough to have a positive effect. This is why some are taken three times a day while others only once. If you’re on a number of medications, it’s easy to confuse the instructions. But this has the potential to cause harm.

Doctor’s advice: Go through the instructions with your doctor or pharmacist before you start taking the medication. Once you get home, refamiliarise yourself with the instructions by reading the dosage guide. If you’ve mixed up your dosage, speak to your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

MIXING AND MATCHING
Mixing prescription and over-the-counter drugs and complementary medicines (including herbal remedies) can cause serious side effects. Each can have equal and opposite reactions and, if taken together, may interact and/or cancel one another out. And adding alcohol to the mix can cause problems too.

For example, St John’s wort is often prescribed to help treat depression, but the herbal remedy can actually interact with prescription antidepressants, which may cause worrying side effects.

Doctor’s advice: Be honest with your doctor and pharmacist about the medications you’re taking, including any vitamins and minerals.

CUTTING IT SHORT
A recent report showed more than 50 per cent of people who stopped taking medication thought they didn’t need it anymore, while 42 per cent stopped because they thought it was having side effects. And middle-aged men are the worst – 65 per cent stopped because they thought they had the complaint beaten.

But this can be very dangerous. While some medications, such as painkillers, can be taken when you need them, others, such as antibiotics, are taken as a course and, regardless of whether you feel better, should always be completed. The same goes for permanent medications for blood sugar, blood cholesterol and blood pressure. Even if you feel the medication’s not helping, it’s not a good idea to just stop taking it because the underlying condition may get worse.

‘After you’ve been taking the medicine for a while, you may no longer have thed dramatic symptoms, so it’s easy to think you’re better,’ explains Kos Sclavos, the president of The Pharmacy Guild of Australia. ‘Unfortunately, in many cases these conditions are chronic and ongoing, which means you will need medicines for the rest of your life.’ 

Doctor’s advice: If you have concerns about whether your medication’s working or causing side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, don’t just give the medication away. Remember, chronic diseases progress without treatment.

TAKING SOMEONE ELSE'S
For many people, it can be tempting to take a loved one’s medication, especially if they’ve run out of their own. But it’s not a good idea since every case is different and a doctor has considered every aspect of a person’s health when the medication was prescribed.

Doctor’s advice: If you’ve run out of medication, talk to your pharmacist as there may be an over-the-counter alternative you can take while waiting to see your doctor.

THE RIGHT DOSE BUT THE WRONG TIME
The time of day you’re instructed to take your medication at is important to get right. This is because some may cause drowsiness, which isn’t safe when you’re driving or if you’re operating machinery, while others need to be taken first thing in the morning to help see you through the day.

Doctor’s advice: Never guess what the ideal time of day is for taking your medication. Instead, when you speak to your doctor or pharmacist about your illness, why you’re on the medication and what it does and doesn’t do, make sure you ask when the best time is for taking the medication as well.

MISSING A DOSE
For some medications, missing a dose isn’t much of a concern, but for others it can lead to complications. For example, forgetting to take an oral contraceptive and not taking added precautions can lead to pregnancy.

Doctor’s advice: If you miss a dose, talk to your doctor. Don’t just double up your next dose because you may suffer side effects.

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