Every medication, vitamin, and supplement has side effects. Some people think that if you can buy it over the counter for you or your children there is nothing to worry about, Wrong! Everything has side effects.

Prescription medications come with a detailed warning but do you read them? You should know what side effects to look for in the short term that may pass, what is urgent, when to go to the hospital or to call the doctor, and what the long-term effects are.

I’ve been taking anti-psychotics for years, at least 30 years for my Bipolar Disorder. One of the long-term side effects of anti-psychotics is called Tardive Dyskinesia which is a serious side effect that can disrupt your entire life.

I started having symptoms a couple of months ago but didn’t think anything about my medications. I thought I knew what Tardive Dyskinesia looked like. You’ve seen the commercials, the person’s hands shake and they drop items or they have jerky motions.

My symptoms reached a point where they were consuming me so I called my doctor. He had me stop one of my medications because it was causing the symptoms I was having. Constantly brushing my teeth with my tongue, and chewing on the side of my mouth, it started to hurt.

When that didn’t work I did some research on Tardive Dyskinesia and discovered that it isn’t always a jerky and uncontrollable motion I called my doctor back to see if he thought it was Tardive. Sure enough, I have an early diagnosis and after stopping my anti-psychotic medication we are hopeful the symptoms will go away.

The big issue is this may not go away even after stopping the medication and my depression will return once I’m off the medication. The good ole catch 22. So I have to wait 450 hours for the medication to get out of the bloodstream, and then it takes longer to be released from the brain. He said we may still be dealing with this in August.

By August my depression may return with a fury and the big question is can I go back on anti-psychotics again and if not what will take its place. They are the backbone of my medications.

You must read all the prescribing instructions when taking medication but you have to read over and over when you take long-term meds because the long-term effects are at the bottom of the prescribing information and we forget. I thought I knew about Tardive Dyskinesia after taking the type of drug for 30 years but I didn’t equate what was happening to me as an early warning.

We’ll have to wait and see what happens on both fronts. It could get hairy in the coming months. My husband is fully aware of the diagnosis and what can happen next. We wait.

Don’t stop taking your medication! Call your doctor and discuss your concerns. 

Your mental health matters, make sure to treat it with great importance daily. Your life and lifestyle can depend on it.

Please say a prayer for me, whatever your religion, please light a candle or say a prayer, I need it.

Melinda

Rebuilding your finances after any time of significant change can be challenging to navigate. Luckily, there are a few tried and true ways to find the right path to your financial independence. 

One of the most recommended courses of action is to increase your income though that may not be a feasible strategy for everyone. Beyond the standard cutting back on expenses and finding ways to turn passions into profit, here are four other ideas to finding your financial independence. 

Revisit Your Goals

It’s likely that if you have suffered a recent trauma, loss, or another life-changing event, your financial goals have also changed. So before diving into any new financial strategies, revisit your priorities and get clarity around your long-term goals. 

For some, it may be paying off a mortgage. For others, it might be funding college for their children or having enough savings to retire early. The steps you take to achieve financial independence will largely depend on your specific goals. Set those goals early and evaluate them annually to make better financial decisions.  

Hire A Financial Advisor

When we have medical concerns, we consult a doctor. When we need our air conditioner repaired, we hire a professional. Why then are so many people trying to solve their financial problems?

Hiring a financial advisor helps take the emotions out of the process and focus on the issues that matter. The best advisors will help frame your goals, understand your challenges, and then guide you through making the best decisions that are right for you. Consult this list from Forbes for the best wealth advisors in your state. 

Create A Flexible Budget

Whether you’re new to budgeting, taking it on after the death of a spouse or loved one, or getting back on track after a financial crisis, a flexible budget will help you visualize your goals and keep you accountable. 

Decide on your spending categories and do your best to track every expense. It may take a month or two to see where your costs can be adjusted or opportunities to increase your income. 

List your top three financial goals at the top of your budget and read them often. Then, when it’s tempting to spring for that spur-of-the-moment expense, you’ll be reminded that you’re working toward a larger goal. 

