Your familiarity with the interaction of prescriptions and alcohol keeps you from drinking while taking your pain medication. You do not want to experience an adverse effect, especially while driving.
Do you also know that you need to consider the effect over-the-counter drugs may have on you when paired with a prescription? While you may not expect it, you may wind up impaired, and if driving, it may land you in hot water. Understanding what you can and cannot take while taking a prescription may mean the difference between getting home safely and finding yourself in jail –or worse.
Take care in choosing allergy relief
With summer bearing down, your allergies may have you feeling miserable. You may take a trip to the drug store and purchasing something recommended by a friend. What you do not consider, though, is how it will interact with your prescription. Some allergy pills contain antihistamines which may make you tired or pseudoephedrine which may hype you. Either of these mixed with certain prescriptions may cause extreme impairment.
Pain relievers mixed with prescription painkillers
Perhaps your best source of relief for a headache is acetaminophen. When reaching for one of these while also taking a prescription painkiller, take great care you are not taking too much. Many common pain relievers and prescriptions contain acetaminophen. It could result in an unintentional overdose.
Ask your doctor or a pharmacist
What should you do if you need relief for common ailments? If you think of it during normal office hours, contact your physician for a solution. If, however, it is after the doctor is gone, ask your pharmacist. He or she can look up the exact dosage of your prescription and guide you to something that will not impair or sicken you.
Dealing with an illness or injury that requires a prescription is difficult enough without getting in legal trouble by mixing ingredients and inadvertently finding yourself impaired.