Should I stop taking my medicine once I feel well?
Do not Stop Taking Your Medicine When You Feel Better. You often feel better quickly from taking some medicine. You may feel like you do not need to take it anymore. If you stop taking your medicine before you are supposed to, you will not get its full effect, or your condition can get worse.
Medication nonadherence for patients with chronic diseases is extremely common, affecting as many as 40% to 50% of patients who are prescribed medications for management of chronic conditions such as diabetes or hypertension.
Call your doctor if you think you are having a problem with your medicine. Call your doctor if side effects bother you and you wonder if you should keep taking a medicine. Your doctor may be able to lower your dose or change your medicine. Do not suddenly quit taking your medicine unless a doctor tells you to.
- the side effects are more of a problem than any benefits you have found from taking it.
- you don't like the way medication affects you or how it makes you feel.
- your medication is stopping you from doing things you want to do.
Give your body time to get used to medication
You might experience some side effects while this process happens. Most people don't get side effects, and if they do, they usually subside after time. If you're experiencing any persistent symptoms, speak to your GP and pharmacist before you stop taking any medicines.
"Drug effects and their side effects can change over time," he says. "A tolerance or an intolerance can develop. Side effects can crop up well into a course of treatment."
Summary. All medicines can cause unwanted side effects. Medicines include prescription, over-the-counter and complementary medicines (herbal preparations and vitamins). If you are worried about any of your medicines, seek immediate medical attention.
But differences in the way your body metabolizes drugs might render you prone to side effects. Some people metabolize drugs very slowly or very quickly, either of which can cause high levels of drugs or drug metabolites to accumulate in the blood.
If you don't take your medication as prescribed by your doctor or pharmacist, you won't have the right amount of medicine in your body at the right time to manage your condition. It could lead to your condition getting worse, hospitalization or yes, even death.
Lack of symptoms
Patients who don't feel any different when they start or stop their medicine might see no reason to take it. Additionally, once a patient's condition is controlled, they may think the problem has resolved and may discontinue using the medication.