List of Medications

DONE

What to include in a List of Medications (drugs) that should be kept up-to-date

  • All the medications you are currently taking. Include
    • All substances you take for your health such as prescription drugs, over-the-counter remedies, herbal supplements and vitamins
    • Name
    • Dosage
    • How Often you take the medication
    • Whether you take the drug on an ongoing basis or only for a set period of time.
  • Medications you recently stopped taking (with a notation showing the date you stopped. Include drugs that were not effective as well as those that were.)
  • Your blood type
  • Allergies

Why keep a List of your Medications

  • Each time you see a doctor, you can provide an easy-to-read list of the medications you are taking - providing the doctor all the information she or he needs in the shortest amount of time. A List Of Medications is one of the techniques to help maximize your limited time with a doctor. (To learn more, see: How To Work Effectively With Your Doctors).
  • If you carry a copy of the list with you at all times (as is recommended), it will be available in case of an emergency - even if you are unable to communicate.
  • You can show it to the pharmacist each time you obtain a new prescription or over-the-counter drug to be sure there is no adverse interaction between the various drugs.
  • The List can be useful when crossing international borders to help explain drugs you carry with you.
  • When considering whether to resume taking a drug you used to take, a List can serve as a reminder about side effects, if any, as well as whether there are directions about how to take a drug (such as on a full stomach).

How To Create Your Own List Of Medications

AARP has created a free, easy-to-use mobile app that helps manage your prescription drug information. Rather than type information, you can take a smartphone picture of your prescription bottles and the app will automatically record the drug name, dosage, pharmacy and refill schedule. If anyone wants to see a list of your meds, you can just hand over the phone. The app is known as AARP Rx. You can download it free at aarp.org/rxapp.

If you have a smart phone, another alternative is to take a photo of the label of each of your prescriptions.