Many people are officially out of office, and while December is filled with lots of festivities and travelling, it is also known to come with a bit of disruption. From forgetting to pay bills or prioritising wants over needs and neglecting our health goals. Skipping medication during the festive season may seem harmless, but even short breaks can cause serious complications and undo months of progress.
Affinity Health CEO Murray Hewlett warns against skipping medication, as the consequences could be dire. “December holidays are fun, but they also disrupt routines. Travel, late nights, big meals, and social drinking all make it easier to forget a dose or decide to ‘skip just this once’.
That one slip can snowball into complications, emergency visits, or even a hospital stay,” said Hewlett. Your treatment keeps your body stable, especially during times of stress, heat, and indulgence. This holiday, plan ahead: refill prescriptions early, pack enough medicine for travel, and set reminders so you never miss a dose.
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“Festive season pressures are real. Pharmacies and doctors run on reduced hours, people travel without planning refills, pill boxes stay at home, and social plans push sleep and meals off schedule. Some stop meds intentionally because they feel “fine”, want to drink alcohol, are worried about side effects, or assume a short break won’t matter.
For manyconditions, it does.” He warned thatalcoholcan “dangerously amplify drowsiness [when used with sedatives, some antihistamines, and pain tablets], raise blood pressure, trigger hypoglycaemia in people on insulin or sulfonylureas, and irritate the stomach, especially if you’re on anti-inflammatories or blood thinners”. “Grapefruit juice and certain festive cocktails also interact with common meds [some statins, calcium-channel blockers]. When in doubt, ask a pharmacist or GP before you party.
Flying or long road trips disrupt dosing times. For once-daily medicines, keep doses roughly 24 hours apart; for multiple-daily medicines, carry alarms to stay in rhythm. “Keep medication in original packaging in your hand luggage [not checked bags], along with a written list of your doses.
Temperature matters: insulin and some biologics require cooling; inhalers and test strips must be kept dry; tablets shouldn’t bake in a hot car,” Hewlett said. “Festive stomach bugs happen. If you can’t keep food down or have diarrhoea, some medicines need to be paused while others become more important.
People with diabetes should check their glucose more often, hydrate with sugar-free fluids, and never stop insulin without medical advice. If blood glucose stays high, ketones appear, or you can’t drink, seek urgent help. “Read your patient leaflet.
The general rule for many medicines is: take it as soon as you remember unless it’s close to the next dose, in which case, skip the missed dose [never double up]. Exceptions exist [e.g. certain anti-seizure and HIV meds], so confirm with a professional.
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