Get to Know Your Neighborhood Pharmacist
When living with Parkinson’s, it’s important to build a team of health care professionals who can help you manage symptoms and medications. If you take prescription or over-the-counter drugs, even occasionally, you may want to add a pharmacist to your team.
Pharmacists can go through what your medications are for, what time of day you take them and how many times a day you take them. A pharmacist can answer more specific questions about your medications such as:
What if I forget a dose?
What if it’s an hour late? Do I hold off or do I hurry up and take it?
If I need a dose right away, what’s the quickest way to get it working?
They can recommend tools to help you understand and follow daily routines, such as a pillbox (to plan your week or month) or a “medication action plan,” online or through a smartphone app.
Sometimes people forget to ask about herbal supplements or over-the-counter medications like vitamins or cold medications. Pharmacists can tell you how these may interact with your other medications and if you should take them at a certain time of day, with or without food, or separate from other medications.
In Parkinson’s, medication regimens can be complex or expensive. Pharmacists can explain medication costs, insurance coverage and what resource may be available to you, such as co-pay cards or grant assistance programs.
When you have questions about your Parkinson’s medications, be proactive and remember to ask your pharmacist. They are the medication experts!