Many people, and not just older people, have a mental block when it comes to anything to do with health care. Medications are no exception. Older people or people dealing with chronic illnesses don’t seem to take the role of medications seriously. This subject comes up all of the time, because sticking to a medication regimen is a big deal.
Medications don’t work if you don’t take them. This is the focus of an article by Dorothy Foltz-Gray (Arthritis Today: March/April 2011). The result of not taking your medication is a worsening of a disease, an increase in the amount of health care that you need, and ultimately an increase in hospitalizations. It all boils down to this: not taking medications as they are prescribed means a progression of your symptoms, more falls and a decrease in your ability to take care of yourself. Not only that but inability to take care of yourself can result in depression and that means you will probably end up taking more pills
Why doesn’t your doctor say something? Your doctor often doesn’t know. The patient doesn’t bring it up because they feel like they are disappointing their doctor and the doctor is too busy to spend a lot of time probing. It is not his/her job to quiz you on compliance. So, why is this happening? The author suggests that people resist for a number of reasons: cost, the complexity of the medication regimen, and erroneous beliefs about the medications.
Medications cost money, some medications cost a lot of money. The higher the cost the less apt people are to take them. For some it is a real challenge to remember to take them, especially if they are spread out at different times throughout the day. Can you even remember having a life without pills? If you are dealing with depression or dementia or if you are preoccupied with other woes, it just becomes too complicated. It is tough dealing with a chronic condition. Chronic conditions don’t go away and you don’t get over them, you learn to manage them. Maintenance and management take a lot of energy and your disease seems to become who you are. Talking about your medications with family and friends often result in a lot of misinformation and that can be problematic too. Some things should remain private. Don’t solicit medical advice from nonprofessionals.
What can you do to make it easier? The reasons that you skip medications are real to you, but there are just as many reasons why you should stick to your program. The primary reason is your health and happiness. Talk to your doctor about your medications. At the very least you should know what each medication is for and why you are taking it. Know what will happen if you stop taking it. It doesn’t do any good to whine to your caregiver or the pharmacy technician if you think you are taking too many pills. Side effects, doubts about effectiveness and the feeling that you are over medicated are all issues that you need to discuss with your health care professional. Be informed about your own health care.
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