Day: December 20, 2023

Can medicines be addictive? What is dependence and addiction to medicines? Most medicines will not cause dependence or addiction. There is a difference between dependence and addiction. Dependence Dependence is when you have a physical need for something. Withdrawal symptoms often appear if you stop taking the medicine. Your body can become physically dependent on some medicines if you take them for a long time. You may be dependent on a medicine used to manage a health condition such as: diabetes a heart condition epilepsy depression Don’t suddenly stop taking medicines without talking with your doctor about it. Addiction Addiction is the need

Questions to ask before taking a medicine Why is it important to ask my doctor or pharmacist about the medicines I have been prescribed? Asking questions about your treatment or medicine is important to help you understand your options. You have a right to ask your pharmacist or doctor about the medicines you are prescribed, so don’t feel shy. It also helps you to know what to expect if you take a medicine, stop taking it or don’t take it at all. What are the likely benefits of taking this medicine? Medicines work in different ways. Some medicines may reduce some or all of

Antidepressants What are antidepressants? Antidepressants are medicines used to treat mental health conditions including: depression anxiety eating disorders obsessive-compulsive disorder post-traumatic stress disorder Medicine is just one strategy used to treat depression and anxiety conditions. Other treatments may also be needed, such as psychological treatments (talking therapy) or lifestyle changes. How do antidepressants work? Antidepressants affect several chemicals in the brain (neurotransmitters) that influence mood and anxiety, including: serotonin noradrenaline dopamine melatonin Because of how they work, you may need to take antidepressants for a while before you see your symptoms improve. If you have depression, you may begin to feel better

  What is a medicine recall? A medicine recall is when a medicine or therapeutic product is withdrawn from being sold; or sold with specific warnings due to concerns with it. It might be because of safety, quality, effectiveness, labelling or packaging of the medicine or product. It could be because of a problem with the medicine itself, like unexpected side effects, or a problem with something unrelated to the medicine, such as a packaging or labelling mistake. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and pharmaceutical companies can recall medicines. The TGA is the government body responsible for medicine safety, so

What is medicinal cannabis? Medicinal cannabis is a medicine that comes from the cannabis plant (also called marijuana). Medicinal cannabis can relieve the symptoms of some medical conditions. The cannabis plant contains 80 to 100 cannabinoids. Two of these cannabinoids are: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cannabidiol (CBD) Most medicinal cannabis products contain THC and/or CBD. THC is also the chemical that gets people high. CBD has no intoxicating effects and can treat a wide range of symptoms. International research is looking at the benefits of some of the other cannabinoids. What is the difference between medicinal cannabis and marijuana? Recreational cannabis (marijuana) is

What is the Medicare Safety Net? If you need to spend a lot of money on out-of-hospital medical appointments or tests, you may be eligible for the Medicare Safety Net. This means once you have spent up to a certain amount then you will get more money back from the government for your out-of-pocket expenses. The Medicare Safety Net provides a higher Medicare benefit to people who have spent over a certain threshold on medical expenses during a calendar year (1 January to 31 December). You will still need to pay the same amount for your doctor’s visit or test, but Medicare

First aid kits Putting together basic first aid kit A good first aid kit helps to lower the impact of an injury before getting proper medical care. You can customise your first aid kit depending on the activities you do. A basic first aid kit should include: crepe bandages of varying widths elasticised bandages of varying widths hypoallergenic (skin) tape triangular bandages adhesive dressing strips (like Band-Aids) in different sizes gauze swabs combine dressing pads (10cm x 10cm) non-stick dressing pads (7.5cm x 10cm) sterile eye pads alcohol swabs stainless steel scissors (sharp/blunt) 12.5cm disposable gloves tweezers shock blanket safety