Department of Consumer Affairs Board of Pharmacy

Consumer Tips

Question Mark

 

GET THE ANSWERS

 


Talk with a pharmacist. Ask these questions about your medicines:

  1. What is the name of the medicine and what is it supposed to do?
  2. How and when do I take it and for how long?
  3. What do I do if I forget to take my medicine?
  4. Are there any side effects, and what do I do if they occur?
  5. Is there any written information available about the medicine?

 

Pill Bottle


HOW TO TAKE YOUR PAIN MEDICATIONS EFFECTIVELY AND SAFELY

 

Are you getting the pain relief you want?

  • If you are not getting pain relief or are having side effects that you cannot tolerate, call your doctor or pharmacist.
  • It is better to take your pain medication on a schedule if you are having constant pain. Do not wait until the pain is severe before taking your pain medication.
Pain Drugs


SIDE EFFECTS OF NARCOTIC PAIN RELIEVERS
What to watch for and how to decrease side effects

 

  1. Being sleepy, drowsy, dizzy or lightheaded is an expected side effect of narcotic pain relievers. The reaction is different for each person.
  2. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do other jobs that require you to be alert and clearheaded.
  3. Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medication.

These drugs may cause constipation. To prevent this from becoming a problem you can:

  1. Drink plenty of fluids
  2. Take over-the-counter (prescription not required) laxatives such as Senokot, Colace, and Milk of Magnesia if needed for constipation.
  3. If you have not had a bowel movement within three days after starting your pain medication, contact your doctor immediately.
  4. Your pain medication may also cause an upset stomach.


Seniors

 

FACTS ABOUT OLDER ADULTS AND MEDICINES


  1. More than 23 million Americans age 65 or older take, on average, between one and six or more prescription medicines each day.
  2. There are 35 million older Americans who take more than half of all prescription medications dispensed.
  3. The average person over 65 takes twice as many prescriptions as younger people.
  4. The frequency of adverse reactions increases as the number of drugs prescribed increases.
  5. Each year, more than 9 million adverse drug reactions occur in older Americans.
  6. Unwanted side effects of medicines are seven times more common in the elderly than in younger adults, and the likelihood of drug-drug interactions occurring is increased in the older patient.

Nearly one-fourth of all nursing home admissions result from older people being unable to take their medications properly.

Key factors contributing to the improper use of prescription medicines among older Americans include:
  1. Poor communication between older patients and health professionals;
  2. Taking several medicines at the same time, including prescription and nonprescription medicines;
  3. Seeing and receiving prescriptions from more than one health care provider;
  4. With advancing age, the body's response to medicine changes; and
  5. The inability to take the medication as prescribed.

Adults involved in the care of older parents should know:

  1. What medicines their parents take and for what conditions;
  2. How often are they supposed to take their medicines;
  3. Whether their parents feel the medicine is helping; and
  4. If there are any problems with the medicine.
Older patients taking multiple medicines should ask their health care providers about having a medicine "check up." It can help uncover problems they may be having taking their medicines, and it's a good time for asking questions.

Years of training have made your pharmacist the health professional best qualified to help you understand the proper use of prescription and nonprescription drugs. Talk to your pharmacist!

 

Kids

 

YOUR CHILD'S MEDICATION

 

 

  • More than 200 million prescriptions are written annually for children and teenagers. That’s more than 3 prescriptions per child, per year.
  • In any two-week period in the U.S., 13 million children take a prescription medicine.
  • Studies show that 46% of children take their medicines incorrectly.
  • More than 6 million children have chronic diseases that require medicines. The top five are:
  1. Asthma (3,500,000)
  2. Epilepsy (1,500,000)
  3. Attention Deficit Disorders (800,000)
  4. Arthritis (165,000)
  5. Diabetes (120,000)

Many children take their medicines incorrectly even when the disease is serious. For example, 75% of asthma patients and 43% of epilepsy patient take their medicines incorrectly.

Four most common mistakes children make with medicines are:

  1. Stopping too soon.
  2. Taking too little.
  3. Taking too much.
  4. Refusing to take the medicine.

Parents should know the following things about the medicines their children take:

  • What condition the medicine is for, and what it is supposed to do;
  • How much to give;
  • If there are any side effects and what to do if they occur; and
  • What to do if a dose is missed.


Pharmacist

14 REASONS TO TALK
TO YOUR PHARMACIST

 

  1. Each year, up to half of the nearly 2 billion prescriptions taken in the U.S. are used improperly.
  2. Medication-related problems are responsible for an estimated 10% of all hospital admissions.
  3. 96% of patients don’t ask any questions about their prescriptions.
  4. Improper use of prescription medicines costs the economy over $15 billion per year.
  5. American businesses lose about 20 million workdays due to incorrect use of medicines prescribed for heart and circulatory diseases alone.
  6. The average physician writes 8,000 prescription a year, and the average community pharmacy dispenses nearly 30,000 prescriptions annually.
  7. American dentists write nearly 200 million prescriptions for their patients.
  8. One in five patients cannot read well enough to follow a medication treatment regimen effectively at home.
  9. More than half the U.S. population receives at least one prescription drug each year. The average per year is 7.5 prescriptions per medicine user.
  10. A woman who is pregnant or thinks she may be should not take any medicines unless prescribed or advised by a physician who knows she is pregnant.
  11. The most commonly prescribed medicines are:
    • Cardiovascular medicines (heart and circulation related);
    • Anti-infectives (antibiotics, such as penicillin);
    • Mental health medications;
    • Analgesics (pain killers); and
    • Diuretics (sometimes called "water pills")
  12. It’s important to ask your pharmacist for information about the medicine you or members of your family are taking.
  13. There are important questions you should ask whenever you receive a new prescription medicine. Be sure you ask:
    • What is the name of the medicine, and what is it supposed to do?
    • What foods, drinks and other medicines or activities should I avoid while taking this medicine?
    • Are there any side effects, and what should I do if they occur?
    • Will this new prescription work safely with the other medicines (prescription and nonprescription) I am taking?
  14. Be sure to tell your health care professionals:
    • The names of all the prescription and nonprescription medicines you are taking and the conditions for which you take them;
    • If you are allergic to any medicines;
    • If you have any problems with any medicines;
    • If you are, or could be, pregnant

Does the pharmacist have to talk to the patient about prescription medication?

The pharmacist is required to talk to you about all new prescription medications that have not been provided to you before. You should know the answers to at least the following questions before taking prescription medications:

  1. What is the name of the medicine and what is it supposed to do?
  2. How and when do I take it and for how long?
  3. What do I do if I forget to take my medicine?
  4. Are there any side effects, and what do I do if they occur?
  5. Is there any written information available about the medicine?

Can a pharmacist refuse to fill my prescription?

Yes, a pharmacist in his or her professional judgment may refuse to fill a prescription.

Can the pharmacy refuse to take back my prescription medication?

Yes, the pharmacy is not required by law to take back prescriptions that have been dispensed.

Can the pharmacist give out my personal medical information?

California law places strict requirements on what information can be released. In most cases, the patient must approve release of any personal medical information.

Why does the pharmacy need my address, social security number, and date of birth?

This information is used to identify patients to avoid any error in dispensing medication to the wrong patient.