Medication Therapy
Why do we use medication?
- First of all, the aim of drug treatment is to achieve pharmacological improvement.
It aims to alleviate existing complaints and improve them over time. - The correct aim is to treat, not to numb and soothe.
Points to be considered in the use of medication:
- The medication can only be used under the supervision of a doctor if it is administered in an effective dose and for an effective period of time as prescribed by the doctor.
- Do not expect to recover in a short time.
- Sometimes medicines may be prescribed for purposes other than those stated in the package leaflet.
- If you are concerned about the information in the package leaflet, do not stop taking the medicine without consulting your doctor.
- Even if your symptoms improve, do not stop taking the medicine until your doctor has stopped.
- Not all of the side effects listed may be present together; there may even be no side effects at all.
- Do not take the medicine with alcohol or consult your doctor.
- The side effects will usually disappear after a short time (10-15 days or less).
- Do not get information about your medicines from people who are not experts.
- Do not alter the doses of your medicines unless you have been told otherwise.
- Do not use or recommend your medicines for purposes other than those for which they were prescribed.
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It is necessary to be under control during these periods.
- Remind your doctor if you are engaged in work that requires attention.
- There may be changes in sleep or dreams due to the content of the drug.
- Tell your doctor about other medicines you are taking.
- Since some medicines can affect blood pressure and heart rhythm, your doctor will check your blood pressure and pulse rate at each session.
WHAT DOES "THERE IS NO DISEASE, THERE IS A PATIENT" MEAN?
The same medication produces different results in different people with the same diagnosis. Here, the physician's experience and artistic skill are important, as well as monitoring the measurability of the drug's effect.
Medicines are our chemical weapons against diseases. Appropriate dose, appropriate duration and correct application require professional responsibility. If the drug, which is a chemical weapon, is not used, the patient will be left without treatment. We should not ignore this.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO TAKE MEDICATION ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF A RELATIVE?
We have already mentioned that psychotropic drugs are chemical weapons. These drugs, which bind to brain and nerve cells, are determined according to the patient's blood values, blood pressure, heart rate, stomach and digestive system health, sleep, appetite and sexual characteristics. Only a specialist knows these characteristics. No drug interpretation is done by a layperson. This is an uneducated and unscientific approach.
WHAT IS A PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG?
It is a chemical that provides change by acting on normal or abnormal psychological processes as a result of the effect of the substance taken in the brain.
WHAT SHOULD THE IDEAL PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG BE?
- It should have minimum side effects and maximum clinical effect.
- It should have high bioavailability; in other words, it should both alleviate symptoms and treat the disease.
- It should not cause tolerance and addiction.
SIDE EFFECTS WITH ANTIDEPRESSANTS and WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT THEM?
| SIDE EFFECTS | WHAT CAN BE DONE? |
| Dry mouth | Drinking enough fluids, paying attention to oral care, chewing gum can be a method. |
| Sleepiness and drowsiness | Not with every medication. It is an expected side effect. |
| Constipation | It is recommended to consume liquid foods and foods with fiber (fruits and vegetables) and to increase mobility. |
| Decrease in blood pressure | Do not sit and get up suddenly, and drink plenty of salty fluids when blood pressure drops excessively. |
| Stomach disorders | The medicine should be taken after meals and spicy foods that increase stomach acidity should be avoided. |
| Menstrual irregularities | Menstrual irregularity, menstrual delays may occur. Consult your doctor in case of prolonged complaints. |
| Skin rash | Inform your doctor. |
| Appetite and weight gain | Avoid high-calorie foods (pastries, fried foods, chocolate, etc.). |
| Sexual reluctance, late ejaculation, inability to ejaculate | Occurs during medication use, is temporary. |
ADDITIONAL WARNINGS:
- Benefit from the drug is achieved with regular and prolonged use. The duration of treatment is at least 6 months. Even if your symptoms improve, do not stop taking your medicine until your doctor has stopped.
- Painkillers and antibiotics can usually be used together at standard doses.
- Report any unexpected situation to your doctor.
ANTIOEPHYLEPTICS (also used as mood stabilizers in psychiatry):
| SIDE EFFECTS | WHAT CAN BE DONE? |
| Dry mouth | Drinking enough fluids, paying attention to oral care, chewing gum can be a method. |
| Sleepiness and drowsiness | Not with every medication. It is an expected side effect. |
| Constipation | It is recommended to consume liquid foods and foods with fiber (fruits and vegetables) and to increase mobility. |
| Decrease in blood pressure | Do not sit and get up suddenly, and drink plenty of salty fluids when blood pressure drops excessively. |
| Stomach disorders | The medicine should be taken after meals and spicy foods that increase stomach acidity should be avoided. |
| Tinnitus | Temporary |
| Skin rash | Inform your doctor. |
| Increased appetite and weight gain, loss of appetite with some medicines | Avoid high-calorie foods (pastries, fried foods, chocolate, etc.). |
| Sexual reluctance, late ejaculation, inability to ejaculate | It happens during medication use, it is temporary. |
ADDITIONAL WARNINGS :
- This group of medicines is used in the treatment of epilepsy and in some cases also in mental disorders.
- Monitoring of drug blood levels will be necessary for some drugs at certain intervals. A complete blood count and liver and kidney function tests may also be requested at regular intervals.
- Hair loss may occur with some of the medications.
