How a woman got into serious trouble after self-medicating

Gulf News

Any medication can alter your body composition and chemistry if taken without proper diagnosis and prescription, explains a UAE-based doctor.  Read the full story here: https://gulfnews.com/special-reports/breathlessness-hives-cough-allergies-these-uae-residents-are-in-serious-trouble-with-over-the-counter-medicines-1.1692787612361  See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km  Subscribe to Gulf News on YouTube and watch more of our videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/GulfNewsTV  #UAEnews #health #medicines

Transcript

00:00Over-the-counter medications or OTC pills are drugs that are available in any pharmacy

00:12or supermarkets without a doctor's prescription.

00:15Any misuse or abuse of such drugs can lead to serious outcome.

00:19I had a patient last year with a similar outcome.

00:22She presented to my clinic with complaints of excessive weight gain of 8 kilograms, increased

00:26tiredness, fatigue, muscle weakness, increased thirst and urination.

00:32When I had questioned her, she had no past medical illness.

00:35But further when questioned her she said she had taken some medication for a chronic cough.

00:40She had self-diagnosed her cough as asthma and she also medicated herself with oral steroids

00:46that is what the internet suggested her.

00:48She had taken a high dose of steroids for nearly 4-5 weeks.

00:52I indicated her on the side effects of oral steroids and reassured her that everything

00:56could be under control.

00:58On examination we also found out that her blood sugars were elevated which explained

01:02her weakness and also her vitamin D and bone density was low which explained her muscle

01:07weakness.

01:08I had to start her on a long-term therapy where I had to slowly reduce her oral steroids

01:14and stop it.

01:15Also it took at least few weeks to months.

01:18I also had to start diabetic medications, oral medicines for her elevated sugars, vitamin

01:24D supplements and other medications for her general well-being.

01:27She was also put on a diet plan and exercise regimen and over a couple of months she was

01:32off the steroids, her blood sugars were controlled where I could stop the oral medication.

01:38Also her bone density improved and she was able to do her daily activities without any

01:42hindrance.

01:43She had accepted her mistake and said she will not do such a thing again.

01:48Let me warn you, any drug has the ability to change your body composition and chemistry

01:53if not taken without a doctor's prescription.

01:56Stop self-diagnosis and stop misuse of over-the-counter medications.

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