What to do if there is a violation of the contraceptive regimen. How to take medications correctly

Birth control drugs (oral contraceptives) protect against unwanted pregnancy only if the woman strictly follows the schedule for taking them. The instructions for each of these remedies usually describe in detail what regimen should be used to take the remedy and what to do if several doses are missed. The algorithm of action depends on which group the drug belongs to.

Violation of the regimen for taking combined oral contraceptives

Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are drugs containing artificially synthesized analogues of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Tablets are sold in blisters (plates) of 21 or 28 pieces. To prevent a woman from getting confused about the dosage schedule, the pills are numbered.

Labeling by day allows you to avoid confusion in your contraceptive dosage regimen

Reception principle hormonal drugs simple: one tablet a day for 21 days, then a 7-day break between courses. Even if there are 28 tablets in a blister, only 21 of them contain hormone-like substances. The remaining 7 pieces are placebos, harmless mixtures that manufacturers add so that a woman takes one tablet a day and is guaranteed not to make a mistake with the start date of a new course.

Options for violating the COC dosage regimen:

• if a woman forgot to drink birth control pill on the first day of the course, it is allowed to start a new blister from the second (or even from the 3-5th) day. But for at least seven days during sexual intercourse, additional contraception (condoms) must be used;
• If one tablet is not taken from the 2nd to the 21st day, the woman should drink it immediately after she remembers it. It takes 36 hours for the hormones contained in COCs to leave the body. Therefore, if no more than 12 hours have passed since the missed dose, additional contraception will not be needed. If the interval is more than 12 hours, you will have to take 2 tablets on one day (one missed, the second on schedule) and then use additional contraception for 7 days;
• If a woman forgot to take 2 contraceptive pills from the 2nd to the 14th day, it is recommended to take 4 pills over the next two days: the first when she remembers, the second as scheduled, the third after 12 hours, the fourth as scheduled. Because too large dose hormones sometimes cause nausea. You must use barrier contraception until the end of the course;
• if two doses are missed in the period from the 15th to the 21st day or three or more doses are missed from the 2nd to the 21st day, the started blister is thrown away and a new one is started. During such intervals there are bloody issues, and when you resume taking the drug, a failure will occur menstrual cycle. You will have to use additional contraception for at least 7 days.
• if the blister contains 28 tablets, and a dose is missed from the 22nd to the 28th day, the extra tablets are thrown away, additional measures Not needed.

Violation of the regimen for taking progestin-only drugs (mini-pills)

Progestin-only preparations (PPCs, mini-pills) contain minimal doses of progestin or desogestrel, synthetic analogues of progesterone. Mini-pills are slightly less effective than COCs, but they are prescribed during lactation, as well as when combined contraceptives are contraindicated for a woman. You need to drink one tablet of ChPK daily, at a certain time. Interruptions in reception are unacceptable.

Options for violating the ChPK regimen:

• In the instructions for the drug it is always written what maximum time You can postpone your appointment. Progestin pills are usually allowed to be taken at within three hours after the scheduled hour. For products containing desogestrel, this period is 12 hours. If a woman remembers to take a pill within the specified time, then no additional measures are needed;
• if one or more days are missed, the risk of conception increases significantly. It is necessary to return to the previous regimen (take one tablet per day), and use additional contraception until the start of your period.

Emergency contraception

If, after a woman forgot to take a contraceptive pill, unprotected sexual intercourse occurs, an unplanned pregnancy is very possible. Therefore, it is recommended to take the drug for 1–3 days after sexual intercourse. emergency contraception. But these remedies are most effective in the first 24 hours. If your period does not come on time, it makes sense to take a pregnancy test or consult a gynecologist.

However, it must be remembered that taking emergency contraception is permissible only in exceptional cases. Such tablets have a lot of contraindications: they are harmful to the liver and provoke the formation of blood clots.

To avoid having to take medications that are harmful to your health, it is better to strictly follow the regimen for taking combined or purely progestin medications. In case of deviation from it, it is necessary to use barrier contraception.

“Take these tablets one at a time 2 times a day after meals.” We've probably all heard this recommendation more than once. Now let's think about how accurate it is and whether it requires additional instructions. After all, when prescribing certain medications, the doctor expects that they will be used correctly.

Rule 1. Multiplicity is everything

When prescribing taking pills several times a day, most doctors mean a day - not the 15-17 hours that we are usually awake, but all 24. Because the heart, liver and kidneys work around the clock, and, therefore, microbes work without interruption for lunch and sleep. Therefore, taking tablets should be divided into equal intervals as much as possible, this especially applies to antimicrobial agents.

