Many of us don’t know the full facts when it comes to both over-the-counter and prescription medicines. From taking with or without food to alcohol to expiry dates, we answer those all-important questions about medicines.
Do I have to take my medicine with food?
Some medicine must be taken with, or just after, food. Other medicine must be taken on an empty stomach. Some medicines can be taken at any time. To find out which yours is, read the instructions carefully. Food can affect your body’s ability to absorb some medicines, hence you need to take those on an empty stomach or before you eat, whereas other medicines have the potential to cause vomiting or nausea, hence it’s safer to take them with food in your stomach.
Can I drink with a painkiller?
It’s sensible to take caution with any medicine, thus drinking alcohol is best avoided, but the question comes up most with painkillers. With some painkillers, it is explicitly warned against, but this does depend on the medicine itself. As a golden rule of thumb, it is safe to drink a moderate amount with over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol but is potentially very dangerous with prescription painkillers such as codeine, tramadol, or any other opioids.
Why does my medicine have an expiry date?
All medicine will have an expiry or use-by date. This can vary from a month to several years. After this date the medicine could become unstable, making it less effective and potentially dangerous. Never take medicine that has gone past its expiry date, and return it to the pharmacy or dispensing doctor.
How can I find out more about safe medicine administration?
Anyone working with medicines, or even in sectors where they care for people, should take a medication administration course, such as those offered by tidaltraining.co.uk/health-and-social-care-courses/safe-handling-medication-training. These courses cover regulations, disposal, auditing, and administration.
It’s always OK to ask questions about medicine and if you’re not sure, it’s best to speak to the pharmacist or dispensing doctor. You’ll also find the answers to more medicine-related questions on the NHS website.
