Maintain a proper record of your medications. Store them safely, dispose of any that are no longer needed, and make sure each pill is carefully examined when picking up new prescriptions.
The Pill Identifier can help you quickly identify medications by their physical appearance or name. Unfortunately, however, it does not detect dietary supplements (e.g. vitamins and herbs), energy pills or illegal drugs.
Birth control pills
Birth control pills have been one of the greatest chemical innovations ever devised and have dramatically transformed women’s lives, giving them unprecedented control over their fertility and giving them greater freedom in terms of careers and education opportunities.
The pill contains synthetic forms of two hormones: estrogen and progestin. Together they work to stop an egg being released during menstrual cycle ovulation; they also thicken cervical mucus and thin the uterine lining to protect against sperm entering womb.
There are a range of birth control pills on the market, including both cyclic and extended-cycle formulations. Cyclic formulations contain active hormone pills for 21-24 days followed by 7 days of placebo pills; extended cycle formulas contain active hormone pills for up to 365 days at once.
No matter their effectiveness, hormonal contraceptives come with side effects. Women using them may experience irregular menstrual bleeding, bloating, weight gain, breast tenderness, acne and depression – as well as lower libido and an increased risk of having an ectopic pregnancy (in which fertilized egg implants outside uterus).
Pain relievers
Most people can rely on over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), and naproxen (Aleve) as pain relievers, though be sure to read labels carefully since different medicines contain different active ingredients; mixing drugs could prove harmful. Also check with your health insurer as some prescription analgesics are covered under your policy.
Pain relievers work by blocking nerve signals that produce discomfort and decreasing fever, but don’t treat the source of that discomfort or inflammation.
There are two primary over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers available today: acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin. Both can reduce fever while alleviating muscle aches, headaches, earaches, toothache, common cold pains and backaches – but some work better for certain conditions than others; for example ibuprofen works better against pulled/strained muscle pain while acetaminophen works better against headaches due to how their respective blocking COX enzymes.
Diabetes medications
Diet and exercise alone won’t help reduce blood sugar, so medication will likely be required to manage type 2 diabetes effectively. There are various prescription available that target different aspects of this disease, each working differently; your healthcare provider can discuss which might work best for you as well as any possible adverse reactions or side effects they might cause.
Metformin is often prescribed as the initial treatment option for treating type 2 diabetes. This drug works by decreasing liver production of glucose while simultaneously increasing cell sensitivity to insulin.
Acarbose and miglitol (Agnus Castus) are alpha glucosidase inhibitors that work by delaying the breakdown of starchy foods like potatoes, bread and rice in your stomach, so their blood levels don’t increase rapidly after meals. Unfortunately, these medications can also cause gas and diarrhea symptoms in some individuals.
GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Victoza (liraglutide) and Mounjaro (vilopande) are relatively new oral medications to treat diabetes; these drugs stimulate your pancreas to produce more insulin while slowing stomach emptying, helping you feel satisfied more quickly so as to eat less. They may also provide benefits for heart and kidney health.
