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If you take prescription medications, you could be at risk for severe skin reactions.

Many drugs can cause severe skin reactions to the sun, this side effect is called photosensitivity.  The severity of the skin reactions depends on the strength of the drugs patients take and amount of time they spend out in the sun. Patients taking certain antibiotics, a group of medications known as sulfonamides, and antidepressants are most at risk, because those medications increase the skin’s reactivity to ultraviolet rays. Drug-induced photosensitivity reactions can occur within minutes or present up to 72 hours after sun exposure.  Drug-induced photosensitivity, presents with symptoms like severe sunburn: acute pain, skin peeling, and blistering.

Pharmacist are good source of information, pharmacists are familiar with rug’s common side effects.  It was a pharmacist who invented sunscreen. Benjamin Green was pharmacist and United States airman who fought in World War II, Mr. Green invented Coppertone.  For a list of medications that can cause photosensitivity go to: Medscape.

 

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Feeling Anxious?

Try this breathing exercises:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdbbtgf05Ek
 Anxiety is a disease state characterized by constant worry, fear that are overwhelming, and can be disabling.

The breathing exercises work by forcing us to slow down our breath. When it comes to Anxiety, one major problem is the tendency to breathe in shorter, shallow breaths, versus deep breathing. Deep breathing, which this image promotes, requires us to slow down, spread our inhalation and exhalation, bringing more oxygen to our brain and body. When we slow down, breathe deeply, we find we are refreshed, relaxed and ready to go back to whatever life is handing us with a renewed energy and peace.
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Setting Health Goals

We all set goals for work, for education, for careers and for life in general. What about setting goals for your health? How many times have you wanted to diet, exercise only to say “I will do it tomorrow, I will start my diet tomorrow or I will start exercise tomorrow”.  For patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, COPD, etc. postponing those goals can bring bad consequences.

Setting goals is the start of the road to better health. Do you keep your promises? Goals are a type of promise that you make to yourself. Honor your commitments, especially those made to yourself.  For each goals, smaller steps can be set so as not to get over whelmed.  Set SMART goals:

S: Specific

Be specific, don’t just say I will exercise starting tomorrow. State how much and what types of exercise you will do. Example: I will start exercising tomorrow, I will start walking 30 minutes three days per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the morning.

M:Measurable

Have a way to measure your progress. if you are trying to loose weight for example; weigh your self daily or at the end of every week.  If you are going to start walking measure how far you walk for 30 minutes or how fast.

A:Attainable

Your goals should be meaningful to you, they  should specific to you and they should be goals that you really want to achieve.

R:Realistic

Your goals should not be impossible but goals you will be able to work toward.  Loosing 20 lbs in one month is probably not realistic. Create a plan and commit to it.

T:Time sensitive

Set a time in which you will accomplish your goals. Saying “I will work three times a week for 30 minutes” is good but not as good as saying “I will walk three times a week for 30 minutes per week and will walk 3 miles in 30 minutes by the end of three months”.

Writing down your goals, making a very specific plan and sharing it with friends or love ones can increase the odds that you will stick to your goals. Commit to your self and improve your health today.

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Why Blog?

Why I decided to blog? For me is a small need to share my experiences, reached more patients, express opinions and hopefully help others.

There are many Pharmacists wanting their voices to be represented, and that means a whole lot of Pharmacists with posts. Blogs such as: The Redheaded Pharmacist, Pharmacist’s Place, The Blonde Pharmacist, Confessions of a young pharmacist, Love Being a Pharmacist , The Dispenser Diaries, FAST FOOD Pharmacy, last refills, The Pharmacy Chick and Pharmacy Times; just to name a few. So, you might be asking yourself how is this blog going to be different than those listed above? My blog will be directed more to the patients, occasionally I will direct blogs to student pharmacist, other pharmacist and health care providers. I want to make the chronic patient the main audience for my blog, I want to inform, motivate and help patients take control of their own health.

The best part of my job is the interaction that I have with patients, being able to help them help themselves. I will try to make my blogs short and inspirational for those who are dealing with chronic disease. Everything from information on disease states like diabetes to information about medications and motivational talks about becoming an informed and in control of their own lives.

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What is a clinical Pharmacist

Clinical pharmacists work directly with physicians, other health professionals, and patients to ensure that the medications prescribed for patients contribute to the best possible health outcomes. Clinical pharmacists are an integral part of the Health Care Team.

Clinical pharmacists are educated and trained in many direct patient care environments, including medical centers, clinics, and a variety of other health care settings. Clinical pharmacists are frequently granted patient care privileges collaborative agreement with physicians and/or health systems that allows them to perform a full range of medication interventions as part of the patient’s health care team. This specialized knowledge and clinical experience are usually gained through residency training and specialty board certification.

What do clinical pharmacists do?

Clinical pharmacists:

  • Assess the status of the patient’s health problems and determine whether the prescribed medications are optimally meeting the patient’s needs and goals of care.
  • Evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of the patient’s medications.
  • Recognize untreated health problems that could be improved or resolved with appropriate medication therapy.
  • Follow the patient’s progress to determine the effects of the patient’s medications on his or her health.
  • Consult with the patient’s physicians and other health care providers in selecting the medication therapy that best meets the patient’s needs and contributes effectively to the overall therapy goals.
  • Advise the patient on how to best take his or her medications.
  • Support the health care team’s efforts to educate the patient on other important steps to improve or maintain health, such as exercise, diet, and preventive steps like immunization.
  • Refer the patient to his or her physician or other health professionals to address specific health, wellness, or social services concerns as they arise.

How do clinical pharmacists care for patients?

Clinical pharmacists:

  • Provide a consistent process of patient care that ensures the appropriateness, effectiveness, and safety of the patient’s medication use.
  • Consult with the patient’s physicians and other health care providers to develop and implement a medication plan that can meet the overall goals of patient care established by the health care team.
  • Apply specialized knowledge of the scientific and clinical use of medications, including medication action, dosing, adverse effects, and drug interactions, in performing their patient care activities in collaboration with other members of the health care team.
  • Call on their clinical experience to solve health problems through the rational use of medications.
  • Rely on their professional relationships with patients to tailor their advice to best meet individual patient needs and desires.
How do you find a clinical pharmacist?

Clinical pharmacists practice in many health care environments, including hospitals and their affiliated outpatient clinics, emergency departments, community pharmacies, physicians’ offices, community-based clinics, nursing homes, and managed care organizations.

Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacist:

Pharmacists who practice in ambulatory care provide direct patient care services for patients with chronic illnesses, promote health and wellness, and participate in innovative patient visits including transitions in care, group visits, patient education classes, shared visits, and Medicare Wellness Visits.