An Expert Opinion on Over the Counter Drugs…
Sunday, February 21st, 2010The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) issued a warning this past week about Maalox Total Relief… apparently people were buying it thinking it was their everyday Maalox, Turns out Maalox Total Relief contains bismuth subsalicylate (think Pepto-Bismol).
So what’s the big deal??
Well, people buying the product don’t realize it’s not their ordinary Maalox. They’re reaching for simple antacid relief but they are also getting a diarrhea med that can interact with drugs like Aspirin and increase the risk of bleeding in the stomach or intestine.
This ties closely into a Facebook friend’s post about insomnia. One of her friends suggested Benadryl.
So what’s the big deal??
Benadryl (the brand name for diphenhydramine and the “PM” in so many pain and cold medications) is an excellent medication if you have hives or a bad case of poison ivy or other type of allergic reaction. But the way it works to stop an allergy attack can also cause several side effects: dry mouth, low blood pressure, dizziness, constipation, urinary retention, and a hangover effect, to name a few.
These are bad enough if you’re young and healthy. Give them to an elderly person and you may see falls. You may see behavior issues from constipation or bladder infections. You may see what looks like depression or even dementia due to the hangover effect.
So when you’re picking something out to treat your indigestion or headache or cold symptoms, especially if you take other medications, consider running your choice by the store’s pharmacist or give the nurse in your doctor’s office or at your health insurance company a call—that’s what they’re there for!! And remember, just because you can get it without a prescription, doesn’t make it safe!
PS… What makes me an expert?? Thirteen years prescribing medications to ill and frail patients, not to mention the trouble I have, even as a Nurse Practitioner, in choosing my own cold medicine…. Be safe out there, and don’t forget to ask your doc or pharmacist, or of course, your Nurse Practitioner!!