Prescription Medications - Avoid Common Mistakes
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* According to Consumer Affairs, it is estimated that 7000 deaths occur each year due to incorrect prescriptions. These are staggering statistics. And yes, I grabbed the pharmacist is a very big mistake. Our son Nick was supposed to get 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of drugs, as well as the label told him that 1 ml. It is 5 times less than what he was supposed to! I remembered what the doctor had prescribed, he looked a little tiny bottle that was given to me and asked how I was supposed to get 30 teaspoons of this thing. Then I noticed the mistake.
I am no stranger to the need to manage lots of drugs. Our son Nick is a prescription medication from birth, and he had a kidney transplant 15th August 2000. Since then, I was responsible for giving these drugs save. There is a lot more stressful than knowing that you simply can not forget the medications, or administering the wrong amount. I can just about do it with my eyes closed now. But when I first started I had no idea what questions I should be asking, what tools should I have on hand, or how to stay organized so I'm not mistaken.
During the past 14 years, I saw the error, and I made a few myself. This article is about what I learned on the road. It should not be construed as medical advice, rather than personal opinion. Please check with your doctor and pharmacist to make sure that you do everything you need to do to avoid medication errors.
starting at doctors offices
It all starts here. There are several issues you should be prepared to answer a few questions you should be willing to ask. Each of them is extremely important. Keep a diary. Carry it with you at all meetings of physicians.
you will have to answer questions
patients' medical history: This is a good idea to Journal of the patient medical history. This should include current and past illnesses and / or medical conditions, surgeries, current and past medications, allergies to foods or medications. When you visit a doctor, a nurse will ask a few questions that will help the doctor. After the magazine will ensure that you do not leave anything.
Family history: It is also very important to know about your family medical history. I know that sometimes adoption is involved, and it is simply not possible. However, whenever possible, to get family history on both sides of the family (mother and father). So, if you bring your child to the doctor, you want to know how the history of the family and your child's father / mother of the family.
List of current medications: When you visit a doctor, you will be asked for a list of current medications, including dosage. It is much easier to make a list with you and just hand it to the nurse taking the information than to try to remember everything is right on the spot. I like to use index cards written in pencil. On the card hold up well, you can erase pencil, and you can keep the card with the medication when not used in medical practice.
See the bottle of medication (s) and write down the name of the drug, how much (volume) of the paperwork and how much mg. per unit. In this way, the doctor will know the exact amount taken. For example, if a recipe is 1 mg per ml, and you administer 5 ml, the doctor will know that the patient is given 5 mg.
questions to ask your doctor. Write down what the doctor says!
when prescribed a new medication, there are several things you will need to know. You'll want to check what your doctor says you against what the bottle says the drug when it is picked up at the pharmacy.
In an interview with the doctor about taking a new prescription filled, write down the name, the volume will be applied, and the total mg per dose to be administered: bottle will probably say something like 1mg/cc. If you're new at this, or you're not good at math, ask your doctor exactly what the bottle you'll be getting to say. For example, if Nick gets 5 mg prednisolone every other day, and there is 1 mg. per ml, then he should be getting 5 ml of these drugs for a total of 5 mg. every other day.
1 mg. / Ml x 5 ml = 5 mg.
Brand name vs. generic name: If a recipe does not say 'no change' will probably get a generic version of drugs. Ask your doctor what's the name will be.
What is it going to drug treatment: It May seem obvious, but if you're dealing with more than one medication, you do not want a mistake to treat high blood pressure, which is treated with a headache. The one that you need to take each day one that only when necessary.
How long will it take for the medication effect: It can take several minutes for it to start working, or it can be much more than that. Good to know the answer to that question. Especially if it can take several weeks to work!
Food, beverages, herbal and drug interactions: Alcohol consumption is clearly a substance that can interact with drugs. But did you know that grapefruit, chocolate and licorice are common as well? Herbal supplements can interact with prescriptions, over the counter medications, and the list goes on. Some physicians and pharmacists know what medications (prescription and over the counter) and herbal supplements are taken. Ask what you should not be taken with prescriptions, including food and beverages.
I remember, before you go to buy over the counter (OTC) medication or supplement for someone with a prescription, ask the pharmacist if the OTC item is okay to be with drugs a person has to (and prescribed and OTC)? It is very easy to forget about it, especially this time of year when people catch a cold or get sick and you're in a rush to get back home. Although May you have a list of what should not be taken with honey, but you should still tražiti.Ljekarnika the drug experts. That's what they do all day. Give the pharmacy a call before you even bother going to the store. Let them know what is happening and ask them for recommendations on what you should buy. That's what they're there!
to ask about side effects: You can turn on the TV for very long without seeing a commercial for a new drug that came from. And then a quick list of frequently large list of possible side effects. It is important to ask doctors and pharmacists as for every drug. Sometimes even more drugs are prescribed to combat the effects of drugs. Beautiful, is not it? Often, medication is a necessary evil. But there are some that can not be absolutely necessary, but in May you decide against using the unwanted side effects.
ask how, when and what medication should be taken: with or without food? If the food, which is a type of food? If you give all the medication through a feeding tube, and receive a tablet or capsule, you can crush? If it takes a certain time of day? Certain time before or after meals? All these things are extremely important to know. For example, one of Nick drugs is rather special and must be mixed with water and taken on an empty stomach, and he can not eat an hour after. Another knew that had to be mixed in a little jar with water, using metal utensils to stir s.
