Myth: It can be beneficial to give your body a medicine ‘detox’ by occasionally stopping taking your regular medicines for a long term condition.
Fact: It is important that you take the medicine as it has been prescribed which includes taking it for the correct amount of time. Stopping taking medicines that have been prescribed for a long term condition can have catastrophic results. For example:
Asthma: Taking a break from a medicine intended to control asthma can result in a rapid loss of control of the condition and an asthma attack.
Diabetes: Taking a break from a medicine for diabetes can lead to uncontrolled high blood sugar levels. Poorly controlled diabetes can lead to devastating complications including liver, heart disease, blindness and amputations.
Depression: Taking a break from certain medicines for depression can result in headaches, anxiety, dizziness, sweating and flu-like symptoms.
You should always seek advice before stopping a medicine for a long-term condition.
If you have a long term condition, you can ask your pharmacist for a medicine use review. This is a free NHS service which aims to give people a better understanding of their medicine and how it helps to support their long term condition. Your pharmacist may also be able to suggest appropriate measures to help with any side effects you are experiencing.
Myth: It is ok to share non-prescription medicines that have been specifically recommended for someone else.
Fact: All medicines can interact with others, whether they are on a prescription or not. Don’t be tempted to share medicines intended for you with other people as they may not be suitable for them and could cause problems if they take them. If you have a minor ailment and would like medicine for it, visit your pharmacist who can give you a medicine that will be most suitable for you.
Myth: Aspirin is just a weaker version of ibuprofen.
Fact: Aspirin and ibuprofen are both non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs but should not be thought of as the same medicine. If you have high blood pressure, bleeding disorders, asthma, stomach ulcers or liver and kidney disease, aspirin may not be suitable for you. Ibuprofen may cause drowsiness and dizziness and can interact adversely if you have blood clotting problems, stomach ulcers, kidney or heart problems.
Myth: The flu vaccine can give some people the flu.
Fact: Flu vaccines can give flu-like symptoms such as a sore arm or feeling hot but there is no live virus in the flu vaccine, so there is no possibility of catching flu from the vaccine.
Myth: It is ok to give adult medication to a child, so long as the dosage is reduced.
Fact: Since children are generally smaller than adults, you might think that it's okay to give your child a smaller dose of a specific medicine made for adults. This, however, is not the case and can be dangerous. A child is not simply a smaller version of an adult. Their metabolism and physiology are different in terms of drug metabolism. An adult medication is significantly stronger than what a child should take and they are formulated specifically for adults. Always aim to give your children medications formulated for children, unless an adult medication clearly gives directions for children.
Myth: The contraceptive pill will always make you put on weight.
Fact: Weight gain is a listed side effect of the contraceptive pill but it is not inevitable that you will put on weight. Poor diet, lack of exercise and drinking too much alcohol can contribute to weight gain. Weight gain during the hormonal cycle can also be down to fluid retention. If you’re worried about weight gain or about taking the contraceptive pill, ask your pharmacist for advice.
Myth: Medicines do not go out of date.
Fact: Medicines are not effective once they have passed their expiry date so it is very important to have a regular look inside your medicine cabinet. For example you might be surprised to know the following facts about common medicines:
Eye drops – most eye drops expire 28 days after opening and for some preparations, the shelf life is even shorter. It’s important to pay attention to the expiry date as a bottle of eye drops left for a long time in your medicine cabinet could be a source of infection.
Allergy remedies – Lots of people keep allergy remedies for hay fever during the summer months, when pollen counts are high. For these remedies to be effective, it is important that they are still within their expiry date so always check before taking.
What should I do if I notice any of my medicines are out of date?
Simply put them into a bag and take them to your community pharmacist who will arrange to have them destroyed safely and securely.
What’s stopping people getting professional advice?
Some people worry about wasting the doctor or the pharmacist’s time. We would encourage anyone with questions about their medicine to speak to their pharmacist. The majority have consultation rooms so you can have a conversation with your pharmacist without people overhearing. And pharmacists are available without an appointment so you can speak to them at a convenient time for you.
Pharmacists are experts in medicine so they can help you get maximum benefit from your medicines.
