TAKE CARE WHILE TAKING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

More than 1 billion prescriptions are written by physicians every year. Seventy-eight percent of those are not taken properly, according to the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA). Sometimes doctors do not take enough time to explain their instructions, but many patients disregard the instructions they do receive.

Guidelines to help ensure that you get the best results from your medicine:

Inform your doctor and pharmacist about ALL prescription drugs, daily vitamin or mineral supplements, or nonprescription drugs (aspirin, cold medicines, laxatives) that you take regularly.
Use only one pharmacy, preferably one with computerized patient profiles that will spot allergic reactions and interactions between medicines.
Record any side effects you experience while taking prescription drugs, and report them to your doctor.
Do not drink alcohol while taking ANY medicine, unless you have your doctor's approval. Alcohol can cause serious interactions with some drugs and increase the side effects of others.
Always follow instructions. If there is a difference between your doctor's verbal instructions and the label instructions, contact your doctor immediately. There are good reasons why some medicines should be taken with food, kept refrigerated, or shaken well before using. If you don't follow the doctor's specific instructions your medicine may be ineffective or harmful.
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, take ALL of the prescribed medicine. Just because you feel better doesn't mean you are completely well.
Never take drugs prescribed for someone else. Drugs should be prescribed after considering other drugs being taken, one's age, weight, health history, and other important factors. Exchanging medicine is dangerous: don't do it!
Ask plenty of questions about the prescribed drugs so you fully understand how to take them properly. Don't be afraid to write down your doctor's answer, so you can refer to them later.
1. What is the name of the drug?
2. What is it supposed to do?
3. How long will it take before it is effective?
4. How am I supposed to take it?
5. When am I supposed to take it?
6. Are there any foods, drinks, other drugs, or activities I should avoid while taking this drug?
7. What are the drug's side effects?
8. What should I do if the side effects happen to me?
9. Is written information available on this drug that I could have and understand?
Don't try to "hurry up" the good effects of drugs by increasing the recommended dose. Give the drug time to do its job.
Keep a list of all your prescriptions in your wallet. Include the name, dosage, and name of doctor who prescribed it. When you visit your doctor, have him/her check your list and keep it up to date. In emergency situations, the list will provide valuable information for the attending doctor.
For bitter-tasting medicine, suck on an ice cube for a couple of minutes before taking the medicine. You won't notice the taste as much. Stand, rather than sit, while swallowing medicine. Don't crush medicine unless you get approval from your doctor, because crushing can alter the proper release of some drugs.
Store medicines correctly: keep them in the container the pharmacist supplies (these containers protect the drugs from light or moisture); don't put different kinds of pills in the same container (this can create harmful chemical reactions); contact your pharmacist if you notice changes in color, smell, or consistency in your drugs; avoid storing medicine in the bathroom where there is excess moisture.
Dispose of all outdated and unused drugs by flushing them down the toilet. Keep only current medications on hand.

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