In light of Senior Pharmacist Care Week and American Pharmacist Month, I thought we’d talk about the important role that pharmacists play in healthcare and health education. Once again, this is not medical advice, we are not physicians. These are practical pieces of advice for educational purposes.
Ask About All Your Medications
Pharmacists will know particularly how all of your medications will interact with each other. Whenever your physician prescribes you a new one, be sure to ask your pharmacist about how it might react to your other medications. Be mindful of any of the side effects and possibly even write them down so you can keep an eye out for them.
Make Note of Side Effects
Once you know what to look for, consider keeping a notepad next to your pill bottles or organizer to mark down any side effects you experience, including date and time. This gives you a paper trail to talk to your physician about. Of course, if you have a severe side effect you should contact your physician immediately.
Don’t Believe Everything You See Online
It can be tempting to look up a medication, but like we’ve written before, people can easily spread misinformation on the internet. If you are looking into medications, stick to reputable sources. Double-check that any studies you’re reading are written by people with doctorates in the relevant field and that they are peer-reviewed.
Pharmacists are such an important part of the healthcare team. Thank you so much for all that you do!
Written by Brigid Coffey
