Do You Know Enough About Taking Prescription Medicines?

People often take more medicines as they age and develop some health problems. And 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 (diuretics). These medicines can cause dehydration. Alcohol use raises particular concerns for older adults who take prescription medicines. Always let your healthcare provider know the amount and frequency of your alcohol use.

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.

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.

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 illness, bad weather, travel, or other conditions outside of your control. If you're traveling, take enough medicines for your time away, plus extra in case of an emergency layover. For international travel, it is advised to check with the embassy of your destination country. Medicines that are OTC or prescribed in the U.S. may be unlicensed or considered controlled substances in other countries.

Your diet can influence how your body uses medicines. For instance, 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.

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 provider wants you to keep taking certain medicines, do not stop without their OK. Certain medicines need to be slowly 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.

Potentially dangerous medicine interactions are more likely to be found if one pharmacist fills all your prescriptions.

Never take someone else's medicine. Taking someone else's medicine can mask your own symptoms and make your condition harder 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.

Turn on the light and make sure you're taking the right medicine. If you need to take more than 1 type of medicine at the same time, don't keep them by your bed, to prevent 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.