It’s no secret that a lot of Americans are taking prescription medications on a daily basis. According to a Georgetown University study for the Health Policy Institute, 66% of Americans take at least one prescription medication. While some prescriptions are necessary for some people to maintain their health and wellbeing, some people have filled their medicine cabinet to the brim and are ready to cut back on some of the prescriptions that they take daily. If you are one of these people, keep reading to find out how to safely reduce the number of prescription medicines you are taking and still live a healthy life!
Make a List
The first step is to make a list of all the current medications you are taking. This is a good tool to have even if you don’t need to reduce the number of medications you are taking because you can take it with you to doctor’s appointments. If you want to take your list a step further, make a second column where you can write down the reason you are taking the medication.
Consult a Doctor
The next step is to go ahead and schedule a wellness appointment. It is not recommended that you cut out any of your medications before speaking to a physician. You can schedule an appointment at QCA where one of our medical team members would be happy to sit down with you and look at your list of medications to determine if there are any that could be taken out.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask
When you are getting a new prescription, do not be afraid to ask the doctor about the side effects of the medication. Often, medications have side effects that lead us to take more medication (often over the counter painkillers) to reduce the side effects. Additionally, only doctors know how different medications react with each other. This is another reason why it is so important to have a current list of your medications with you at any doctor’s appointment!
Not Just Prescriptions . . .
Even if you are not taking prescription medications, you should still be aware of how many over-the-counter medications you are reaching for on a weekly or monthly basis. If you are experiencing chronic headaches, sleepless nights, or chronic pain that cause you to reach for over-the-counter medications, you could think about other ways to deal with these conditions. Schedule a wellness appointment today to talk about other methods that do not involve medication to help you feel like yourself again.
Overall, it is important to discuss a desire to reduce the number of medications you are taking with your doctor before making any changes. Call us at 740–236–4131 to schedule an appointment today.