The Dos and Don'ts of Taking Different Medication Simultaneously

Some medicines interact with each other. Taking medicines that do interact can be very dangerous. Your main concern as somebody who’s on medicine should be avoiding harmful interactions with other drugs and even some foods. For example, did you know that grapefruit can increase the availability of certain drugs in the body, causing adverse reactions? This post will cover this topic and more, telling you about all of the dos and don’ts of taking different medications simultaneously, as well as offering some insight into food reactions.

Researching Drug Interactions

The first thing you need to do if you are taking two drugs at the same time is research whether they interact with one another or not. Most drug interactions are covered online, so you shouldn’t have to worry about not being able to find the information you’re looking for. Whether it’s the information to use Viagra and Cialis at the same time or even taking co-codamol and eating grapefruit, everything you need is waiting for you on the web. Make sure that you use the actual pharmaceutical name for the drugs you are using, not the brand names. Sometimes brand names are not covered. 

Pharmaceutical names should be visible on the back of the drug’s packaging, probably in the ingredients list. If this information is not viewable there, simply keying in the drug’s brand name on Google or Yahoo should bring up the pharmaceutical name. Alternatively, you can ask your pharmacist for support. Any pharmacist should be able to help you learn about potential drug interactions and drug names. You can also view these medications and their potential interactions on reputable medical websites or through trusted drug interaction checkers. The first don’t of this post is therefore never to use two drugs at the same time without researching and seeing whether or not they interact with one another.

Understanding Potential Harm

Another do of taking different medications together is to take time to understand the potential harm that can be caused by mixing two drugs that are unsafe for simultaneous use together.  Side effects are a lot more likely when you mix two drugs together, especially if those two drugs have similar side effects. If a drug that causes nausea is taken with another drug that causes the same symptom, the chances of developing it are much higher than they would be with one drug alone. Also worth noting is that interactions are a lot more common when you take two drugs together. An interaction is when one drug affects how the other works, which could cause one drug to become stronger or ineffective. Alcohol can have the same effect.

When you take two drugs together, it can also be a lot more difficult to keep track of use, especially if the drugs have a disorientating effect. Be sure to journal your use if you are combining two drugs. A second don’t is to take two drugs at the same time without finding out what the potential harm of doing so without researching interactions could be. A simple internet search is all it takes to learn about interactions, so you have no excuse for not doing so.

Research Risk Factors

Sometimes when a drug interacts with another, a healthcare provider might recommend that the patient takes them anyway. This could be because they have a serious health issue and by not taking the drugs, their health could be at risk. However, recommending that two drugs be taken at the same time is not always feasible. This is because some people are more likely to have problems than others. An example of this is people who are prescribed several drugs at once, not just two. 

Also worth noting is that people who’re older and have existing health problems. One health problem that can make drug interactions a lot more likely is kidney disease because your kidneys process drugs and if they are not working, levels of drugs can build up in the body. Something else to note is that in addition to people being encouraged to take more than one drug at the same time, sometimes people are prescribed multiple drugs mistakenly. The next don’t of this post is therefore to never take two drugs you have been prescribed by different providers without asking them whether or not it’s safe to first. You may also want to bring up any drugs you are currently taking with the healthcare provider that’s prescribing you drugs so that they can tell you whether or not interactions are a possibility. You can also find this information online.

How to Behave Responsibly

Responsible drug use is very important. If you have been prescribed multiple medications, make sure that you keep a full, extensive list of every single drug that you take. This includes non-prescription drugs like supplements and vitamins, as well as any foods or herbal mixes that you take. Foods can interact with drugs as well, as mentioned earlier. Knowing what foods interact with what drugs can help you to keep yourself safe. It’s worth noting that grapefruit can be a dangerous food and is known to interact with a number of different medications. Review your food and medication lists with your pharmacist or a doctor. Make sure that you also ask questions when you are prescribed new drugs.

Always read the leaflets that come inside pharmaceutical packages, too. These leaflets contain lots of useful information and can bring any potential interactions to your attention. Also, make sure that you keep all of your drugs organized at home so that you know what’s what. This is especially important if people you live with administer drugs or prepare them on your behalf. If somebody else is preparing your drugs, they need to get the measurements and amounts correct. Some drugs that interact won’t interact until certain levels have been achieved in the body, so taking more than you need to can be dangerous and can increase the likelihood of an interaction occurring. Don’t ever let a loved one prepare your drugs until you have brought potential interactions to their attention.

Be very careful when taking more than one pharmaceutical drug at the same time. Taking drugs that interact with each other could be deadly. While uncommon, it is not unheard of for two drugs taken at the same time to have a life-threatening effect.