Drug Safety
As our bodies change with age, we often need to take more medications. These changes can also affect how our body absorbs the medicine. It is important to take medication as prescribed for you.
Polypharmacy
Prescription medication can interact with over the counter medication, vitamins, and dietary supplements. These interactions could harm you. It is important that you tell your doctor and pharmacist about anything you take.
Keep a list of ALL the medicine you take including vitamins or supplements posted on the refrigerator. You can download a free form to use here: My Medicine Record
Review the list with your doctor at every visit.
Sometimes what the doctor said and what we heard are different-When the doctor gives you a new prescription, tell the doctor what you heard him or her say.
It is your responsibility to safeguard all medications by keeping them in a secure location and to safely dispose of any unused portions of medicine. Unused prescription medication must be disposed of safely. Prevent Overdose RI lists police stations and pharmacies that will dispose of medication properly.
If you cannot bring the unused portion of this medicine to a drug disposal site you can:
- Take the medicine out of its original container, crush the pills and mix it with cat litter or used coffee grounds.
- Put medication into a disposable container with a lid or into a sealable plastic bag.
- Conceal or remove any personal information (including prescription number) on empty containers.
- Put the sealed container or bag and empty medicine bottles in the regular trash.
