Your Medicine: Questions To Ask Before Taking Medicine You can learn more about how to take medicines safely by reading this guide. It answers common questions about getting and taking medicines and has handy forms that will help you keep track of information. Questions To Ask Before Taking Medicine1. What am I taking this medicine for? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________2. What are the brand name and generic name of this medicine? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________3. Can I take a generic version of this medicine? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________4. Does this new prescription mean I should stop taking any other medicines? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________5. How much of the medicine should I take and how often do I take it? If I need to take it three times a day, does that mean at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or every 8 hours? Do I need to wake up in the middle of the night to take it?______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________6. Do I need to take it all, or should I stop when I feel better? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________7. How long will I be take it? Can I get a refill? How often can I get a refill? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________8. How should I store my medication? Do I need to keep it in the refrigerator? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________9. Are there any tests I need while I�m on this medicine? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________10. When should the medicine start working? How can I tell if it�s working? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________11. Are there foods, drinks (including alcohol), other medicines, or activities to avoid while I'm taking this medicine? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________12. What are the side effects? When should I tell the doctor about a problem or side effect? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________13. What should I do if I have a side effect?______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________14. What happens if I miss a dose? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________15. What printed information can you give me about this medicine? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________Return to Document Current as of April 2011 Internet Citation: Your Medicine: Questions To Ask Before Taking Medicine. April 2011. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers/diagnosis-treatment/treatments/safemeds/yourmedques.html
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