No More Excuses: 6 Medication Mistakes You Need to Fix Today

In a recent survey, around 83% of Americans aged 70 and above reported taking medication at least once a day. Also, over half of Americans take prescribed medicines daily.

While so many people consume prescribed medicines, they are bound to make some medication mistakes while following their regimen. Approximately 2% to 33% of patients and caregivers report making errors while taking their medicines.

More often than not, even the best intentions can falter when taking your prescribed medicines correctly. We shall explore some of the common pitfalls in this post and discuss how you can overcome the same with ease.

1) Storing Your Medicines Incorrectly

Did you know? An astonishing 28.7% of US households reported storing medications in their restroom! The concept of a “medicine cabinet” usually situated in the restroom is outdated. The humidity and heat in that area can damage the meds.

One of the simplest ways to avoid this mistake is to replace your blister pack medication with compliance packaging. compliance pack offered by DosePacker Pharmacy will have the doses sorted and labeled according to the day, date, and time of dose administration.

In addition, you can avoid storing meds in direct sunlight and ensure they are away from children’s reach. It is recommended that one should store medicines between 59 and 86 ℉ until advised otherwise. Following these tips will stop the deterioration of the medicine and maintain its efficacy intact.

2) Intentionally Skipping a Dose

Right off the bat, missing a dose of medication is one of the most common mistakes one might make while taking medication in people of all ages. This can be due to a wide array of reasons.

Let’s have a look at some of the catalysts that lead to such a situation:

• Patients are often scared of the side effects of the prescribed drugs.
• More often than not, they skip their medications if a couple of doses do not relieve their symptoms.
• Forgetfulness is usually the most straightforward reason for skipping a dose of medicine.
• Last but the most crucial cause includes skipping the medication due to its cost. According to the CDC, around 8.2% of adults aged between 18 and 64 reported missing medicines due to cost concerns.

Percentage of respondents in the U.S. who missed a dose of prescribed medication for select reasons as of 2017, by age - Source

This need not be the case! One can resolve most of these issues by having an honest chat with your primary healthcare provider. You can discuss the side effects, cost issues, or other worries and ask for appropriate solutions.

3) Taking Incorrect Doses

Next, come the consequences you face after missing a dose due to forgetfulness. Many people usually assume that doubling up your doses is okay if you miss taking them. This medication mistake can be pretty harmful to your health.

Yes, we all lead hectic lives, and it can be challenging to remember to take your medicines on time. Here’s where medication reminder devices can come to your rescue, especially for seniors. DoseMinder is one such exceptional example of a smart medication management device. It has advanced technology that scans a compliance package placed on it and highlights the dose that needs to be administered to the patient.

In addition, it also records a video of the medicines being taken through an in-build recording system to ensure medical adherence. This eliminates the hassle of keeping track of taking your medication on time, every time.

4) Splitting Pills Incorrectly

Apart from skipping or doubling a dose, people also make the significant mistake of splitting a medicine incorrectly. For example, If a patient is prescribed to take only half a pill per day, they cut it using a dull kitchen knife. This often leads to uneven cuts, and the patient might receive 70% instead of the prescribed 50% on one day and only 30% on the next day. This hinders the effectiveness of the medicine.

According to research, 31% of split tablets were different from the expected dose that needed to be administered. You can steer clear of this error by using a pill cutter available at all pharmacies. Also, only cut your pills as you need them and not all at once to avoid environmental damage to the pill.

5) Not Filling Your Prescription On Time

Most tend to forget about visiting the pharmacy to refill their prescriptions. While to err is human, and it is not the most arduous of medication mistakes out there, you must get your prescriptions refilled on time.

According to a study, 24% to 27% of patients prescribed an antihypertensive, antibiotic, or antihypertensive did not fill their prescription in the following 90 days. Imagine you are on a crucial heart medication, and you have just two pills left in your vial. You visit the pharmacy, and they, too, do not have stock for your medicine. They say the stock will take at least one week to replenish.

Now, you have to contact your primary healthcare provider, ask for an alternative medicine, or refer to another pharmacy covered by your insurance. Quite the hassle, isn’t it?

Hence, it is best to set an advanced reminder and refill your prescriptions on time!

6) Incorrectly Discarding Your Medicines

Lastly, people often make the grave mistake of discarding medicines inappropriately. This medication mistake not only harms the health but also disrupts the environment. For example, the FDA recommends using drug-take-back programs led by communities worldwide. You should only flush drugs down the drain or throw them in the trash in case the drug take-back option is not readily available and the medicine label states that it is ok to do so.

In addition, leaving unused medication in places easily accessible to other people can lead to accidental ingestion or misuse by someone else. To avoid such mishaps, always discard your expired medicines per the guidelines provided by your pharmacist or the local waste management authorities. We must always handle our medication responsibly!

In a Nutshell

Navigating medication management does not necessarily have to be a minefield. These medication mistakes are entirely avoidable by staying attentive and informed. You can easily sidestep these common errors and keep your and your loved ones’ health on track.

You can empower yourself with the correct knowledge and use advanced medication management solutions to easily stay on top of your medication routine. So, equip yourself with the correct information by communicating openly with your primary healthcare provider and being mindful about avoiding these medication mistakes.