• Pharmacies

Medication Safety Hints:

1. Use only one pharmacy. It is helpful to purchase all your medications through one single pharmacy, whenever possible. This is particularly important when your prescriptions come from more than one doctor. If one pharmacy dispenses all your medications, your pharmacist can alert you to possible dangerous interactions between your medications because he or she will have records showing all the medications you currently take.

2. Tell the pharmacist if you are taking herbal remedies. When filling a new prescription, it is helpful to tell your pharmacist if you are taking herbal or natural remedies for a condition, as well as what other prescription medications you currently take, as these could interact with your new medicine.

3. Do not take expired medications. You should not take expired medications (medications older than the expiration date on the package). Medications can deteriorate over time and expired medications may have dangerous effects.

4. Temperature may matter. Ask if your medications need to be stored at any certain temperature and, if so, be sure to do so.

5. Your prescription is designed only for you. Do not share your prescription medications with others; your medications may not be right for their medical problems or may interact dangerously with their other medications. You could harm the other person instead of helping.

6. Medication doses may need to change with your age. Some medications are more effective in a younger adult than in an older adult; some are less effective. Some medications have differing effects in older patients than in younger ones. If you are an older adult, discuss with your doctor whether your particular medications are the best ones (or the right doses) for you at your current age; doctors do not always think about this. You or your doctor can consult a geriatrician (a doctor who specializes in the care of older adults) or a pharmacist experienced with geriatric (older) patients for advice on particular medications and dosing as you age.

What if your medications are too expensive? Prescription medications can be very expensive. If it is difficult for you to afford your prescriptions, there is no magic answer, but there are several things you can try.

1. Is there a generic version or a less expensive, but similarly effective, medication? Ask your doctor or pharmacist if there is a less expensive or generic form of the medication that would work as well for you.

2. Ask for samples. Sometimes your doctor may be able to provide you with some samples of the medication (which your doctor receives free from the drug companies) to ease the financial burden. Your doctor will not always have samples of the medications you need, but it is certainly worth asking.

3. Insurance coverage? Your health insurance may have some coverage for prescription drugs. If you are eligible for Medicare or Medicaid, you may be eligible for drug coverage through those plans.

4. Are you eligible for any health benefits through the V.A.? Veterans can often obtain their prescriptions through the Veterans Administration for very reasonable prices.

5. Are there any programs to help patients pay for the specific drug you need? Ask your doctor and pharmacist about programs that help patients pay for medications they cannot afford. Try contacting the manufacturer of your medication to learn if you are eligible for any cost-saving programs through their company.

WARNING: Do not attempt to save money by cutting your medication in half or by skipping doses. If you cannot afford the medication, tell your doctor and discuss a revised plan of treatment. Taking prescription medications irregularly or at doses different from what your doctor has prescribed can be very dangerous for you. If you have not been taking your medications as prescribed, tell your doctor that; not taking your medication as your doctor thought you were doing may affect your examination or test results. This could prevent your doctor from having a clear understanding of your medical condition; the treatment he or she orders, based on this misunderstanding, might not be right for you.

Did you remember to take your pills this morning?

If you ask yourself this frequently, help is available. If you take several medications daily and sometimes find it difficult to remember which pill to take next, it may be helpful to buy a "weekly pillbox". Most pharmacies sell these for only a few dollars. These boxes allow you to fill small compartments with your medications, generally for a week in advance. For example, you would place all your morning medications in morning compartments marked for the seven days of the week. You would do the same with your evening medications. Some boxes have more compartments for additional medication times during the day. Whenever you open your pill box, you will know you should take the morning or evening pills, depending on the time of day, for that day of the week. For example, if it is Monday morning, and if the Monday morning compartment is empty, you already took your medication. If the compartment is still full, then it is time to take your pills.

If you carry your cell phone regularly, and if it has a calendar feature, you may be able to program the calendar to send a reminder to you on your phone to take your medications at a certain time every day. If you have difficulty programming this, consult your manual or ask a teenager; they are cell phone experts.

If you could use a more high-tech reminder, there are automated systems that dispense the right medications at set times of the day. They often have alarms or recordings that remind you to take your medications when it is time to do so. Please see the "technology" section under "medical equipment and supplies" on our web site to learn more about these automated reminder systems and where you can buy them.