Self-care is a term for everything individuals do by themselves with the intention of achieving and maintaining health, preventing and treating diseases. It is a wide term which incorporates hygiene, diet, lifestyle, environmental factors, socio-economical factors and self-medication.

Self-medication, as a part of self-care, includes the selection and administration of disease or symptom treating medicines which individuals themselves have recognized. Therefore, responsible self-medication is the rational and justified use of over-the-counter medicines (OTC) which are of high quality, safe and effective if used according to instructions and with proper counseling.

The phenomenon of self-medication is a consequence of the raised awareness of individual health. People are increasingly interested in their own health; they demand information and wish to actively participate in the prevention and treatment of some symptoms and diseases. The role of the pharmacist in self-medication is undisputed. The pharmacists’ duty and obligation is to offer clear and objective, and most importantly, accurate information on self-medication as well as the medicines available for self-medication to the healthcare user. It is also their duty to refer the patients to a doctor in cases when self-medication is not the appropriate therapy.

Self-medication contributes to reduced healthcare cost and saves time. It does, however, demand a certain level of education and cooperation with the pharmacist.

It is important to obey some basic instruction when using OTC products:

• Make sure to carefully read the instructions before use
• Do not prolong the recommended time of use
• Never take higher dosage than recommended
• Always read the ingredient list because of possible oversensitivity reactions
• Carefully read about the indications and side effects, as well as the notices when to seek doctor advice
• Inform the doctor of pharmacist of all the OTC medicines used in the meantime in order to avoid possible interactions with the newly prescribed medicine
• Do not use the product after expiration

OTC medicines interaction

Although mild and rare, OTC medicines interactions may cause adverse effects or reduce other medicine effectiveness. It is particularly important to learn about the possible interactions if you are using a prescription medicine alongside an OTC one.

Some OTC medicines may come into interaction with food and drink, and can also be counter indicated for some health conditions like diabetes, kidney disease or elevated blood pressure.

Here are some of the know interactions of common OTC medicines:

Avoid alcohol use when using antihistamines (anti-allergy medicines) or combined cold and cough medicines (dextromethorphan) or some insomnia products. Generally, avoid alcohol when under any kind of treatment, prescript or OTC.

Do not take insomnia preparations alongside prescribed sedatives or hypnotics.

Consult your pharmacist before using acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin, andol) if you are on blood thinners or have diabetes or gout.

Do not use laxatives if you are having stomach pains, nausea or vomit.

Combined cold and flu treatment products are not recommended, especially those containing sympathomimetics (pseudoephedrine for example), if you are already using elevated blood pressure medicines of antidepressants, also in cases of heat, pancreas or prostate disease or diabetes. In case of the diseases listed, nasal decongestants (drops for nasal mucous membrane decongestion) are no recommended except if prescribed by the doctor.

This is not the complete list of adverse effects and interactions of OTC medicines. What really is of great importance is to read the instructions carefully indeed before any OTC medicine use and certainly, seek advice from your doctor.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

In the case of pregnancy, a safe dose for the mother may be too high for the unborn baby. If you are pregnant, it is extremely important to consult your doctor or pharmacist before using any medicine, prescript or OTC. Similarly, when breastfeeding, be sure to ask your pharmacist for advice. He will explain how to plan breastfeeding and medicine taking so as to mineralize the child’s exposure to the medicine, or, give you advice on which medicines to avoid completely.

Children are not “little adults”

Some OTC medicines are produced in doses and forms adapted to children. Here is some useful advice on giving OTC medicines to children:

• Children are not “little adults” so do not estimate the dose by yourself based on the adult doe.
• Read the instructions and follow them
• Obey the age restrictions to the letter
• Obey the recommended dosage; always use the provided measuring spoons rather than ordinary cutlery.
• Be sure to consult your pharmacist if you intend on giving your child 2 medicines at the same time.
• Never refer to the medicine as candy in order to get it to take the medicine. Starting young, teach them that medicines are dangerous.
• Keep all the medicines beyond the reach of children and never allow them to take them without supervision.
• Approach self-medication responsibly, because every medicine, eve OTC, is harmful if used contrary to recommended time and dosage. That is why it is very important to abide by all the instructions. For any concerns, seek pharmacist’s advice.