Caregiver Training Blog

I cannot --- or maybe I am not --- willing to believe I am the only person who goes into the drug store to purchase an over-the-counter medication and feels overwhelmed by the choices.  Not only am I overwhelmed, but sometimes it is actually scary.  I read articles in the paper about how too much of one med can damage my liver, vitamins may hurt absorption of certain medications, aspirin taken with blood thinners can cause me to hemorrhage.  Geez, sometimes I think I need to take a pharmacist with me to select my cough medicine.  By the way, the pharmacy in the store always seems to be closed when I need to ask my questions.

It’s not uncommon to have anxiety over medical appointments. We want doctors to understand our concerns and help us, especially if we aren’t feeling well. Fortunately, there are things you can do to learn how to talk to your doctor effectively.

Urgent care or ER?  If someone close to you requires timely medical care, you could be faced with an important decision: should you go to an emergency room or could you seek care at an urgent care center?  If a condition seems life threatening, the emergency room is definitely the better choice.