It is easy to get confused when you are taking prescription drugs, especially when you are taking different medications at different times and dosages. Precaution is very important to make sure that you don’t confuse your medications or miss a dose. Here are several tips to help you find some easy solutions for taking your prescription drugs accurately.
Medication Mix-ups and Mistakes with Multiple Prescriptions
There are many conditions that are long-term. Some of those long-term conditions are diabetes, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, etc. For those medical conditions you may need to take several different types of prescription drugs at the same time. You also may have to take prescription drugs from multiple doctors. It is important when you do have multiple prescription drugs from several different doctors, to make sure that you disclose to each medical professional what medications you are taking. Sometimes there are adverse reactions to taking certain prescription drugs together. Your medical professional or pharmacist can help your identify what drugs interact with your current medications.
When you have a situation where you are on multiple prescription drugs it can lead to confusion and mix-ups. Also, medication errors may happen when you are trying to organize your prescription drugs and get on an accurate schedule for those prescriptions.
Important Tips for Prescription Drug Safety
SOLUTION
One safety precaution which many people use is to schedule a “brown prescription bag check-up” with your prescribing medical doctor or local pharmacist. A brown bag overview is when you take all of your prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicine and remedies (including vitamins, herbs or natural remedies) into a bag and bring them to your medical doctor or pharmacy. This way your medical professional or pharmacist can have access to all your prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines at the same time. They are able to compare everything you are taking to determine if there are any potential issues and interactions with all those medications.
Another solution that many people utilize is a prescription drug pill organizer. These pill organizers allow you to put your medications in separate compartments by day of the week. These organizers come in various sizes and some include an entire month of prescriptions. These organizers can be found at your local pharmacy, such as Walgreens Pharmacy, CVs, Rite-aid or a local store such as, Walmart, Target, etc.
Make sure that when you are organizing your medication to pay careful attention so that you allocate the correct amount in the correct day. You may want to solicit the help of a family member or loved one, if your prescription drug list is extensive.
HELPFUL TIPS
If you decide to schedule your appointment with your medical professional or pharmacist, call in advance so that your doctor or pharmacist has plenty of time to plan your visit. Remember, it is important to let all your medical professionals, including your pharmacist, know all your medications and over-the-counter medicines to make sure you are practicing prescription drug safety.
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