22 Inside Tips on How You Can Make Your Arthritis Medicines Work Twice as Effectively in Half the..

[Guest guest]

This report will give you 22 important tips to make sure that you’re getting the

very best out of your arthritis treatment program.

1. Make absolutely sure that the nurse or doctor knows what allergies you have.

Also, make sure that they know what other medicines you’re taking and ask

specifically about drug interactions and side effects.

2. Ask how the arthritis medicine should be taken. Sometimes arthritis medicines

are taken best on an empty stomach and sometimes they’re taken best on a full

stomach. Also ask what time of day is best to take the medication. Some

arthritis medicines should be taken in the morning and some should be taken in

the evening.

3. If you have other medical illnesses, let the doctor or nurse know about that.

If you have a previous history of ulcers, they should be informed.

4. Ask whether there is literature such as an Arthritis Foundation pamphlet

available on the kind of medicine that you’re going to be receiving. If not, ask

if there are any other printed handouts. At the very least, the nurse should go

over the medication with you.

5. Ask if the medicine comes as a generic. If it does not, at the very least,

ask for a two-week supply of free samples.

6. If you have a common arthritic condition, ask whether any arthritis clinical

trials are available in the area. This is a great way to get free medical care

for your arthritis along with free medication for your arthritis.

7. Ask about other types of therapies that can be used along with the medicine.

For instance, ice or heat to a painful area for 15-20 minutes two or three times

a day can be quite effective.

8. Sometimes moist heat also can be effective. Ask your nurse or doctor which is

better for you, ice or moist heat. If you’re going to use moist heat, make sure

it is moist heat rather than dry heat.

9. Sometimes assistive devices such as braces, splints, neck support pillows,

canes, etc. may help your medicine work more effectively. Ask whether that’s the

case.

10. If no specific handouts or pamphlets are available from your doctor, ask

whether you can have a photocopy of the pages from the Physician’s Desk

Reference made available to you. This is difficult to get through because of the

vocabulary used, but contains a lot of important information that you may want

to know.

11. Remember to ask about how the medicine should be monitored. Most arthritis

medicines need to be monitored fairly frequently because of side effects. This

is especially true in people over the age of 60.

12. Sometimes, as your arthritis gets better, it’s possible to cut back on the

amount of medicine you take. Ask about that.

13. Ask whether physical therapy modalities might be helpful in your case.

14. Make sure you let your nurse or doctor know whether you’re taking any

natural or vitamin supplements. These sometimes can interfere with the

effectiveness of your arthritis medication.

15. If you see an article in a magazine about your medication, bring it into

your nurse or doctor. Sometimes these articles contain good information.

However, sometimes these articles contain misleading, or even worse, wrong

information.

16. Ask about generic drugs. Sometimes generic drugs, while cheaper than brand

name drugs, may not be as effective. Sometimes though, they can be just as

effective. You need to ask.

17. Make sure that you periodically ask your nurse or doctor whether there are

any new drugs available for your condition. Sometimes the new drugs are more

effective, safer, and more convenient.

18. If, after you start taking your medicine, you notice anything that could be

a side effect, call your physician immediately.

19. Ask if there are any Internet web sites that provide good information about

the medication that you are taking.

20. Do not share medications with friends or relatives. Remember the medication

that has been given to you is specific for your problem. To share your

medication with another person can be extremely dangerous. Likewise, if you

borrow some of your relatives or neighbors medication, you may run into a

terrible problem.

21. If you smoke or drink alcohol, ask about potential problems with your

arthritis medicines.

22. Make sure you get the proper monitoring. Many arthritis medicines need

careful evaluation of blood And urine on a regular basis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Why are you posting this on Alternative Answers?

Priscilla