What happens when you don’t read labels carefully?

Photo courtesy of mountainside-medical.com.

The other day I had an annoying cough and a slight sore throat, so I purchased a bag of cough drops. I didn’t think I needed to read the information on the package. I only read the information because I was experiencing writer’s block and the package was sitting next to me.

I was sitting at my computer sucking on one soothing cough drop after another as I typed, then just stared at the computer. When my words were no longer forming sentences, I picked up the cough drop package and read:

Directions:  Adults…dissolve 1 drop slowly in the mouth. Repeat every 2 hours as needed.
Other Information:  “…excessive consumption may have a laxative effect; 5 calories per drop.

I followed part of the directions correctly; the drops dissolved slowly, but I had eaten 6 or 7 of them within one hour. Panic set in. These are 5 calories each?! I didn’t need any more calories. AND they may act as a laxative. Did I mention that it was 10:00pm? It was not a good time for a laxative.

I survived the night without any traumatic incidents, but I learned a lesson…don’t take the little things for granted.

The next time I have a sore throat I will stick to drinking tea, eating chicken noodle soup and devouring peppermints.

Do you always read labels?


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Angie