Thursday, May 30, 2019

When/How Do I Take My Medication?


There is an optimal time and way to take medications to receive the most benefits from them.

  • Between meals is an hour before or two hours after eating.

  • Blood pressure medication is more effective when taken at night.  Should you miss a dose, do not take it at a different time in attempt to make up for your missed dose.  Take it again at your regular time.
  • Thyroid medication should be taken on an empty stomach with water.  Wait 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything.
  • Never exceed the prescribed dose for a pain killer.  If the dose you are taking does not control the pain, talk to your doctor.  Do not try to adjust the dose.
  • If you are taking a tetracycline and you also take a calcium supplement, be sure not to take them at the same time.  Calcium inactivates tetracyclines.
  • If you take Fosamax, you must not lie down for 30 minutes after taking it.
  • If you take a prescription amount of potassium, do not lie down for 30 minutes after taking it.
  • Antibiotics and probiotics should not be taken at the same time.  Take them at different times such as taking one of them an hour before taking the other, or two hours afterward.
  • Grapefruit juice and fresh grapefruit can interfere with the action of some prescription drugs including some statin drugs, some blood pressure lowering drugs, some antianxiety and antiarrhythmia drugs, and some antihistamines.  Ask a pharmacist or physician to find out if a drug you are taking is affected.

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