General Medication Safety

Your providers work very hard to keep you healthy and safe. But you can also do your part to keep yourself healthy and safe when it comes to managing your medications!

Make a List and Check it Twice

• Keep an up-to-date list of the medications you are taking. Include the name, dose, and how to take them with you at all times. It can be printed and kept in your wallet, a digital note saved on your computer, tablet, or phone, or a medication list app on your phone.
• Keep your medication list with you at all times. This can help during visits with your providers or if you need to go to the hospital. 
• By having all of this information in one place, you can ensure everything can be properly documented by your doctor’s office/hospital, and evaluated in case you are having a side effect or complication.
• Update your list when you add, stop, or change a medication.
• In your medication list, also include 
  • Any allergies you have.
  • Any over-the-counter medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, or herbal products that you take regularly. 
• Make sure your caregivers know how to find the most up-to-date version of your medication list.
• Never take someone else’s medication. You don’t know if it will interact with your medications, the dose may be wrong for you, or you may be allergic to it.
  • Talk to your provider if you feel like you need different medications or more of your medications.

Know the Who, What, When, Why, and How

For every medication you take, including over-the-counter medications and supplements, be sure that you understand

• Who prescribed it/told you to take it?
• What is the name of the medication?
• When should I take it?
• Why am I taking this medication?
• How should I take it? 

When you start on a new medication, make sure your provider and/or the pharmacist tells you if you need to take the medication

• At a certain time of day.
• With or without food.
• Spaced out, or together with your other medications.

Read the label every time you take a dose to make sure you have the right medicine and that you are following the instructions correctly.

Different Ways to Take Your Oral Medication

• Ask your provider and/or pharmacist if you want to chew, crush, or break any of your oral medications.
  • If crushed, chewed, or broken, some medications can have their efficacy compromised or become unsafe. For example, some long-acting medications are absorbed too quickly when chewed.
• If you are prescribed a liquid version of a medication, only use the cup or measuring device that came with the medication.
  • A household teaspoon and tablespoon are not the most accurate when it comes to measurement and can lead you to under- or overdose on the medication.

Storing and Handling Your Medications

• Keep your medications in their original containers.
  • Do not store different pill types in the same bottle.
  • A lot of pills look very similar. By keeping them in their original containers, you will know which is which, how to take them, and how many you have left.
• If you use a pillbox, still keep your original bottles with a few remaining pills in them so that you can have the bottle and some pills to compare to what is in your pillbox.
• Certain medications, like oral chemotherapy, have special instructions about how to handle it.
  • If a caregiver prepares your dose for you, they should consider wearing gloves or pouring the pills directly from their container into the cap, a small cup, or directly into your hand.
  • They should avoid touching the pills.
  • They should always wash their hands before and after giving you the medication.
  • Pregnant or nursing women should not prepare the dose for you.
• It is recommended that you do not keep medications in the bathroom or in the sun.
  • Dampness, humidity, heat, and light can affect how well the medication works and its safety.
• Keep medications away from children and pets.
• Try to keep medications for different family members and pets in separate places.
• Keep ointments/creams stored away from where you keep your toothpaste to avoid mix-ups.

There are No Silly Questions

Finally, if you are unsure about something, have questions about your medications and why you are taking them, how to take them, or if your medications look or make you feel different,  just ask your provider or pharmacist. Safety with medication is important.