How to Use a Prescription Drug Safely

A seventy year old woman who was on vacation in Atlantic City went to a pharmacist to refill a prescription for Symthoroid, a thyroid medication. The label on her prescription specified that she was to take one tablet of Synthroid per day, but it did not indicate the strength of the dose. As a result, the pharmacist would not refill the prescription at first. However, after the woman insisted she was taking the “pink pill,” he gave her a one-month supply of the drug.

Less than a month later, the woman was in the hospital. She was suffering from weight loss, loss of appetite, tremors, and rapid heartbeat. The tablet she was supposed to be taking was orange, the “pink pills” the Atlantic City pharmacist gave her were ten times the dosage her doctor has prescribed. “I guess I’m just not good with colors,” was the woman’s explanation.

This is a dramatic example of how a prescription drug may be misused. To avoid such consequences, you should know as much as possible about any prescription drug you are taking. To understand this description is must know about the basic fact of your doctor prescription to the medication. This basic fact of prescription will discussed on the next blog.