Learn About Investments

The stock market, mutual funds, real estate investments are exclusive to the financial community. However, anyone can learn more about investments and educate themselves about how to diversify their income through creating investment opportunities. 

Don’t let the new terminology or confusing guidelines discourage you. Talk to your financial advisor about your goals and let them know you’d like to explore different earning strategies. When investing, keep your goals in mind and adjust your risk level based on your anticipated retirement age or expected expenses. 

And, play the long game. Of course, the stock market will fluctuate, and it will be tempting to jump ship at the first downturn. However, history tells us that those who play the long game will perform better and come out ahead. 

If you’ve gone through a loss and come through the other side, you’re already winning! Implement some or all of these ideas, and financial freedom will be one step closer.  

This is a collaborative post.

Melinda

Personal budgeting is a powerful tool, but few know its value. You see, most people get upset when they hear that they have to make a budget for their expenses. It is associated with discomfort and headache. Just as it is linked to diet to hunger and limited food, this is because most people only resort to budgeting when things get tough and there are difficulties, just like with someone who, because he has gained a lot of weight, decides to lose weight. But this is not precisely the case. A personal budget is a necessary tool that we must learn to use in our lives. Its mission is not to make you limit your expenses but to help you set aside more money or spend it more efficiently. 

Most people who do not have a budget end up spending more than they need each month. But this exaggeration has significant implications as it limits their future economic power. The result is that they have less money left, but also create more fixed costs if the purchases are made with installments and credit cards. But when you plan how much you will spend each month and know in advance where they will go, it is easier to restrain yourself and realize when you are overdoing it. For this reason, make your own personal budget so that you know where you are. If you have types of subscriptions, then look at reassessing them. If you have car costs, then look at honest car service to ensure that you are always keeping the necessities at a lower price.

Helps you achieve your goals

A personal budget is essentially a plan that helps you prioritize where you spend your money. This means that when you create an account, you are shifting your focus to the things that matter most to you. This can be repaying a loan, raising enough money to get a home, or starting your own business. The budget essentially creates the plan that you will follow and allows you to monitor your progress. 

Helps you save

People who do not use budgets will not have as much money in savings. Also, planning how you will spend your money each month helps you to avoid infringing on your existing savings. By doing things this way, you can gradually increase the money you have set aside. And the more that you save, the more you will start to feel more comfortable with your finances and of course your future. This will assist you with your home too.

Helps you be flexible

Budget work is to help you be flexible. By recording the income and expenses in detail, you can see how you can transfer money from one expense category to another. It also helps you identify issues that may arise and make the necessary adjustments.

Helps you stay in control

If you feel that you do not have control over your finances and you are always wondering where your money and salary have disappeared, your budget will help you to recover it. By setting your financial priorities and seeing on paper how you spend your money during the month, you better understand habits and patterns that hurt you. This way, it is easier to know where to stop. Having a definite plan for the month, you know what to do and what not to do, and it is easier to think about the future. Make your plans and prepare. The budget is probably the most essential tool you need to change your financial future and gives you the power to make changes right away.

It’s simple

Personal budgeting is not difficult to set up. We are not talking about a budget drawn up by a multinational or a state, where the responsibilities are significant, and the variables are many. We are talking about the account that will help you maintain order in your finances.

So if you start using it regularly, you will see that it is something simple. You can make it even easier and instead of using pen and paper, take advantage of technological advances using a corresponding application. As with anything new, you may be skeptical or feel that you do not have to bother analyzing your finances. But try it for a few months. As you apply it, you will see that you will become more familiar and it will be easier for you to manage your money properly.

This is a collaborative post.

Melinda

As we age, everything that was once taken for granted will become more difficult. Often, friends and family will need to step in and care for you. 

If a loved one of yours needs to be looked after, then it may seem like the right thing to do to take care of them. But before you do decide to take care of someone in this way, it is important that you consider everything that is involved in caring for elderly relatives. Elder-care is more than a full-time job, and it will be both emotionally and physically challenging. In many cases, it may be best to find a respite care provider, to ensure your relative gets the best care they can. However, if you have decided to take this role on yourself, educating yourself about how to help them best is essential. 

