Any time your doctor prescribes a medication it’s important to ensure there are no interactions with your current routine. Anything, from over-the-counter remedies to herbal supplements, or even some foods you eat or drink, can possibly interact with your prescription medication.
For example, many cold and flu remedies are known to interact with blood pressure medicines and may cause your blood pressure to rise. Some nighttime pain relief medications or cough formulas can make you drowsy. If you are also on a prescription sleep aid, the effects of drowsiness and dizziness can be greatly magnified.
Herbal remedies like melatonin, which can help regulate sleep, can interfere with diabetes drugs. And, taking an herbal remedy for depression while already taking a prescription anti-depressant can be dangerous. Food is another factor when taking prescriptions. Alcohol can change the effect of many medications or cause unpleasant side effects. Grapefruit juice can interfere with the way medications are processed in the liver. It can lead to elevated levels of medications in the bloodstream. Milk products can neutralize the effect of several antibiotics.
These are just a few examples of the dangers of medication interactions. Always remember to talk with your doctor or pharmacist about all your medications. Discuss possible interactions and the proper way to take each medication, whether it’s a prescription, over the counter, or herbal remedy.