One needs to be careful about medicines and especially the side effects they bring. When taking prescribed medicines, one has to consider his/her medical history and present health condition. Especially with expectant mothers, they should be cautious about taking just any medicine.

There are good doctors who are careful about prescribing medicines for their clients and they take some effort to research about their patient’s medical history and find out which drug works considering their patient’s specific biological needs. I know one good nephrologist who was prudent in choosing the most suitable medicine to address my mom’s hypertension, considering that mom has been hospitalized due to hyponatremia (low sodium level). But I know one who was simply careless – hasty in writing down this or that brand and dosage, resulting to some serious side effects on my mom’s condition.

Some medicines may be effective to some patients but unsafe and dangerous for others. For instance, prescription medicines such as Topamax are actually harmful for pregnant women. The drug Topamax is prescribed as a treatment for epileptic seizures and for migraines. But it brings with it some serious and harmful side effects to pregnant women, resulting to cleft lip or cleft palate birth defects. Such harmful physical deformity brought to the child by this drug really needs to be taken to court for product liability claims.

What I learned from my mom’s hospitalization opened my eyes to the dangers of most prescription drugs, especially their side effects. One need not follow blindly what’s prescribed by the doctors. Trust your instinct if you feel something is not right. Ask for a second opinion and get recommendations from friends. Choose your doctor wisely.

The competent physician, before he attempts to give medicine to the patient, makes himself acquainted not only with the disease, but also with the habits and constitution of the sick man.
– Cicero