That is, with a two-time dose, the interval between taking each dosage should be 12 hours, three times - 8, four times - 6. However, this does not mean that patients should jump out of bed every night. There are not so many medications, the accuracy of administration of which is calculated minutely, and they are usually not prescribed in tablet form. But nevertheless, 2, 3, 4 times a day - this is not when it is convenient for the patient (“now and in an hour, because I forgot to drink in the morning”), but at certain intervals. To avoid interpretations when taking twice a day, for example, it is justified to prescribe specific times for taking the tablet: 8:00 and 20:00 or 10:00 and 22:00. It’s more convenient for the patient, and it’s impossible to understand in both ways.

Rule 2. Compliance, or commitment to acceptance

WITH short courses When taking pills, things are more or less normal: we usually don’t forget to take them for a couple of days. It gets worse with long courses. Because we are in a hurry, because we are stressed, because it just slipped our minds. There is another side to the coin: sometimes people take medicine mechanically, half asleep, and then forget about it and take more. And it’s good if it’s not a potent drug.

Among doctors, before complaining about this to patients, they suggest conducting an experiment on yourself: take a dark glass jar with 60 harmless tablets (glucose, calcium gluconate, etc.) and take one daily. There were many experimenters, but there were only a few of those who, after two months, had 2 to 5-6 “extra” tablets left.

Everyone chooses ways to combat such “sclerosis” for themselves: someone puts medications in a visible place, ticks on the calendar help pedants, and alarm clocks and reminders help those who are especially forgetful. mobile phone and so on. Pharmaceutical companies even produce special calendars where you can mark each appointment. Not so long ago (though, as usual, not in Russia) hybrid alarm clocks and mini-first aid kits appeared, ringing and dispensing a tablet at a certain time.

Rule 3. Before or after eating is important

According to their relationship with meals, all tablets are divided into groups: “anyway”, “before”, “after” and “during meals”. Moreover, in the doctor’s mind, the patient eats strictly according to the schedule, does not snack during breaks and does not drink tea. But in the patient’s mind, an apple, banana and candy are not food, but food is borscht with a cutlet and compote with pies. Unfortunately, these beliefs also contribute to improper medication use.

"Before meals". To begin with, it’s a good idea to understand what the doctor means when he says “take 30 minutes before meals.” Does this mean that after taking the pill you need to eat a lot, or is the medicine just taken on an empty stomach?

IN most cases, when prescribing medications “before meals”, the doctor means:

• that you did not eat anything (nothing at all!) before taking the pill;
• that at least for the specified period after taking the medicine, you will also not eat anything.

That is, this tablet should go into an empty stomach, where it will not be disturbed gastric juice, food components, etc. From our own practice, we can say that this has to be explained many times. Because, for example, the active ingredients of drugs from the macrolide group are destroyed by an acidic environment. In this case, eating candy or drinking a glass of juice two hours before taking the medicine or an hour after can dramatically affect the result of treatment. The same applies to many other drugs, and it’s not just about gastric juice, but also about the timing of the drug getting from the stomach into the intestines, absorption disorders, and simply the chemical reaction of the drug’s components with food.

There are, of course, exceptions to this rule when you need to eat exactly within the specified period after taking it. For example, for gastrointestinal diseases or endocrinopathies. Therefore, for your own convenience, it is better to clarify what exactly the doctor had in mind when prescribing the drug “before meals”.

"While eating": everything is clear here. Just again, check what to do and how much to eat with the pill, especially if your meals are organized according to the “Monday-Wednesday-Friday” principle.

"After meal" Significantly fewer medications are taken. As a rule, these include drugs that irritate the gastric mucosa or help normalize digestion. "Food" in this case often does not mean a three-course change, especially if the drug needs to be taken 4-5-6 times a day. A limited amount of food will suffice.

Rule 4. Not all tablets can be taken together

Most tablets should be taken separately, unless taking a “bulk lot” is specifically approved by your doctor. This is not very convenient, but it is impossible to conduct research on the interaction of all drugs in the world, and swallowing tablets by the handful can easily result in an unpredictable effect already at the initial stage. Unless otherwise stated, between doses various drugs at least 30 minutes should pass.

Now about compatibility. Patients often like to bring their own creativity to treatment. For example, “I’m taking the medicine prescribed by the doctor, and since it’s probably harmful, it’s a good idea to take some vitamins or something else at the same time.” And the fact that vitamins can neutralize the medicine or lead to unpredictable consequences while taking the main drug is not taken into account.

Hepatorotectors, vitamins, combined agents for colds and herbs, recommended by your beloved grandmother, can be taken during treatment only after consulting with your doctor. If you are being treated by several specialists for different reasons, they should know about each other’s prescriptions.

Rule 5. Not all tablets have fractional dosages

There are different tablets, and not all of them can be broken to divide into several doses. Moreover, some tablets are coated, damaging which can affect the properties of the medicine. Therefore, the absence of a “dividing strip” should be alarming - most often such a tablet cannot be divided. And dosages of one-fourth or even one-eighth of a tablet also raise questions - it is almost impossible to measure correctly in such cases. If such a prescription was made by a doctor, you can ask him what the consequences are. Well, let’s not even talk about self-medication again.

