In fact, it is your right to get counseled about your medications by the pharmacist.
What kind of questions can you ask your pharmacist?
Any questions that are related to your medications, such as:
- How to take them
- How to store them
- Their side effects
- If you should take them with or without food
- If there are any problems with taking one medication along with another, called a drug-drug interactions
You can also ask your pharmacist for recommendations for over-the-counter (also known as OTC) medications that you may need for a headache, cough, cold, allergies and other health issues. Simply tell him or her symptoms and they can help you find what's right for you.
Should I tell the pharmacist any other information besides my symptoms when I ask a question about over the counter medications?
Yes, there are some other things that are important to mention to your pharmacist so that you can get the best help from him or her. Here are some of the things you need to mention:
- Any allergies you have or may have and also if the allergic reaction is mild or severe
- Any other prescription medications you may be taking from another pharmacy
- Any over the counter medications (OTC) you are using
- Any herbal products or vitamins/supplements that you may be taking
- If you drink alcohol or smoke regularly
Why do I need to tell the pharmacist about any other medications that I am taking?
Because the pharmacist can check all of your medications--including prescriptions, OTC, herbal remedies and supplements--to see if there are any interactions with the medications you take that can cause health problems for you. Pharmacies use a computer program that helps them track drugs that don't work well with other drugs that you may be taking. So, if you do not fill your prescription at the same pharmacy each time, one pharmacy may not have all the information about your medicines in the computer that the pharmacist needs to check these interactions.
A TIP FOR YOUR HEALTH!
It is safer to use one pharmacy or one pharmacy chain (such as Rite-Aid, Walgreens, CVS or Duane Reade), to fill your prescriptions because this helps the pharmacist track any drug interactions before giving you your medication or discussing OTC medications.