By Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

READER DID RIGHT THING IN QUESTIONING “DIFFERENT LOOKING” PILLS

Question: I got a prescription filled last week and when I got it home the pills looked completely different than the medication I usually take. I took it back to the pharmacy, they checked it and said it was OK -- just a generic medication from a different company than I had been getting. Now my husband says I was overreacting and should have just taken the medication. Should I have handled this differently?

Answer: I think you did the right thing by checking out your suspicions about your recently filled prescription. The truth is that medication errors do happen. In fact, about 3 percent of all prescriptions are filled erroneously. To some this might seem like a low number, but if it’s your prescription that is wrong, you may have a different attitude. Getting the wrong prescription can cause you harm.

There are many steps along the path of a prescription that can cause a problem. Let’s look at a few of them. One step is the issuing of the prescription. Sometimes it’s as simple as the pharmacist can’t read your doctor’s handwriting. In such a case you need to be an informed health-care consumer. Make sure you get the right medication at the proper dosage. Ask your physician or a nurse to go over each prescription with you before you leave the office. Find out the name of each new prescription, what it is for, the dosage level, how often you take it and how long you will be taking it.

Even if your doctor gives you a prescription on a computer printout, errors can still happen at the pharmacy. When you pick up the prescription, you should open each bottle of pills and look at them before you leave the store. Check to see if all the pills in the same bottle are the same color and size. Also note, as you did, if they look different than the last time you had the same medication. If you have questions, ask the pharmacist or pharmacy tech immediately.

Another time medication errors can happen is when you go to an urgent care center, a hospital emergency department or a new doctor’s office. These places do not have a regular chart on you and do not necessarily have a record of your current medications, even if you were just in there last week. Be sure to take a current medication list with you. It should include the name, dosage and frequency of every medication you take on a regular basis, including over-the-counter medications, vitamins and herbal supplements.

Many people keep a list of their medications and any allergies they have in their billfold or wallet. This is a good habit to get into. Just remember to update the list anytime there is a medication change. It’s also a good idea to ask your spouse or best friend to keep a copy of your list. This could be a lifesaver if you ever become incapacitated.

Finally, get rid of medications that you are no longer taking. It is not uncommon for a patient to arrive in my office with a grocery bag of medication bottles, not being sure which ones are current and which ones aren’t. Sometimes people have partially empty bottles of the same medication from different doctors. This is an accident waiting to happen. You might take an overdose thinking the two bottles represent two different drugs. Or, you might take an out-of-date drug that has lost its potency or deteriorated into a dangerous chemical.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701, or via e-mail to readerquestions@familymedicinenews.org. Medical information in this column is provided as an educational service only. It does not replace the judgment of your personal physician, who should be relied on to diagnose and recommend treatment for any medical conditions. Past columns are available online at www.familymedicinenews.org.