Lesson 1 of 7 · about 16 minutes

One list for everything

Hi, I’m Grace. I’m a pharmacist, and most of my working days are spent in a community pharmacy, at the counter, talking with people about the medicines in their lives. If there’s one thing I’d love every family to have, it isn’t a fancy app or a special gadget. It’s a single, complete, up-to-date list of every medicine someone takes.

Maybe you’re here for yourself. Maybe you just became the person who keeps track of a parent’s pills, or a partner’s, or a child’s. Either way, come as you are. Most people don’t have a full list written down, and that’s okay. You’re not behind. You’re starting, and that’s the part that matters.

Why one list makes such a difference

The more medicines a person takes, the more chances there are for side effects, for two medicines to interact, and for simple mix-ups. MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, notes that some medicines can interact and cause side effects, and that some combinations can be serious, even life-threatening. The risk tends to be higher for people who:

• take five or more medicines,
• see more than one clinician,
• are older adults (kidneys may not clear medicines the way they used to, so medicines can build up in the body), or
• are in the hospital.

Here’s the quiet problem a list solves. Each clinician usually sees one slice of the picture. A heart specialist may not know about the sleep aid from the grocery store. The person filling an antibiotic may not know about the turmeric capsules. A complete list puts every slice on one page, so everyone looking at it can spot duplicates and possible interactions. MedlinePlus recommends reviewing your whole list with every clinician and pharmacist you see, and asking whether each medicine is still needed and whether any doses need a second look.

What goes on the list (yes, all of it)

“Medicine” means more than prescriptions. MedlinePlus suggests including:

• Prescription medicines — pills, liquids, inhalers, patches, creams, eye or ear drops, and injections.
• Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines — pain relievers, allergy pills, antacids, sleep aids, cough and cold products, laxatives.
• Vitamins and minerals.
• Dietary supplements and herbal products — including gummies, teas and powders taken for a health reason.

The things people most often leave off are the “as needed” items and the “it’s just a vitamin” items. I understand why. They don’t feel like real medicine. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) points out that some supplements can change how medicines work, and it suggests bringing a list of all the supplements and medicines you take, including the doses and how many times a day you take them.

What to write for each item

For each medicine or product, try to capture:

1. Name and strength — copied from the label (for example, the name plus “10 mg”).
2. What it’s for — in your own words. “For blood pressure” or “for my knees.” If you don’t know, write a question mark. That becomes a question for your pharmacist.
3. How much and when — for example, “1 tablet in the morning with breakfast.”
4. Daily or as needed — MedlinePlus encourages caregivers to know which medicines are taken every day and which are only taken when needed.
5. Who prescribed it — and roughly when it was started.
6. Notes — anything you’ve noticed, like “makes him sleepy” or “take with food.”

At the top of the list, add a few things that help in a hurry:

• Allergies and past reactions — and what happened (rash, swelling, upset stomach). MedlinePlus lists sharing past allergies and reactions as one of the most helpful things you can do during a hospital stay.
• Pharmacy name and phone number.
• Clinicians’ names and phone numbers.
• An emergency contact.

A gentle way to gather everything

If building the list feels like a lot, try what I call a “kitchen table sweep.” Set aside 15 minutes. Gather every bottle, box, tube, inhaler and supplement from the cabinet, the nightstand, the purse, the car and the kitchen counter. Put them all on one table. Then go one item at a time, copying from the label onto the list.

If you’re helping a loved one, do this together if you can. They may know things the label doesn’t say, like “I only take half of that one now,” which is exactly the kind of thing to write down and then double-check with their clinician or pharmacist.

Something important while you sweep: if you find a medicine you’re unsure about, set it to one side and ask. Please don’t stop or cut back any medicine on your own. MedlinePlus is clear on this point. A pharmacist or clinician can help sort out what’s current and what isn’t.

Where to keep it

MedlinePlus suggests keeping a copy at home and a copy in your wallet. A few ideas that work well for families I talk with:

• One paper copy on the fridge or inside the medicine cabinet door.
• A copy in the wallet or purse of the person who takes the medicines, and another with the main caregiver.
• A photo of the list on your phone, so it’s with you at appointments and in an emergency.

MedlinePlus also suggests bringing the list, and even the bottles themselves, to appointments. That way the clinician can compare what’s on file with what’s actually in the home.

Keeping it current

A list helps most when it’s current. Update it whenever:

• a new medicine is started, even a short one like an antibiotic,
• a dose changes,
• a medicine is stopped,
• someone adds a new vitamin, supplement or OTC product, or
• someone comes home from the hospital or a rehab stay (we’ll talk about this in Module 5).

When you update, write the date at the top. Crossing out is fine. A messy, accurate list is far more useful than a neat, outdated one.

Your activity (about 10 minutes)

Open the printable worksheet attached to this lesson (look for the download under Lesson Materials / Attachments). It’s called My Medication List. Fill in the top section first: allergies, pharmacy and clinicians. Then add just three medicines today. You don’t have to finish in one sitting. Three is a real start.

If anything on the list has a question mark next to it, circle it. In Module 7 we’ll turn those circles into questions for your pharmacist.

Sources

• Taking multiple medicines safely — MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
• Caregiving – medication management — MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
• Keeping your medicines organized — MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
• Medicine safety during your hospital stay — MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
• Mixing Medications and Dietary Supplements Can Endanger Your Health — U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• Medication Errors — MedlinePlus

This lesson is general education about keeping a medicine list. It isn’t care for your situation, so please bring specific questions to your own pharmacist or clinician.

Something here not seem right? Report a concern privately to the Poéma team.