Hesperian Health Guides
Using the Medicines in this Book
HealthWiki > Where Women Have No Doctor > Chapter 31: Using Medicines > Using the Medicines in this Book
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| Read the label carefully before you take any medicine. |
This book provides information about many medicines used to treat common health problems. But to be able to buy and then use a medicine safely, you must also know:
- what the medicine is called where you live.
- in what forms the medicine comes.
- how to measure the medicine and how much to take.
- who should not take the medicine, including whether it should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- what side effects the medicine causes.
- what happens if you take too much of the medicine.
The sections below explain more about important things you need to know to use a medicine safely. You can also find out information for each medicine mentioned in this book in the “Medicine Pages”.
For some kinds of medicines, such as antibiotics, pain medicines, and some others, you need additional information to choose and safely use them.
Contents
Generic names and brand names
Most medicines have 2 names—a generic or scientific name, and a brand name. The generic name is the same everywhere in the world. The brand name is given by the company that makes the medicine. When several companies make the same medicine, it will have several brand names but only one generic name. As long as the medicine has the same generic name, it is the same medicine.
In this book, we use the generic (scientific) name for medicines. For a few medicines, we also use the most widely available brand name. Knowing the generic name means you can tell when 2 different brand name medicines are actually the same medicine.
name
name
For example: Your health worker has told you to take Flagyl. But when you go to the pharmacy, they do not have any. Ask the pharmacist or health worker what the generic name is for that medicine—it is usually printed on the label, box, or package. Then you can ask for the medicine by its generic name (it often costs less) or ask for another brand that has the same generic name.
Medicine comes in different forms
- Tablets, capsules, and liquids are usually taken by mouth. In some cases, they may be used in the vagina or rectum.
- Inserts (suppositories, pessaries) are made so they can be put into the vagina or the rectum.
- Injections are given with a needle directly into a person’s muscle, or under the skin, or into the blood.
- Creams, ointments, or salves that contain medicine go on the skin or in the vagina. They can be very useful for mild skin infections, sores, rashes, and itching.
Some medicines come in more than one form and may contain different amounts of medicine, for example, regular and extra-strength paracetamol tablets.
How to measure medicine
First, find out how much medicine is in each tablet or capsule. This is sometimes called the “strength” of the medicine. To know the strength of the medicine, check how many grams, milligrams, micrograms, or Units are in each tablet or capsule.
If the pharmacy does not have tablets with the exact strength you need, you may have to cut a tablet into 2 or more equal size pieces, or take more than one tablet or capsule.
| Here are some helpful symbols to know: = means equal to or the same as + means and or plus | |
| ½ tablet = half of a tablet |  |
| ¼ tablet = one quarter or one-fourth of a tablet |  |
For example:
| Ampicillin tablets come in 2 sizes: |
 250mg
500mg |
| If you only have tablets of 250 mg and the instructions say, “Take 1 tablet of 500 mg, 2 times a day,” then take 2 tablets of 250 mg each time (twice a day). |  +
= |
| 250 mg + 250 mg = 500 mg | |
If you only have tablets of 500 mg and the instructions say, “Take 1 tablet of 250 mg, 2 times a day,” then cut one 500 mg tablet in half. Take the half-tablet (with 250 mg) each time (twice a day). |
 500 mg divided in half = 250 mg and 250 mg |
Kinds of measurements
Grams and milligrams. The strength of medicines is often shown in grams (g) and
milligrams (mg):
1000 mg = 1 g (This means one gram has 1000 milligrams)
1 mg = .001 g (This means a milligram is much smaller than a gram. It takes 1000 milligrams to make one gram.)
For example: | ||
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This aspirin tablet has 325 milligrams of aspirin. |
 .325 g 0.325 g 325 mg |
All of these are different ways to say 325 milligrams. |
Micrograms. The strength of some medicines, like birth control pills, is given in even smaller amounts called micrograms (mcg or μg)
1 µcg = 1 mcg = 1/1000 mg (0.001 mg)
1000 mcg = 1 mg
Units. The strength of some medicines is measured in Units (U) or international units (IU).
For liquid medicine: Sometimes instructions for syrups or suspensions tell you to take a specific amount, for example, 10 ml (milliliters) or 10 cc (cubic centimeters). A cubic centimeter is the same as a milliliter. If the medicine does not come with a special spoon or dropper to measure liquid, you can use household measures:
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1 tablespoon = 1 Tbsp = 15 ml |
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1 teaspoon = 1 tsp = 5 ml |
Dosing by weight
The dose for some medicines depends on the size of the person. For children and for medicines where a too-high dose can be very dangerous, you may be told to calculate the dose by weight. See Where There Is No Doctor, for how to do that.
How often to take medicines
It is important to take medicines at the right time. Some medicines should be taken only once a day, and others must be taken more often. You can use a clock but you do not need one. If the directions say “1 pill every 8 hours,” or “3 pills a day,” take one at sunrise, one in the afternoon, and one at night. If they say “1 pill every 6 hours,” or “4 pills a day,” take one in the morning, one at midday, one in the late afternoon, and one at night. If the directions say “1 every 4 hours,” take 6 pills a day, allowing about the same time between pills.
