Managing your medications

Prescription medications are a necessity for many people. The American Academy of Family Physicians says that, each week, four out of five adults in the United States will use prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs and/or various supplements. Approximately onethird of adults take five or more medications.

The potential for adverse drug events is elevated when people are taking multiple medications at one time. For example, mixing pills has the potential to cause serious injury or even death. And remembering to take pills, some of them at different times, can be quite challenging.

One of the best ways to prevent errors with medications is for patients to take an active role in their health care management.

Know your dose. Children, of course, require different doses than adults, offers the Mayo Clinic. But adults of different weights who share medications can run into trouble as well. It is key to follow the dosing instructions, as even a minor error in regard to dosage can potentially cause a big problem. Follow up with your doctor. Certain medications can cause side effects that only can be noticed by lab testing, such as an impact to the liver. Doctors also may be under an obligation to follow up with patients taking psychological drugs to ensure the efficacy of treatment. Make sure you keep all follow-up appointments. Maintain a current list of meds. It is up to patients to share information with prescribing doctors regarding any and all products being taken to avoid harmful interactions. Using the same pharmacy for all prescriptions also is helpful. Be honest about height and weight. Medication labeling and package inserts typically use metric units to correlate dose to a person’s physical attributes. Individuals should know their information in metric measurements and be honest with themselves about what they weigh.

Use medications correctly. It is important not to chew non-chewable pills or cut pills unless the pharmacist or doctor has said it is safe to do so. Accurate dosing also requires using the right spoon or syringe, not silverware. Store certain types of medications, such as eye drops and ear drops, separately so they’re not mistaken for one another. Take advantage of technology. There are a number of reminder devices, dispensers and apps that help remind users that it’s time for medication. Mobile pill reminder apps can be set on your phone with medication reminders.

There are also vibrating pill timer reminders that can be set for gentle nudges to take medication.

There are digital pill dispensers that look like regular seven-day pill dispensers, except that they are locked until it’s time to take medication; only the correct day section unlocks at the designated time. Adult children can even monitor use via the internet.

Some more advanced automatic medication dispensers have monthly fees and even have lifelines connected that contact emergency personnel if medication is missed.

Pill Pack is a full service pharmacy that sorts and doses your medications in individual plastic packages with dates and times for you to take.

There are medication pill bottles with timers and built-in alarms, or tops that fit on your existing pill bottles. Patients can set one or more alarms for each day, depending on the number of doses of medication needed for each day. Indicators show the last day and time that a medication has been taken.

Then there’s Reminder Rosie: A voice-activated talking clock that tells you to take your medicine at a certain time. You can use it for other reminders, too (feed the cat, take a walk, etc).

Taking an active role in medication management is an important part of your good health.