Know Your Medication

Introduction

Knowing your medication means more than remembering when to take a pill. It means understanding what it does, how and when to take it, what to avoid, and how to track it all. If you are managing more than one condition or caring for someone who is, these skills can prevent problems and help your treatment work better.

Use this step by step guide to build confidence and stay safe.

Why it matters

When you understand your medicines you can make better choices and avoid common problems. Clear knowledge helps you
• Use each medicine as intended
• Reduce side effects and interactions
• Prevent duplicate therapies and unnecessary pills
• Share accurate information with every member of your care team

Build your complete medication list

Create a single, up to date list that you can bring to every appointment. Include
• Prescription medicines with dose and timing
• Over the counter products such as pain relievers, allergy pills, and heartburn remedies
• Vitamins, minerals, and herbal or dietary supplements
• Topical creams, eye drops, patches, and injections
• As needed medicines and when you last used them
• Any previous drug allergies or serious reactions

Update the list after every change. Keep a copy in your wallet or phone. Share it with your family or caregiver.

Master the basics for every medicine

For each item on your list, write down answers to these questions
• What is the name of the medicine and what is it for
• How much should I take and how often
• Should I take it with food or water
• What should I avoid such as certain foods, alcohol, sunlight, or driving
• What are the common side effects and when should I call my doctor
• What should I do if I miss a dose
• How should I store it and when does it expire

If you are unsure, ask your pharmacist or clinician. Bring the bottle or a photo of the label.

Read prescription information with confidence

Pharmacies provide patient information with many prescriptions. It explains how to use the medicine, the most important risks, and what to do in urgent situations. Review it the first time you receive a medicine and again if your dose changes. Save the handout in case questions come up later.

Look for
• The official name and strength
• The main use or indication
• Instructions for timing and meals
• Serious warnings sometimes called boxed warnings
• Signs of allergic reaction and when to seek help
• Interactions with other medicines and supplements

Understand the Drug Facts label on over the counter medicines

Every over the counter package includes a Drug Facts label that follows a standard format. Use it to compare products and choose safely. Pay attention to
• Active ingredient and strength to avoid doubling up with a prescription or another over the counter product
• Uses so you know what symptoms it treats
• Warnings and when not to use the product
• Directions including age based dosing and maximum daily amounts
• Other information such as storage guidance
• Inactive ingredients in case of allergies or intolerances

If the label is hard to read, ask the pharmacist to explain it and to check for conflicts with your current list.

Prevent interactions and duplication

Interactions can happen between prescription medicines, over the counter products, and supplements. To reduce risk
• Share your full list with every clinician and pharmacist
• Use one pharmacy when possible so safety checks can run across your medicines
• Ask about alcohol, caffeine, and food interactions such as grapefruit
• Check for duplicate ingredients like acetaminophen that appear in many cold and flu products
• Be careful with herbal products that may change how the body processes medicines

Contact your clinician if you notice new symptoms after starting a medicine or supplement.

Make medication reconciliation part of every visit

Medication reconciliation is the process of comparing your current list with what is ordered during a visit, hospital stay, or after discharge. The goal is one accurate list that all providers and caregivers use. Bring your list and bottles to every visit. Ask the team to confirm the list, remove old items, and explain any changes. An Understood Care Advocate can organize your complete list, coordinate with your pharmacist to catch interactions, and make sure every clinician and caregiver has the same updated version after each visit or hospital stay. Ready for help? Call (646) 904-4027 or sign up at https://app.understoodcare.com.

Watch for high risk situations

Some situations call for extra care
• Starting or stopping a medicine that affects the heart, blood pressure, blood sugar, breathing, or mental health
• Using more than one medicine that makes you sleepy or dizzy
• Taking many medicines at once also called polypharmacy
• Returning home after a hospital stay
• New trouble with memory, vision, or swallowing that affects how you take pills

In these moments, ask for a clear plan, written instructions, and a follow up check.

Create a simple system that fits your life

Consistency helps you use medicines correctly. Consider
• A pill organizer with compartments for morning, midday, evening, and bedtime
• Phone reminders or a paper chart near where you store medicines
• Linking doses to daily routines such as breakfast or brushing your teeth
• Setting up automatic refills and a calendar reminder to reorder early
• Asking a caregiver or advocate to review your setup and help when needed

Store and handle medicines safely

Protect medicines from heat, moisture, and light unless the label says otherwise. Many bathrooms are humid. A bedroom drawer or kitchen cabinet away from the stove and sink is often better. Keep medicines in their original containers unless your pharmacist provides a labeled blister pack or you use a labeled organizer. Store all medicines out of reach of children and pets.

