MEDICATION AWARENESS MONTH

June is officially declared Medication Awareness Month(MAM).

Check ALL the medication you take. This includes prescription,non-prescription/ over the counter, herbals, supplements, vitamins, foods with supplements (like calcium milligrams in a cup of juice). This is important as you may be taking a calcium supplement and/ or Tums. That could add up to more calcium than is recommended. One risk of too much calcium is a kidney stone.

Check the medication expiration dates. Throw out the expired ones.

Keep medication in a safe place. This means out of the reach of children, and adults that are unable to administer their own medicine.

When starting a new medication, be sure you have read up on it. Ask your doctor about it. Since medication side effect lists tend to be quite lengthy, many doctors do not have the time to discuss them with you. Be sure to get a copy and read it yourself. Ask your doctor or pharmacist as well as looking it up in the library or on the Internet. Call the company that makes the medicine.

This is just a few things to consider with taking medication. Later in the blog, pharmacy expert Ronald Kaler will discuss more medication awareness tips.