Prescription Drug Safety
Part 2 of 2
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Prescription Drug Safety is a Team Effort :
In our last installment we learned about drug interactions and side effects, and noted that your health care team can work together to reduce your risks of experiencing problems with your medications. We talked about how your doctor can help you with your medicine, and what questions you should ask your doctor about your prescriptions.
The other members of your health care team are your pharmacist and you, the patient. Each plays an important role in using medicine safely.
Talk to Your Pharmacist :
One of the most important services a pharmacist can offer is to talk to you about your medicines. A pharmacist can help you understand how and when to take your medicines, what side effects you might expect, or what interactions may occur. Pharmacists can answer your questions privately at the pharmacy.
Many pharmacists keep track of medicines on their computer. If you buy your medicines at one store and tell your pharmacist all the prescription and over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, vitamins and herbals you take, he or she can help make sure your medicines don’t interact harmfully with one another.
Your pharmacist may be able to print labels on prescription containers in larger type if reading the medicine label is hard for you. You may also be able to get written information from your pharmacist to help you learn more about your medicines.
When you get a prescription filled you should ask:
- Do you have a patient profile for me to fill out? Does it include space for my over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, herbals and dietary supplements?
- Is there written information about this medicine?
- What is the most important thing I should know about this medicine?
- Can I get a refill? If so, when?
- How and where should I store this medicine?
- Ask the pharmacist any questions that were not answered by your doctor.
Do Your Part to Be Safe :
To get the safest and most effective benefits from your medicine, you need to step up to your own role as a member of your health care team. Here are some ways to do your part:
Follow your doctor’s instructions. Ask your doctor to write down instructions if you don’t understand or are worried about forgetting them.
Take your medicines for the whole time they are prescribed. Even if you are feeling better, never stop taking a prescription without talking to your doctor first.
Take only your own medicines. Taking someone else’s medicine may hide your symptoms, cause drug interactions, and make diagnosing your illness more difficult for your doctor.
Know about your medicines. If you take more than one medicine, be able to tell them apart by size, shape, color, number or name imprint, form (tablet or capsule) or container.
Plan for medicines you need to take during the night. If you need to take more than one medicine, try not to deep them by your bedside. If you must, and there are no small children or pets in your home, place only the pills you will need during the night on your bedside table. Turn on the light and make sure you are taking the right medicine at the right time.
Get prescriptions filled early enough. If you wait until the last minute, you risk running out of medicine, which may cause problems with your medicine schedule.
Organize your medicines at home. Many people use a chart or written schedule to keep track of their medicines. Some find containers with different colored caps, different sections or with alarms that go off at set times to be helpful in remembering to stick to their medicine schedule.
Keep medicines in a cool, dry place, away from bright light. A kitchen cabinet or bedroom shelf might be good storage places. Medicines should not be kept in places like the bathroom or over the stove where moisture and heat can alter their effectiveness. Do not keep medicines in the refrigerator, unless your doctor or pharmacist tells you to.
Always beep medicines in their original containers. Never put more than one kind of medication in the same bottle.
Gift your medicine chest a yearly check-up. Check the dates on all your medicines and get rid of those that are expired. Take all your medicines, in their original containers, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, herbals and dietary supplements to your doctor or pharmacist. These health professionals can go over all the medicines you take and help you be sure you are taking them properly and minimizing the risk of drug interaction.
Tips for Seniors on Safe Medicine Use :Learn about your medicines : Read medicine labels and follow the
directions. If you have questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Talk to your heath care team : Tell them about your medical conditions, health concerns, and all the prescription and over-the-counter medicines you take, including vitamins, herbals and dietary supplements. The more they know, the more they can help. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.Keep track of side effects or possible drug interactions : Let you doctor know right away about any unexpected symptoms or changes in the way you feel.
Keep all medical appointments : This includes visits to your doctor and appointments for monitoring tests.
Use a method to help you remember : A calendar, pill box, chart, alarm or other system can keep you on track to take your medicines as directed.
Take along a relative or friend : If doctor’s appointments make you nervous or confused, having someone with you can help you understand or remember what the doctor tells you.
Keep all medicines out of the sight and reach of children.
Have a yearly "medicine check-up" : Get rid of all old or expired medicines and ask your doctor or pharmacist to go over all the medicines you now take. Don’t forget to include all the over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, herbals and dietary supplements you are taking.
Pharmacist Brian Morris will be at Maury River Senior Center on Friday, May 19 at noon to do “brown bag consultations”. Bring all your prescription and non-prescription medicines you take, including vitamins, herbals and dietary supplements. Brian will meet privately with you to point out any possible drug interactions and give you advice on properly storing and taking your medicines. This service is free of charge for anyone 60 or older. For more information, call MRSC at 261-7474.
Other Tips from MRSC: