Everything and the kitchen sink

Common household items can help you take multiple medications safely

Kitchen sink.
Keeping your medicine bottles or a pillbox in a central location, such as by your kitchen sink, can help you remember to take your pills. "A pillbox allows you to sit down once a week and plan out your whole week's doses," says Daniel H. Good, M.S., R.Ph., director of pharmacy at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine.



Refrigerator magnet.
On your refrigerator, keep the names and phone numbers of two important people: your primary care doctor and your pharmacist. "Have your primary care physician serve as gatekeeper of your medications," says Mary A. Norman, M.D., a geriatrician on the medical staff at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano. Discuss new prescriptions from other providers with your primary care physician before you fill them, she suggests.

And try to stick to one pharmacy. "That pharmacy will keep a profile of everything you're taking and can help screen for potential interactions," Good says.

Wallet.
Carry with you a complete, updated list of all the medications you're taking, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements. Share this list with all of your health care providers."I see patients in the hospital who have multiple doctors and are taking duplicate prescriptions or medications that shouldn't be taken together," says Matt Cantrell, M.D., an internal medicine physician on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Irving.


Grocery list.
Not only can prescription drugs affect each other, they can also interact with seemingly innocent over-the-counter medications, such as antacids, and foods such as grapefruit juice. Ask your doctor to help you make a list of items to keep off your grocery list.




Red pen.
The more drugs you take, the higher your risk of interactions and the easier it is to confuse them. So pull out your red pen and look at your medication list. "Justify every medication you take," Dr. Norman says. Consider its cost, effectiveness and side effects. Would an over-the-counter antacid be cheaper but work just as well? Are you taking extra medicine to relieve the side effects of your blood pressure medication? "Don't stop or start any drugs without consulting your doctor," she says. "But work together to keep your medications simple, safe and effective."

By Teresa Caldwell Board