Taking Charge of Your Prescriptions

Jennifer Wider, M.D.
Society for Women's Health Research
October 7, 2004

Prescription drugs can work wonders. They can prevent disease, cure illnesses and even save lives. All too often, however, people leave their doctor's office without fully understanding how to appropriately use the drugs. Because two out of three visits to the doctor end with a prescription, it is vital to be an educated consumer when it comes to your own health.

Women need to pay close attention to medication issues.

"They visit the doctor more often than men and they take more prescription and non-prescription medicines," Ray Bullman, executive vice president for the National Council on Patient Information and Education in Bethesda, Md., said. "Women become pregnant, nurse babies and go through menopause. These normal health conditions affect how women’s bodies react to medicines."

Women also consume more herbal remedies and vitamins, which may put them at risk for adverse drug reactions. Some drugs work differently in women and men and women are more likely to use multiple medications at the same time.

In addition, women tend to assume the role of family caregiver, managing the medication for children, parents and spouses. Therefore, it is important that women pay close attention to what medications are being taken and why.

No matter what type of medication you are using, you are the person in charge of taking it properly. There are steps you can take to maximize the positive impact your medical treatments have on your health.

Communicating with your doctor or pharmacist is extremely important. Ask questions about your diagnosis and learn why you are taking the particular medicine. For example, it's not enough to know that you’re taking a pill for diabetes. You need to understand diabetes, what sugar or glucose levels are, and what levels are safe and healthy. This knowledge can help you understand the nature of the disease and whether your treatments are working the next time you see the doctor.

Part of communication is sharing your medical and family history with your doctor. Before starting a prescription, discuss any medical condition that you might have, your family history of disease and any medication (prescription, over the counter or herbal) that you may be taking. The doctor will also need a history of your lifestyle habits and diet. Gaining complete understanding of who you are will help the doctor determine the right treatments for you and avoid unnecessary complications.

"Keep a list of your medicines and show that list to your doctor and pharmacist. Be sure to keep it up to date," Bullman said. "When medicine is being considered as part of your treatment, tell the health care professional if you are allergic to any medicines, if you've ever had a problem with any medicine, and if you are pregnant, may get pregnant, or are nursing a baby."

You should also let your doctor know if the cost of the medicine prescribed is a concern, Bullman said. There may be alternative medications that cost less and will work equally well.

Knowing how to take your medication correctly is essential. Make sure that when you leave the office or pharmacy counter, you understand the instructions. If you don’t know how many pills to take per day or when to take them, ask the pharmacist. Be aware of potential side effects and report them to your doctor immediately if they occur.

For women, oral contraceptives (birth control pills) can fail, resulting in pregnancy, when taking the antibiotics rifampin, tetracycline or penicillin. Women should be aware that some antacids can inactivate fluoroquinolones, which are drugs often prescribed for urinary tract infections.

Dietary supplements, used more often by women, can interact with other drugs and cause serious problems. Because there are no regulatory requirements for testing these compounds in humans, doctors and pharmacists know very little about their risks, so you should use caution with these products.

Every medication comes with a drug label and it can sometimes be confusing. Learning how to read it is very important.

The drug facts label includes the following important information:

• Active Ingredient: the chemical substance in your medicine that works to make you feel better.
• Uses or Indications: shows which symptoms the medicine can treat.
• Warnings: tells you what health conditions, other drugs and foods to avoid while taking this medication. It also lets you know what side effects you may experience while taking it.
• Directions: this is the daily dose and frequency with which you should take the medication. Make you that you understand this section fully.
• Other information: this section tells how to properly store the medicine and any other necessary information.
• Inactive ingredients: all other ingredients in the medication are listed here. Most often, they have no effect on your body.

© October 7, 2004 Society for Women's Health Research