Too Much of a Good Thing: Lesson Two

Mrs. A. is a heroine of the story, for providing the hospital resident the key information about her husband's vitamin and mineral supplements. She could have acted even sooner--when the mineral supplement was first prescribed. At that point, she could have asked the surgeon how and when the mineral supplement would be effective. If the answer was, "It should help the wound heal within two weeks," Mrs. A. could then ask, when the wound hadn't healed two weeks later, whether the mineral supplement should be continued. The lesson: When receiving a prescription, ask when and how the prescribed drug will likely be effective. If it has not been effective, follow up with the prescribing doctor.

Readers: Has something similar happened to someone you know?