Rule 6. Medicines, with rare exceptions, are taken only with water.

Not tea-coffee, not juice, not, God forbid, sweet soda, but personalized water - the most ordinary and non-carbonated one. There are even separate studies devoted to this issue.

True, there are certain groups of drugs that are washed down with sour drinks, milk, alkaline mineral water and other separately specified drinks. But these are exceptions, and they will definitely be mentioned when prescribing and in the instructions.

Rule 7. Chewable tablets are chewed, dragees are not crushed.

Direct prohibitions, as well as indications of special methods of use, appear for a reason. Chewable or sucking tablet, which you swallowed whole, will work after a different time or will not work at all.

The release form of the drug is also not chosen by chance. If the tablet has a special coating, it should not be crushed, broken or bitten. Because this coating protects something from something: active substance tablets from stomach acids, stomach from the active substance, esophagus or tooth enamel from damage, etc. The capsule form of release also says that the active substance should be absorbed only in the intestines and for a certain time. Therefore, capsules can only be opened as prescribed by a doctor, with an eye to the instructions.

Rule 8. There are special cases, but they must be assessed by a doctor

U different doctors We have our own treatment regimens that have been tested for years, and sometimes the dosage and method of taking the drugs may differ for different groups patients. In the same way, if there are characteristics of the patient ( accompanying illnesses, individual reactions, etc.) the appointment can be adjusted specifically for this case. At the same time, the choice of a drug and the method of its use are influenced by factors that are not always obvious to a person without medical education factors. Therefore, if your grandfather with hypertension took the same medications according to a different regimen prescribed by the best doctor in the world, this is not a reason to take them the same way. Take the pills like any other medicines, it is necessary without initiative, while absolutely any innovations not approved by the doctor are unnecessary.

Leonid Shchebotansky, Olesya Sosnitskaya

After all, when prescribing certain medications, the doctor expects that they will be used correctly.

Rule 1. Multiplicity is everything

When prescribing taking pills several times a day, most doctors mean a day - not the hours that we are usually awake, but all 24. Because the heart, liver and kidneys work around the clock, and, therefore, microbes work without a break for lunch and sleep. Therefore, taking tablets should be divided into equal intervals as much as possible, this especially applies to antimicrobial agents.

That is, with a two-time dose, the interval between taking each dosage should be 12 hours, three times - 8, four times - 6. However, this does not mean that patients should jump out of bed every night. There are not so many medications, the accuracy of administration of which is calculated minutely, and they are usually not prescribed in tablet form. But nevertheless, 2, 3, 4 times a day - this is not when it is convenient for the patient (“now and in an hour, because I forgot to drink in the morning”), but at certain intervals. To avoid interpretations when taking twice a day, for example, it is justified to prescribe specific times for taking the tablet: 8:00 and 20:00 or 10:00 and 22:00. It’s more convenient for the patient, and it’s impossible to understand in both ways.

Rule 2. Compliance, or commitment to acceptance

With short courses of pills, things are more or less normal: we usually don’t forget to take them for a couple of days. It gets worse with long courses. Because we are in a hurry, because we are stressed, because it just slipped our minds. There is another side to the coin: sometimes people take medicine mechanically, half asleep, and then forget about it and take more. And it’s good if it’s not a potent drug.

Among doctors, before complaining about this to patients, they suggest conducting an experiment on yourself: take a dark glass jar with 60 harmless tablets (glucose, calcium gluconate, etc.) and take one daily. There were many experimenters, but there were only a few of those who, after two months, had 2 to 5-6 “extra” tablets left.

Everyone chooses ways to combat such “sclerosis” for themselves: someone puts medications in a visible place, ticks on the calendar help pedants, and alarm clocks, reminders on a mobile phone, etc. help those who are especially forgetful. Pharmaceutical companies even produce special calendars where you can mark each appointment. Not so long ago (though, as usual, not in Russia) hybrid alarm clocks and mini-first aid kits appeared, ringing and dispensing a tablet at a certain time.

Rule 3. Before or after eating - this is important

According to their relationship with meals, all tablets are divided into groups: “anyway”, “before”, “after” and “during meals”. Moreover, in the doctor’s mind, the patient eats strictly according to the schedule, does not snack during breaks and does not drink tea. But in the patient’s mind, an apple, banana and candy are not food, but food is borscht with a cutlet and compote with pies. Unfortunately, these beliefs also contribute to improper medication use.

"Before meals". To begin with, it’s a good idea to understand what the doctor means when he says “take 30 minutes before meals.” Does this mean that after taking the pill you need to eat a lot, or is the medicine just taken on an empty stomach?

