Follow-up: what happens if a medicine causes a problem?

Who helps after the visit?

For questions after a visit, contact the health professional who is caring for you. Before the visit ends, ask how to reach them. An adverse event means an unwanted problem during or after using a medicine. It does not by itself prove the medicine caused it.

Ask your health professional how to get help after the visit. Adverse-event reporting means recording unwanted problems during or after medicine use. A report alone does not prove the cause or tell us how often a problem occurs.

What follow-up plan can I ask for?

Ask who reviews questions, how to reach that person and how the next visit is arranged.

Ask how routine messages differ from urgent concerns. Keep the care service’s instructions where you can find them.

When is waiting for a message the wrong next step?

A severe allergic reaction can put life at risk quickly; signs include swelling of the face or tongue, or trouble breathing.

MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine’s health information service, says to get emergency help for these signs. Do not wait for a routine reply from the care service.

These signs are reasons to get help immediately. They do not tell you for certain what caused the problem.

Can I report a medicine problem myself?

MedWatch is the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) reporting programme for medical-product problems. Patients can send a report without a fee.

Contact your health professional for help with the problem. You can also send a MedWatch report to tell the FDA what happened. A report does not replace getting medical help.