New medications can be new, effective solutions. They have cured illnesses that were once death sentences. They have made debilitating chronic conditions manageable. The benefits they’ve provided are endless, and the announcement of one brings great excitement.
However, there also have been times when they caused unforeseen problems for people. This means when you’re considering trying a medication that has just recently been introduced, you need to do so responsibly. This doesn’t mean you write it off. It just means you get your facts straight and be diligent in gathering them. Today, we’ll discuss how you go about that.
1. Has Enough Time Passed?
Taking a prescription in its first wave of distribution is always a risk. The more involved it is, the higher that risk is.
One of the most talked-about pills that has developed is abortion pills. However, since they’ve only been on the market in the United States for a relatively short amount of time, research continues, and experts are still learning more about them.
If you’re looking to be on the safe side, stick to medications that have already undergone rigorous trials.
2. Have Credible Sources Encouraged or Discouraged It?
What is a credible source? It isn’t the most recognizable name. It isn’t the person with the most viewers or social media followers.
The true qualifiers of a credible source areobjectivity and diligence. They present neutral information. It isn’t trying to lead your thoughts one way or the other. It presents the results of thorough research and lets you come to an informed decision based on what you have been told. These sources arm you with the facts to properly support your research.
If a source leans heavily toward one side of the argument and tries to use dishonesty, guilt tactics, or emotional manipulation to make you think their way, listen to someone else.
3. What Do the Users Say?
Research is good, but feedback from a real person who has actual experience with the medication is the most important kind. Listen to recurring complaints. If the overall review is good, this might be something for you to try.
However, we’re going to throw a wrench into it. No matter how good something is, there will be critics. If you cannot find criticism against a medication, it might be that it is being somehow silenced. An essential aspect of a trustworthy company is transparency and allowing criticism, no matter how scathing.
A lack of critical reviews could reveal something more serious is happening. It’s the same thing as any other kind of relationship. If they don’t have anything to hide, they won’t mind answering hard-hitting questions or revealing their history to you.
4. Find Out All the Side Effects — And Take Them Seriously
The end of a commercial is the scariest bit of it, as they list off everything a person has experienced in the aftermath of taking the medication. It’s tempting to skip this piece, but it’s the one you need to hear the most.
It’s so easy to fall into the “it could never happen to me” mentality. Those stories seem outlandish. But if it has happened to someone before, it is possible. Know each of them and the percentages they occurred in and whether this may be a dealbreaker or more serious based on your medical conditions. Denial can become just as dangerous as paranoia.
5. Take Some Time off Work Before You Try It
You’ve read every review from every angle. It has been supported by people you trust. You’re aware of all the possible risks, and you’ve decided to go through with it. When taking a risk, you need to create room for error. The next step is to reduce the likelihood of this error as much as possible by taking precautions.
If something does happen, you don’t want to try to balance it with a workday. Either wait for a weekend or take some personal time off. If a week passes, and you haven’t had any ill effects, you’re home free.
6. Follow Directions About Taking it to the Letter
Sometimes, medication will come with instructions. It might be to eat something when you take it, or to not eat anything a certain number of hours after you do. It might discourage you from operating machinery. Whatever these instructions are, you must follow them. If it can cause drowsiness, do not make any plans or try to drive to the store, because it would be too easy to lose control of the car. Don’t skip a suggestion to eat, or it could make you sick.
Even if it sounds strange or unnecessary, do it. The doctor put it on the prescription for a reason. Always take medicine within the guidelines, because failure to do so can have unpleasant and even lasting effects.
7. Tell Your Doctor About Any Other Medications You Take
While a medication might not cause any harm on its own, not all of them mix together well. For example, if there is any stimulating component to the substance, it will react poorly if taken with something that is meant to settle your nerves down. There are also just certain chemicals that should always be separate from one another because their makeup conflicts with one another.
Many people are nervous about being transparent with their doctor. They fear the information being used against them or personal embarrassment. We can assure you that your doctor wants to do neither of those things. While some of the questions they ask will sound invasive, they are asking them in the interest of holding up their oath to do no harm.
Proceed With Caution
This piece was not designed to encourage or discourage you from taking any particular medication. The goal is to make sure you have thought it through before trying.
While you cannot completely prevent anything bad from happening to you, proper preparation may help you avoid unwanted results.
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