In most cases, when prescribing medications “before meals”, the doctor means:

• that you did not eat anything (nothing at all!) before taking the pill;
• that at least for the specified period after taking the medicine, you will also not eat anything.

That is, this tablet should go into an empty stomach, where it will not be interfered with by gastric juice, food components, etc. From our own practice, we can say that this has to be explained many times. Because, for example, the active ingredients of drugs from the macrolide group are destroyed by an acidic environment. In this case, eating candy or drinking a glass of juice two hours before taking the medicine or an hour after can dramatically affect the result of treatment. The same applies to many other drugs, and it’s not just about gastric juice, but also about the timing of the drug getting from the stomach into the intestines, absorption disorders, and simply the chemical reaction of the drug’s components with food.

There are, of course, exceptions to this rule when you need to eat exactly within the specified period after taking it. For example, for gastrointestinal diseases or endocrinopathies. Therefore, for your own convenience, it is better to clarify what exactly the doctor had in mind when prescribing the drug “before meals”.

“While eating”: everything is clear here. Just again, check what to do and how much to eat with the pill, especially if your meals are organized according to the “Monday-Wednesday-Friday” principle.

“After meals” a significantly smaller amount of drugs is taken. As a rule, these include drugs that irritate the gastric mucosa or help normalize digestion. “Food” in this case often does not mean a change from three courses, especially if the drug needs to be taken 4-5-6 times a day. A limited amount of food will suffice.

Rule 4. Not all tablets can be taken together

Most tablets should be taken separately, unless taking a “bulk lot” is specifically approved by your doctor. This is not very convenient, but it is impossible to conduct research on the interaction of all drugs in the world, and swallowing tablets by the handful can easily result in an unpredictable effect already at the initial stage. Unless otherwise specified, at least 30 minutes should pass between taking different medications.

Now about compatibility. Patients often like to bring their own creativity to treatment. For example, “I’m taking the medicine prescribed by the doctor, and since it’s probably harmful, it’s a good idea to take some vitamins or something else at the same time.” And the fact that vitamins can neutralize the medicine or lead to unpredictable consequences while taking the main drug is not taken into account.

Hepator rotators, vitamins, combined cold remedies and herbs recommended by your beloved grandmother can be taken during treatment only after consulting with your doctor in advance. If you are being treated by several specialists for different reasons, they should know about each other’s prescriptions.

Rule 5. Not all tablets have fractional dosages

There are different tablets, and not all of them can be broken to divide into several doses. Moreover, some tablets are coated, damaging which can affect the properties of the medicine. Therefore, the absence of a “dividing strip” should be alarming - most often such a tablet cannot be divided. And dosages of one-fourth or even one-eighth of a tablet also raise questions - it is almost impossible to measure correctly in such cases. If such a prescription was made by a doctor, you can ask him what the consequences are. Well, let’s not even talk about self-medication again.

Rule 6. Medicines, with rare exceptions, are taken only with water.

Not tea-coffee, not juice, not, God forbid, sweet soda, but personalized water - the most ordinary and non-carbonated one. There are even separate studies devoted to this issue.

True, there are certain groups of drugs that are washed down with sour drinks, milk, alkaline mineral water and other separately specified drinks. But these are exceptions, and they will definitely be mentioned when prescribing and in the instructions.

Rule 7. Chewable tablets are chewed, dragees are not crushed.

Direct prohibitions, as well as indications of special methods of use, appear for a reason. A chewable or suckable tablet that you swallow whole will take a different time to work or may not work at all.

The release form of the drug is also not chosen by chance. If the tablet has a special coating, it should not be crushed, broken or bitten. Because this coating protects something from something: the active ingredient of the tablet from stomach acids, the stomach from the active ingredient, the esophagus or tooth enamel from damage, etc. The capsule form also says that the active ingredient should be absorbed only in the intestines and for a certain time. Therefore, capsules can only be opened as prescribed by a doctor, with an eye to the instructions.

Rule 8. There are special cases, but they must be assessed by a doctor

Different doctors have their own treatment regimens that have been tested over the years, and sometimes the dosage and method of taking drugs may differ for different groups of patients. In the same way, if there are characteristics of the patient (comorbidities, individual reactions, etc.), the prescription can be adjusted specifically for this case. At the same time, the choice of a drug and the method of its use are influenced by factors that are not always obvious to a person without a medical education. Therefore, if your grandfather with hypertension took the same medications according to a different regimen prescribed by the best doctor in the world, this is not a reason to take them the same way. You need to take pills, like any other medicines, without doing anything on your own, and absolutely any innovations that have not been agreed upon with your doctor are unnecessary.

Leonid Shchebotansky, Olesya Sosnitskaya

Is it possible to take pills by the handful? And why?

