By Maura Conry, PharmD, MSW

New and better drugs are coming on the market to treat diseases. Unfortunately, many people accidentally mix up their medications. Even with the best intentions, this is easy to do. But when medications are not taken properly, the diseases they treat can worsen, leading to pain, cause disability, reduce quality of life, or even shorten life span.

It can difficult to determine the best way to take medications, especially when you have several different kinds, and take them at different times of the day. It is easy to miss doses of medications, and sometimes forget to take them altogether. Many diseases can be managed as long as medications are taken very regularly. Simply put, medications don’t work if you don’t take them!

There are many types of medicinal products:

• Prescription medications are those that you get from your doctor and pharmacist.
• Over-the-counter drugs are non-prescription drugs that can be bought in pharmacies and neighborhood stores without a prescription from the doctor. Some of them are powerful drugs that should not be mixed with prescription medications. Always read and follow directions exactly.
• Vitamins and health food supplements must be treated like medications because some of them are active drugs, and can interact with your prescription medications from the doctor.
• Home remedies and folk products can have drug effects. Don’t use them without checking with your doctor or pharmacist if you take prescription drugs.
• Alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, and street drugs can interact with prescription medications and cause more medical problems.
• Medications borrowed from friends and family are always unsafe! They might act differently in your body.

It is easy to get mixed-up with your medications if you use a lot of the products listed above. The tendency is to accidentally take too much, which can cause serious medical complications.

How to Help Yourself and Your Family:

• Make a list of all of your medications to carry in your wallet or purse, and give this list to your doctor and your pharmacist when you visit them.
• Read labels on non-prescription and over-the-counter drugs and follow directions exactly.
• Keep the drug information sheets that the pharmacist gives you. Refer to these sheets if you have questions.
• Keep medicines organized and stored in a cool and dry place.
• Call your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions or concerns. Remember you pharmacist is probably easier to reach by phone than your physician. Or you can just walk into the pharmacy for help.
• Ask your pharmacist to show you medication boxes that can help remember to take medicines.
• If you can’t afford all of your medications, ask your pharmacist if there are less expensive drugs available for your condition. Then you can ask your physician if this will work for your condition.
• Ask your doctor and your pharmacist to explain your disease to you, and how the medication can help.
• Don’t stop taking medications without checking with doctor and/or pharmacist.

How to Help Your Doctor:

• Give your doctor your list of all the medications and drug products you use, even those from other doctors.
• Before your doctor visit, make a list of what you want to discuss with your doctor, so the doctor will quickly know where you need help.
• Get one of your doctors to oversee all of the medications prescribed by other physicians.
• If you insist on stopping your medications, discuss this with your doctor to determine what the results might be, and make a plan of how to do this safely.
• Re-order medications before they run out.

How to Help Your Pharmacist:

• Give the pharmacist the list of all the medications and drug products that you use, even those from other pharmacies.
• Find a pharmacist who will get to know you and your family, and will take the time to teach you about your disease state and your medications.
• If things get really mixed-up, put all of your medicinal products in a bag and take them to the pharmacist for help.
• Use one pharmacy only if you can. That way a single pharmacist will know all of the drug products you are using.
• Pharmacists are required by law to help you with your medications to keep you safe.

Conclusion

Medications can make you feel better, keep your healthier, and even make you live longer if you use them safely and wisely!