Questions to Ask Your Doctor When You Get a New Prescription

Ask your doctor these questions about any new prescription:

1. What is this medicine for?

2. What side effects might I encounter?

3. What side effects are dangerous and should cause me to stop taking this medicine and call you?

4. If I have to stop taking this medicine because of side effects, is there another that I can take instead?

5. What are the dangers for me if I don’t take this medicine?

6. What time of day should I take it?

7. Should I take it with food or without?

8. Can I take it with any kind of liquid, or only with water?

9. How will I know if it’s working?

10. How long should this medicine take to begin working?

11. For how long should I continue taking this medicine?

Remember: while only a doctor can prescribe medicine, you are the one ultimately responsible for your health.

Plus:
10 Medication Mistakes to Avoid
13 Things Your Pharmacist Won’t Tell You
41 Secrets Your Doctor Would Never Share

Originally Published in Reader's Digest