Getting a prescription from your doctor or medical professional may seem like the first step to feeling better, but in some cases, it is the opposite.
Medication errors can leave you with a variety of physical complications and health issues. Learning about how an error can affect you can help you understand what to do next.
Rushed and overwhelmed doctors
According to the National Library of Medicine, one common source of medication errors comes from doctors who rush through appointments or struggle to properly listen to patients. While it may not seem dangerous at first, a doctor miswriting a few letters of a drug’s name or one number of a dosage can lead to serious issues.
You may not even notice anything is wrong until you start taking the medication regularly. When signs of allergic reactions or mental sluggishness begin to start, you may need to seek additional medical help.
Messy handwriting
Although the doctor may be aware of what they are writing, when you try to fill the prescription, messy handwriting and unfinished words or letters can lead to a medication error. Problems with staff communication among doctors and anyone else working in a medical facility are also a factor.
The number of times you should take the medicine per week or day is also important to get correct.
Lack of preparation
When you take more than one medication at a time, your doctor should know and account for any negative reactions you could have. If they do not check for negative drug interactions or fail to communicate how to properly take the medicine, then you may be at risk for medical malpractice.