The announcement that Heath Ledger died of an accidental overdose, due to mixing medications, should heed as a warning to anyone who is living through prescriptions. For instance, I take two to three different pills each day. One of those pills, if combined with certain over-the-counter meds or herbal remedies, could kill me. And I wouldn’t have to take a handful to accomplish this.

There is some speculation that this ruling really does mean that Ledger committed suicide. That isn’t necessarily the case. The reports state that the drugs found in his system were found in small quantities. He had pain pills, sleeping pills and some anxiety meds. All of these were prescriptions, and he was taking them as prescribed. Unfortunately, as prescribed doesn’t tell you which drugs to avoid.

I’ve had my own horror stories involving medications and inattentive doctors. Perhaps you tell the doctor you’re taking one prescription from someone else (anxiety, for instance) and your doctor doesn’t “quite” hear you. He prescribes a sleeping pill that could very well interact with your anxiety pill. You trust your doctor to do what’s best, but he was just having an “off” day. Then on your way home, you stop by a more convenient pharmacy than the one you usually frequent. They fill your prescription without being aware of the other medication you’re taking. This particular medication is safe alone and/or with some Tylenol, but with your anxiety medication it’s deadly. But you don’t know. Because your doctor didn’t pay attention (or didn’t know) and you didn’t think going to the same pharmacy every time was important.

You go home, pop an allergy pill and take your other medications. You don’t know any better because you trust your doctor. Or you don’t have adequate information on your meds. Or whatever other factor I could be missing. You don’t feel suicidal or ready to end it all. You just want to take your medications and feel better.

Then you fall asleep and die.

It can happen that quickly and that simply. There is no need for any kind of conspiracy theory, because there are simply reasons why taking your medications as prescribed can kill you. That fast.

What can you do?

• Make sure that you always tell all of your doctors what medications you’re taking. If you can’t remember, carry your pill bottles or a list with you at all times.
• Make sure that your doctors all understand what you’ve told them. If they’re having an “off” day, perhaps they didn’t quite catch your misgivings. Repeat yourself. Be a pest. Your life depends on it.
• Always go to the same pharmacy for your prescriptions. This is important because your pharmacy has a record of all meds you’re on and they can warn you when mixing is dangerous. If you can’t go to the same pharmacy, go to a chain (like Walgreens). They have your records.
• Research. It’s ultimately you’re responsibility to know what you can take with what. If you need to take a cold medicine, talk to the pharmacist. Read the prescription information sheets (available online or through your pharmacy). Not the short ones- but the detailed ones like this one [pdf] about Tramadol. It’s long, but look for terms like “interaction with central nervous system” and “drug interaction”.
• Don’t put 100% trust in your doctor. He or she is human and therefore fallible.

Heath Ledger’s death was tragic and untimely, but it does serve as a reminder that we are responsible for our health care and we need to be ultra-vigilant. Our lives depend on it.