If you need medication, specialised treatments, or supplements to improve your health, it’s important to talk to your doctor or health care team first. They can help you choose what is safe and right for you.
Even medicines you can buy without a prescription (called over-the-counter medicines) can sometimes cause problems. If you live with a long-term illness like ME/CFS or long COVID, always talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop, or change any medicine or supplement.
Why People Need Different Medications
Medicines don’t work the same way for everyone. What helps one person might not be safe for someone else.
For example:
- Ibuprofen is a medicine that helps reduce swelling and pain.
- Paracetamol also helps with pain, but it works in a different way.
When choosing if ibuprofen or paracetamol is right for you, your health care team will think about:
- Your other health concerns and symptoms
- What other medicines do you take
- Possible side effects
- If you are allergic to anything
- How your body processes the medicine ( eg. through your liver or kidneys)
- What dose of medication is right for your age, height, weight and symptoms
Some medicines or supplements can be dangerous if taken together, so your doctor and pharmacist need to check everything carefully.
Why Emerge Australia Doesn’t List Medicines On Our Website or Patient and Carer Learning System.
- Medications work differently for different people
- It can be unsafe to try medications without expert advice
- Only trained health professionals can safely choose the correct medicine for your symptoms
- There are no Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved Medications for ME/CFS or long COVID
Instead, we teach:
- Patients about ways to manage symptoms without medications
- Health professionals about ME/CFS, long COVID, and how to safely use medications for symptom management
Who Can Help You with Medication?
Only trained healthcare workers can give you advice about medication. These include:
- Doctors
- Dentists
- Optometrists
- Nurse practitioners
- Midwives
Pharmacists are also helpful and can advise you on how to take medicine safely.
Need Help with ME/CFS or Long COVID?
Ask your doctor to join our GP education webinars to learn more about treating ME/CFS and long COVID. You can share this link with your doctor to help them learn more.
To learn more about prescription medication in Australia, click here.
If you have enquiries about prescription medications, you can click here to learn how to contact the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).