By Julie Stachowiak, PhD
Multiple Sclerosis Guide; Guest blogger
I love the Drug Interactions Checker, a free online tool that does just what the name implies - checks for interactions among any drugs you may take.
Every time I am about to take a new med, I enter all of my medications (you can also keep a list stored on the tool), along with what I am thinking of taking. I have found some pretty interesting, but relatively benign, interactions among meds that I was considering. A couple of months ago, I helped a relative who was taking blood thinners solve a big mystery that had her doctor perplexed and frustrated and unable to find the right dose for her. I grilled her about everything she was taking, then moved on to all substances that were entering her body, including non-prescription stuff. It turns out that she was using pretty heavy doses of a analgesic cream that interacted with her blood thinners (it contained salicylates, which have their own blood-thinning effect).
With all of the antivirals, vaccines and just plain drugstore-aisle symptom relievers that we are putting into our bodies during the H1N1 epidemic (and during this season in general), it is smart to check out what this stuff might be interacting with. It is easy to use - just go to Drug Interactions Checker and start entering the names of everything you take - prescription medications, vaccines that you might be considering, over-the-counter stuff, herbals and supplements - everything.
I also strongly recommend entering anything recreational that one might consume, including alcohol and illicit drugs, which can also interact with stuff. You may find information that could really keep you from harming yourself unintentionally.
Trying to use the drug interaction checker you suggest as concerned about side effects from taking amoxicillin days after receiving the H1N1 vaccine. the D.I. Checker can’s locate the H1N1 or Swine Flu, etc. vaccine.
Help? Suggestions?