Take your medications

Making sure your medication is taken every day at the appropriate time is important. Organizing prescriptions in advance can help.

One of the simplest and yet complicated acts of taking care of yourself is to take your medication on time as the directions dictate. Making sure your medication is taken every day and at the appropriate time can be a chore.

Even if a person is able-bodied and cognizant of their whereabouts, taking medications appropriately can still be a chore. So, what about older people, who may need some assistance, or what about our young people? In our current “got to get it done now” world, taking medication properly may not be a top priority for many people. However, it should be.

Many medications are prescribed and consumed just once or twice a day. This fact should contribute to their convenience and even perhaps their ease of consumption.

You may be thinking, what are some factors to consider when taking your medication? When should the medication be taken? For example, if your physician prescribes a medication to be taken once in the morning and once in the evening, those directions should be followed. It is important to allow sufficient time between dosages to allow the medication to have its full effect. Morning medication should not be taken at 2 p.m. Consistency and regularity in medication consumption is a must.

Some medications work best in the body when taken at bedtime or other specific times. It is very important that the recommendations be followed in order to achieve the best outcome from your medication.

What should you take with your medication? Well, it depends. For many medications what you drink or eat with them may not matter. For example, we’ve all heard about how grapefruit juice can change the dynamics of how a medication is absorbed and affects the length of time it exists in the system. Most times I suggest good ole plain water. Simplicity is the best.

Another important factor to consider is the storage of medications. It is not the best idea to store medications in humid areas such as the bathroom, even though many of us do. It is also not recommended that medications be stored over a stove or oven where heat may have an effect. It is also not wise to store medication in a refrigerator unless directed by a physician in specific places. Cool, dry areas are ideal for medication storage.

One of my favorite ways to handle medications is to have it prepackaged by the pharmacy. This works great when there are multiple medications taken at different times of the day. Such medications come prepackaged with the time of day, the day of the week and correctly identified pills to be taken at a specific time of day. Just rip off a pill pack and you are all set. Pill packs are especially good for traveling and for people who require help with their medications. This is a convenient way to administer medications in an orderly manner and often there is no additional fee for this valuable service. Now remember to take those pills.

They truly have a purpose.

Dr. Veita Bland is a board-certified Greensboro physician and hypertension specialist. Dr. Bland’s radio show, “It’s a Matter of Your Health,” can be heard live on Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. on N.C. A&T State University’s WNAA, 90.1 FM. Listeners may call in and ask questions. The show is replayed on Sirius 142 at 5 p.m. on Wed. Email Dr. Bland at ideas@blandclinicpa.com.