Starting a New Med
New Rx in hand? Don’t walk out of that doctor’s office without knowing the how, when and why of your medication.
Fact No. 1: Only 58 percent of the time do doctors explain to patients when and how often to take new medicines.
Fact No 2: Only 50 percent of patients take their medicines correctly.
These statistics may be surprising, but they’re not unrelated. Unless your doctor tells you how to take your medicine correctly, you may not know what to do. And unless you ask, your doctor may not tell you.
Take the lead. Get the facts and gain control of your treatment plan with these three steps to successfully manage new medicines.
Step 1: Q & A
When you get a new prescription, get the answers to these questions:
- Why am I taking this medicine? What does it treat?
- Does this medicine take the place of another medicine that I’m supposed to be taking?
- What dose will I be taking? How often and for how long?
- When will it begin working and how can I tell?
- What are the possible side effects? What should I do if I experience them?
- Can I take this medicine while taking my other medicines or supplements? (See Step 2)
Step 2: Cross-Check
Make a master list of all your medicines—including over-the-counter medicines and supplements. Note the dose and how often you take them. Show the list to your doctor and ask your doctor to check:
- Are they all safe to take together?
- Can any be dropped?
- Can I switch to one that can be taken fewer times a day?
- Can I substitute a drug to treat more than one condition?
Step 3: Pharm-Smart
Fill all your prescriptions with the same pharmacy. Pharmacists can look for watch-outs if you take more than one medicine. They can also be another way to get the facts if you have questions about your new drug.
Can You Mix? Find out if your drugs can be taken together with our Drug Checker.
Get tips for remembering your meds, coping with side effects and more with Medicine Matters.
