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Ask your
doctor what you are being treated for and how each medicine helps. For example:
If you are taking a statin, you should know that it is for lowering your
LDL-cholesterol to lower your heart disease risk.
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Know the side
effects of any medications you are taking. You can find this out by asking your
doctor or pharmacist.
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Ask your
doctor how your medicine works with your other medications and the foods you
eat. For example: Some medicines work best if you take them with food, and
others work best if you take them at bedtime.
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Ask your
doctor what to do if you miss a dose of medicine or have problems with side
effects. It is important that you keep your doctor informed of how the medicine
is working for you. It may be useful to ask your doctor for help in completing
a chart on all of your medicines that includes the name of the medication, what
the medication is being taken for, when to take it, what side effects to watch
for, and whom to call if you should have a problem.
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Remembering
to take your medicine is important. Daily reminders are often helpful when
scheduling your medication doses. Try to time taking your medicine around
activities that you do daily such as setting your alarm clock, brushing your
teeth, eating your meals, going to work, or doing other daily activities.
Other ways to
help yourself remember to take your medicine could be:
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Setting your
watch alarm to go off when it's time to take your medicine
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Placing a
reminder card in a visible place
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Having a
family member or a friend remind you
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Use a
medication box that will hold your entire day's supply of medicine. This will
let you know if you missed a dose of medicine.
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If you have
tried these tricks and still have trouble remembering your medicine, talk to
your doctor or pharmacist. It may be possible to simplify your medication
schedule or to put your medicine in special containers called blister packs to
help you.
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