Do You Know Enough About Taking Prescription Medicines?
Learn how to better manage your medicines by taking this quiz.
1. Older people have a greater risk for medicine
interactions.
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Not only do
people usually take more medicines as they age and develop some health problems, but
as
people age, body changes can affect the way the medicines are absorbed and used. Changes
in the digestive tract affect how quickly a medicine is absorbed. If your body weight
has changed, that can affect how much medicine you need and how long it remains in
the
body. The circulatory system can slow down, which affects how quickly medicine reach
the
liver and kidneys, and then are excreted from the body. Older people are more at risk
from falls and dizziness if they take medicines such as water pills. These medicines
can
cause dehydration.
2. Tell your healthcare provider and pharmacist about all the
prescription medicines, supplements, alternative remedies, and all over-the-counter
(OTC) medicines that you take.
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Be sure to
include OTC medicines, vitamins, minerals, herbal remedies, eye drops, and skin products
such as creams and ointments. This can help you prevent possibly dangerous interactions
between medicines or with supplements.
3. Be sure you can recognize your medicine by shape, color, size,
and name.
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If it's hard for
you to tell them apart, your healthcare provider can possibly prescribe them in pill
forms that are more distinctive. If you have trouble remembering to take your medicines,
use a calendar or pillbox. But remember, to be as safe as you can, keep all your pills
in their original containers. This means all prescriptions and OTC pills. Keep in
mind
that generic medicines may look completely different from what you had been taking.
Knowing how your pills look is also helpful when you pick up a refill at the pharmacy.
If the medicine looks different from previous refills, always check with the pharmacist
to be sure you have the correct medicine and dose.
4. Don't refill prescriptions until they run out.
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Refill
maintenance prescriptions in advance to keep from running out. This is especially
important if you take daily medicines for high blood pressure, a heart condition,
or
diabetes. Ask your healthcare provider to write your maintenance medicine prescriptions
with refills, so you don’t have to go back to the provider’s office every time you
need
more of a prescription. Tell your provider when you use your last refill so a new
prescription can be sent to your pharmacy. This is extra important when you may not
be
able to get to the pharmacy because of bad weather, travel, or other conditions outside
of your control.
5. Discuss any changes in diet with your healthcare
provider.
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Your diet can
influence how your body uses medicines. For example, eating a very low-fat or
high-calcium diet can alter how well medicines work. Tell your healthcare provider
how
much caffeine (coffee, tea, and cola) you consume, if you drink alcohol and how much
you
drink, and if you use any tobacco products such as cigarettes chewing tobacco, or
e-cigarettes. These substances also can affect how well your medicines work. You may
need to take some of your medicines on an empty stomach. Others may be best taken
with
food. Antacids with calcium can interfere with how thyroid medicines are absorbed.
6. During each visit, ask your healthcare provider to review your
medicines.
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Bring your pills
in their original prescription or OTC bottles to each appointment that you have with
your healthcare providers. Ask your provider to check on how well a medicine that
you
regularly take is working. Do you still need to take it? Are there any lifestyle changes
you can make that might allow you to take less of the medicine or even stop taking
it
altogether? If your healthcare provider wants you to keep taking certain medicines,
do
not stop without your provider’s OK. Certain medicines need to be gradually decreased
over time so that you don't have withdrawal symptoms. A yearly review is also good
for
your medicine cabinet. Look through it and discard safely any medicines that have
expired.
7. If possible, purchase all your prescription medicines at one
pharmacy.
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Potentially
dangerous medicine interactions are more likely to be detected if one pharmacist fills
all your prescriptions.
8. It's safe to take someone else's medicine if you have the same
condition.
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Never take
someone else's medicine. Taking someone else's medicine can mask your own symptoms
and
make your condition more difficult to diagnose. Remember that your age, weight, other
medicines and doses, and other health conditions are unique to you. If you have trouble
paying for your prescribed medicines, ask your healthcare provider if there are any
programs that can help with medicine costs.
9. Follow extra precautions when taking medicines at night.
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Turn on the
light and make sure you're taking the right medicine. If you need to take more than
one
type of medicine at the same time, don't keep them by your bed, to avoid confusion.
If
you must keep them there, and you don't have small children or pets in your home,
put
the pills you need in a little saucer or cup on your bedside table.
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