Give your health care team important information, such as:
§ All medicines, vitamins, herbals and dietary supplements you are already taking.
§ Allergies to medicines.
§ Other doctors who have prescribed medicine for you.
§ If you are pregnant, may get pregnant, or nursing a baby.
§ Any other illness or medical conditions you may have.
§ If cost of medicine is a concern.
Get the facts about your medicine:
§ Ask questions about every new prescription medicine. Get the answers you need before taking your medicine.
§ If your doctor writes your prescription by hand, make sure you can read it.
§ Ask your doctor to write down on the prescription what the medication is used for.
Stay with your treatment plan:
§ Take all the antibiotics you were prescribed. It is important to take all of your medicine for as many days as your doctor prescribed, even if you feel better.
§ Ask your doctor if your prescription needs to be refilled.
§ Tell your doctor if you are having side effects or other concerns
§ Never give your prescription medicine to somebody else or take prescription medicine that wasn't prescribed to you.
§ Ask whether you need blood tests, x-rays or other lab tests to find out if the medicine is working, causing problems, and to see if you need a different medicine. Ask your doctor to tell you what the tests showed.
Keep a record of your medicines:
§ Click on this link to print a copy of the Wallet Medication Card. This card will help you keep track of your medicines, vitamins, and other dietary supplements.
Some important questions to ask before taking your medicine include:
§ What are the brand and generic names of this medicine?
§ Can I take a generic version of the medicine?
§ What am I taking this medicine for?
§ Does this new prescription mean I should stop taking any other medicines I am taking now?
§ How do I take the medicine and how often do I take it?
§ Do I need to take it all, or should I stop when I feel better?
§ How long will I be taking it? Can I get a refill? How often can I get a refill?
§ Are there any tests I need to take while I'm on this medicine?
§ When should I expect the medicine to start working? How can I tell if it's working?
§ What are the side effects that can happen with this medicine?
§ What should I do if I have a side effect?
§ When should I tell the doctor about a problem or side effect?
§ What happens if I miss a dose?
§ What printed information can you give me about this medicine?