A healthy adult can tolerate fasting for a reasonable period of time. However, experts point out that the sick and the very elderly may not be able to withstand fasting or their impairments and disabilities may worsen if they skip their medications due to physical impairment or disability.
Yeditepe University Faculty of Pharmacy Pharmacology Department Leader Prof. Dr. Turgay Çelik gave information about correct medication use during Ramadan and warned that medication use should not be interrupted.
He pointed out that if sick and elderly individuals do not use medication during Ramadan, it may lead to exacerbation of diseases or triggering new diseases, stopping treatment, or starting diseases again. Turgay Çelik said, “Especially in some special health situations such as old age, pregnancy and breastfeeding, and during recovery periods of diseases, fasting can be postponed to another time. "Otherwise, it should not be forgotten that fasting may worsen the health condition or prolong the period of the disease," he said.
“Taking the Medicine on Time May Be of Vital Value”
Stating that doctors prescribe the patient's medicine "in a way that ensures that it is sufficient to treat the disease in the body," Turgay Çelik continued his words as follows:
“Delaying the time to take medication reduces the amount of medication in the body. It is vital that people with chronic diseases such as heart, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, thyroid, rheumatism, cancer and epilepsy take their medications without interruption during Ramadan. Individuals who need to take medication at all times due to chronic disease should definitely consult their physician when changing medication schedules. In these cases, your doctor must first determine whether your health is suitable for fasting. If your doctor allows you to fast, medication hours should be planned and continued according to his recommendation. In addition, care should be taken to eat a stable and moderate diet and drink enough fluids.”
If You Definitely Want to Fast, Consult Your Physician
"If your disease has been treated and has gotten better, then you can fast by talking to your doctor and using your medications at sahur and iftar," said Turgay Çelik, adding:
“However, if fasting increases the disease and it starts to show different symptoms of the disease, it is necessary to postpone or stop fasting. In treatments that continue with medications taken 2 or 3 times a day, it is necessary to stop fasting as it is not possible to replace them. Medicines must be taken at certain intervals at certain times. If there is medication taken during the day or if there are medications taken when problems begin to appear, then fasting should definitely be postponed or stopped. "If, despite everything, there is a desire to fast, fasting should be started after reviewing the disease condition and medication dosage under the supervision of a doctor."
“Fasting Harms Baby Development”
Prof. also warned about fasting for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Dr. Turgay Çelik: “If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should not fast. You can postpone fasting until after birth or after breastfeeding. For the sake of the child and herself, the mother needs to take sufficient and nutritious foods and consume water. It is evaluated that fasting by pregnant women causes serious health problems on the development of the baby. "For the health and development of mother and baby, fasting should definitely be postponed during these periods," he said. Turgay Çelik, who also made suggestions for those who prefer to fast, continued: “Great care should be taken to consume food with high nutritional value and sufficient drinks under the supervision of a doctor between sunset and sunrise. In particular, care should be taken to stay away from very physical activities during the fasting period. During this period, when signs of decreased baby movements, dizziness, fatigue, nausea or vomiting are observed, fasting should be stopped and medical supervision and advice should be sought immediately. In the meantime, care should be taken to maintain good eating habits during pregnancy and, if necessary, help should be sought from relevant specialist physicians.”
If You Experience These While Fasting, Definitely Consult Your Doctor
Prof. stated that while fasting, discomfort may be felt due to hunger, but some conditions may be symptoms of disease. Dr. Turgay Çelik noted that a doctor should be consulted in the following cases:
- If there is fatigue or dizziness that does not decrease with rest, it may be due to low blood pressure.
- If you have nausea, dizziness and trouble focusing, it may be due to dehydration or low fluid intake.
- The risk of kidney stone formation and its symptoms may increase due to low fluid intake during Ramadan.
- Symptoms such as constipation, poor digestion and heartburn are frequently encountered during fasting. To reduce the frequency of these, a healthy and correct diet is required.
- Most people state that they experience symptoms such as headache and migraine while fasting: If these symptoms do not go away or increase, a doctor should be consulted.
- It is necessary to stay away from excessive sports and physical activity during fasting. On the other hand, if exercise is necessary, it is recommended to do light exercise at the end of the day.