At the end you get into a routine when and how to manage drug and it will not be a big deal. Keep a small calendar with drugs and cross off each day as you go. If you give the medication more than once a day, get a calendar where you can check day one, two, three or how ever many times greater trebate.Čak calendar, if you need to actually write the name of the drug (s) below if it helps you to stay organized.
What happens if I miss a dose, or not all honey is taken / day for a reason: It can happen! If you skip it? Take it? Twice the next dose? My husband and I gave Nick medications through a feeding tube using a medication port and had a feeding port blow open while pushing through the Med with a syringe. At this point, we had no idea what drugs and how each honey, is actually in the belly! We had to call the doctor and ask them what to do. Some meds we just skip over, others gave me to him again.
What happens if you take / give a chance too: It can happen, too. You get distracted and can not remember if you have already given to honey. This happened to me once, back when our oldest boy was teen and still lives at home. It was very difficult to teen, and we were in a heated debate, while I was out measuring Nick drugs and thought I might have made him one of the meds twice. Talk about panic! I called the poison control center and they said it would be wrong. But I never want to do it again!
How to store medicines: Some medicines should remain within a certain temperature. General or you keep them in the refrigerator or in the refrigerator. There should be a little sticker somewhere on the medication, you should keep it in the fridge. And it's not recommended to keep the medication in the bathroom. Too many germs out there.
make sure you read the recipe before leaving office:
Many doctors are transformed into computer generated prescriptions, but many are not. If you can not read a prescription, chances are pharmacists May have a hard time as well. Be a pain in the butt, ask the doctor to prescribe drugs, so it is readable, if you can not read. They should have respect for you that you care enough about it that is filled correctly and not like you without upset about it.
When you're ready to have a prescription filled
use the same pharmacy for all prescriptions: It is the pharmacist's job to go through all the medications the person, and make sure that they will not communicate with each other. Help them do their job and avoid mistakes by sticking with only one pharmacy. This way they can see in their computer system a list of all medications for persons who meet the prescription. Not having one is filled at CVS, and the two met at Walmart.
pharmacist should also know: the pharmacy will also ask about allergies, and if you are new to the pharmacy, they will know what other medicines (prescription, OTC, supplements, herbal) you are. On May seem redundant, but it is important to know this information, too. They will keep a record of what they in their computer system. Be sure to let them know if anything changes, too.
ask your pharmacist questions: It's a good idea to ask your pharmacist how and when to take medications, the interactions with other food, beverage, OTC medications, and about any side effects. Do this even though you have already asked the doctor.
Why do I say? Physicians need to know about drugs, but it is a pharmacist who is a true expert. As an example of what can happen when you do not find out about possible side effects: Nick was prescribed Baclofen for muscle spasms that is. I was on top of his game at the time, and did not find out until it was too late, that can infuriate baclofen seizures. Now it's the Keppra to prevent seizures. And despite my best efforts, and two years worth of weaning, I was able to completely off his baclofen.
When you pick up a prescription
Now is the time to compare what the doctor said it provides with what you gave when you pick up a prescription. Here are some things to check:
Read the label for instructions on how to properly take medication. Check this against what your doctor has told you.
Read all the other small label on the bottle: May there be some other special instructions that are not on a regular label, such as Be cautious when driving or operating heavy equipment read the label on the bottle for proper dosage every time a prescription is filled: Another catch I made was not so much a mistake to end the pharmacy, but changes in the power of honey that no one told me about when I recharge my prednisolone. He used to get 3 CC and once every other dan.Snaga fluid was changed at some point (perhaps a new supplier), and he now gets a 5 cc every other day. He is still getting the same total mg., I just measured it differently now. However, neither the doctor's office or the pharmacy told me when the change occurred. I just happened to read the label on the bottle, and notices. I had to call the doctor's office and question them about it and complain that nobody told me, one giving him the med. Who knows how long I could be giving him a dose of the wrong that I have not noticed a change on the label. I would be measuring the same age ... I do not have to look at the labels to know how much more he needs to get a dozen medications he is on. I really lucked when I noticed. And by the way, it was a doctor at Boston Children's Hospital to fill a prescription. So do not let the fact that the prescription filled by a doctor in one of the best hospitals in the country by the government from being as careful when filling prescriptions. If the dose is changed: Never change the dose on your own. Always follow your doctor's instructions. And if the dose changes, and not just filling a prescription, get a new prescription, so that the label will reflect the new dose. This is a good idea to let someone other than the person living in your house where your list of medications with the dose is. God forbid adults to get in a car crash and I can not tell people how to manage medications. You should also keep a list of phone numbers for all physicians who prescribe medications. I hope I've helped someone avoid a costly mistake when it comes to prescription drugs. Again, these suggestions are from my personal experience. Be sure to talk with your doctor and pharmacist as well. Someone's life depends on it! * reference.
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