April 1-7 is Medication Safety Week, just in time for the Zelnorm alert. Are you taking Zelnorm? Did you know Novartis discontinued marketing of the drug due to concerns by the FDA? If you have been prescribed Zelnorm and were aware of the suspension, what did you do? Did you stop taking the drug? Did you call your physician or pharmacist? Do you know what you should do if you find out the medicine you take has been recalled or a new warning has been issued? If you're like most Americans, you probably don't have a clue. That's ok, that's why we're here!

If you have been prescribed a maintenance type medication, one that you must take regularly for a chronic condition over a long period of time, then I would suggest your first stop by the FDA. You can subscribe to a newsfeed that provides up to minute information about any recalls or new drug alerts.

Next, I'd recommend looking over the suggested activities for Medication Safety Week from the Women's Heart Foundation:

April 1: Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet - My medicine cabinet is a mess and I hate cleaning it out. Remove expired medications and medications you no longer need to take, don't save them for a "rainy day".
April 2: Know Your Medicines - This might sound silly but do you know the name, of your medications? A lot of people don't. Or they know the name when they hear it, or think they do. They don't know the brand name or that their medication may be marketed under several names. They don't know the generic name. It really IS important to know this information. If you do not know how to pronounce the name of the medication, ask your pharmacist when you pick up the next refill. Or check out a pronounciation label from one of the drug list sites.
April 3: Read Medicine Labels - Don't just read the label, read the patient information as well. You can find prescribing information in a variety of places online and almost always directly from the manufacturer. People are always surprised when I tell them what some possible side effects of their medications are. They are also sometimes surprised because their doctors specifically told them that X was not a side effect.
April 4: Dietary Supplement Awareness - Did you know that dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA in the same way that other medications are regulated? If you are taking a dietary supplement (vitamins, weight loss aids, natural sleep aids, herbs, etc) then you should consult with both your pharmacist and your physician to find out how they might negatively effect your current health and/or the prescription medications you take.
April 5: Organize Your Medicines - Do you have information about your medications written down somewhere where you and/or another person can find it? If you don't, get busy! Include the name, how many you take, the times of day you take the medication and any side effects you have had while taking the medication. You can use this chart if you like.
April 6: Transitional Care Awareness - If you change physicians, talk to your new doctor about your treatment plan and specifically your medications. If you change pharmacies, be sure you include all allergies and medication history when you make the switch.
April 7: Better Communication with Health Professionals -I cannot tell you how many times I've seen people come home from their doctor's office or the hospital and immediately log onto the internet to ask perfect strangers on a message board or mailing list questions that they should have asked their doctor and/or their pharmacists. Your doctor should only be a phone call away. I can guarantee you that your pharmacist is only a phone call away.

HHS and AHRQ have provided this information to help you learn more about how to take your medicines safely, (some forms are included here as well.)

Do you have any questions about the medications you are taking? I'm not your doctor or your pharmacist or a health professional of any kind, but I'm happy to listen and point you to an online resource to look at before you make a phone call to someone on your healthcare team.

~~Denise
Flamingohouse Happenings and Fast Times @ Homeschool High