Medicines and You
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2005-01-28 00:00:00-05:00
Session 2 gets more specific. In this session, you'll learn the five essential answers you need about your prescription drugs. You'll be able to create your own list of questions to ask your doctor about your medications.
With these answers, you can partner with your doctor in managing your medications. This means that you'll use your prescriptions as safely and effectively as possible.
Tip for Caregivers
As we age, changes in our bodies affect how we react to drugs.
Less saliva, slower stomach action, and differences in how our kidneys and livers work—these changes make us process drugs differently than younger people.
Ask if these changes are likely to affect your reaction to a new medicine.
Take the initiative.
How many prescription drugs do you take? If you're 45 or over, you probably take several. If you're like the average person of 65, you take 8. Think of all the instructions to remember, and all the possible interactions.
So, you and your doctor probably have a lot to talk about. AARP studies show that most doctors tell their patients what a new prescription medication is supposed to do, and how and when to take it.
However, doctors tell their patients about a drug's side effects, or what precautions to take while using the medication, only about half the time.
Does your doctor tell you these details? Do you have to ask? Or, do you leave your visit with questions about your new medication still in the back of your mind?
To stay safe, you have to be in charge. You must ask what your doctor doesn't volunteer to tell you.
Ask 5 essential questions about your medications.
There's a lot to ask. Are you in the habit of asking for details about your prescriptions? If you are, great. You can start with the full list of questions below. Just omit the questions you already have answers for.
What if you're not in the habit of asking for a lot of details about your prescriptions? Don't worry. You may know more than you realize. Sometimes, glancing at a question shows us that we already know the answer.
In any case, it's OK to start with the basics. Getting some answers is always better than not knowing.
AARP suggests that you leave your doctor's visit with answers to five questions about a new medicine.
- What is the name of this medication What it is supposed to do? What are the side effects?
- When do I start and stop taking this medicine? How do I take this medicine?
- Will this medication work safely with the other medications I am taking?
- Can non-drug actions help my symptoms, in addition to, or instead of, this drug therapy?
- Are there other medications that I can use? How do they compare in safety, effectiveness and price?
Print 5 Essential Questions About Your Medication. There is room to write in your answers.
Tip for Caregivers
Not following medication instructions is dangerous. Older people need help if they:
- Take 3 or more drugs.
- Live alone.
- Have some symptoms of pre-dementia or cognitive decline.
- Get prescriptions from more than one doctor.
- Fill prescriptions at more than one pharmacy.
- Use both online and community pharmacies.
Start with a new prescription. Over time, get these answers for each medication you take. Add a few more questions, from the full list below, until you know all about managing your medications.
To fill in any blanks, call your doctor back and ask your pharmacist (see Session 3). Our supplemental seminar on doing research for health conditions, treatments, and medications will also help you get answers.
Tip
Ask your doctor to avoid abbreviations on your prescription. It is easy for anyone—including pharmacists—to misread them. This table from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices suggests substitute words that are less confusing.
Ask for medication details.
You know best what answers you still need about your prescriptions.
When you're ready to find out more, review this detailed list to find other questions that you may want to ask.
Write down your questions, or take this list to your doctor. You can even fill it out together. Then, take your list of questions to your pharmacist. Your doctor can answer many of your questions, but probably not all of them. Pharmacists have special training to give you the medication details you need.
When you get a new prescription, fill in the questions. Use a separate list for each drug that you take. Soon, you'll know the essentials about taking each of your prescriptions. You'll be as safe as possible.
Print Questions About Your Medications.
You can also read through the list on your screen first, and then print it out below.
What?
- What is the brand name and the generic name of this medication?
- What is this drug supposed to do?
- What will show me that the medicine is working? When will that be?
- What do I have to do to find out if the medication is working?
- What blood tests will I need while on this medicine?
- What other tests will I need?
- If tests will be needed, what baseline test do I take now?
Why?
- Why is this the right medicine for me?
- Is there another kind of treatment I could try first, before taking a medication?
- If this is a brand-new drug, is there an older drug—with a longer history of working well—to treat my condition?
- Is there a medicine with fewer side effects?
- Is there a medicine that could be better for someone of my age? My gender? My race?
- Is there a different dosage that could be better for my age? My gender? My race?
- Is it OK to start out with a very low dose and see how that works?
- Is there a cheaper drug that would work just as well?
- Does a generic drug exist? If so, is the generic version OK for me to take?
- Is there a drug that could work better for me, even if it's not on my drug plan's approved list, or formulary? Can you request that drug for me?
When?
- When do I begin this medicine?
- When will I stop taking it? Or will I take it forever? What if I feel better?
- When do I take? Every day? How many times a day? When during the day?
- If I miss a dose, when do I make it up, or take the next dose?
- What if I run out?
- How many refills do I have?
How?
- How do I take this medicine? With or without food or drink?
- How long before eating or after eating do I take it?
- Is it OK to take this drug at the same time as other medicines?
- Can you adjust the instructions for all my medications, so I can take them all on the same schedule?
- How do I store this medicine? In the refrigerator? Somewhere else?
- If I have trouble swallowing, can I split the pill or crush it into food?
- Should I avoid any vitamins or over-the-counter drugs while I'm taking this drug?
- Should I avoid any food? Any drink?
- Should I avoid any activities? What about driving?
- What side effects are likely? What side effects are more likely in people my age who take this drug?
- How do I know if what I experience while taking this drug is dangerous?
- What should I do if I experience side effects? Whom should I call if I have a problem?
- What's the most important caution I should keep in mind while taking this drug?
Where?
- Where can I get printed information to read about this medicine—written for consumers? Can you give me a brochure?
- Can you ask the pharmacy to print out the label for my medication in very large type?
- Where on the Internet should I look for more information about this drug?
- Where can I get information on prescription assistance programs, to help me afford my medicines?
- If I buy a medicine from an online pharmacy, what should I look for to make sure the pharmacy is legitimate? What online pharmacies do you trust?
On the printable copy, there's room for your answer below each question. Fill in what you can now. You can always fill in more details later.
Print Questions About Your Medications.
Tip for Caregivers
Ask your doctor to write on your prescription form:
- the reason for your medication and
- the brand and generic names of your medication.
This helps the pharmacist double check that you receive the correct medicine.
Tip for Caregivers
Did you know there are many medications that people age 65 or over should never take? Partner with the doctor to make sure that your loved one's prescriptions do not include one from this list compiled by the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.
Tip for Caregivers
Sometimes pharmaceutical sales people give doctors free drug samples for their patients. Make sure when you receive a free sample from your doctor, it comes with full written instructions, including how often to take it and how much to take.
Hesitate taking free samples because they are usually for newer drugs, whose side effects, especially for older people, may not be fully known.
In Session 3: At the Pharmacy, you will learn what help your pharmacist can give you, and how to ask for it.
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All material contained herein is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or instruction. Consult your health care professional for advice relating to treatment of a medical problem or condition.
Copyright 2005, AARP.
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