The best way to communicate is always face-to-face, so be sure you get the most out of your "in-person time with your pharmacist. To be sure you get all the information you need (and get  all your questions answered) try these suggestions:

• Write down your questions. Take the list with you when you are seeing your pharmacist and be sure you understand the answers. (For some ideas about the questions you should have, see the list below.)
  
• Speak up. If you don't completely understand the answers to your questions or the information you have been given, say so.
  
• Carry a complete list of your medications. Ask your pharmacist to check the list and help you avoid bad combinations.
  

You're happy with the way your medications make you feel...but if you just call them the "pink pill" or the "yellow pill", you probably need to know more about them. Your pharmacist may have a helpful print out but feel free to ask

• What is this medicine for? Does it replace any others I have been taking? Is it safe with the other medications I am taking now?
  
• How much do I take and how often? What if I miss a dose? Is there a "generic" version?
  

• How soon should I expect the medicine to begin working? What are the possible side effects and what should I do if I experience them?
  
• Should I avoid any other medicines (prescription and over-the-counter), dietary supplements, drinks, foods or activities while using this drug?
  

Smiling is infectious,
You catch it like the flu.
When someone smiled at me  today,
I started smiling too.
I passed around the corner
And someone saw my grin.
When he smiled I realized
I'd passed it on to him.
I thought about that smile
Then I realized its worth.
A single smile just like mine
Could travel round the earth!
So, if you feel a smile begin, Don't leave it undetected.
Let's start an epidemic quick
And get the world infected!

You put a lot of energy into your life. But don't let being busy--even when it's fun--keep you from taking the right amount of your medications at the right time. Set up a system! It can be as simple as a checklist on the refrigerator, a vibrating watch, or a pill organizer. Read labels and information sheets carefully to be sure you understand how to take each medication--and that you know what it's for.
A University of Michigan study found that Americans over 55 were twice as likely to take medications properly as younger adults. That's the good news. But the study also found that "being a very busy person"  is the single biggest risk factor for not taking medicines. Organize your medications and you'll free up time and energy for the rest of your life!
For more tips on organizing your medications, contact your doctor or pharmacist or call the U.S. Food & Drug Administration toll-free at 1-888-463-6332.

Appointments are not taken for health clinics conducted by the Visiting Nurses at the Bugbee Senior Center and Norwich Senior Housing. (The word not was inadvertently omitted from the article in the January Bugbee Bulletin.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.)