One of the benefits of taking prescription medications rather than alternative remedies is that drug companies are obliged to produce detailed up-to-date information about each of their products.
You can access this information as a consumer on a number of websites:
- Medicines.org.au (which has a policy of adding new information immediately after receiving it from drug companies, and is therefore very up to date)
- Medicines Guide (produced by the Australian Government's 'Better Health Chanel')
- NPS Medicinewise (produced by a coalition of healthcare professional organisations)
An example of an information sheet for a drug commonly given to patients with prolapse is Lactulose (a laxative). The drug information sheet for Lactulose on Medicines.org.au can be found here: Duphalac.
These websites are not a substitute for professional advice from a pharmacist or doctor, but they can be useful to 'fill in the blanks' or to give you additional information that a GP may not be aware of (considering the variety of medications that they deal with on a daily basis).
If you are unsure about something you have read, you can call an information line such as Medicines Line in Australia (1800 633 424) to speak to a pharmacist. If the information on these sheets conflicts with information a health professional has given you, you can go back to them to seek clarification, or get a second opinion.
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