You are picking up a prescription when the pharmacist asks: “Do you have any kidney problems?” And for a moment you may wonder, What do my kidneys have to do with this bottle of tablets? Quite a lot, depending on…
You put in your first eye drop. Then bottle number two is already hovering above your eye, ready for immediate deployment. Efficient? Maybe. Best technique? Not necessarily. If you use more than one type of eye drop in the same…
Have you ever heard someone say, “I have taken this tablet for years, so why is it suddenly making me feel like I need a nap, a handrail and a committee meeting?” The medicine may not have changed—but the body…
You take your medicine, and a short time later, you vomit. Now comes the uncomfortable question: “Did the medicine come back up, or was some of it already absorbed?” The tempting solution may be to take the dose again “just…
An inhaler does not always give a dramatic farewell when the medicine is nearly gone. It may still make a sound, release a puff or feel as though something is moving inside. Unfortunately, “it still did something” is not a…
You visit the pharmacy for something simple—a prescription refill, a pain reliever or perhaps a cough product. Then the pharmacist asks: “Are you pregnant or breastfeeding?” The question may feel surprisingly personal. But your pharmacist is not collecting material for…
A tablet is small, so one tiny sip of water should be enough—right? Sometimes, yes. Sometimes, that sip is basically a polite introduction rather than transportation. For certain medicines, the amount of water you drink is part of the administration…
You place the nozzle in your nostril, press the pump and take a heroic sniff. Seconds later, you can taste the medicine in your throat and wonder whether your nose received any of it. Nasal spray is not a tiny…
That dry, sticky feeling in your mouth may seem like a minor inconvenience—until water becomes your constant companion and crackers start feeling like a personal challenge. Dry mouth, also called xerostomia, happens when there is not enough saliva to keep…
You squeeze in one eye drop. Then you wonder, “Did that tiny drop really do anything?” So you add another. Maybe one more for emotional support. Now the medicine is travelling down your cheek, your eye is blinking furiously, and…
