5 Easy Steps to Minimizing Your Medications
Decide to Act Now
Trust that you can and must act now for a loved one (including yourself) who you fear may be taking too many medications. It is easier than you think. Helping prioritize and then simplify medications for a loved one may be one of the most important things you can do to help. It may not only give you peace of mind, it could help a loved one feel better and may even save their life.
I will walk you through the steps you need to take first when you are worried about someone on too many medications.
But first, I assume you are the point person for your parent or loved one. It is best to identify one person who is the point person to help a parent or loved one manage their medications and medication decisions. It will make your job easier - and your doctor’s job easier as well.
1) Know all you can about each medication. Period.
Gather all medications (include prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, herbs and supplements) in one place. Include those taken daily and only on occasion.
Learn all you can about each one. A great resource is www.drugs.com and www.medstopper.com. Know the purpose of the medication, treatment goal you are trying to achieve, and any good or bad experiences with the medicine.
For older adults, check the popular Beers List of high risk medications to see if any of the medications are on the list of medications that may be unsafe.
Finally, be honest. Which ones do you (or a loved one) take regularly and which do you take only on occasion or not at all. Over half of people on chronic medication fail to take some medicine regularly or fail to take the medicine at all - and usually their doctor doesn’t know.
2) Prioritize. Know what really matters to you.
Have a detailed conversation with your partner, parent, adult child or trusted friend. Spell out what is really important to you (or a loved one) at this time in your life. What are your goals, values, priorities and your health condition?
For example, most seniors value their independence more than almost anything else. Do the benefits of the medication help you (or a loved one) toward your goal?
What is the downside or burden of the medication? Consider whether you are taking too low or too high a dose? (Low blood pressure and low blood sugar from too much medication can be dangerous for seniors and should be avoided.)
Are you not taking an important medication that would otherwise help you reach your goal? Why not?
3) Prepare your list. Stop-Light Medication Action Plan.
Once you have reviewed each and every medication you take (prescription, over-the-counter and vitamins/herbs/supplements) and have considered your priorities and health circumstances, you need to put together a complete list of medications.
Begin to focus on medications that you want to keep. Use the KonMari method of asking first, which medications treat something important to you and therefore “spark joy”? You need to show this list to your physician(s) for their advice and input at your next exam or medication check-up.
On your action plan include the name, the dose, time(s) of day you take the medications and any other special directions.
I suggest you use an easy to understand system for listing all medications (whether you take them regularly or not) in the order of importance to you on a lined sheet of paper. You can download my helpful form. I call this my Stop Light Medication Action Plan.
Green light meds: medications that are working well to relieve a symptom or to achieve a specified goal. You believe they are safe and not causing any side effects, you take them regularly and you can afford them. List them first at the top of your medication list in the green highlighted section.
Yellow light meds: medications that you take only on occasion, are not sure they are working to relieve a symptom or a condition, are costly, inconvenient or may be causing troubling side effects. Perhaps you would like to discuss a lower dose, or consider stopping altogether. List them next in the yellow highlighted section.
Red light meds: medications you don’t take, you believe are not working, may be unsafe or causing you side effects, are unaffordable, or conflicting with other medications. You want to discuss with your physician the pros and cons of stopping the medicine or changing the dose or type of medicine. List them last.
Every doctor you see needs to know all of this information!
4) Develop a simplified medication plan with your primary doctor.
You can’t do it alone. You need to schedule a specific medication check-up with your primary doctor to discuss your medication questions, concerns and priorities and come up with a simplified list of medications that you agree too and are willing to take. This updated simplified list of medications is something you should then keep with you at all times, showing every doctor or practitioner you see in the future.
5) Prepare for the medication check-up:
Complete your Stop-Light Medication Action Plan to take with you.
If you see a specialist to manage your conditions rather than a primary care doctor, schedule a medication check up with them instead.
Prepare an agenda including any questions about the medications or other concerns. You can download my helpful Office Visit Agenda form here.
Bring a bag with all prescription and over-the-counter medications, supplements and vitamins. Doctors will appreciate your complete medication list but they may want to see the actual prescription bottles as well to confirm the details of what you are getting.
Don’t let a loved one go it alone. Try to be there with your parent or loved one if you can. If not, ask a friend or family member to step in for you. so you don’t forget to list an important question. You or a friend can take notes during the visit to review later.
During the Medication Check-Up visit:
Be ready to review your agenda and Stop-Light Medication Action Plan. It is important that your doctor knows what you are actually taking, what are your side effects and concerns, and which medications you would like to taper or have already stopped. Your goal is to have your doctor adjust the medications so that you take only those medications that work, are safe, and that treats something that matters to you.
Insider tip: It is often best to stop only one medication at a time, beginning with the riskiest medication or the one causing you symptoms first. Your physician will help you come up with the best plan for you. But you need to understand and agree with the plan.
Warning: Never stop or taper a medication without your doctor’s advice. Some medications can be stopped quickly and safely, others need to be tapered and stopped gradually. Some medications would be safer at a lower dose.
Stay the course. Keep on track.
Now that you have a simplified medication plan of action that includes only the medications that are right for you, you need a routine to help you get the most from the medicines you are taking.
Consider keeping all your medication in one place such as the kitchen cabinet or kitchen table. Consider that area as medication “central” where you keep any notes, list of medications, and helpful charts or spreadsheets that you or someone else has developed for you.
When starting a new medication, show your list to your physician to be sure there is nothing that will conflict or interact. This is really important if you get prescriptions from multiple doctors. When considering a new medication, ask your physician these three simple questions: Why do I need this medication? What are the risks for me? What are my other options?
Keep your medication list up-to-date. Learn all you can about any new medication you receive. Visit trusted online resources to learn the latest guidelines about each medicine and how long it is safe or advisable to take.
Remember your list may change. The dose of medicines may be lowered or your medication stopped as your health condition or priorities change.
Tape an up-to-date medication list to the refrigerator door or other prominent place. Keep a current list of your medicines in your wallet along with your insurance card to share with everyone you see including: doctors, pharmacist, emergency department or hospital. Your insurance card may pay the bill but this health information could save your life.
Note: Many seniors keep medication in a weekly pill box or other helpful device that makes it easy for them to keep track. Medicine bottles are childproof and the lids are often hard to open. Amazon’s PillPack is another easy to use system of keeping the medications straight.
Warning: Taking too many medications could be hazardous to your health!
Ask what medication can be lowered, tapered or stopped at each doctor visit.
Less is more when it comes to your medicine!