THE DAMAGE SELF MEDICATION CAN CAUSE DURING PREGNANCY

Self -prescription, self-medication is the order of twenty first century. People buy and take drugs at random provided it has been prescribed once for them by a doctor or that they have seen someone who suffer similar ailment to theirs take it. People do not see any need to visit the hospital and see a doctor for some ailment they call minor ailment with the notion that it can be treated at home.  Most devastating one is the treatment of an ailment with various types of drugs that should not in fact be used for the health challenge they suffer. And they will end up worsening their situations and before they will think of going to the hospital, it will either be too late or that they will have to spend so much for that case.

There are ailments that take little finance to take care of in the hospital but can be compounded by the act of self-medication leading to spending so much and even losing one’s life.

A lady was brought to the hospital bleeding, with the history of being 8 weeks pregnant.  She said she had been feeling headache and dizziness for 3 days and that she had been taking Panadol but those symptoms never stopped. So she felt it was Malaria because she had had those feelings before and so she decided to treat malaria and also added some antibiotics in case there was typhoid that was all. She was asked why she did not come to the hospital knowing that she was pregnant. And she replied “who goes to the hospital to treat malaria and typhoid these days when you can find and get malaria medications over the counter.” To cut the whole story short, she lost the pregnancy.

WHAT IS SELF MEDICATION?

Self -medication is the consumption of drugs prescribed by oneself instead of a doctor.

CAUSES OF SELF MEDICATION

·         Laziness to visit the hospital

·         Fear of spending money to treat a minor ailment

·         People that claim to know so much about drugs and treatment of any disease condition

·         Hospital phobic etc.

FROM THE TABLE OF THE GOOD NURSE

·         My dear brethren, self-medication is not a good practice, because it could lead to destroying of oneself. Remember, different diseases can exhibit similar signs and symptoms, and it is the work of the doctor to dictate that and treat you right.

·         As a pregnant woman, you do not have any right to take any medication of your choice just because you feel and think you know what drug cures what disease for the safety of your unborn child. There are medications that pregnant women are not supposed to take; also there are some that are not supposed to be taken at a particular period of pregnancy.

·         Endeavor to read drug leaflet and precautions if you must self-medicate. But the truth is ‘stop being the doctor you are not and always see a real doctor for you to be treated right.(photo credit: www.google.com)