Show Me What Generic Baby Aspirin Looks Like

Medicines assistance the states live longer and healthier. But, taking them the wrong style or mixing certain drugs tin can be dangerous. Y'all need to exist careful to keep track of your medicines and apply them safely.

What Are Medicines? What Are Drugs?

Medicines, ofttimes referred to as drugs, can be:

• Prescriptions. What you can get just with a doctor's order (for example, pills to lower your cholesterol or an asthma inhaler)
• Over-the-counter pills, liquids, or creams. What you buy without a prescription (for example, pills for headaches or chew tablets for heartburn)
• Vitamins, eye drops, or dietary supplements.

Brand sure your doctor knows about ALL the medicines you take. This includes those prescribed by other doctors, likewise equally vitamins, supplements, herbal remedies, and over-the-counter drugs you use every now and and so.

What Y'all Demand to Know Nearly Your Medicines

Talk with your md, nurse, or other healthcare provider before starting a new medicine. Go over your allergies and any problems yous accept had with other medicines, such as rashes, trouble breathing, indigestion, dizziness, or mood changes.

You will also want to notice out whether you lot'll demand to change or stop taking whatever of your other prescriptions or over-the-counter drugs while using this new medicine. Mixing some drugs tin can cause unpleasant and sometimes serious problems. For instance, it is dangerous to apply aspirin when taking a blood-thinning medicine.

Considering of this, information technology is important to proceed a listing of all prescription drugs and over-the-counter remedies you accept. Print and fill out the Tracking Your Medications: Worksheet to help you keep track of your medications.

When starting a new medication, make certain to write down the proper noun of the drug and why it's being prescribed for you. Also, make note of whatsoever special instructions for how to accept the medicine.

How Can a Pharmacist Assist?

A pharmacist tin answer many of your questions about prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs. Try to have all your prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy then your records are in ane place. This will help alert the pharmacist if a new drug might crusade a problem with something else you lot are taking. If you lot're non able to use just one pharmacy, show the pharmacist at each chemist's shop your list of medicines and over-the-counter drugs when you drop off your prescription.

When you have a prescription filled:

• Tell the pharmacist if you lot have trouble swallowing pills. There may be liquid medicine bachelor. Do not chew, intermission, or beat tablets without first finding out if the drug volition still work.
• Make certain you can read and empathize the name of the medicine every bit well equally the directions on the container and on the color-coded warning stickers on the bottle. If the label is difficult to read, ask your chemist to use larger type.
• Cheque that you tin can open up the container. If not, enquire the pharmacist to put your medicines in bottles that are easier to open.
• Ask nigh special instructions on where to store a medicine. For example, should information technology be kept in the refrigerator or in a dry identify?
• Check the label on your medicine before leaving the chemist's shop. Information technology should take your proper noun on it and the directions given by your dr.. If it doesn't, don't take it, and talk with the pharmacist.

Cheque the label to ensure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients. Brand certain your physician and pharmacist have an up-to-date list of your allergies so they don't requite y'all a medicine that contains something you are allergic to.

Larn how to read a prescription characterization in the gratis booklet Condom Use of Medicines: Take Your Medicines the Right Manner—Each Day!

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about the written information that comes with your prescription.

Side Furnishings

Unwanted or unexpected symptoms or feelings that occur when you take medicine are chosen side furnishings. Side effects can exist relatively modest, such as a headache or a dry mouth. They can also exist life-threatening, such as severe haemorrhage or irreversible damage to the liver or kidneys. Medications' side furnishings also can affect your driving.

If you experience side effects, write them down so you lot can study them to your doctor accurately. Call your doctor right away if y'all have whatsoever problems with your medicines or if y'all are worried that the medicine might be doing more impairment than good. He or she may exist able to change your medication to some other that will work simply as well.

Keeping Track of Your Medicines

Here are some tips to help y'all keep track of all your medicines:

• Make a list. Write down all medicines yous take, including over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements. The list should include the proper name of each medicine, amount you take, and fourth dimension(s) you take it. If it's a prescription, also note the medico who prescribed it and reason it was prescribed. Bear witness the list to all of your healthcare providers, including physical therapists and dentists. Go along one copy in a prophylactic identify at home and one in your wallet or pocketbook.
• Create a file. Save all the written information that comes with your medicines and keep it somewhere y'all tin can easily refer to it.
• Check expiration dates on bottles. If a medicine is past its expiration date, yous may be able to dispose of information technology at your pharmacy, or, check with your doctor virtually how to safely discard information technology. Your doctor can likewise tell you if you will need a refill.
• Keep medicines out of reach of young children. Avoid taking medicines in front of them, every bit they might try to copy yous. Also, if your medicines are kept in bottles without child safety caps because they are difficult to open up, exist extra careful about where you store medicines.

Taking Medicines Safely

Hither are some tips to help you have your medicines safely:

• Follow instructions. Read all medicine labels. Brand sure to take your medicines the right way. For example, don't use an over-the-counter cough and cold syrup if yous simply have a runny olfactory organ and no coughing.
• Use the right amount. Don't take a larger dose of a medicine thinking it will aid you more. It tin be very dangerous, fifty-fifty deadly. And, don't skip or take half doses of a prescription drug to save money. (Talk with your medico or pharmacist if you can't beget the medicine. There may be help. Read Saving Money on Medicines for more data.)
• Take medicine on time. Some people utilise meals or bedtime as reminders to take their medicine. Other people use charts, calendars, or weekly pill boxes. Y'all can too set timers and write reminders to take your medication.
• Turn on a light. Don't take medicine in the nighttime; otherwise, you might brand a fault.
• Report problems. Phone call your doctor right away if you take whatsoever trouble with your prescription or over-the-counter medicine, or if y'all are worried that information technology might be doing more than harm than good. There may be something else you tin take.
• Tell your dr. well-nigh alcohol, tobacco, and drug apply. Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs can bear on how well your medicines work. Be honest with your doctor about how much y'all use.
• Check earlier stopping. Take prescription medicine until it's finished or until your doctor says information technology'south all right to end. Notation that some medicines are supposed to be taken just "as needed."
• Don't share. Do non take medicines prescribed for another person or give yours to someone else.

Read about this topic in Spanish. Lea sobre este tema en español.

For More than Information About Using Medicines Safely

This content is provided past the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure information technology is accurate and up to date.

Content reviewed: June 26, 2019

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Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/safe-use-medicines-older-adults

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