Drug Side Effects - Medical Malpractice Lawyers

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Drug Side Effects - Medical Malpractice

Drug side effects are things that happen to you when you take a drug that may or may not be related to an allergy to the drug. Drug side effects can be anything from dry mouth to dizziness to nausea and vomiting. These can be known side effects that are picked up clinical trials of the medication or side effects that are idiopathic and found only in you or in a few people who take the medication. Sometimes a side effect isn't picked up on clinical trial but is found after the medication has been on the market for awhile.

Drug side effects must occur in at least one percent of people who take the drug in order for it to be considered to be a side effect. It can occur at the time of starting the medication or can be found after the medication is increased, decreased, stopped or having taken the medication for several months.

Side effects of drugs are many and can include muscle aches or pains, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, sore throat, itching, dry mouth or headache. Some side effects are mild and do not need medical intervention. Other side effects are serious and you need to see the doctor to treat the medication side effect. Often the drug is stopped or switched to a different, less potent drug. Sometimes things like steroids or Benadryl is used to stop an allergic reaction.

All medications can have side effects and yet there are individuals who take large amounts of many medications hand have no side effects whatsoever. There are individuals who have psychogenic side effects to just about any individual medication they take. It is difficult to treat these people as they tolerate almost no medications. Your sex, age, weight and pre-existing conditions can decide whether or not you get side effects of a medication.

If you have serious side effects, you need to see your doctor. If the side effect doesn't pass after a few weeks or if it is not a typical side effect, see your doctor. Your doctor or pharmacist should be able to provide you with a list of possible side effects you can expect. Possible side effects include blurry vision, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation, headaches, loss of appetite, dizziness, memory loss, palpitations of the heart, arthritic pain, ringing in your ears, hives, other skin rash, coordination problems or fainting spells.

In some cases, a lab test can make sure the medication isn't affecting the organ symptoms. These can include liver function tests or kidney function tests. Blood cell count testing can be done to make sure the medication isn't affecting the bone marrow. One example is Lithium, which can damage the thyroid gland so that thyroid function studies are done periodically to make sure the thyroid gland is not affected.

If you are experiencing a drug side effect, stop taking the medication until you speak with the doctor or pharmacist. You need to call emergency services if you have medication that is giving you a severe or life threatening side effect. If the concerns are minor, consider the risk of the side effect versus the benefit of taking the medication. In such cases, you can put up with the side effect and continue taking the drug. Make sure you ask your physician for further advice on what to do.

Complete side effect information is available by reading the circular provided with the drug by the pharmacist. You can go online and find a way to get the complete side effects of the drug. The pharmacist is a good resource because he or she knows all the medications you are on and can know the interactions between the drug you are taking and other medications you are taking. Tell the pharmacist what over the counter medications you are taking along with the prescription medications. The pharmacist is required to give you any specific warnings about the drug in the circular they provide you with the medication.

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The author of the substantive medical writing on this website is Dr. Christine Traxler MD whose biography can be read here