The Menace Of Self-Medication

Few days ago, it was in the news that a young girl died in Kano, Nigeria from Stevens- Johnson syndrome as a result of taking an antibiotic, co-trimoxazole (septrin). There are some lessons to be learnt from this sad incident.


Self- medication is a global health concern. A lot of people resort to this because of limited fund and time for a proper consultation with a physician. Lack of access to a health care center could also aggravate the problem. With the advent of the internet and access to a lot of over-the-counter drugs, self- medication has become the order of the day. It’s true that taking some pills on a friend’s recommendation to resolve an ailment or discomfort is very cost-saving, but is it really worth it??

Self- medication is capable of delaying diagnoses: That headache or stomach pain you feel can be a sign of a bigger underlying problem. Self- medication only gives symptomatic relief, masks the symptoms thereby delaying the actual diagnosis and causes the worsening of the condition.

The fact that it worked for your friend doesn’t mean that it would work for you. A lot of times we forget that so many diseases can present with a particular symptom. You may say, well it’s the same fever. Fever may not always be just fever, a proper diagnoses is always best

What are the side effect of the drug you plan to take? Drugs are prescribed to match a particular individual’s needs taking into consideration his unique genetic makeup and presence of other disease conditions which affects drug metabolism in no small measure. This goes to say that the side effects of a particular drug tolerated by Mr A can be fatal and life threatening to Mr B.

In the case of the young girl who took septrin, it is obvious that she reacts to sulphur compounds (which is a component of the drug). If this were to be in a hospital, detailed information on the patient’s folder of her allergies would have prevented the administration of that drug.

Some patients may think that because the drug was once prescribed for them, they are free to take it at will over and over again. Nothing could be further from the truth, the drug was prescribed for that particular duration unless you were instructed to refill at intervals as can be seen in the management of chronic diseases. Drugs like Diclofenac can cause gastric ulcer when taken chronically while some ‘sleeping pills’ are capable of inducing addiction and dependence when taken for long.

One of the most ‘self prescribed’ class of drugs sadly happens to be antibiotics. The abuse of antibiotics cause a ripple effect. Every antibiotic has a sensitivity spectrum and when taken for a shorter time or for an infection it wasn’t indicated, the infection persists and the organisms end up being fortified making them stronger. The worst thing about antibiotic abuse is that it goes beyond the individual, because organisms from a person can infect others directly or from the environment, the fight against the development of resistant strains should be a fight for all.

If ever you get sick (though I don’t hope for that), it’s best you visit a reputable hospital where you will be taken proper care of instead of resorting to self-medication and its numerous risks.