It’s Time to Stock up Your Medicine Cabinet

You should always be prepared, and that’s a fact. That’s exactly what your parents and teachers taught you, and it might even be one of your personal mottos nowadays. However, when was the last time you actually examined the contents of your medicine cabinet and first-aid kit?

Looking at what you have on hand compared to what you might need can truly pay off. That’s true all the time, but it’s also smarter than ever nowadays, especially when being prepared with the proper amount of over-the-counter (OTC) supplies could save you trips to the store or even your provider’s office.

However, it’s worth mentioning that not every single remedy at the drugstore will be the right one for you. You definitely want to go with items that are efficiently geared to the health needs of older adults for the safest and most effective types of home care.

Older adults are often way more sensitive to the side effects of medications or might have chronic illnesses that could be worsened by them. These situations can easily occur with prescription and other types of over-the-counter drugs.

Besides, warnings about side effects and other drug interactions shown on packages and inserts are oftentimes shown in fine print, which could turn out to be quite difficult for older adults to read. So it’s fairly important to communicate with your doctor or pharmacist about over-the-counter medications you want to use.

Acetaminophen

It’s great for mild and persistent pain. Acetaminophen is by far the safest choice of all OTC pain relievers. The less-safe options are aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen.

Moreover, aspirin and NSAIDs can have plenty of unwarranted side effects, such as digestive system bleeding, ulcers, increases in blood pressure, and leg swelling in some patients with heart and kidney issues. You can check with your provider before using aspirin or NSAIDs for aches and pains.

Stay-healthy tip

It’s also advised to pay attention to dosage instructions, as too much acetaminophen might cause different types of liver problems. For instance, frail older adults, along with people who have liver problems or who continuously drink alcohol might want to consider taking lower doses.

Rub-on cream and gel pain reliever

At times, a topical gel that has diclofenac, which is also part of the NSAID family, helps older adults with their joint pain. “It works quite similarly to oral pain relievers, but without the unwanted side effects, especially because it’s topical.” as Sunny Linnebur, Pharm.D., a professor and clinical pharmacy specialist for the University of Colorado Hospital Seniors Clinic explained.

Things to stock for hay fever and other respiratory allergies – Antihistamines with loratadine, cetirizine, and fexofenadine

In all fairness, these are quite safe for most older adults who present regular and seasonal allergies that might cause sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, or even nasal congestion.

That’s why it’s worth avoiding the so-called “first-generation” antihistamines, especially those that contain ingredients like diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, brompheniramine, and dimenhydrinate. In older adults, these might also cause drowsiness, falls, confusion, constipation, and even problems urinating.

Corticosteroid nasal spray with fluticasone, triamcinolone and budesonide

If the only allergy symptoms you experience are runny nose and congestion, then you should know that a nasal spray is a far better choice than an oral remedy. The spray rapidly zooms in on those prime targets for faster relief.

Antihistamine eye drops with olopatadine and ketotifen

Very similar to the nose spray, eye drops might be way more effective than an actual allergy pill, especially if your main allergy symptoms are itchy, and watery eyes.

Stay healthy

If you take any kind of OTC remedies and medications on a regular basis, you should discuss them with your provider to make sure they are safe to continue. Sometimes, even products that are recommended for older adults might affect a health condition you have, or might even interact with other medications you take.

For example, someone with glaucoma is among the concerns, because antihistamines and corticosteroids can easily increase pressure in the eye. Eye pressure is the balance of fluid in your eye that helps support good vision and increased eye health.

Laxattives with polyethylene glycol and senna

For once-in-a-blue-moon or even short-term bouts of constipation, these laxatives might be quite helpful. Laxatives with polyethylene glycol also draw plenty of fluid into your bowels, in order to soften stool for easier passage, as senna products help stimulate the intestinal muscles to produce a bowel movement. You might also see bulk-forming laxatives.

These contain plenty of ingredients like psyllium, inulin, wheat dextrin, methylcellulose, and polycarbophil. They are known to form soft but big stools in the intestinal tract, which stimulate intestinal muscles to move things where they should be moved.

They are extremely helpful, but not as efficient to relieve constipation. That’s why they’re recommended more for prevention than constipation. If you choose one, you should read the instructions carefully and pay close attention to the amount of water you should be drinking while you take them.

Stay-healthy tip

If you’re constantly constipated, it’s very important to make sure you are eating enough fiber-rich foods, drinking enough water, and getting plenty of physical activity. You should speak with your doctor to evaluate the current medications and look for causes of constipation before taking a laxative on a regular basis. At times, the solution is simply to try different medications or even a different dose.

Loperamide

All anti-diarrhea remedies such as this one are meant for occasional and short-term use. That’s probably one of the reasons why they’re oftentimes promoted for “traveler’s diarrhea.” You shouldn’t take more than the amount recommended on the label, because more could cause rare but very serious heart issues.

Heartburn- antacid

If you manage to neutralize stomach acid, antacids can rapidly relieve occasional heartburn discomfort. However, they interact with some types of medications, so you should talk to your provider if you are taking antacids on a regular basis.

Stay-healthy

Discuss heartburn with your provider right before taking any type of over-the-counter heartburn drugs known as H2 blockers or proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs). Some H2 blockers might cause confusion and drowsiness. PPIs might also increase your risk for pneumonia or osteoporosis. Both these types of drugs could cause nutrient deficiencies as well.

Stock for minor cuts and scrapes – Bandages, adhesive tape, and sterile gauze pads

Having different sizes of adhesive bandages for cuts and scrapes can definitely help you in the long run. For example, bigger gauze pads and adhesive tape come in super handy for larger or minor wounds.

Stay-healthy

Your skin might become quite thin and fragile as you age. Silicone bandages and other types of bandages for sensitive skin are much easier to remove without tearing or irritation. Moreover, sterile gauze pads and paper tape are yet another efficient option if your skin is quite sensitive to adhesives. Gauze pads that have a “non-stick” mark on them are widely preferred.

Petroleum jelly

After you’ve just cleaned a minor cut, scraped, or scratched with mild soap and stopped any bleeding, just apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly and cover the area with a clean bandage. Petroleum jelly will keep the minor wounds moist for a longer amount of time, and they will work just as well as antibiotic ointments, just as long as you clean the wound and change the bandage as often as you can.

If you found this article useful, we also recommend checking: 5 Conversations You Should Have With a Terminally Ill Loved One