If you vomit or have severe diarrhea while taking birth control pills, you may need to take another pill to be protected from pregnancy.
IMPORTANT!
- If possible, take medicines while standing or sitting up. Also, try to drink a full glass of water or another liquid each time you take a medicine.
- If you vomit soon after taking a medicine, you may need to take it again. Read the instructions to see if the medicine had enough time to work in the body or if it likely came out with the vomit, even if you cannot see it.
In the spaces under the sun and moon, draw the amount of medicine to take and carefully explain what it means. For example:
| This means they should take 1 tablet 4 times a day: 1 at sunrise, 1 at midday, |
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| This means ½ tablet 4 times a day. |
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| This means 1 capsule 3 times a day. |
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Who should not take a certain medicine
Some medicines can be dangerous for certain people, or during certain times of their lives. Be especially careful if:
- you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Many medicines taken during pregnancy and breastfeeding can affect the baby. Before you take any medicine, find out if it could be harmful. Medicines in this book that are harmful during pregnancy and breastfeeding are marked with a warning.
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| =CAUTION read carefully if you are pregnant |
=CAUTION read carefully if you are breastfeeding |
= do not take if pregnant | = do not take if breastfeeding |
- you have long-term liver or kidney disease. The liver and kidneys clear medicine from the body. If they are not working well, the medicine may build up and become poisonous.
- you have a stomach ulcer or a stomach that upsets easily (heartburn). Medicines such as aspirin and ibuprofen can cause bleeding in the stomach and a painful or burning feeling. If you must take a medicine that bothers your stomach, take it with food or milk.
- you are allergic to the medicine. If you have ever had any of these signs after taking a medicine, you are probably allergic to that medicine:
- a skin rash (raised, red and itchy, usually with swelling)
- swelling of the face, throat, arms, or legs
- trouble breathing or swallowing
Being allergic means your body fights against the medicine rather than using it to fight disease. Allergic reactions happen more often with antibiotics from the penicillin and sulfa families. If you have an allergic reaction to a medicine, do not take it again and also avoid all other medicines from the same family. See more information about antibiotics and their families.
More Information
how to treat allergic reactions and shock|
IMPORTANT! If you have taken a medicine and then get a severe skin rash, swelling of the face or throat, or have difficulty breathing or swallowing, get medical help immediately. |
TRANSPORT! |
Side effects
Medicines fight disease but can also cause other effects to happen in the body. Some common side effects of medicines are upset stomach, headaches, and sleepiness. Because everyone is different, some people may feel no side effects and others may feel more than one from the same medicine. If side effects are severe, ask a health worker if it is safe to continue taking the medicine or if you can switch to a different medicine.
Before you take a medicine, find out what the possible side effects are. When using any medicine in this book, you can look at the “Medicines Pages” to learn about its possible side effects.
Precautions (warnings)
Always check a medicine’s specific warnings before taking it. Talk to a health worker if:
- you are taking other medicines. Medicines that are safe when taken alone can be harmful or may not work as well when taken with another medicine.
- giving medicine to a child. Children have smaller bodies and often need to take less medicine. Check with a pharmacist or health worker to find out the right dose for a child.
- you are older. Older people sometimes need smaller doses because medicine will stay in their bodies longer.
- you are very small, thin, or poorly nourished. You may need a smaller dose of some medicines, such as medicines for tuberculosis, high blood pressure, and seizures.
Food and taking medicine
With most medicine, you can continue eating the foods you usually eat. Some medicines work better if you take them when your stomach is empty—one hour before or two hours after eating.
Medicines that can upset the stomach usually cause less discomfort when they are taken with food or milk or just after eating.
If you have nausea or vomiting, take the medicine with a dry food that calms the stomach—like rice, bread, or a biscuit.
Dangers of taking too much medicine
Taking too much medicine often happens by mistake, but some people think that taking more medicine will heal the body faster. This is not true. If you take medicine too often, or too much all at once, or for too long, the medicine can harm you.
Some common signs of taking too much of a medicine are:
- nausea
- vomiting
- pain in the stomach
- headache
- dizziness
- ringing in the ears
- fast breathing
But these signs may also be side effects of taking some medicines. If you have one or more of these signs and they are not common side effects of the medicine you are taking, check to make sure you are not taking too much, and then talk to a health worker trained in giving medicines.
Poisoning. Get medical help if you think someone, especially a child, took too much medicine. Also:
TRANSPORT!
- Help the person spit out any pills still in their mouth.
- Find the medicine bottle or box to show health workers.
- Give activated charcoal to absorb some medicines, including aspirin and paracetamol, before they cause poisoning.
- Activated charcoal will not work for too much iron (in iron tablets, multivitamins, or prenatal vitamins). Helping the person vomit may help, or having them drink lots of water