Taking a new medication? Here's what you should know

Whether you have recently started a new medication or have been taking one for a while, it’s important to fully understand the medication’s side effects, any interactions, and the proper instructions. To help you ask the right questions, continue reading!

Customer asking a pharmacist a question at the counter.

Any medication, whether it is a prescription, over-the-counter option, herbal/complementary therapy, or vitamins and supplements, can have unwanted side effects, called adverse effects.¹ Adverse effects may vary between each patient depending on weight, age, gender, general health, and the state of their disease. These adverse effects may also vary between mild, moderate, or severe. Some common, mild adverse effects include:

· Constipation

· Skin rash

· Diarrhea

· Dry mouth

· Headache

· Nausea

A few effects that are more serious include:

· Suicidal thoughts

· Abnormal heartbeat

· Internal bleeding

Make sure to discuss any potential side effects from your medications with your pharmacist, especially if you are taking other medications. You should always report new side effects to your pharmacist or primary care provider.

What Should I Avoid While on this Medication?

When starting a new medication, it is important to know if it has any potential interactions with any other medications you are taking, food, alcohol, or even sunlight exposure. According to MedlinePlus.org, “A drug interaction is a change in the way a drug acts in the body when taken with certain other drugs, foods, or supplements or when taken while you have certain medical conditions.” A few of these examples include: ²

· Aspirin and blood thinners

· Statins and grapefruit

· Gingko and blood thinners

· Aspirin and peptic ulcers

Certain Medications and Certain Foods

Some foods are best to avoid when taking certain medications, as it may reduce or increase the effectiveness of the medication or cause other side effects. Certain vitamins and supplements, including essential oils, may also interact with medications.

Alcohol

Another harmful drug interaction includes drinking alcohol while taking medication. Most medications, whether over-the-counter or prescription, include a warning on the label indicating not to consume alcohol while taking this medication. Mixing alcohol with medications may cause mild to severe side effects such as: ⁴

· Nausea and vomiting

· Headaches

· Drowsiness

· Fainting

· Loss of coordination

· Internal bleeding

· Heart problems

· Breathing difficulties

· Increased risk for overdose

· Memory problems

Alcohol may also make your medication less effective or cause the medication to become toxic or harmful to your body. Some medications, such as cough medicine or laxatives, may contain up to 10% alcohol and when mixed with alcoholic beverages, may become extremely dangerous. Even if you don’t consume the medication and alcohol at the same time, medication is designed to stay in your system, meaning it may still be around by the time you decide to take a drink.

Sun Exposure

Did you know that some medications may cause adverse effects when you are exposed to sunlight? Photosensitivity is a chemically induced change in the skin due to certain ingredients in medications. This chemical change may cause sunburn-like symptoms, rash, or other unwanted side effects and may appear days after sun exposure or right away. A few examples of medications that may cause sun sensitivity include: ³

· Antibiotics

· Oral contraceptives

· Retinoids

· Sulfonylureas for type 2 diabetes

Not everyone who takes these medications may experience photosensitivity, but it is good to ask your pharmacist if it is a possible side effect.

How Do I Take This Medication?

When talking to your pharmacist about your medication, you should ask them how to administer it, how long to take it, the time of day to take it, whether to take it with or without food, and how much to take.

Administration

Taking medications correctly and understanding the right way to administer them can help reduce risks and possible further problems. There are many different ways to administer medications. Some common ways include: ⁵

· Inhalable: breathed in through a tube or mask

· Intravenous: injected in a vein or IV line

· Nasal: given into the nose by spray or pump

· Oral: swallowed by mouth

· Rectal: inserted into the rectum

· Sublingual: held under the tongue

· Transdermal: given through a patch placed on the skin

The type of administration depends on the part of the body that is being treated, how the drug works within the body, and the formula.

Duration

Each medication comes with different instructions on how long to continue a medication. Some prescriptions will say to continue a medication until symptoms go away, some have specific time periods (e.g. take once a day for 2 weeks), and others note to take as needed.

Time of Day

Taking medication at night versus in the morning can make a huge difference. Some medications are prescribed to be taken at night because they contain ingredients that may cause drowsiness, while others may have beneficial effects if taken in the morning.

With or Without Food

Knowing whether or not to take your medication with food is important for a few reasons. It may help ease side effects such as upset stomach or nausea if you take your medication during a meal. Taking medication on an empty stomach may help with absorption of the drug, as the presence of food may reduce the absorption in the body.

Dosage Amount

Taking the correct amount of medication is important to avoid a potential overdose. In contrast, if not taking enough of the medication, it may not work properly and produce the desired results.

Other Ways We Can Help

We are here to be more than just your place to get prescriptions. We are your source for trusted healthcare! We offer services to help you understand your medications and stay on track. Talk to us today about how we can help you! Also, as an additional resource, Drugs.com ⁶ offers a full library of medications, symptoms, interactions, and more.