Stay Organized With a Medication Log

By: | | Topics : Lifestyle Tips for Gout,

medication log

As we age, many of us need multiple medications each day to help manage our chronic health conditions.1 But when you take more than one medicine, it can be hard to keep track of everything.2 Consider how a medication log may help you to stay more organized. A medication log can help remind you to:

  • Ask questions about the medicines you are prescribed
  • Take your medicines when and how you should

 

Getting started

Ask your doctor or healthcare professional for the generic and brand names of your medicines. The generic name refers to the active ingredient in the medicine. The brand name of a medicine is the name given by the company that makes it. Not all medicines have a brand name. Many people take generic drugs. Generic drugs: (i) contain the same active ingredients as their brand name counterparts; (ii) are designed to work in a similar way; and (iii) provide the same benefits as their brand-name counterparts, but are often sold for a lower cost.

 

Creating your medication log

Below is a sample medication log. You can create your own by copying and pasting the table into a blank document on the computer. You can also make one with a blank sheet of lined paper and a pencil.

 

My Medicines*

Name

(example:
Generic Colchicine Capsules,
0.6 mg)

Color and
Form/Shape

(example: two-tone blue capsule)

What It’s for

(example: to prevent gout flares in adults)

Prescriber

(example: Dr. Smith, my rheumatologist)

Dose and
Instructions

(example: one capsule every morning or as prescribed)

Questions and
Concerns

(example: Is home delivery available?)
Prescription Medicines
           
           
           
           
           
Non-Prescription Medicines (example: over-the-counter seasonal allergy medicine)
           
           
           
           
           
Vitamins & Dairy Supplements
           
           
           
           
           

*Adapted from Tracking Your Medications Worksheet.2

 

Be sure to list the names of all of your generic drugs and/or brand-name drugs on the lines in the “Name” column. Then, fill in the details of the log for each medicine. If you don’t know all the details right now, don’t worry. You can ask your doctor to help you fill in any missing information at your next appointment.

 

Talk with your primary care doctor or internist

Take the completed medication log with you to your next doctor appointment. Ask your doctor to help you complete any missing information in the chart. You may also want to ask any questions you have, including:

  • What is this medicine for? (What is this medicine’s approved indication?)
  • What is the most important safety information I should know about this medicine?
  • How many times a day should I take this medicine? At what times?
  • How much should I take in a single dose (at each time)?
  • What is the dosage strength?
  • Should I take this medicine with food or on an empty stomach?
  • Should I avoid any foods, drinks or other medicines while I take this drug?
  • Should I avoid alcohol when I am taking this medicine?
  • How long will it take this medicine to work?
  • Can I drive while I am taking this medicine? Are there other activities I should avoid?
  • Are there side effects? What are they? What should I do if I have them?
  • What should I do if I miss a dose?
  • How should I store this medicine?
  • How long will this supply last? What about refills?

 

Talk with your other doctors1

If you see more than one doctor or healthcare professional, it is important that all of them know about all the medicines you take. Take your completed medication log with you to your appointments to share with your all of your doctors and/or other healthcare professionals.

 

Important Safety Information

Colchicine 0.6 mg capsules are contraindicated in patients with renal or hepatic impairment who are currently prescribed drugs that inhibit both P-gp and CYP3A4. Combining these dual inhibitors with colchicine in patients with renal or hepatic impairment has resulted in life-threatening or fatal colchicine toxicity. Patients with both renal and hepatic impairment should not be given Mitigare®.

Fatal overdoses have been reported with colchicine in adults and children. Keep Mitigare® out of the reach of children.

Blood dyscrasias such as myelosuppression, leukopenia, granulocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, and aplastic anemia have been reported with colchicine used in therapeutic doses.

Monitor for toxicity and if present consider temporary interruption or discontinuation of colchicine.

Drug interaction with dual P-gp and CYP3A4 inhibitors: Co-administration of colchicine with dual P-gp and CYP3A4 inhibitors has resulted in life-threatening interactions and death.

Neuromuscular toxicity and rhabdomyolysis may occur with chronic treatment with colchicine in therapeutic doses, especially in combination with other drugs known to cause this effect. Patients with impaired renal function and elderly patients (including those with normal renal and hepatic function) are at increased risk. Consider temporary interruption or discontinuation of Mitigare®.

Please see full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for Mitigare® for complete product details.

 

NOTE: This article was not written by a medical professional and is not intended to substitute for the guidance of a physician. These are not Hikma’s recommendations for gout flare prevention, but rather facts and data collected from various reliable medical sources. For a full list of resources and their attributing links, see below.

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References

  1. White Paper—What Is the Significance of a Color of a Pill? Wallcur, LLC website. Available at: http://www.wallcur.com/whitepaper-pill-color.aspx. Accessed February 28, 2018.
  2. Talking With Your Doctor/Tracking Your Medications: Worksheet. US Department of Health and Human Services/National Institute on Aging website. Available at https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/tracking-your-medications-worksheet. Accessed January 30, 2019.

Important Safety Information for Mitigare® (colchicine) 0.6 mg capsules

  • Colchicine 0.6 mg capsules are contraindicated in patients with renal or hepatic impairment who are currently prescribed drugs that inhibit both P-gp and CYP3A4. Combining these dual inhibitors with colchicine in patients with renal or hepatic impairment has resulted in life-threatening or fatal colchicine toxicity. Patients with both renal and hepatic impairment should not be given Mitigare®.
  • Fatal overdoses have been reported with colchicine in adults and children. Keep Mitigare® out of the reach of children.
  • Blood dyscrasias such as myelosuppression, leukopenia, granulocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, and aplastic anemia have been reported with colchicine used in therapeutic doses.
  • Monitor for toxicity and if present consider temporary interruption or discontinuation of colchicine.
  • Drug interaction with dual P-gp and CYP3A4 inhibitors: Co-administration of colchicine with dual P-gp and CYP3A4 inhibitors has resulted in life-threatening interactions and death.
  • Neuromuscular toxicity and rhabdomyolysis may occur with chronic treatment with colchicine in therapeutic doses, especially in combination with other drugs known to cause this effect. Patients with impaired renal function and elderly patients (including those with normal renal and hepatic function) are at increased risk. Consider temporary interruption or discontinuation of Mitigare®.
  • The most commonly reported adverse reactions with colchicine are gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

Indication

Mitigare® is indicated for prophylaxis of gout flares in adults. The safety and effectiveness of Mitigare for acute treatment of gout flares during prophylaxis has not been studied.

Mitigare® is not an analgesic medication and should not be used to treat pain from other causes.

For Full Prescribing Information please CLICK HERE and for Medication Guide CLICK HERE.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.

Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Manufactured by: West-Ward Columbus Inc., Columbus, OH 43228

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Important Safety Information for Mitigare® (colchicine) 0.6 mg capsules

  • Colchicine 0.6 mg capsules are contraindicated in patients with renal or hepatic impairment who are currently prescribed drugs that inhibit both P-gp and CYP3A4.