Medication side effects can vary from one person to another due to different medical conditions, age, and genetic traits among others. Medications are important in preventing diseases and chronic conditions such as heart problems and asthma. However, some of them may cause certain side effects that can be detrimental to your wellbeing. These side effects tend to develop over time depending on how long you’ve taken them and the dosages used. Here are some medication side effects you should take note of for the safety of your loved ones.

Joint Pain

Joint pain refers to inflammation or pain on the bone or tendons. However, arthritis or arthralgia, which is pain or inflammation within the joint itself, is the most common definition of joint pain. The medications that are most likely to cause joint pain include Antihistamines, Carvedilol, Levofloxacin, and Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen.

Constipation and Bloating

Constipation occurs when an individual’s bowel movements become less frequent, or if they experience difficulty defecating while bloating is caused by fluid retention in the body, which may lead to swelling in various parts of the body including the face and abdomen. These medications that cause constipation and bloating include iron supplements, Antihistamines to treat allergies, and Propranolol, a blood pressure medication.

Heartburn

Medication side effects such as heartburn can cause nausea and stomach pain. You’ll experience a burning sensation in your chest as a result of this. Additionally, you can feel queasy and have a sour taste in your mouth. It may be the medication itself or how it interacts with other medications you or a loved one may be taking. These medications include Antihistamines for allergies and Ibuprofen. If your loved one’s doctor prescribed them a blood thinner like Warfarin, they’re more likely to experience severe heartburn due to the increased risk of bleeding.

Severe Fatigue

It can be hard to tell if your loved one is just exhausted or if it’s a side effect of their medication, but it’s important to pay attention to how they are feeling. Severe fatigue is experienced by patients taking multiple medications and/or they’re taking prescription drugs. When someone is fatigued, it can be difficult to do daily tasks. They may have trouble remembering things, or they may find it hard to concentrate on any one task for very long.

Sleep Problems

If a loved one is having trouble sleeping, it’s important to consider whether or not the medication they are taking may be causing it. Medications such as Prozac, Dopamine agonists, and Steroids have the potential to cause sleep problems by disrupting either the body’s natural circadian rhythm or its natural ability to fall asleep. This may result in insomnia or other difficulties, such as changes in breathing patterns.

Loss of Strength

Weakness is one of the most common medication side effects in older adults, with more than half of people over 65 experiencing this problem at least once per week when taking certain medications. This can be caused by certain antibiotics such as Amoxicillin, blood pressure drugs like ACE inhibitors, or cholesterol-lowering drugs like Statins.