Issue Date: December 1, 2002
What lurks in your medicine cabinet?
Prescription or over-the-counter, be sure the only drugs on your shelves are those that are right for your body.
The number of prescriptions has almost doubled in the past decade, from 1.5 billion in 1989 to nearly 3 billion now! But it's not all due to more marketing and advertising. Great new drugs treat illnesses that used to require hospitalization. For example, 30 years ago pneumonia almost always would need inpatient care; today it can be treated very effectively at home with oral medications. New drugs have improved medical care and helped as our population ages into needing more prescriptions.
On the other hand, studies show a significant increase in drug errors, both in hospitals and at home, in the past 20 years.
It used to be fairly simple: You visited the doctor, received a handwritten prescription, took it to the pharmacist, had it filled and started popping pills. No questions asked.
Well, that's no longer the best way to approach your health. Pharmacists are in short supply. Physicians see more patients per day, spending less time counseling patients about medicines. In this environment, it's important for you to become your own health advocate.
Here are three things you should do:
Get it right IN YOUR HOUSE
Clean out your medicine cabinet today. Go ahead. Take this magazine with you and walk into your bathroom.
Now look in your medicine cabinet. Chances are, you'll find out-of-date prescriptions, partially used prescriptions and an assortment of over-the-counter remedies. At best, cluttered medicine cabinets are confusing. At worst, they are dangerous.
Get rid of any expired drug and any drug that is no longer used for a specific treatment. That should leave you with a medicine cabinet containing specific drugs used for specific ongoing purposes. Elderly people and anyone with children in the house should pay particular attention to "extra" medicines, because they pose potential dangers of poisoning.
Get it right WITH YOUR DOCTOR
Next time you see your doctor, present a list of everything you put in your mouth that is not a food or beverage. Vitamins, minerals, herbal remedies and over-the-counter medications all can interact with prescription medications. With a complete list of what you're taking, your doctor can help assess what you need and don't need.
Also tell your doctor about drug allergies and particular medications that have made you sick in the past. The type of reaction is important. Did a medication cause your skin to itch? Make you nauseated? Cause diarrhea? Each has a different implication, so be clear in describing your reaction.
When the doctor writes you a prescription, make sure you understand everything about it. Make sure you can read the prescription. Sad to say, many physicians scribble, causing confusion with the patient or the pharmacist. If necessary, nudge your physician in the direction of better penmanship.
It takes only a few minutes to go through these things with your doctor -- and believe me, it's time well spent.
Get it right WITH YOUR PHARMACY
Now that you've had a detailed discussion with your doctor, you're prepared to intelligently review the contents of prescription bottles you get from the pharmacy.
Look at the label. The name of the drug, the quantity and the directions for taking it all should fit with what the doctor told you. Sometimes physicians have written the prescription using the trade name but have allowed the pharmacist to fill it with the generic form of the drug. In many cases that can save money and doesn't compromise the quality of the medication. But if you have any doubts, ask questions immediately.
Pharmacists are a great resource for you. They can reinforce information and help clarify things. Keep their written information on side effects in a safe place as long as you take the drug. Remember: When it comes to the medicines you take, the more knowledge you have, the less likely you are to make a mistake.
Being confident that you are taking your medicine appropriately is a positive step toward ensuring your good health.
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Ask your doctor:
What is this medication treating?
How do I take it (how many times a day, at what time of day), and how long do I take it?
Will it interact with anything else I take (prescription or over-the-counter)?
What are the side effects? If they occur, should I stop the drug?
Are there limitations for me (avoiding alcohol or certain foods, limiting exercise, not driving)?
Contributing Editor Tedd Mitchell, M.D., is the director of the Wellness Program at the renowned Cooper Clinic in Dallas and a member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
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