Regarding prescription medicines, some doctors know patients have challenges following their recommendations to the letter.
“There are a lot of common mistakes patients will make when they’re taking their medications,” said Dr. Sean Drake, an Internal Medicine Senior Staff Physician with Henry Ford Health.
Whether it’s multiple pills or one prescription drug, doctors say some patients may slip into habits that, at times, may be hard to break. The more medicines you add to a routine, the more complicated things can get.
“One of the most common things I see, and I hear from my patients, is just forgetting,” Drake said.
Forgetting to take medicine is a common issue for some patients taking prescription drugs several times a day.
Drake said, “Classic example is something that’s given three times a day. It’s very common they’re remember their first dose in the morning, they’ll remember their dose when they’re going to bed. It’s that middle dose that’s often times a challenge.”
If you fail to take prescribed drugs correctly, you risk side effects and other complications.
Then, there are those folks who don’t follow the instructions for specific medications.
“There could be a lot of problems not following the rules relative to food,” Drake said.
Some medicines are affected by food, in that absorbing the medication could be harder on a full stomach. Some medications work better during meals. It depends on the medication.
There are also common mistakes around proper storage.
“Storage can be an issue,” Drake said. “The classic, keeping it in the medicine cabinet, right, that’s what people always think about. It’s always in the bathroom. Bathrooms get hot.”
Temperature can impact the effectiveness of a drug. That’s the same if you’re keeping medicine in your car. Doctors advise against doing that.
Figuring out the proper dosage for liquid medicines can also be confusing for some people. Doctors suggest using an approved measuring cup with an ML or milliliter scale listed on it. That could ensure the accurate amount is poured.
“Getting that dosage just a little bit wrong could be a big consequence,” Drake said.
Some also stop using medicine before the prescription runs out or quit the doses when you’re feeling better. Drake suggests being proactive and cautious.
“You definitely should have that conversation with your care provider,” Drake said. “I’m a big fan of stopping medicines when I can. Stopping things too abruptly can be a problem.”
Some habits around prescription drugs can be challenging when affordability is a factor.
“Not being able to afford your medicine is a big problem,” Drake said. “Sometimes, it can result in them not being able to take the medicine at all. Or they’ll have to make decisions of I can take this medicine this month, and that medicine next month. But not taking all their medicines the way they need to.”
If affordability is a challenge, doctors suggest speaking with your healthcare provider or your pharmacist. They may be able to look at options or suggest switching to lower-priced generic forms.
They could also refer you to programs that may help save on prescriptions.
Doctors also suggest keeping a list of all your medication. That list could come in handy for your physician or family members in case of emergency.
Your healthcare provider or pharmacist could help you with a printout of that list of medications.
Also, one additional common mistake Drake says he’s heard from patients is those who admit to sharing medication with a family member or friend.
He said that’s a big no-no. The dosage amounts could be different, among other issues.