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After you visit your primary care clinic and receive a prescription, taking your medication should become a regular part of your daily routine. These treatments can improve your life when combined with thorough planning and responsible decision-making. Conversely, mistakes can make taking medication stressful and dangerous. To avoid the most common problems, follow these tips.

Do:

Use the same pharmacy for everything.

Your pharmacist doesn't just dispense medications; they also keep an eye on your medication combinations and dosages. After you leave your primary care clinic, they're your last line of defense against negative drug interactions. By filling your prescriptions all in the same place, you ensure they have all the information.

Set alarms.

It can be hard to get in the habit of taking your medications daily, especially if you need to take them at specific times and can't make up for it later. To help remind you, set timers and alarms around your house or on your phone.

Keep pills in a safe place.

If there are children or pets in your home, medications are a hazard. Make sure to keep them all in one place, out of sight and reach. Keep them in childproof containers, and don't leave medications in your purse or on your bedside table.

Don't:

Ignore instructions.Primary Care Clinics

Some meds need to be taken with food or water; at specific times of day; or under special instructions from your primary care clinic, specialist, or pharmacist. These directions are designed to prevent negative interactions and side effects, so follow them carefully.

Cut pills without checking.

Some pills can be cut in half to fulfill a smaller dose, while others have time-release coatings and other features that alter their effectiveness when cut. Check with your pharmacist about each type of pill or capsule you use before you cut it.

Stop taking antibiotics.

If you're put on a course of antibiotics and you feel better, it may seem natural to stop taking the medication. However, even if you feel well, there are likely still bacteria in your body that are resistant to the treatment you've received. If you don't take the full, prescribed course of antibiotics, those resistant microbes may reproduce, creating a tougher strain of the disease.

 

If you need a primary care clinic for medication and preventative care, choose Santiam Hospital in Stayton, OR. With nine locations throughout the Mid-Willamette Valley region, they provide compassionate care with minimal wait times for their rural patients. For questions, call (503) 769-2175, or locate a doctor online.

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