New Prescription? 15 Questions to Ask Your Doctor or Pharmacist

Posted on: Nov 7, 2022 | | Written by:

New Prescription? 15 Questions to Ask Your Doctor or Pharmacist

Published on November 04, 2022. EST READ TIME: 3 minutes

When you are suffering from an infection or health condition, the doctor prescribes certain medicines to help you manage the symptoms and recover from the condition. However, whenever you are prescribed new medicines, it is important to know the optimal dosage, timing, possible side effects and more to prevent prescription drug error-relatedissues.You can clarify the same with your doctor or pharmacist and take the medicines correctly. Considering the increasing prevalence of prescription drug errors and other health issues, taking health insurance for family is the need of the hour. A medical insurance policy offers financial assistance by covering your hospital bills and associated expenses.

The following are some important questions to ask your doctor or pharmacist whenever you get a new prescription.

1. What is the medication for?

When the doctor prescribes a medicine, ask them what the medicine is for and how it will help with the condition you are suffering from.

2. When should I take the medicine?

Some medicines should be taken in the morning and some in the afternoon or evening. Also, certain medicines are taken before food and some after. Hence, clarify the same with the doctor or pharmacist to avoid errors or confusion later.

3. How often should I take the prescribed medicines?

Certain medicines are taken once a day and some need to be taken several times. Hence, ask the doctor or pharmacist and follow their advice to expedite the recovery process. You can also ask the best time to take each dose. If you have been prescribed more than one medicine, you can request the doctor to write the medicine schedule for better understanding.

4. How long will the medicine take to work?

This is important to know because many times people stop taking a prescribed medicine after some days thinking it is not working. A medicine may take several weeks to ease the symptoms of a condition. Hence, ask this question to your doctor and make sure you complete the medication course, especially if you have been prescribed antibiotics. If you stop the treatment in between, the bacteria become resistant to the antibiotic and cause more harm. This can affect your health and lengthen recovery time. Also keep medical insurance handy in case of any complication or if the symptoms worsen and you need hospitalisation.

5. How will I know if the medicine is working?

Ask the doctor what changes you will notice when the medicine starts working. For certain treatments, the doctor may suggest a follow-up visit or blood tests to check if the prescribed medicine is working or it needs to be changed.

6. For how many days should I take the medicine?

This is an important question to ask the doctor as both under-dose and overdose of medicines can be harmful to your health.

7. What should I do if I miss one or more doses of the medicine?

If you are taking some multivitamins or supplements, then missing a dose may not be that serious. However, if you miss a dose of antibiotics or do not finish the medication course, the infection will last longer and become worse. Missing a dose of antidepressants or quitting it altogether can lead to different symptoms, such as headaches, anxiety, sleep problems and mood changes. Hence, ask the doctor what you should do in case you miss one or more doses of the prescribed medicine.

8. How should I store the medicine?

Some medicines like probiotics should be refrigerated, so check with the pharmacist regarding the same. Heat and moisture can spoil most medicines, so make sure you store them well.

9. Are there any substitutes for the prescribed medicines?

There are times when the prescribed medicines are not easily available. So, remember to ask the doctor for substitutes. Also, certain brand-name medicines are much more expensive than their generic alternatives. Health insurance for family may not cover very expensive medicines and supplements. So, it will be wise to know the cheaper alternatives or substitutes.

10. Are there any side effects of the medicines prescribed to me?

Most medicines have mild side effects that subside once your body gets used to the drugs. However, it is better to know the side effects in advance so that you don’t start to fret later. Ask the doctor what you should do if you experience severe side effects.

11. How do I manage the side effects?

If a certain drug is likely to cause side effects, ask the doctor how you can manage them. Taking medicine with food, consuming a nutritious diet, drinking more fluids, and avoiding fried and spicy foods can help in some cases. Since drug-related side effects can happen at any time and some can be serious, keep your doctor’s emergency contact number handy. Also, make sure you have adequate health insurance for family. A medical insurance policy can help you and your family avail of timely and quality treatment during such emergencies.

12. What should I do if I experience severe or unusual side effects? Are there any side effects I should be worried about?

This is an important question to ask the doctor or pharmacist. Some side effects can be a cause of concern and might require immediate medical attention. Hence, ask your doctor what you should do if you experience any unusual side effects. Do not stop taking the medicines though. You must talk to the doctor and follow their advice.

13. Will the new medicines interact with the ones I am taking already?

If you are taking any medicines for some other condition, remember to inform the doctor about the same. Some medicines interact with each other and cause serious side effects. Hence, tell the doctor about all the prescription drugs, supplements and over-the-counter medicines that you are taking at present.

14. Do I need to follow any dietary and other precautions?

Ask the doctor if you should follow any precautions while taking the prescribed medicines. Often, doctors may advise avoiding certain foods, tobacco and alcohol. Some medicines can make you feel weak and drowsy. Hence, driving, lifting heavy objects and operating heavy machinery should also be avoided.

15. Is the medication safe during pregnancy?

If you are pregnant, this is an important question to ask the doctor and pharmacist whenever you are given a new prescription.

Conclusion

Drug errors and interactions can be quite dangerous and life-threatening. Hence, do not shy away from asking important questions to your doctor or pharmacist whenever you get a new prescription. Since drug-related errors and medical emergencies are common, make sure you take adequate health insurance for family and keep the policy active by renewing it every year. A medical insurance policy helps you avail cashless treatment at network hospitals and saves you from many hassles.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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