This means that the doctor prescribed several different medications and according to the rules for taking them, it turns out that you end up taking several tablets at once, and there are 4-6 of them. Should I take it all at once or not?

Different tablets must be taken at different time, unless otherwise stated. That is, if the doctor prescribed pit pills 3 times a day after meals, then you should drink it that way. He may prescribe taking some tablets before meals, others after meals, and others during meals. all this must be observed. If the doctor has not specified or written down the time for taking the medications, then they should be taken as written in the instructions included with the tablets. For example, tablets such as aspirin and diclofenac should not be taken on an empty stomach, as you can spoil the stomach and get an ulcer. Some tablets must be taken half an hour before meals, since in order to have the desired effect they must enter and be absorbed in the intestines.

As for 4-6 tablets at a time, this is not a lot; previously, with pulmonary tuberculosis, patients took Pask tablets a piece at a time

How to take medications correctly?

Regardless of whether you take an analgin tablet once every six months or swallow a whole handful of pills three times a day, it is important to follow the rules for taking medications. After all, the quality of treatment and the lack of side effects. And often complaints that the medicine does not help are associated precisely with violation of the rules for taking medications. Therefore, you need not only to have a well-formed home first aid kit(the website “My Years” has already described how to do this), but also take the prescribed medications correctly.

Taking medications: basic rules

According to statistics, no more than 20% of all patients take medications correctly, and the rest either forget about the doctor’s recommendations or simply do not pay attention to them.

The instructions always write how often you should take the drug. It is very advisable to take medications strictly by the hour, this allows you to maintain the desired concentration medicinal substance in the blood constantly. This is important for many medications, for example, antihypertensives, antibiotics, hypoglycemic drugs, and hormonal drugs.

If it is written that the tablets should be taken twice a day, then this means 24 hours, that is, the drug is needed every 12 hours. For example, at 8 am and pm.

An exception is made for immediate relief medications: they are taken as needed, without any schedule.

For many drugs, the time of day is also important - this is due to the body’s biorhythms. Such features will also be written in the instructions or the doctor will tell you about it.

For example, antihistamines are taken in the evening. Painkillers are also taken in the evening, because the pain is always felt worse at night. Tonic medications are taken in the first half of the day, and sedatives in the second.

If there are several medications and they must be taken at a certain time, then you need to organize the process as conveniently as possible. A tablet holder will help out, where you can put everything necessary medications by time and day of the week. You can also set an alarm or reminder on your phone. This will help not only older people, because in the bustle of the day anyone can forget about the necessary pill.

You can print out a medication schedule and hang it in a visible place, remembering to mark the pill taken and the time.

By the way, recording the time of administration and dose is very helpful when it comes to medications for immediate relief. For example, in the case of antihypertensive drugs, antipyretics and painkillers. This will protect against accidental overdose, because many of these drugs can only be taken after a certain time. These records will also help doctors. If you had to call ambulance, you will be able to clearly tell the doctor when and what you took.

If there are a lot of medications and you need to take them several times a day, it makes sense to buy a convenient pill box

What to do if you forgot to take your medicine on time?

If a little time has passed, then just drink the drug. And if the time is already approaching next appointment, then wait for it and take the usual dose. You should never take a double dose of medicine instead of the missed one!

3. No “medicinal cocktails”

This applies to those who are forced to take several medications at the same time. This often happens in the presence of some chronic diseases.

What to do in this case? Of course, it’s easier to swallow all the pills in one fell swoop, but you can’t do this. Each drug is taken separately with an interval of 30 minutes.

If you take adsorbents, for example, Polysorb, Enterosgel, Activated carbon, smecta and the like, then you definitely need to take a break between this drug and other medications, since otherwise the sorbent will bind and remove the drug from the body. This is always written in the instructions. It is usually recommended to wait between 30 minutes and 1.5 hours.

Medicines always come in a form that facilitates their better absorption. Therefore, if the instructions say “chew”, “crush” or “put under the tongue until completely dissolved”, you need to do just that. For example, it is better to chew or crush regular aspirin, so it gets into the blood faster and causes less trauma to the stomach.

Lozenges should not be swallowed or washed down.

Coated tablets cannot be crushed, as the coating protects the contents from gastric juice.

The capsules are also not opened, since the gelatin shell ensures the safety of the drug and its prolonged action.

Naturally, effervescent tablets must be dissolved in water, and use the amount specified in the instructions.

Tablets that can be divided are equipped with special notches.

Do not swallow tablets while lying down - this may lead to nausea, vomiting or heartburn.

Yes, it really does matter. There are several reasons for this: some drugs irritate the gastric mucosa and, taking them on an empty stomach, you can give yourself gastritis or an ulcer. Another reason: the degree of absorption of the drug. Stomach contents can greatly reduce the effectiveness of the pill you take.

