We are here to help you get the best from your medicine

With a host of pills and potions to take daily, few of us stop to think about what we’re actually swallowing and whether we’re taking it properly.

But a Medicines Check Up with Lloydspharmacy could help you carry out a full review and keep you in the best possible health.

People are often given prescriptions by their doctor but can’t always remember what they’re for or even know how to use them correctly.

I can never forget when I was training in hospital, an elderly asthma patient came in after an attack and when asked to show how she used her inhaler, she directed it at her chest instead of putting it in her mouth. She had never been shown how it worked and so had been using it incorrectly for many years.

It’s often simple things a patient might not know, like when best to take a certain medication for optimum results or to avoid side-effects.

And that’s where a Medicines Check Up can help.

The service is conducted by one of Lloydspharmacy’s highly trained pharmacists in a private consultation room. The pharmacist will ask about any concerns before undertaking a full review of medicines.

We look at what people are taking, how they are taking it and when they are taking it. For intstance, there are certain medications which are best taken with or after food because of adverse effects they can have in the stomach.

Others, such as prednisolone, which is often prescribed after a chest infection, are best taken in the morning because they can interrupt sleep.

The pharmacist will discuss any side-effects, whether symptoms are under control or if a referral is needed.

If the tablets are too big to take or if patients are having any difficulties getting medication out of its pack, we can look at changes to make it easier (Lloydspharmacy has a range of Betterlife compliance products which could help).

Anyone who has been obtaining prescription medicines from Lloydspharmacy for three months or more can receive a Medicine Check Up once a year.

It takes just 10-15 minutes to find out if a patient is taking their medicines in the best way, making patients more aware and ensuring they get the very best from them.

Log onto Betterlife.co.uk to shop the full range of Betterlife products or visit Lloydspharmacy.com to find out more.

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