Week 7 Homework
I performed my “drug survey” with my stepfather, whom I live with. He’s in his early 60s, and is a pretty cool guy.
Stepdad takes three medications. He does not know the names off the top of his head, but he knows that “one is for cholesterol, the other two are for prostate” (atorvastatin, tamsulosin, finasteride). He knows what they look like as well, so he won’t get confused about what he’s taking. He actually has this neat little system where he puts his daily medications and supplements in these little plastic jars with lids, and organizes them accordingly. He’s smart.
When asked about side effects, he could not list any. He stated that he had never felt any adverse effects when taking the medications (good), but he was unaware of what the potential side effects could be (not so good). He recalled that his pharmacist told him about them when he was prescribed the drugs, but he could not remember since that was a long time ago. I believe this is a common theme with many people who have prescription medications.
In regards to safe doses, stepdad does not know the exact dose he is supposed to take every day. However, he does know that he is only supposed to take the medication once a day, and is not supposed to “double-up” if he missed a day. He also knows that it’s supposed to be taken with food, so he always takes his meds during breakfast. He takes them at the same time and does not forget. He’s the kind of guy who follows instructions really well, so if he reads a label that says “take once a day with food” he will stick to it.
Lastly, stepdad only uses one herbal medication among his various supplements. He takes Milk Thistle, which he says his doctor recommended for him. Why? Stepdad likes to have a glass of wine or two every day, and his doctor said taking the milk thistle will help to “keep his liver healthy”. He’s not aware of what it exactly does or what any side effects may be, but he takes it and appears to be satisfied. He also takes glucosamine, vitamin d3, and fish oil as supplements.
Essentially, stepdad knows what his meds are for and why he takes them. Even if he does not know all the details about the exact doses and side effects, he will not hesitate to ask his physician if he ever has any questions or concerns. Shoutout to stepdad for being cool and letting me ask (and post) about his medication experience.
