Help Them Help You: 4 Pieces Of Information You Need To Share With Your Pharmacist

When you think of your healthcare providers, you probably think of the doctors you see on a regular basis. However, you should be thinking about your pharmacist as well. Your pharmacist is a vital part of your healthcare team. When you talk to your pharmacist, you should provide them with all the information they need to offer you the best care with your prescription medications. Here are four pieces of information that you need to share with your pharmacist:

Medical History

When it comes to your pharmacist, you may think that they have access to your medical history. After all, they are in communication with your doctors. However, that's not actually the case. Pharmacists usually only communicate with your doctors when there's a question about the prescription. Beyond that, your pharmacist has no access to your doctor, which means they have no access to your medical history. Unfortunately, that lack of information makes it difficult for pharmacists to give you the care you need. If you have a history of specific medical issues, share that information with your pharmacist.

List of Medications

If you take numerous medications, be sure to provide a list of those medications to your pharmacist. This is particularly important if you use more than one pharmacy for your prescription medications. Your pharmacist needs to have a list of all the prescription medications you take on a regular basis. However, that's not all the information they need regarding your medications. They also need to know the non-prescription and homeopathic medications that you take on a regular basis. You might not realize this, but non-prescription and homeopathic medications can have an adverse affect on the prescription medications you take.

Medication Issues

If you've dealt with medication issues in the past, you need to share that information with your pharmacist. Your pharmacist needs to know when you've had an adverse reaction to a medication, such as itching, hives, or difficulty breathing. These can all be signs of an allergic reaction. In addition, your pharmacist also needs to know when you have difficulty taking certain medications, such as difficulty swallowing larger pills. In instances where you have difficulty swallowing pills, there may be a liquid equivalent that your pharmacist can provide to you instead.

Travel Plans

If you have travel plans coming up, it's time to talk to your pharmacist. This is particularly important if your plans include an extended vacation, or traveling out of the country. Your pharmacist may be able to provide you with an additional supply of your current medications, or provide you with a list of pharmacists that you can visit wherever you'll be traveling to for your vacation.