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The Pill Book

18 March 2010

1% Thursday: Drug Reference

This week: invest in (and read) a good drug reference book.

Why would I need to buy a book when there’s so much information online nowadays? Well, speaking personally, I still appreciate my real-paper offline reference. Why?

I can find the information much more quickly in the book.
I know I’ll find consistent, reliable information. There can be quite a variety online, even on the same site.
The book I use gives me just the right information. Not pages and pages, and yet it still gives me the information I need to know about interactions, how to take the drug, what it is, et cetera.
It works when the power is off, when the internet is down, and when my computer crashes. In a situation when I need to check something quickly, it doesn’t let me down.

Of course, the downside is that it’s probably wise to buy an updated version of your reference every 2-3 years. However, the consumer versions of these books are not expensive – a few dollars every couple of years is worth the expense.

Look for a reference from a reliable source that is for sure not more than 5 years old. The book should have a large number of drugs in it, photos if possible, and key information about each drug.

My favourite is The Pill Book, which has been coming out with new editions quite regularly.

For the UK, you might want to try the BMA Concise Guide to Medicines and Drugs.

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!

19 November 2009

1% Thursday: What are you taking your medication with?

James Medications, Resources, Tips 0

This week – double check what you’re taking your medication with.

What am I talking about? Well, most of us are familiar with the fact that some medication should be taken with food, some on an empty stomach, and so on. Sometimes this impacts how the drugs work in your body. Other times it’s just a matter of what’s more comfortable for you.

But there are other issues that you may or may not hear from your doctor. Taking certain medications along with supplements, for example, could be a problem. You may find both work better if they’re taken at different times. Or you may need to cut out a supplement while taking a certain medication.

There is increasing concern about taking medications with juice – not just grapefruit juice, the most famous, but other juices such as apple and orange. Various chemical interactions could mean you end up with more or less medicine than you bargained for – both a serious problem. Try sticking to water.

Even taking some supplements together can be a problem. For example, many people take calcium with magnesium, not realizing that you need to take magnesium for migraine without calcium (read more here).

So – quick tips:

Try taking your medication with water, not juice
Make sure your doctor is aware of all the medications and supplements you’re taking
Check a reliable source for yourself to investigate possible interactions. Good online sources include Medline Plus (English and Spanish, includes herbs) and MedBroadcast, and others. I prefer to have a published work on hand, and like The Pill Book.

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!