The choice to try new medication can indeed be a difficult challenge. You want to get better, but with each new medication the challenge can get harder even possibly unhealthy. How do you consider taking a medication to help one disease, but can cause new diseases or worsen ones you already have? This may be hypertension, diabetes, asthma, or even cancer. These may be listed as adverse reactions or side effects instead of disease. Symptoms like back pain, migraine headaches, impotence, decreased vision, and many more have also been described.
For example, the thiazide diuretics may cause an increase in cholesterol, glucose, and uric acid (causes gout). The ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers) used for high blood pressure may lead to rebound hypertension and orthostatic hypotension. Some medicines used for treatment of hyperlipidemia list potential for hypertension and diabetes. There may be need for additional medication to treat what these may have caused or worsened. What a conundrum if you are on all three! Studies have shown that medication errors increase as the number of medicines increases, especially after three in those over seventy.
In addition, the high cost and availability can be a challenge as well. Many have special offers to make it affordable should your insurance fail to do so are available. The challenge here is an extremely low income to qualify for monetary assistance. Many on Medicare and Medicaid are also ineligible for some of these costly prescription medications. For Medicare some may be zero cost. Prescription assistance programs are usually the only source for many who lack funds for medication.
The solution is simple. Make medication safe and affordable. Your doctor will hopefully help you as much as possible. If you find yourself in this dilemma, you can be offered medication that is just as effective or better within your budget. This is similar to changing to a medicine that is intolerable for whatever reason. Compliance is key. Too expensive with serious "side effects" is a main reason for noncompliance.
It is also important to remember good health basics such as diet, exercise, and sleep. Food is essential. The price of food is the highest ever. Food is a major health problem that is often overlooked. Food is nutrition and medicine. It is hard to afford food and other necessary needs, on a meager limited income. There is very little, if any, room for expensive medication.
Look up and research medication you have been prescribed as well as the conditions for which it may be used. Review your medical chart. Check the website of the medication maker as well as a general web search. Discuss all your concerns and options with your doctors and healthcare provider especially alternatives.
You may find staying with a healthy lifestyle with safe medication for you is a sure treatment that works for you and lasts. Maintain a healthy weight, eat healthy nutritious food, do regular consistent exercise, and get adequate sleep to help and possibly cure. Best health!
