My medication doesn’t seem to be working. What’s going on?
You are taking the medication exactly as your doctor prescribed, but you aren’t sure if your medication is working. There may be a number of reasons:
It may take time. Some medications take days or weeks to work. If you are taking one of these medications, it may simply not have reached its full effect yet.
Medications that may take time to work:
- antidepressants
- skin medications
- certain asthma medications (corticosteroid inhalers)
- high blood pressure medications
- cholesterol medications
- thyroid medications
- osteoporosis medications
Other medications not listed here may also take time to work. To check your medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Some medications need to be taken in a special way in order to work properly, such as with or without food, or at specific times of the day. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
The dose may not be right for you. Medications may not work optimally if they are not given at the proper dose.
This may not be the best medication for you. Sometimes, a medication may not work for everyone. Don’t be discouraged if this happens to you – talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Often, they can suggest another medication or treatment that may work better for you.
You may have a condition where you don’t feel symptoms. Many conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol have no symptoms. The only way to see if they are working is to have a test.