Medicines and You
Session 1 - Before You See Your Doctor
Course Section
- Introduction
- Before You See Your Doctor
- At the Doctor's
- At the Pharmacy
- Manage Your Meds
- Lower the Cost
- Conclusion
In this session, you'll learn how to manage a talk with your doctor about your medications. By using the tips here, you can get the prescription drug answers you need.
You'll hear examples of specific things to say to your doctor. You can practice these short, effective sentences before your visit.
Together, you and your doctor can be better partners in managing your medications. Together, you and your doctor can ensure that your prescriptions work as safely and effectively as possible.
Your appointment is soon.
Your doctor's appointment is coming up. You're hearing a lot about prescription drugs on the news these days, and you have questions about yours.When do you usually think of what to ask your doctor? While you're driving there? When you're in the waiting room? If you can take a few minutes to prepare, you'll get better answers about your prescription drugs and how they're working.
Is your appointment specifically for monitoring your medications? Do you need to see your doctor about several matters, including your prescriptions? Sometimes, a medication question comes up, or we get a new prescription, when we're not expecting it. No matter what kind of appointment you have, use these five tips to get ready. Each tip has one or more suggested sentences to say to your doctor. Try practicing the ones that fit your situation.
When you click on this symbol 
, you'll hear each suggested statement.
1. Ask for extra time when you make your
appointment.
One of the best things you can do is ask for drug-consultation
time when you make your appointment. Say you need extra time to
discuss your prescriptions. You can say you need to discuss a
specific prescription. Or you can say you have concerns about
your prescription drugs.
Then, when you check in at your doctor's office, tell the receptionist that you've asked for extra time for a drug consultation. Remind the nurse who comes to the waiting room to call you that you need this time.
Suggestions:
When you make your appointment
During this appointment, I also need to
have a drug consultation. I have concerns about my
prescription drugs. Can you please add five minutes to my
regular appointment time?
When you arrive at your doctor's office
I want to make sure that I have enough time
to talk with my doctor about my medications. Is my request
for extra time noted on my chart? Could you please let my
doctor know that I have concerns I need to talk about?
2. Practice how to manage your visit.
Most of us are used to very busy doctors with full schedules.
They control how much time they spend with us. They are in charge
of our visit. We may even sit back without saying
much—because we respect our doctor, because we're a
little nervous, because we're polite, or because we don't
have much practice in asking medical questions.
Bring a loved one or friend with you. He or she can be an extra pair of ears at your appointment. And here's how to make sure your message or questions get across to your doctor.
Suggestions:
At the beginning of the visit with your doctor
How long will our appointment today
last? I'd like to reserve at least 5 minutes to talk
about my medications. OK? Shall I ask my questions now or
later?
Think in newspaper headlines. Tell essentials first. Save the
rest of your story until later, if you have time.
I have a lot of concerns about this
drug. Here is the brief version of my three most pressing
concerns.
I can tell you more details later if
you need them. But here are the 3 things I've noticed
while taking this drug.
Use these words to get your doctor's attention, especially if
things seem rushed. You can also put your hand up while you talk.
This emphasizes your need to slow down.
Excuse me. I need to back up.
I need to gather my thoughts. Please
give me about 10 seconds to regroup.
I feel too rushed to think straight. Can
you please talk a little more slowly? Could you please
repeat the three most important things I should watch out
for when taking this drug?
Try these if you're feeling frustrated.
It's hard to talk adult-to-adult
when I'm undressed. Could you please give me a chance to
get dressed before we finish talking about my
medications?
I'm worried. I know you're very
busy. But it would help me to discuss this a little more
right now.
It's very important to me to work
with you to manage all my medications right. I need your
help. Could you please give me more details about how to use
this drug?
Now practice! Time yourself. Try to tell your concern and ask your question in one minute or less.
3. Plan for how you'll feel.
No matter what, most of us feel a little nervous when we visit
our doctor. Those tense feelings can increase when we're
worried about getting answers to our questions. Tension can make
questions fly out of our minds. But it can also help us pay more
attention. The trick is knowing ahead of time how we'll
probably feel when our doctor comes in.