Know when to call for help

Call your clinician or pharmacist if you have
• A rash, swelling, trouble breathing, severe nausea, or confusion
• A side effect that does not improve or limits your daily life
• Concerns about cost or confusion about instructions
• A missed dose for a medicine that protects the heart, prevents clots, or treats seizures

Call emergency services for severe allergic reactions, chest pain, trouble breathing, or other life threatening symptoms.

Discuss your goals and whether any medicines can be reduced or stopped

As your health changes, medicines may need to be adjusted or stopped. Share your goals for pain relief, sleep, mood, and daily function. Ask your clinician to review which medicines still help, which may no longer be needed, and whether lower doses or safer alternatives are possible. An Understood Care Advocate can help you set clear goals, review your medicine list, prepare questions for your visit, and coordinate follow up so changes stay safe and aligned with what matters to you.

Practical checklist

Use this quick list during visits
• Bring your updated medication list and bottles
• Ask what to start, stop, or change and why
• Confirm how to take each item and what to avoid
• Review side effects that require a call or a visit
• Plan follow up and who to contact with questions

Related Understood Care resources

If you would like hands on support, care advocates can help organize your list, prepare questions for visits, and coordinate changes after appointments. The following pages explain how we help with communication, appointments, and care coordination. Links are provided in the References section.

FAQ

• Why is it important to really understand my medications?
  Knowing your medicines means more than remembering when to take a pill. It helps you use each medicine as intended, reduce side effects and interactions, prevent duplicate or unnecessary therapies, and share accurate information with every member of your care team so your treatment works better and more safely.
• What should be included in a complete medication list?
  Your list should include all prescription medicines with dose and timing, over the counter products like pain relievers and allergy pills, vitamins and minerals, herbal or dietary supplements, topical creams, eye drops, patches, injections, as needed medicines with when you last used them, and any past drug allergies or serious reactions. Update it after every change, keep a copy in your wallet or phone, and share it with family or caregivers.
• What basics should I know about each medicine I take?
  For every medicine, you should know its name and what it is for, how much to take and how often, whether to take it with food or water, what to avoid such as certain foods, alcohol, sunlight, or driving, common side effects and when to call your doctor, what to do if you miss a dose, and how to store it and when it expires. If anything is unclear, ask your pharmacist or clinician and bring the bottle or a photo of the label.
• How do I read the information that comes with prescription medicines?
  Pharmacies often provide written patient information with prescriptions. It explains how to use the medicine, key risks, and what to do in urgent situations. Look for the official name and strength, the main use, timing and meal instructions, serious warnings, signs of allergic reactions, and known interactions. Review it the first time you receive a medicine and again if your dose changes, and save it for future questions.
• How do I understand the Drug Facts label on over the counter medicines?
  The Drug Facts label shows active ingredient and strength, uses, warnings, directions, other information like storage, and inactive ingredients. Use it to avoid doubling up on ingredients like acetaminophen, to check when not to use a product, and to follow age based dosing and maximum daily amounts. If it is hard to read or compare, ask the pharmacist to walk through it and check against your current medicines.
• How can I prevent interactions and duplicate therapies?
  Share your full medicine and supplement list with every clinician and pharmacist and try to use one pharmacy when possible. Ask specifically about alcohol, caffeine, and food interactions such as grapefruit. Check labels so you do not take multiple products with the same active ingredient. Be cautious with herbal products that can change how your body processes medicines. Contact your clinician if new symptoms appear after starting a medicine or supplement.
• What is medication reconciliation and why should I ask for it?
  Medication reconciliation means comparing your current list with what is ordered at a visit, during a hospital stay, or after discharge so everyone uses one accurate list. Bring your list and bottles to each visit. Ask the team to confirm your medicines, remove anything you no longer take, and explain any changes. An Understood Care advocate can organize your list, coordinate with your pharmacist, and make sure every clinician has the updated version after each transition.
• When are medication changes especially risky and worth extra attention?
  You should pay close attention when starting or stopping medicines that affect the heart, blood pressure, blood sugar, breathing, or mental health, when using more than one medicine that causes sleepiness or dizziness, when you take many medicines at once, after a hospital stay, and when new memory, vision, or swallowing problems appear. In these situations ask for a clear plan, written instructions, and scheduled follow up.
• How can I create a simple system to manage daily medicines?
  Consider using a pill organizer divided by time of day, phone reminders or a paper chart near your storage spot, linking doses to regular routines like breakfast or brushing your teeth, setting up automatic refills, and adding calendar reminders to reorder early. A caregiver or advocate can review your system, check for confusion, and suggest small changes that make it easier to follow.
• What are safe ways to store and handle medicines at home?
  Keep medicines away from heat, moisture, and direct light unless the label says otherwise. A dry bedroom drawer or kitchen cabinet away from stove and sink is often better than the bathroom. Store medicines in their original containers unless you have a clearly labeled blister pack or organizer. Always keep medicines out of reach of children and pets.
• When should I call my clinician or pharmacist about my medicines?
  Call if you have rash, swelling, trouble breathing, severe nausea, confusion, or any side effect that does not improve or limits daily life. Reach out if you are confused about instructions, worried about cost, or have missed a dose of a medicine that protects your heart, prevents clots, or treats seizures. Call emergency services for severe allergic reactions, chest pain, trouble breathing, or other life threatening symptoms.
• How do I talk with my clinician about stopping or reducing medicines?
  As your health and goals change, some medicines may need adjustment or may no longer be necessary. Share what matters most to you, such as pain relief, sleep, mood, and daily function. Ask which medicines still help, which might be stopped, and whether lower doses or safer alternatives are possible. An Understood Care advocate can help you set goals, review your list, prepare questions, and coordinate follow up so changes are made safely.
• What quick checklist can I use during appointments to stay organized?
  Bring your updated medication list and bottles, ask what to start, stop, or change and why, confirm how to take each item and what to avoid, review which side effects need a call or visit, and plan follow up and who to contact with questions. Care advocates from Understood Care can help you prepare this checklist, attend visits if needed, and coordinate changes afterward so everyone stays on the same page.

