8 mistakes you make with your medicines

Check for errors. This might be difficult considering your doctor’s handwriting is the worst scribble you have ever seen. But it might help to try. It is estimated some two in every 100 prescriptions are dispensed incorrectly. You may get the wrong drug in the wrong dose in the wrong form. Read the label at […]

Check for errors. This might be difficult considering your doctor’s handwriting is the worst scribble you have ever seen. But it might help to try. It is estimated some two in every 100 prescriptions are dispensed incorrectly. You may get the wrong drug in the wrong dose in the wrong form. Read the label at the pharmacy counter to make sure it is what your doctor order.

Follow, follow. Doctors can get frustrated about patients following orders. Nearly half of all drugs are not taken as directed by doctors. Stick to the regimen. When your doctor says what, you ask when and how.

Overdoing painkillers. you get back from a busy day at work, tear open a sachet of painkiller and pour the powder down your throat. The sight is familiar. But you might just be overdoing it.

One in five people take more than the recommended dose of common painkillers like ibuprofen. One in four people mix two or more painkillers at a time. That can damage your liver or kidneys, or cause bleeding inside your body. Stick to doses on the label. For kids, base the dosage on their weight, not their age.

Cut your pills. Unless your doctor or pharmacist told you to, you should do this. Some pills should be taken whole because they’re coated to release slowly, to protect your stomach, or to bind two medications together. If it’s OK to split the pills, cut them one at a time as you go so they won’t break down from heat or humidity.

Food and medicine. Some medicines work better or faster in an empty stomach. Others are best taken with meals. Also, some foods and drugs can make for bad or dangerous combinations. These include dairy products with some antibiotics, certain cholesterol-lowering medications and grapefruit juice, and green leafy veggies and other vitamin K-rich foods with the blood thinner warfarin. Ask your pharmacist for guidance.

Drinking and medicine. You know not to drink and drive. But you may not know that taking certain drugs with alcohol can mean trouble. Sleeping pills, cold remedies, and other medicines that get you drowsy might make you even more so when mixed with drinks. Alcohol also can interact with some ingredients in medications and damage your liver. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist about what’s safe.

Stopping cold turkey. You need to take medications for as long and exactly as your doctor prescribed, even if you feel better before you’re supposed to stop taking them. But more than half of people don’t. If you find it’s hard to stick with it, talk to your doctor before you quit. If the drug is too expensive or causes too many side effects, there might be an alternative that’s cheaper or less bothersome.

Spoon troubles. The spoons from your kitchen drawer can lead to dosage errors. A study found that people who used a medium-size spoon to pour cough syrup and other liquid medication were likely to take too little. But those who picked a big spoon were more likely to overdose. So always use the cup, syringe, or other measuring tools that come with the drug.