Return to article learn to read the prescription ten important questions

Timing is everything Sometimes beating a side effect is as simple as spacing out your doses: taking a little now and the rest later. “That’s often a workable solution with many high blood pressure medications (which can cause dizziness),” says Brandon Koretz, M.D., assistant clinical professor with the UCLA School of Medicine. In addition, taking the drug with food (unless the label says not to) can reduce nausea, a common side effect with many pills. Niacin is another pill that can be taken with your meal. Swallowing it with food makes your face less flushed, a frequent reaction. For diuretics, which can keep you up at night running to the toilet, a solution may be to pop them earlier in the day. Ask your doctor or pharmacist before changing the timing of your meds.

Switch, don’t fight Maybe you can’t tolerate a drug that other people thrive on. Or maybe a drug that helped a friend gives you hives. Most drugs have possible alternatives. If you’re having problems, talk it over with the doctor who wrote your prescription.

Beware of sneaky symptoms Some of the most common drug side effects can mimic adverse signs of aging. “A number of medications can depress the central nervous system, causing anything from memory loss to unsteadiness on the feet to erectile dysfunction,” says Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., M.D., chairman of the Council on Family Health and former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. If you’re taking medication and you haven’t felt quite yourself, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Add a home remedy When changing the timing or breaking up the dosage doesn’t alleviate side effects, you might consider a home remedy or a simple over-the-counter medication. Nar-cotics, for example, almost always cause constipation. You can often fight back by drinking prune juice or taking a stool softener or stimulant laxative (but don’t overdo it, overuse of laxatives is a common problem). Antibiotics often cause diarrhea and vaginal yeast infections. Yogurt with active cultures can help restore the natural flora found in the digestive tract. Many drugs, from buspirone (BuSpar) to fluoxetine (Prozac) to lovastatin (Mevacor), can cause xerostomia, a fancy word for dry mouth. Avoiding salty, spicy, and acidic foods—and drinking sips of water—may help you feel less parched. Several nonprescription products, generically called artificial salivas, can also give comfort.

Save the vitamins! Certain drugs can drain your body of nutrients when taken for long periods of time. Antibiotics, anticonvulsants (seizure medications), and diuretics can deplete nutrients in your system. One countermeasure is to take supplements. Talk to your physician rather than self-dose.

Ask for a cheaper drug Sometimes the ticket to big savings is trading a new drug for one that’s been on the market for some time. “Newer isn’t always better, in fact, the opposite is often the case,” says ‘Over Dose’ author Cohen. “Some of the newer antibiotics being prescribed for sinusitis, bladder, and respiratory infections are terribly expensive, yet they don’t work any better than penicillin or doxycycline, which cost mere pennies per dose. And they generally cause fewer side effects.” Likewise, the acid blockers Zantac and Pepcid (now sold over-the-counter) are all many people need for mild heartburn, says Cohen.

Cross the border Trips to Canada and Mexico have become a popular way to save money on prescriptions. In Canada, pharmacies will only fill prescriptions written by Canadian doctors (though most will hook you up with a local doc). Stick to licensed pharmacies and make sure you buy the right drug at the right dosage.

Shop around Keeping all your prescriptions at one pharmacy helps your druggist to track them. But drug prices can vary wildly from one pharmacy to the next, so keep looking if a price seems high.  Also, you can often find savings by shopping online or by mail order. Many drugstore chains have sites that offer better deals than their stores. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy maintains a complete list of sites. www.nabp.org/vipps/consumer/listall.asp

Uncover the coverage If you have prescription coverage, use it. If a certain drug is turned down because it’s not in the health plan’s “formulary” (a list of covered drugs), don’t despair. In many cases, the formulary will cover a similar or identical drug. If there isn’t a suitable replacement, ask your doctor to help you get an exception. “If a doctor says a drug not on our formulary is the only one the patient responds to, then we’ll cover it,” says one prescription plan executive.

Request samples Ask your doctor for free samples, particularly if you only need a one-time supply. Caution: Even though it’s free now doesn’t mean it won’t cost a bundle when you fill your prescription. If it’s a drug you’ll need to keep taking, ask if it’s the best choice over the long haul.

Get special discounts A new program called Together Rx became available in June 2002. For Medicare enrollees with no drug coverage and incomes of up to $28,000 ($38,000 for couples), the program offers discounts on products from such leading drug companies as Abbott Laboratories; AstraZeneca; Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.;  Bristol-Myers Squibb Company;  GlaxoSmithKline; Janssen Pharmaceutica Products, L.P.; Novartis; and Ortho-McNeil Phamaceutical, Inc. There is no cost to enroll. 800-865-7211; www.togetherrx.com .  Pfizer has its own discount card, the Pfizer Share Card, for Medicare enrollees with no prescription drug coverage and incomes of less than $18,000 ($24,000 for couples). Cardholders receive a  20-day supply for a nominal fee. 800-717-6005; www.pfizerforliving.com .  The same income and Medicare rules apply to the Lilly Answers Card. 877-795-4559; www.lillyanswers.com . Lilly drug are also sold in 30-day supplies. More than two dozen states have  programs to help the needy cover drug costs. If you’re enrolled in an AARP health insurance plan, you have free access to its Prescription Savings Service, which offers discounts on drugs through the mail or at 46,000 pharmacies. If you don’t have an AARP-sponsored policy, you can buy an identical service called Member Choice. 800-289-6031; www.aarppharmacy.com .

Go generic Generic drugs typically cost 50 percent or less than brand name drugs. But are generics just as good? Sometimes there are minor differences, such as the flavoring and color, but there are no differences in the active ingredients. The FDA sees to that. Ask your doctor if the generic version is a good idea for you.

 

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