Here is everything you should think about when taking care of an elderly relative. 

Keeping Medication Organized

One of the most important aspects of caring for an elderly relative is that you’ll need to make sure that they are taking any medication that they are on when they need to. They may be on several different medications for a variety of different conditions. Make sure you know about their medical conditions and understand what the medication is for. In addition, you should get to know more about the medication, including: 

• When the medication needs to be taken
• What dosage do they require
• When you can order repeat prescriptions 

You may be required to administer their medication or to check each day to ensure it has been taken. 

Carrying Out Housework

If the elderly relative that you are caring for has limited mobility, then you may need to help them with their housework. While this may mean carrying out major tasks such as cleaning the whole house, it may also involve smaller tasks such as washing the dishes. 

Assisting With Mobility 

Since mobility is a problem for many older people, there are risk factors that you should be aware of. You may need to supervise or provide mobility aids to help them get about their day without having any slips, trips, or falls. 

Make sure that the home environment is safe for them. This could involve making sure that the house is free from clutter, that the walkways are clear, that there are handrails throughout the home, that there is a stairlift in place, that walkers or wheelchairs are available as needed. 

This wheelchair guide will talk you through finding the right wheelchair for the relative that you are caring for. 

You should go through the house and identify any potential risks and make the necessary changes. 

You’ll Need a Bathing Routine

Personal hygiene and health go hand-in-hand. Wherever possible, you should ensure that the relative that you’re caring for has some sense of independence when it comes to bathing and washing. To achieve this, you could provide handrails in the bathroom, along with baths and showers that are easily accessible. 

When someone is unable to clean themselves, you will need to help them. Creating a bathing and washing routine is essential. This will ensure your loved one will stay clean all of the time. This will be even more important if your relative is either bed-bound or incontinent, as sores may form if you don’t keep proper hygiene.

You’ll Need to Cook for Your Relative

Unless your elderly relative is able to cook themselves, you will very likely to do this on their behalf every day. Make sure that you provide a healthy balanced diet that is not only varied, but that is also interesting. Make sure that mealtimes are something to look forward to. 

If you want to save yourself some time, you may want to batch cook some meals so that these can be quickly reheated another day. 

You May Need To Lift Your Relative

If the person that you are caring for has mobility issues, then it will be essential that you help them to get around. To do this, you may need to lift them up. If this is something that you need to do, ensure you do it safely and consider your own body. Make sure that you are not putting yourself at risk at all. 

There may be lifting equipment that you can buy that will help you to lift your loved one safely. There may also be courses that you can take that teach you safe lifting and handling. 

You’ll Need To Help Your Relative To Exercise 

It is essential that you help keep your elderly relative as active as possible. Even if your elderly relative has mobility problems, there will be some exercises that they can do. This may just mean doing simple movements with their arms and feet. Find some basic routines that they can complete. Join in with the exercises with them to make them feel more at ease while they’re doing them. 

You Will Need To Run Errands

There will often be errands that need to be run. If your elderly relative is unable to do them, you will need to do them on their behalf. This may mean going to the shop, paying bills for them, returning their library books, and much more. Try to maintain a routine so that you can easily keep up with the required errands. 

There May Be Hospital Procedures 

If your relative needs to go into the hospital for a procedure, you’ll need to be there to help them out with their aftercare. Make sure that you’re there to speak with the doctor and find out what you’ll need to do in terms of caring for them after the procedure. You will also need to ensure they are able to attend any follow-up appointments. 

Providing End of Life Care

One of the hardest things that you’ll need to deal with is the end of life care. It will be important that you know exactly when you should call a hospice. 

With all the best intentions, there will be times when caring for someone that you are close to will get to be too much for you. Make sure that you take a break whenever possible, and build a support network around yourself. 

This is a collaborative post.

Melinda