The Importance of Vigilance in Recovery
Those of us in recovery set personal goals for our healing, often with support from a mental health team made up of professionals and peers. Each person on that team brings something valuable; together they aim for wellness and wholeness. One major focus is on medication. Preserving the right medications requires gathering comprehensive histories: social and psychosocial information, medical and medication histories, hospitalisations, work and educational backgrounds. Being vigilant about these details can prevent small oversights from becoming serious health problems.
Learning from Infusion Experiences
Recently I had two different infusions. The first was intravenous potassium because my levels were significantly low. I now take potassium orally each morning and experienced no side effects. The second was an annual intravenous dose of Reclast prescribed by my endocrinologist to prevent osteoporosis. Unlike the biannual injections I used to receive, this infusion caused unexpected side effects. Within twenty‑four hours I became disoriented about time, place and person. When my husband called to check on me, he was so concerned that he considered taking me to the hospital. After resting I began to speak more clearly, but I plan to talk with my primary care provider and endocrinologist before having this treatment again. The information sheet given to me did not adequately describe the potential side effects; this experience reminded me how important it is to ask questions and advocate for ourselves.
Preventing Medication Errors
Medication errors can happen in surprising ways. I recently discovered that one of my high blood pressure prescriptions had been labelled incorrectly at the pharmacy; it did not match how my provider prescribed it. This error dated back to July, but I only noticed it today. I have contacted both the pharmacy and my primary care provider to resolve the issue. It is partly the pharmacy’s error and partly mine for not checking sooner. Going forward I am developing a routine with clear steps to verify my medications regularly. Such errors could cause serious health problems; paying attention to details is a crucial part of maintaining wellness.
Together we can keep transforming lived experience into something that uplifts others.
MedicationSafety #PatientAdvocacy #WellnessJourney #MentalHealthRecovery #Healthcare #SelfCare