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"Here take this pill twice a day and it should take care of your problem"; that's what all the doctor's say only what are they doing to monitor our drug taking problems. Doctor's know less about the prescriptions that we take than our pharmacists do. I remember once taking a drug that made me walk sideways and off balance. It wasn't until I asked my doctor if this was one of the side effects did he bother looking up in his big book only to find out that this was indeed a side effect. Imagine that! So what if you have the right medication and all of sudden, it isn't working anymore and it's causing more damage than you realize. Do you talk to your doctor about it? No, most people don't. So, I am going to encourage you to talk to your pharmacist and ask questions about what you are about to take and if there are any interactions with anything else your taking even if it's a food supplement or vitamin. When you are in the hospital and the nurse says, "Here take this pill." Always ask what the pill is and why it's being prescribed for you. You always have the right to refuse. If it's too strong, ask for a weaker one. You may not make friends with the nurses causing them extra work but, you will be feeling better for it. It does not make you a difficult patient only an informed one. You would be surprised how many people die each year from getting the wrong medication at the hospital. So don't be shy because you think your doctor knows cause he doesn't always.

Learn more about this author, Joanne Harris.
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