Try not to waste energy telling yourself to feel another way. Whatever you're feeling at the doctor's is fine. Just use that feeling to make your visit go your way.
You can also tape record your visit, or bring someone with you to take notes.
Which description sounds like you?
Suggestions:
If you're nervous
I tend to forget details when I'm
nervous. Could you please write down all the instructions
for this prescription?
If you know you ramble when you're uneasy
I'd like to spend the last few minutes of our visit making
sure I understand all about this medication. Tell me when we have
5 minutes left. OK?
If you tend to forget your questions
Please write down the number I can use
to call you later. I'm sure I'll think of questions
then.
If you tend to be too polite
It's so hard to interrupt you. I
don't want to be rude. But I need to make sure I
understand this. Could you please go over that again?
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4. Be courageous! Tell your doctor the whole truth about
your medications.
Many health studies have asked doctors and their patients to
list what medications the patient is taking. About 9 times out of
10, they don't agree! That is, the doctor thinks the patient
is taking a medication, but the patient isn't taking it. Or
the patient is taking a medication that the doctor does not know
about.
This can lead to big problems—even dangerous ones. To avoid as many of those dangers as possible, it's up to you to admit everything. You really are the best possible manager of your own medications, as long as you're a partner with your doctor.
Sometimes our good intentions stop us from telling things to our doctor. For instance, older people—especially those age 75 or over—will put up with almost any drug side effect. They trust their doctors who prescribed the drug. That trust is more important to them than their own discomfort. And yet, your doctor needs to know about side effects. Those effects may show that this is the wrong dosage for you. Or even the wrong drug.
So, err on the side of frankness.
You can start with something like "This is hard to admit" or "This is embarrassing." Saying one of those can actually increase your courage. Then take a deep breath and keep going. Your safety is worth it.
Here are some examples of what to own up to. Which one of these do you need to say to your doctor?
Suggestions:
You never filled a prescription.
This is hard to admit. You gave me a prescription for my
condition. But I never filled it. What should I do now?
You hesitate about taking another drug.
I worry about taking more drugs. Is
there another solution I can try, before taking this
drug?
You are worried about drug costs.
I can't afford a drug this
expensive. What lower-cost drug can you think of for my
condition?
If this is the only drug you think is
right for me, can you—or someone in your
office—help me find assistance to pay for it?
You've changed how you take a medication.
This is embarrassing. I haven't been following all of the
instructions for taking this drug. I usually take it
less often than the prescription says. I'd like to
explain why, and then figure out what to do.
You're not taking a prescription drug any more..
I just can't remember to take this
when I'm supposed to. So I stopped. What now?
You think your doctor doesn't know all the drugs you're
taking.
I forgot to tell you that I also take
another drug. Does that interfere? Should I keep taking it?
5. Prepare a list of all medications you're taking.
Do it now. And bring it everywhere.
You've probably heard this tip before. Most people seem to
fall into two groups. They make lists as easily as they breathe.
Or they always find something more important to do first. Which
group are you in?
If you already have a list of all the medications you take— bravo. Your health safety just went way up.
If you don't already have a medications list, you can do one right now. Take 5 minutes. Even part of a list is better than none.
Here's an easy-to-use Personal Medication Record that you can print, fill in, and turn into a booklet. It was developed by the SOS Rx Coalition, a group of more than 80 organizations, including AARP, working to promote medication safety.
Download and print My Personal Medication Record.
Or you may choose to enter your information into the editable Microsoft Word version of the form below and save it on your computer for future reference and edits.
Download My Personal Medication Record. (Word file)
Go ahead! Force yourself to keep your pen moving on this list. Fill in what you can now. Finish it later. But start.
Make copies of your list. Give one to your doctor, one to any other health professional you see, one to your pharmacist, and carry a copy with you.
AARP is working with many other consumer and health groups to help you keep good track of your medications. Using a medications list is one of the best things you can do to improve your health.
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In Session 2: At the Doctor's, you'll learn the five essential answers you need about your prescription drugs.
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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.