References

• National Institute on Aging. Taking Medicines Safely as You Age. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/medicines-and-medication-management/taking-medicines-safely-you-age
• National Institute on Aging. Tips for Taking Medicines Safely as You Age PDF. https://order.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2023-03/tips-take-medicines-safely.pdf
• US Food and Drug Administration. Patient Labeling Resources including Medication Guides and Instructions for Use. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/fdas-labeling-resources-human-prescription-drugs/patient-labeling-resources
• US Food and Drug Administration. Learn About Your Medicines. https://www.fda.gov/patients/learn-about-your-medicines
• US Food and Drug Administration. The Over the Counter Drug Facts Label. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/over-counter-drug-facts-label
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Medication Reconciliation Primer. https://psnet.ahrq.gov/primer/medication-reconciliation
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. MATCH Toolkit Introduction. https://www.ahrq.gov/patient-safety/settings/hospital/match/intro.html
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Designing the Medication Reconciliation Process. https://www.ahrq.gov/patient-safety/settings/hospital/match/chapter-3.html
• MedlinePlus. Using Over the Counter Medicines Safely. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000882.htm
• MedlinePlus. Taking Multiple Medicines Safely. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000883.htm
• MedlinePlus. Storing Your Medicines. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000534.htm
• Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Medication Errors An Overview for Clinicians. https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196%2814%2900439-X/fulltext
• Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. Optimizing Medication Prescribing in Older Patients. https://www.ccjm.org/content/85/2/136
• Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. Medication Management in Older Adults. https://www.ccjm.org/content/85/2/129
• US Food and Drug Administration. Patient Medication Information proposed format. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-proposes-new-easy-read-medication-guide-patients-patient-medication-information
• Understood Care. Care Coordination. https://understoodcare.com/care-types/care-coordination
• Understood Care. Appointments. https://understoodcare.com/care-types/appointments
• Understood Care. Communication. https://understoodcare.com/care-types/communication
• Understood Care. Chronic Care. https://understoodcare.com/care-types/chronic-care
• Understood Care. Lower Costs of Medication. https://understoodcare.com/lower-costs-of-medication
• Understood Care. Home Care. https://understoodcare.com/care-types/home-care

This content is for education only and does not replace professional medical advice. If you have new weakness, severe pain, fever with confusion, chest pain, or trouble breathing, call emergency services.