Questions to ask about a new medicine

This is general information, not medical advice. Always follow the instructions of the doctor and pharmacist who know the person’s full history.

A new prescription is often handed over at the end of a short appointment, when everyone is thinking about the next thing. By the time you are home, the details have gone.

Print this page, or copy the questions into the notebook you take to appointments. Ask whichever ones apply. You do not need to ask them all, and nobody minds you writing the answers down.

About the medicine

• What is it called? Ask for both the brand name and the active ingredient, because the brand on the box can change from one pharmacy visit to the next while the medicine stays the same.
• What is it for? In one sentence, in plain words.
• How will we know it is working? And how long that is likely to take.
• Is it instead of something, or as well as? Ask directly whether any current medicine should stop.

How to take it

• How much, and how often? “Twice a day” can mean morning and night or every twelve hours. Ask which.
• With food, or on an empty stomach?
• Can it be crushed, split or taken with something to help swallowing? Some medicines must never be crushed. If swallowing tablets is hard, say so, because there may be another form.
• How long for? A set course, until the next review, or ongoing.
• What if a dose is missed? Take it late, skip it, or something else.

What to watch for

• What side effects are common, and which ones matter? Ask which should prompt a phone call to the GP, and which mean going to hospital.
• Does it affect balance, alertness or driving? Many medicines can make someone dizzy or drowsy, which matters a great deal for falls.
• Does it interact with anything else? Mention every other medicine, including vitamins, herbal products, eye drops, creams and anything bought over the counter. Alcohol too.
• Are there foods to avoid?

Practical things

• Can it go in a dose administration aid? That is the blister pack or sachet roll some pharmacies prepare, sorted by day and time.
• Is there a Consumer Medicine Information leaflet? Ask the pharmacist to print one.
• When is the next review? Write the date down.
• Who do we call with a question? The pharmacy number and the practice number, on the fridge.

After you get home

Update the medicine list the same day. Write the new medicine, the dose, the start date and who prescribed it. Keeping on top of medications at home explains how to keep that list current, and what to take to a GP appointment covers bringing it with you next time.

If someone is taking a lot of medicines, or has several prescribers, ask the GP about a Home Medicines Review, where a pharmacist looks at everything together.

When we support someone, any change to their medicines is recorded in their One Story record, so the next member of their Care Circle who visits knows about it and knows what to look out for. If a new medicine seems to be causing a problem, they tell the Care Lead, who contacts the family and, where appropriate, the GP.

For information about Australian medicines, see healthdirect. For aged care support, start at myagedcare.gov.au.