Tips for Managing Your Medications

Understanding the details about your medications is important. To work correctly, your medications must be the right dose, taken the right way and at the right time. If it feels complicated, know that there are resources to help you navigate your medication list.

Certain tools, and getting help from a pharmacist through a medication management program, can help make it easier for you to care for yourself or a loved one. 

Develop a Medication Routine

Remembering to take your medications every day is the most important step. Melissa Flanders, PharmD, MBA, with Jobst Medication Therapy Management, shares a few ways to help remind you to take your medications:

• Use a weekly pill organizer that categorizes medications by time of day.
• Set an alarm, phone reminder or calendar alert.
• Flip the bottle over once you take the medication.
• Combine taking your medications with a daily task.

Do you struggle with having a refill ready when you need it? Set up automatic refills and/or home delivery so that your next prescription is ready when you run out. 

Consider When You Take Your Medication

“Medications work in different ways,” Flanders shares. “Depending on the drug, it may work best when taken at a certain time of day or in a specific way.”

In general, there isn’t a single best time to take your medications. However, some medications are best taken in the morning on an empty stomach. Others might be best taken in the evening or with a meal. Some medications should be taken separately to prevent them from interacting with each other.

Your pharmacist can help create a medication plan for you that is safe, effective and meets your needs. Ask your pharmacist to create a visual schedule that shows what each medication is used for, time of day to take each medication and any helpful information about each medication. You can use this as a reference and take with you to doctor visits to share as your comprehensive medication list.

Consider What Medications You’re Taking Together

Some medications can interact with each other, food, drinks or certain medical conditions. Drug interactions can cause a change in the drug’s effectiveness and/or the way it reacts in the body. This may lead to side effects and potentially unwanted problems.

This is because of how medications metabolize, Flanders explains. “Medications are processed by the body differently. Drug interactions can affect how long the medication stays in your body. This may cause too much or too little of the drug to be in your body to be safe and effective.”

If you’re taking multiple medications, it’s important to consider what medicines you’re taking together.

Bring a full list, including prescription and over-the-counter medications like vitamins, herbals, or any other supplements, to your pharmacist. The pharmacist can help you determine any possible interactions between your medications, food or drinks you may consume.

Tips for Managing Medications

Flanders offers the following tips to help you, your provider and pharmacist best manage your medications:

• Keep an up-to-date list of medications. If you see multiple providers (primary care and specialists), make sure that they have your full medication list, even if a different provider prescribed the medication. 
• Communicate, communicate, communicate. Discuss with your pharmacist and doctor(s) if you start, stop or adjust any medications (prescription or over-the-counter).
• Be well-informed of your medications. Make sure that you have a good understanding of what your medications are for, when to take them and how to take them. Be aware of potential side effects, and food or drinks that can cause interactions.
• Have one pharmacy. Try to keep all of your prescriptions at one pharmacy. This will allow the pharmacist to review your full medication list when filling prescriptions.
• Only take medications prescribed to you. The drug, dose and frequency is specific to each individual.
• Follow all recommendations from your doctors or pharmacist. Your doctors and pharmacists are here to help! Ask them questions about your medications, side effects or management routine.

Medication Management Programs

If you’re dealing with a long list of medications, or you want more information about your medications, a medication management program might be beneficial to you. This personalized program may be able to assist you with:

• Creating a daily medication schedule.
• Discussing what each medication is for, and how and when to take the medication.
• Collaborating with health care providers to start, stop or adjust medications.
• Identifying or preventing drug interactions.
• Resolving drug side effects.
• Answering questions about medications.
• Getting prior authorization for a medication.
• Finding financial assistance or cost-saving opportunities.
• Discussing ways to help you remember to take your medications.
• Offering preventive care recommendations based on your age and medical history.
• Optimizing medications for chronic conditions such as diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, heart failure, asthma, COPD, heart attack, mood and weight.

Ask your doctor if there is a medication management program available to you. Learn more about ProMedica’s medication management program with Jobst Medication Therapy Management. Services are located at each ProMedica Hospital (Toledo, Bay Park, Charles & Virginia Hickman, Defiance, Flower, Fostoria, Fremont, and Monroe), Perrysburg Medical Office Building, and McCord Cardiology Office. Please feel free to reach out at 419-291-2010.

Melissa Flanders, PharmD, MBA
Melissa is a pharmacist with Jobst Medication Therapy Management.