And the interaction of drugs with different products and drinks - this is a separate topic for discussion.

Not all medications indicate a relationship with food intake. If the doctor does not give special instructions, then it is better to drink the medicine half an hour before meals, then the degree of absorption will be high.

Many people wonder what this means: before, after and during meals.

Before meals - usually a maximum of 30 minutes before meals

After eating - after a maximum of 60 minutes

On an empty stomach - one minute before eating

If the medication schedule does not coincide with the diet, and the drug needs to be taken after or during meals, this can be solved simply: you can drink kefir, yogurt, milk, or eat something small. The main thing is that the medicine does not go into an empty stomach.

General recommendation: it is best to take any tablets with water, and clean water at that. For example, boiled, settled or filtered. There are also exceptions to these rules, but they are usually written about in the annotation for the drug and the doctor can also tell you about it.

All about medicine

popular about medicine and health

Any medications should be taken only as prescribed by a doctor. But even with the correct prescription, you need to know how to take the pills correctly, understand general rules taking medications.

First of all, you need to remember that different tablets It is recommended to take separately, at least with a short break, and not all at once, by the handful. The fact is that taken all at once, they can not only act worse, but also have an undesirable effect.

The drugs must be compatible. If one doctor prescribes different drugs, he will certainly make sure that they do not interfere with each other. But if, for example, a therapist prescribed you some medications, a neurologist - others, and an endocrinologist - others, then be sure to go back to the therapist or consult with a pharmacist who will explain how to take the pills correctly. It is possible that some medications will have to be replaced with safe analogues.

Do not hope for a quick result and do not increase the dose of the drug yourself without waiting for the desired effect. Most tablets begin to work within minutes.

Do not take medications while lying down. They can linger in the esophagus, causing heartburn, nausea and vomiting.

Do not chew capsule medications. A shell made of gelatin, agar or other substances ensures delivery of the drug to the stomach, where it dissolves without a trace. In addition, many capsules are long-acting medications that do not need to be taken several times a day. The shell ensures the gradual release of the contents and cannot be damaged.

For many medications, it matters when to take them - before or after meals. Usually the doctor who prescribes the drug specifies the time of administration. The package of tablets contains instructions that indicate the time of taking the drug and how to take the tablets correctly. Here are examples of taking some medications.

Acetylsalicylic acid and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

These medications should be taken only after meals. It is better not to swallow soluble tablets whole, but to dissolve them in the amount of water indicated in the instructions; regular tablets should be crushed or chewed and washed down with milk or mineral water without gas - then they enter the blood faster and do not irritate the mucous membranes. If the amount of liquid is not indicated, remember that one tablet should be taken with at least half a glass of water.

It is better to take these medications with water only, not milk or tea with milk. Calcium, which is contained in milk, reacts with antibiotics (especially tetracycline) and forms poorly soluble compounds.

Wash it down with a glass of mineral water without gas. These drugs often cause kidney problems, and alkaline drinking eliminates this problem.

Take under the tongue, dissolve until completely dissolved, without drinking anything.

These tablets should not be taken with any type of tea, coffee, cocoa, Coca-Cola or Pepsi-Cola. If this is not done, hyperactivity and insomnia occur, since contraceptives reduce the body's ability to break down caffeine. It is best to drink them with plain water.

Clean water at room temperature or table water mineral water without gas - best liquid for washing down most tablets. But there are people who like to take their medicine with something tasty. Special recommendations for them.

First of all, remember that in an acidic environment, most drugs lose their properties or they are significantly weakened. Therefore, you should not take the tablets with sour juices.

Grapefruit juice is not compatible with drugs that reduce blood cholesterol, immunosuppressants, erythromycin, oral contraceptives, some anticancer drugs, Viagra and its analogues. In addition to all of the above, grapefruit juice reduces the effect of antibiotics and does not remove drugs from the body, which often results in an overdose.

Cranberry juice is not compatible with anticoagulants; if taken simultaneously, gastrointestinal bleeding may occur.

The instructions for most drugs contain a warning about incompatibility with alcohol. Don't try to ignore it. Mixing alcohol with antihistamines, insulin, tranquilizers and antihypertensives, leads to increased drowsiness. Antibiotics with alcohol cause a rush of blood to the head, dizziness, and nausea. Nitroglycerin under the influence of alcohol changes its effect and does not provide the necessary reduction in heart pain. Antipyretic tablets together with alcohol give a strong blow to the gastric mucosa.

Regarding how to take pills correctly depending on the time of meals. Enzyme preparations that improve digestion, such as the popular mezim, should be taken directly with meals.

Spicy foods and citrus fruits should not be taken an hour before or after taking the pills, so as not to irritate the stomach and intestines.

