By Patricia Prewitt

My Personal Rx Adviser

For some people, health status and required prescriptions to manage a diagnosis remain fairly consistent. For others, medications may need to be more closely monitored, with dosing adjustments made to address side effects, allergies, or other concerns. In any case, here are some important questions to ask of your health care provider about your prescriptions:

• Why am I taking this medication?

• What is the brand name of this medication, and its generic name?

• Is there a generic version of this medication that I can take?

• If the medication is a new prescription – Does this mean I could stop taking something else?

• Can I take this new medication safely with my other prescriptions?

• How many times a day do I take this medicine? If it’s three times a day, does that mean breakfast, lunch and dinner, or every eight hours?

• What happens if I forget to take a dose?

• Should I take the medicine with food, without food, or before or after eating?

• When should I expect to see a response? Is it one day, a few days, or a week or more?

• Should I avoid alcohol while taking this medicine, or avoid certain foods?

• Are there refills?

• How long can I expect to be taking this medicine? Is it three months, six months, or a year or more?

• Who do I call if I notice side effects?

• What side effects are to be expected, and are there any that are especially worrisome?

• Is there a print document you can give me to read more about this therapy?

• Last, but importantly: Have you stopped taking any medications due to cost or side effects? Be sure to inform your provider.

A good habit is to keep a written or digital list of medications, along with any routinely used over-the-counter medicines, supplements, and vitamins to bring to every visit. While electronic medical records can be helpful, they are not always up to date, especially if a medication has been dropped or added to the list. Sometimes, providers are not in the same health systems, so they do not have access to every report or prescription status change. Your primary care provider is likely able to print out a copy of your current medications list. Most will take the time to review this list with you at each visit.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration website, www.fda.gov, provides a comprehensive brochure called “My Medications” that reviews these questions and more. An easy-to-use, comprehensive worksheet for tracking your own medications can be downloaded from my website, https://mypersonalrxadvisor.com/resources.

Content provided is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as a substitute for advice from a qualified medical professional. The opinions expressed within are those of the author.

About the Author: Patricia Prewitt is a local Massachusetts resident who spent more than 30 years in  the pharmaceutical industry. Tricia is a consumer education advocate, and loves helping people find ways to save money on their prescriptions. More information and free resources are available on her website at https://mypersonalrxadvisor.com/resources or call her at 508-507-8840. Favorite Quote: “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” – William James