If you’ve been prescribed a new medication, make sure you know all about it before you start taking it. Your doctor and pharmacist can answer these important questions for you:
Questions for your doctor:
- What type of medication is this?
- Why do I need this drug?
- What will this drug do for me?
Questions for your doctor or pharmacist:
- How much do I take, how often, and for how long?
- Does it matter what time of day I take this drug?
- What should I do if I miss a dose?
- What side effects should I watch for?
- What should I do if I have a bad reaction?
- How will this drug interact with other prescription or over-the-counter drugs I am taking?
- How will this drug interact with vitamins, herbal supplements, or foods?
- If I feel better before I finish the prescription, should I keep taking this drug?
- Are there other prescription, over-the-counter, or generic drugs I could take instead?
- What else should I know about this drug?
Questions for your pharmacist:
- Is this medication exactly what my doctor prescribed?
- Is there a generic option?
- What is the name and strength of my prescription?
- Is there anything I should avoid while taking this drug (such as driving or alcohol)?
- How should I store this medication?