Take less drugs.

How often do we take medications?  Have a head ache pop some pain killers. Need to sleep pop a sleep aid. Have a cold lots of choices for treatment over the counter. A bit plugged up there is something to move things along. For most day to day medical needs there seems to be an endless array of over the counter medications.  Do you reach for the extra strength because you have extra need or because you think you need more than regular strength.

Most people take some kind of over the counter medications from time to time. Some people take them frequently.

How do you decide how much to take? one pill, two, three, four? A lot of people check the directions on the bottle. This is a very good place to start. Some very common instruction for adults are take one pill every so many hours or to take 2 pills every so often.

Lets go to the take 2 tablets instructions for an adult. An adult is someone over 18 years old. Now think of the adults you know. I have an adult daughter who is just over 100 pounds, I am over 200 pounds and I have a co-worker who is over 300 pounds. Is 2 tablets the same for each of us? I do not think so. Think of a cup of water. If you put a tablespoon of sugar in a cup of water it will taste sweet. The same amount of sugar in a 2 cups is not nearly as sweet and in 3 cups much less sweet. The same thing applies to how big you are. The bigger you are the less drug you have per pound. Do not think that means the drugs are not effective. If 2 pain killers take away the pain of a 300 pound person and a 100 pound person is some one taking too much? It could be they each are.

So what do you do? You may consider taking less medications. Its not dangerous to take the lower dose of an over the counter medication. For example if the adult dose of an over the counter medication you take for a head ache is 2 pills, try only one next time. See if one will do the job. You can always take the second pill if after 30 min you still have the pain. Start with the lower dose to see if it is effective. You may be surprised by the results you get from lowering your dose. Same effect less medication.


Never take more medication than is recommended by the maker.

Every time you take a chemical into your body it reacts with your body. Every over the counter medication has a list of warnings. Some may damage your liver,  kidneys, lungs, stomach or cause changes in your mental status. If you lower the dose you lower the toxic side effects. Why take a greater risk for the same outcome.

If you lower your medication use you will same money. Over the counter medications are not cheep. Why take more then you need.

I have found that for me on average the lower listed dose works very well for the over the counter medications I take. I do not need extra strength, regular strength lower dose hits the mark.

If the medication is ordered by a medical professional take it only as it is ordered.

Always seek medical help for symptoms of side effects. If symptoms continue seek medical attention.