Brown
Bag Check Up:
Do you have medications that you take every day?
Sometimes you can have so many pills it gets downright
confusing! Then one day your doctor changes your prescription.
Or you go to a specialist, who orders something different.
Maybe you've been in the hospital and been prescribed
a whole new set of medications.
Do you continue to take the old ones too?
Here's
a good idea: Ask your doctor to schedule you a Brown-Bag
Checkup
Schedule your Brown-Bag appointment in advance so the
doctor has plenty of time for your visit. In your Brown-Bag,
bring:
- Any
prescription medications you are taking, right in
their bottles from the pharmacy
- Over-the-counter
medications, like aspirin or Maalox, etc.
- Vitamins,
and herbal or natural products you are using
During
the "check-up" the doctor will review all of the medications
and products you are currently taking.
They will check:
- to
see if they are the same as those listed on your medical
record.
- for
the correct dosage strength and how often you take
them.
- to
make sure you're not taking anything that is outdated
or discontinued.
- whether
you are taking more than one drug for the same thing.
- to
make sure you're not taking drugs that cancel each
other out or give you too many side effects.
It
is important to include non-prescription products in your
bag.
A Brown-Bag Check-Up is helpful for you - but it's helpful
for your doctor, too. This review will help your doctor
know whether you understand how to take your medications,
and to make sure you are aware of special things you
need to know. This is also a good time to talk about
any special laboratory testing needed with some drugs.
Be
prepared to ask questions you might have about your
medications. Don't be afraid to write them down, so
you don't forget to ask!
Having a single doctor "in charge" or aware of all the
pills and products you take is a safe rule. If this
is impossible, keep your list of medications and over-the-counters
products up-to-date. Share this information with every
doctor or healthcare provider you visit. Remember to
fill all your prescriptions at the same pharmacy. If
that is not possible, let each pharmacist know about
all you are taking, to include over-the-counter, herbal,
and mail order prescriptions. |
