Brown Bag Medicine Review
Why a special appointment to review your meds can give your treatment a boost.
Forty percent of Americans ages 60 or older have taken five or more prescription medicines in the last month. And that doesn’t count OTC (over-the-counter) medicines or supplements.
With so much medicine-taking, there is ample possibility for bad mixes, missed doses or unwanted side effects. One way you can reduce those risks? Take stock. Ask your doctor about scheduling a “brown bag” medication review.
Here’s How it Works
- Gather. Take a brown bag and toss in all your current prescriptions and OTC medicines or supplements. Include the original packaging so your doctor can get information about active ingredients, dose, side effects, directions for use, etc. Tip! Think about medicines you take both daily and occasionally. Include your go-to pain-relievers, cold/flu remedies, sleep aids, digestive probiotics or medicines, and vitamins or nutritional supplements (both pill and liquid form).
- Share. Show the doctor your medicines and share why you take it, how you should take it and whether or not you actually do take it as directed. Tip! Your doctor can’t give you the best care if he thinks you’re taking a medicine when you’re not, so now’s the time to be honest.
- Learn. Ask questions and clarify directions for use. Write down the information your doctor tells you. Remember, within 10 to 80 minutes after receiving information about their medicines, 60 percent of patients forget what they’re told. Tip! Help yourself ask the right questions and remember the results of your brown bag by using a medication chart to fill out on each of your medicines.
Brown Bag Review Benefits
- Tend to forget to take your meds? Your doctor may combine meds or simplify your regimen by switching you to a once-daily option.
- Doubt you need the med? Your doctor can review how it works, why it helps, and if it’s still right for you.
- Worry about side effects? Your doctor can review a list of major watch-outs along with ways to manage side effects.
- Concerned about safety? Your doctor can cross-check active ingredients to make sure that you’re not accidentally taking too much of one ingredient and that your medicines work well together.
- Costs too steep? Your doctor might change drugs, switch to a drug that can treat more than one condition, or suggest pparx.org or a similar resource to help you save.
Can You Mix? Find out if your drugs can be taken together with our Drug Checker.
Want to avoid a dangerous pill mistake? Identify your pills by imprint, shape or color with our Pill Checker.
Get tips for remembering your meds, coping with side effects and more with Medicine Matters.