ANXIOLITICS (Anxiety and depression reducing drugs):
Green Prescription
| SIDE EFFECTS | WHAT CAN BE DONE? |
| Dry mouth | Drinking enough fluids, paying attention to oral care, chewing gum can be a method. |
| Sleepiness and drowsiness | Not with every medication. It is an expected side effect. |
| Constipation | It is recommended to consume liquid foods and foods with fiber (fruits and vegetables) and to increase mobility. |
| Decrease in blood pressure | Do not sit and get up suddenly, and drink plenty of salty fluids when blood pressure drops excessively. |
| Stomach disorders | The medicine should be taken after meals and spicy foods that increase stomach acidity should be avoided. |
| Menstrual irregularities | Menstrual irregularities, menstrual delays may occur. Consult your doctor in case of prolonged complaints. |
| Skin rash | Inform your doctor. |
| Increased appetite and weight gain, loss of appetite with some medicines | Avoid high-calorie foods (pastries, fried foods, chocolate, etc.). |
ADDITIONAL WARNINGS:
- It should be used in a controlled manner in jobs requiring attention.
- Most of the drugs in this group are given with a green prescription. Use outside the doctor's recommendation, dose increase is not appropriate. Because effectiveness may decrease over time.
- The risk of addiction may occur with use outside the doctor's recommendation.
- Withdrawal symptoms may develop even when stopping the medication, which should be under the supervision of a doctor.
- Some of these medicines may leave a bad taste in the mouth. For this, plenty of water or fruit juice can be consumed.
- Especially the elderly should use them more carefully.
LITHIUM SALT (mood stabilizer):
| SIDE EFFECTS | WHAT CAN BE DONE? |
| Dry mouth | Drinking enough fluids, paying attention to oral care, chewing gum can be a method. |
| Sleepiness and drowsiness | Not with every medication. It is an expected side effect. |
| Indigestion, abdominal pain, diarrhea | Avoid foods that increase indigestion. |
| Stomach disorders | The medicine should be taken after meals and spicy foods that increase stomach acidity should be avoided. |
| Bad taste in the mouth | Drink plenty of water or fruit juice. |
| Increased appetite and weight gain, loss of appetite with some medications | Avoid high-calorie foods (pastries, fried foods, chocolate, etc.). |
| Fever, excessive sweating, confusion, vomiting, excessive tendency to sleep | If you have most of these symptoms together, please inform your doctor. |
| Tremor | Fine tremors are common |
| Dizziness, imbalance | Tell your doctor immediately. |
ADDITIONAL WARNINGS:
- This medicine should be used for a long period of time due to its protective effect and should only be discontinued by your doctor.
- Blood levels should be checked at intervals specified by your doctor and your doctor should be informed of the results.
- Never take forgotten doses together.
- Frequent urination may occur in the first days, it is temporary.
- There may be visual disturbances such as blurred vision, this is temporary.
- If diuretics are required, your doctor should check your condition.
- Skin rashes such as acne may occur.
- Dosage should be adjusted in case of fever, diarrhea, dehydration. Consult a physician.
- Thyroid, liver and kidney controls are performed in long term use.
ANTIPPSYCHOTICS (Psychosis treatment drugs):
(High doses are used in psychosis, low doses are used in other psychiatric diseases).
| SIDE EFFECTS | WHAT CAN BE DONE? |
| Dry mouth | Drinking enough fluids, paying attention to oral care, chewing gum can be a method. |
| Sleepiness and drowsiness | Not with every medication. It is an expected side effect. |
| Constipation | It is recommended to consume liquid foods and foods with fiber (fruits and vegetables) and to increase mobility. |
| Decrease in blood pressure | Do not sit and get up suddenly, and drink plenty of salty fluids when blood pressure drops excessively. |
| Stomach disorders | The medicine should be taken after meals and spicy foods that increase stomach acidity should be avoided. |
| Menstrual irregularities | Menstrual irregularities and delays may occur. Consult your doctor in case of prolonged complaints. |
| Skin rash | Inform your doctor. |
| Increased appetite and weight gain, loss of appetite with some medicines | Avoid high-calorie foods (pastries, fried foods, chocolate, etc.). |
| Spasms in the neck and arms | It may be present in some of the medicines in this group. Do not be alarmed, consult your doctor. |
| Inability to stay in place | It may be present in some of the medicines in this group. Do not be alarmed, consult your doctor. |
| Difficulty speaking, shifting of the eyes and convulsions | It may be present in some of the medicines in this group. Do not be alarmed, consult your doctor. |
| Saliva coming from the mouth | It may be present in some of the medicines in this group. Do not be alarmed, consult your doctor. |
| Milk coming from the breast | It may be present in some of the medicines in this group. Do not be alarmed, consult your physician. |
| Sexual reluctance, late ejaculation, inability to ejaculate | Occurs during medication use, is temporary. |
ADDITIONAL WARNINGS:
- The duration of use of the medicine is long unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
- It may sometimes take more than 2-3 weeks to achieve an effect.
- Do not stay in the sun too long and use skin protectors while taking the medicine.
- Urine color may change temporarily due to the medicine. Care should be taken when doing work that requires attention and when driving a car.
- Do not take stomach medicines at the same time as medicines and take medicines after a meal.
- Notify your physician of any febrile illness, especially if it is caused by the use of the medicine.
UNDERSTANDING THE BIOAVAILABILITY OF MEDICATION
Quantitative Pharmaco EEG can provide preliminary information on whether the drug has antidepressant, antipsychotic, antianxiety or cognitive activator effects in the human brain. Even if this information is not 100% accurate, its sensitivity and specificity are high.
NOTE FOR EMERGENCIES: You can consult your doctor during working hours and NPISTANBUL Hospital 24/7 during off-hours.