5 Tips to Manage Your Medications

We can all be wise medication managers. Use the following tips to stay organized, and remember to communicate regularly with your doctor and pharmacist.

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1. Remember to take your medicines.

Research shows that we change our behavior in stages. First, we consider a new behavior, then we get ready to begin it, next we take action and finally we keep up the habit. If you stop anywhere along this path, don't worry! Go back to a previous stage.

Here are some strategies for remembering to take a new medication:

• Use lists, calendars and pillboxes, or write notes to yourself.
• Make a mental picture of yourself taking the medicine.
• Connect a specific action or daily event, such as meal-time, with taking your medication.
  

Pillboxes, notes and lists are helpful tools for managing your meds. — Samir Begovic/Purestock/SuperStock/Corbis

2. Take your meds exactly as instructed.

If you don't understand an instruction, get clear direction from your doctor or pharmacist. Missing doses or taking medications with certain food and drink can reduce the effectiveness of your medication and can be dangerous. Be sure to tell your health care professional about all of the medications, vitamins and supplements that you’re taking. Together you can make medication adjustments that are best for your health and safety.

3. Monitor how your drugs are working.

Pay attention to how you feel while taking your medication. If you notice any changes, write them down and remember to tell your doctor or pharmacist. Notify your doctor immediately if you have any problems of concerns with your medicines or if you can't stick to your medication plan because of cost, side effects, or other reasons.

If you are on a blood thinner or a drug for a specific condition such as high blood pressure or cholesterol, you may need to undergo blood or other monitoring tests to gauge how your medication is working. If you see more than one doctor, be sure to let each one know the result of each monitoring test that you take. Write down and remember the numbers from your test, such as your INR (International Normalized Ratio), blood pressure or cholesterol numbers.

Next: How to store your meds safely. >>