However,

like most areas of life, with progress comes struggle and

increased responsibility. It is a struggle to know the

best medication for whatever condition we might have. We

need to know how the medication will affect us, and/or

how it might be affected by other substances either in

our diet or that we take routinely.

We rely

heavily on our physicians and pharmacists for answers to

these and other questions, but we also bear some

responsibility for our own care. It is our

responsibility, as partners with our doctors and

pharmacists, to be knowledgeable and assertive about the

medications we take.

It is the

responsibility of your prescribing physician to:

3 Explain to you the condition that

you are being treated for in a way that you can

understand.

3 Tell you the name of the medication

and its expected effect on your condition.

3 Warn you of side effects, or

"untoward" effects. (Those effects that

normally occur with the use of the drug, but which are

different from what you are used to, like the drug

Pyridium which normally turns urine a bright orange

color.)

3 Give you some idea of how long you

may need to take the medication, and any special ways the

medication is to be taken (i.e. before meals, at bedtime,

etc.).

It is the

responsibility of the pharmacist to:

3 Provide you with a medication label

that clearly states the name and strength of the

medication, how much you should take, by what route (i.e.

There is also the name and phone number of the issuing

physician, the pharmacy phone number, and brightly

colored stickers that warn of potential dangers. In

addition to the label, pharmacies provide pamphlets,

leaflets, or one-page patient information guides that

give additional information about the medication.

Your

responsibility:

3 Ask questions of your physician. If

you don't understand something he or she is telling you,

please ask to have it re-explained. Physicians and nurses

are humans too, and as such they sometimes become

distracted, or forget that they are not talking to a

person who is well versed in `medical-speak.' Sometimes

silence or a lack of questions can be misinterpreted as

understanding.

3 If you are still having difficulty

understanding, there are several things you may want to

do.

1. While

you are at home and relaxed, think about the questions

you have and write them down. Then call and speak to your

doctor, or take the list with you on your next visit.

2. Ask a

friend or a relative to visit the doctor with you, and

have him or her interpret what the doctor is saying in

terms that you understand.

3. Ask

questions of pharmacists. They are a wealth of

information, and they are happy to share it with their

patrons.

3 Know the names of your medications.

I cannot tell you how difficult it is to translate

"that little blue pill that I take twice a day"

into the name and dose of an actual medication. There are

many "little blue pills" on the market that

come in many strengths and are used to treat many

different conditions. Having to guess about such an

important issue is dangerous. Write the name, strength,

and how many times a day you take each medication on a

3x5 card and keep it in your wallet. Then you won't have

to try to remember those unpronounceable names.

3 If you have more than one doctor,

make sure to tell each what the other has prescribed for

you. Likewise, do not add over-the-counter medicine or

herbal alternatives while taking prescription medications

without first discussing it with your doctor or

pharmacist. The interaction of some drugs can be harmful,

even lethal. In some cases, one drug may cancel out the

effects of the other, causing the condition for which you

are being treated to worsen.

3 Take your medication as prescribed.

The old "if one is good, then two is better"

does not apply when it comes to medicine. Overmedicating

can cause serious complications such as sedations, organ

toxidity, organ damage, organ failure, cardiovascular

symptoms, or systemic reactions. In some cases, may even

render the treatment ineffective; in other circumstances

long-term overmedicating can lead to addictions.

3 If you have difficulty remembering

to take your medication, purchase a pillbox. They come in

many different forms with compartments for the days of

the week, the time of day, etc. If you miss a dose and it

is close to the time for your next dose, follow your

doctor's instruction or just wait and take the next dose.

3 If you begin to notice side effects,

don't just stop taking the medication. Call your doctor

immediately! Remember that the problem you are taking

medication for still needs treatment. Chances are that if

you are sensitive to one medication, the physician will

be able to find another that will provide the desired

results without those annoying side effects.

3 Unless you have been otherwise

instructed by your physician, or your prescription is to

be taken only "as needed for" some specific

symptom, complete your prescription. This is especially

important if you are being treated with antibiotics,

which are prescribed for the specific amount of time it

will take to kill a particular bacteria. You will

generally feel better within 24-48 hours of starting an

antibiotic, but when treatment is cut short, not all the

bacteria are killed. Of those that are left, some develop

new genes that protect them from being destroyed by the

antibiotic. This is becoming a very serious problem in

the United States. We now have some strains of bacteria

that have become resistant to just about all our major

antibiotics. Vancomycin-resistant entercocci, or VRE, is

one such bacteria.

3 Never share medication with another

person. This can be extremely dangerous! You don't know

what other medicines that person is taking or what his or

her allergies are. An act of kindness can have deadly

results. I am reminded of the caring grandmother who,

while baby-sitting, noticed that her granddaughter was

exhibiting symptoms she associated with strep throat. She

had some antibiotics left from the last time she was

treated for strep (first mistake), and since the child's

parents were out of town, she decided to give her one

capsule with some juice. In less than 20 minutes, the

child was gasping for breath in the back of an ambulance.

She was having a systemic reaction (anaphylaxis) due to a

penicillin allergy the grandmother did not know about.

Don't share, and take your antibiotics until they are all

gone.

3 Check the bottle label and read the

name of the drug every time you take the medication to

prevent mistakes.

3 Review your medications with your

physician periodically to ensure that you are taking

medication that is necessary and in the correct amount.

3 Throw away medicines that are past

their expiration date, and always store medications in a

cool, dry place.

3 Don't allow your long-term

prescriptions (i.e. cardiac, antihypertensives, diabetic

medicines, steroids, etc.) to run out. If a doctor's

appointment is needed before refill, make sure that is

scheduled for at least one or tow weeks before your

medication supply runs out. In some cases, if you have

waited too long and are out of an essential prescription

medication, the doctor may be willing to call a

prescription in to your pharmacy that will be enough to

carry you through to the date of your appointment.

Alternatively, maybe the doctor can work you in that day.

Don't be afraid to inform staff of your situation and ask

for help.

As you can

see, there are many things we can do to be active in our

own medical care, and to be safe when it comes to taking

medications. Medication safety really is vital to good

health, and as such, is "nothing to sneeze at."