Medicines: Common Questions Answered - National Institute ...

I've been taking the same prescription medicine for years. · Why should I talk to my doctor about the herbal remedies, vitamins, and over-the-counter (OTC) ... Skiptomaincontent Breadcrumb Home HealthInformation Medicines:CommonQuestionsAnswered Medicines:CommonQuestionsAnswered Peoplewhoareover65yearsoldtendtotakemoremedicinesthananyotheragegroup.Becauseolderadultsmayhaveanumberofdiseasesorhealthproblemsatthesametime,itiscommonforthemtotakemanydifferentkindsofdrugs.Herearesomeanswerstocommonquestionsolderadultsmayhaveabouttheirmedications. Onthispage: I'vebeentakingthesameprescriptionmedicineforyears.EventhoughI'mcarefultotakethesameamountasalways,themedicineisnotworkinglikeitdidinthepast.Whatishappening? WhyshouldItalktomydoctorabouttheherbalremedies,vitamins,andover-the-counter(OTC)medicinesItake,alongwithmyregularprescriptions? WhydoIneedtokeeptrackoftheactiveingredientsinmymedications? Mydoctorusedabbreviationsinmyprescription,butI'mnotsurewhattheymean.HowdoIfindout? Whataresideeffects? I'mgettingsicktomystomachalotsinceIstartedmynewpills.SomedaysIfeelsosickIthinkaboutnottakingthemedicine.WhatshouldIdo? Whatdoesitmeantotakemedicinesonanemptystomach? I'mfeelingbetter.Isitokaytostoptakingmymedicine? I'vebeentakingthesameprescriptionmedicineforyears.EventhoughI'mcarefultotakethesameamountasalways,themedicineisnotworkinglikeitdidinthepast.Whatishappening? Asyouage,normalchangeshappeninthebody.Youlosewaterandmuscletone.Also,yourkidneysandlivermaynotpassthedrugsasquicklythroughyoursystemaswhenyouwereyounger.Thismeansthatmanymedicinesactdifferentlyinolderpeople.Medicinemaytakelongertoleaveyoursystem.Talktoyourdoctorifyouthinkyourmedicineisnotworkingasitshould. WhyshouldItalktomydoctorabouttheherbalremedies,vitamins,andover-the-counter(OTC)medicinesItake,alongwithmyregularprescriptions? Itisveryimportanttotellyourdoctoraboutallthemedicinesyoutake.TakingcertainOTCmedicineswithyourprescriptiondrugscanbedangerous.Forexample,youshouldnottakeaspirinifyoutakewarfarin(Coumadin®,Jantoven®)forheartproblems. SomeOTCdrugs,vitamins,andotherremediescanleadtoseriousproblemsifusedtoooftenorwithcertainotherdrugs.Combiningdrugswithouttalkingtoyourdoctorcouldmakeyousick. WhydoIneedtokeeptrackoftheactiveingredientsinmymedications? LearnwhichactiveingredientsareintheprescriptionandOTCmedicinesyoutakesothatyoudon'ttakemorethanonemedicinethatcontainsthesameactiveingredient(s).Forexample,ifyourcoughsyrupcontainsacetaminophen,don'ttakeitatthesametimeasapainrelieverthatcontainsacetaminophen.Takingmorethanonemedicinewiththesameactiveingredientcouldresultingettingtoomuchofthatingredient,whichcoulddamageyourliverorleadtootherserioushealthproblems. Mydoctorusedabbreviationsinmyprescription,butI'mnotsurewhattheymean.HowdoIfindout? Doctorsandpharmacistsoftenuseabbreviationsortermsthatmaynotbefamiliar.Hereisanexplanationofsomeofthemostcommonabbreviationsyouwillseeonthelabelsofyourprescriptionmedications: CommonAbbreviationsforPrescriptions Abbreviation Explanation p.r.n. asneeded q.d. everyday b.i.d. twiceaday t.i.d. threetimesaday q.i.d. fourtimesaday a.c. beforemeals p.c. aftermeals h.s. atbedtime p.o. bymouth ea. each Whataresideeffects? Unwantedorunexpectedsymptomsorfeelings,suchasupsetstomach,sleepiness,anddizziness,thathappenwhenyoutakeamedicinearecalledsideeffects.Somesideeffectshappenjustwhenyoustarttakingamedicine.Somehappenonlyonceinawhile.Butothersideeffectsmaymakeyouwanttostoptakingthemedicine.Tellyourdoctorifthishappens.Heorshemaybeabletoprescribeadifferentmedicineorhelpyoudealwithsideeffectsinotherways. I'mgettingsicktomystomachalotsinceIstartedmynewpills.SomedaysIfeelsosickIthinkaboutnottakingthemedicine.WhatshouldIdo? Talktoyourdoctoraboutanysideeffectsbeforeyoustoptakinganymedicines.Yourdoctormayhavetipsthatcanhelp,suchaseatingalightsnackwithyourpills.Youmaywanttotalktoyourdoctoraboutswitchingtoanewmedicine. Whatdoesitmeantotakemedicinesonanemptystomach? Takingmedicinesonanemptystomachmeansthatyoushouldtakeyourpills2hoursbeforeyoueator2hoursafteryoueat. Twoexamples: Eatfirstandtakethepills2hourslater.Ifyoueatbreakfastat8a.m.,waituntil10a.m.totakeyourpills. Ortakethepillsfirstandeat2hourslater.Ifyoutakeyourpillsat8:00a.m.,waituntil10a.m.toeat. Inbothcases,yourstomachwillbeemptyenoughforthepillstowork. I'mfeelingbetter.Isitokaytostoptakingmymedicine? No,evenifyouarefeelingbetter,youshouldnotstoptakingyourprescriptiondrugunlessyourdoctorsaysitisokay. Formoreinformationabouttakingmedicinessafely,seeSafeUseofMedicinesforOlderAdults. ThiscontentisprovidedbytheNIHNationalInstituteonAging(NIA).NIAscientistsandotherexpertsreviewthiscontenttoensureitisaccurateanduptodate. Contentreviewed:May23,2017 Articles ParticipatinginActivitiesYouEnjoyAsYouAge QuittingSmokingforOlderAdults AdvanceCarePlanning GettingYourAffairsinOrder LatestNews LossofsmelllinkedtoAlzheimer’scognitiveimpairmentandbiomarkers 05/19/2022 RelatedArticles SafeUseofMedicinesforOlderAdults SavingMoneyonMedicines