328 The green pages
Medicines by mouth (tablets, capsules) are usually safer than injections
In this book, we suggest medicines to be taken by mouth. Only if they cannot be
taken by mouth do we give information about medicines that must be injected. If
you need an injection, see a health worker. Information on how to inject safely can
be found in Where Women Have No Doctor on pages 542 to 544.
Single medicines are safer and less expensive than combined medicines
But some medicines, especially those for HIV/AIDS, are easier to take in combination.
IMPORTANT
• If possible, take medicines while standing or sitting up. Also, try to drink a
glass of liquid each time you take a medicine.
• If you vomit and can see the medicine in the vomit, you will need to take the
medicine again.
• If you vomit within 3 hours after taking a birth-control pill, take another one to
make sure you will not get pregnant.
Taking other medicines together with your
disability medicines
If you take medicine regularly for your disability, it may not combine well with
some of the medicines listed in this book. Other medicine may make your disability
medicine not work as well, or your disability medicine may change how the other
medicine works. For example, if you take phenytoin for epilepsy, you should not
use birth control pills that contain both estrogen and progestin because your
seizures may become worse. Talk with an experienced health worker or pharmacist
to find out if your regular medicines will interact with any new ones you must take,
and if so, what other medicines you might take instead.
Luckily, not every medicine listed in this book has interactions. For the few
medicines that do have interactions, you will find the information listed for each
medicine under the heading ‘Interactions with other medicines’ with this
symbol:
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities 2007