It is better to take antidepressants with a diet that does not contain cheese, soy sauce, yeast, caviar, or avocado. Otherwise, you will be guaranteed severe drowsiness and high blood pressure for the whole day.

Hormonal medications must be taken with protein foods.

Knowing how to take pills correctly, you can help your health and improve the health of your family and friends.

How to take several tablets

Do you, when you leave a therapist who has just prescribed you a course of treatment that includes several drugs, completely forget how and when to take them? If you forgot, you are not alone. These are the majority. Result: medications do not help and even cause harm. If you want the pills to provide health benefits, take them correctly.

1. Take different pills separately, rather than all at once. This way you will avoid many side effects.

2. Check medications for compatibility. For example, if a therapist prescribed you one medicine, a urologist prescribed another, a cardiologist prescribed a third, and a gastroenterologist prescribed a fourth, be sure to return to the therapist or consult a pharmacist. This way you will prevent their contradictory interaction by replacing the medicine with a safe analogue.

3. Do not expect immediate results from medications and do not take a double dose without waiting. Most tablets begin to work within minutes.

4. Do not swallow medications while lying down. Otherwise, they may begin to decompose in the esophagus, leading to heartburn, nausea and vomiting.

5. Do not chew or twist capsules. The gelatin shell ensures the “delivery” of the drug to its intended purpose - in gastrointestinal tract. In addition, many of the capsules are so-called prolonged-release products that no longer need to be taken several times a day. The shell provides a slow release of the drug and should not be damaged.

Cautions for each drug

Aspirin. This medicine should be taken only after meals. Soluble tablet dip in exactly the amount of water indicated in the insert, and it is better to crush or chew an ordinary tablet and drink it with milk or mineral water: then it will enter the blood faster and will not unnecessarily irritate the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract.

Sulfonamides. They should be washed down with a glass of mineral water. These drugs often cause kidney problems, and drinking plenty of alkaline fluid will relieve the problems.

Oral contraceptives. These pills should not be taken with tea, coffee, or Coca-Cola. If this recommendation is not followed, hyperactivity and insomnia may occur because contraceptives reduce the body's ability to break down caffeine.

Antibiotics. They should be taken half an hour before meals. And wash them down better water, and not milk, since the calcium contained in milk reacts with antibiotics (especially tetracycline) and forms poorly soluble compounds.

Nitroglycerin, glycine. They must be dissolved without drinking anything.

How to take your pills

Boiled water at room temperature is the best drink for most tablets.

Grapefruit juice. It cannot be combined with drugs that lower blood cholesterol, immunosuppressants, erythromycin, oral contraceptives, some antitumor drugs, Viagra (and its analogues). Grapefruit juice does not remove drugs from the body. The result is an overdose.

Cranberry juice. Anticoagulants - drugs that reduce blood clotting - cannot be combined with it. Otherwise, bleeding may occur in the gastrointestinal tract.

Alcohol. The annotation for many tablets contains a warning about incompatibility with alcohol. Thus, the combination of alcohol with antihistamines, insulin, tranquilizers and tablets that lower blood pressure, will lead to increased drowsiness, which is especially dangerous for motorists. Antibiotics, when mixed with alcohol, will cause a rush of blood to the head, dizziness and nausea. Nitroglycerin under the influence of alcohol changes its effect and will not bring much-needed relief to the heart. Antipyretic tablets combined with alcohol will cause a massive blow to the mucous membranes of the stomach.

How to take medications

Enzyme preparations that improve digestion should be swallowed directly during meals.

Do not mix aspirin with spicy foods or citrus fruits an hour before or after taking the tablets, so as not to irritate the stomach and intestines.

It is better to take antidepressants on a diet that excludes foods such as cheese, yeast, soy sauce, fish roe, and avocado. Otherwise, severe drowsiness and high blood pressure will ruin your day.

Hormonal drugs require mandatory proximity to protein foods. Vitamins require fats for good absorption.

Drugs that regulate digestion, on the contrary, with fatty foods don't match.

Time to take medications

Heart and asthma medications are taken closer to midnight.

Medicines for ulcers - early in the morning and late in the evening to prevent hunger pains.

Of course, you yourself know very well about all this. But... they forgot. Print this leaflet if you take any medication regularly for a chronic condition. And you don’t have to bother remembering.

How to take pills correctly

What does it mean to “take the pills correctly”? This means taking them as indicated in the attached instructions. The doctor gives the same recommendations when prescribing medications. Failure to follow these instructions may result in the tablets not having a therapeutic effect or even causing harm to the body.

When taking medications, you need to pay attention to the following points:

Relationship between medication and food intake;

Possibility of “fractional” dosages;

Liquid for washing down;

Medicines must be taken by the patient at certain intervals. If the doctor prescribed taking pills 2 times a day, then the break between doses should be 12 hours; 3 times a day – 8 hours, 4 times a day – 6 hours. Those. medication doses should be distributed evenly throughout the day, and not just during the period of wakefulness. This especially applies to taking antibiotics.

Relationship between medication and food intake

Some tablets can be taken regardless of meal time; it is very convenient for the patient. But, unfortunately, there are not so many such tablets.

Medicine prescribed “before meals” should be taken on an empty stomach or at least 4 hours after the previous meal. The stomach should be free of food and gastric juice, because in an acidic environment, these drugs are simply destroyed.

Taking the medicine “with food” is simple and clear.

“After meals”, tablets are prescribed that normalize digestion or irritate the gastric mucosa.

By the way, even a small amount of food (an apple, a banana, a glass of compote) is considered “food”, and not necessarily full lunch. Breakfast or dinner.

If you are prescribed several medications at the same time, you need to find out from your doctor whether you can take all of these pills at once or take some kind of break between taking them. The interaction of drugs with each other has not been studied for all drugs, and if the doctor does not allow you to take all the prescribed tablets at once, “by the handful,” then you need to wait half an hour between taking different drugs.

Possibility of “fractional” dosages

Sometimes it is cheaper for a patient to buy tablets of a larger dosage than prescribed and take them, breaking them into 2 or even 4 parts. But this cannot be done with all tablets. Coated tablets cannot be crushed at all. If the tablet has a separating strip, such a tablet can be broken. The absence of such a strip means there is no guarantee that when you break the tablet you will receive the required dose.

Liquid for washing down

With rare exceptions, you can only take pills boiled water room temperature. Neither tea, nor coffee, nor juice are suitable for washing down medications.

Some medications need to be taken with alkaline mineral water, milk or acidic drinks, but these are exceptions, and they are always written about in the instructions.

Some tablets need to be chewed, they are called “ chewable tablets" There are tablets that need to be dissolved in the mouth. Medicines in pill form should be swallowed whole without biting. These instructions must be followed, otherwise therapeutic effect The pills will not work or will work much later.

Follow your doctor's instructions and carefully read the instructions that come with your medications so you can take your pills correctly.

MEDIMARI

"Your health is in your hands"

How to take pills correctly

Since childhood, we have associated the treatment of ailments with taking pills. Most often we don't think about them much. The doctor prescribed it, took the course, recovered and forgot. But as we age, we resort to their help more and more often. And then we realize that medicines not only treat, but also “mutilate”. But, unfortunately, you can’t do without them. It's time to find out if there are subtleties in the order of admission various medications. We are interested in the following questions:

1. What time of day is best to take the pills?
2. What does it mean: “drink on an empty stomach, during or after meals”?
3. How does the pill prescribed to us interact with food and other medications?

With rare exceptions, there are no exact and detailed answers to these questions in the drug annotations. And many doctors who prescribe treatment usually forget to talk about the peculiarities of taking certain pills.

Pharmacological companies are not required to indicate such nuances, and doctors find out about this only if any emergency situations have occurred and only then can they warn the patient to be careful, for example, do not take medications with juices, especially citrus fruits.

Features of drug interactions

In patients with chronic diseases A problem often arises due to the prescription of medications by doctors of different specialties. For example, the therapist prescribed aspirin, and the neurologist prescribed Nurofen. Both of these drugs are from the same anti-inflammatory group of NSAIDs. Taking both of these tablets, we get an excess amount of the active substance. Therefore, you need to tell each doctor what medications you are currently taking so that he can take into account their interactions and calculate the dose.

• Tip: Write down on a piece of paper the names and doses of the medications you take regularly, as well as those medications to which you are allergic. This is necessary so as not to make mistakes in the names and not forget anything.

And don’t be lazy, although it’s difficult to see the small print of the annotations, arm yourself with a magnifying glass and read it. Pay special attention to the sections called “Composition” and “Interaction with drugs”, “Use” and “Contraindications”. If the medications you are taking contain the same ingredients, there is a risk of doubling your dose.

It is necessary to take into account that many medications interact poorly with dairy, fatty products, pickles, marinades, and chocolate.

The following drugs are considered unpredictable in combination with other substances:

• Antibiotics
• Antifungal
• Antiallergic
• Sleeping pills
• Antidepressants
• Paracetamol
• Statins
• Non-steroidal (diclofenac, cyclosparin)
• Anticoagulants (warfarin)

Usually the tablets are washed down with water, but there are exceptions, which must be mentioned in the annotation. Some medications are washed down with milk, sour drinks, and alkaline mineral water.

Water-soluble B vitamins and vitamin C are taken either before or during meals. Fat-soluble vitamins, such as D, A, K, E - after meals. Vitamin complexes taken immediately after meals.

It is better to take medications for high blood pressure before bed.

Heart patients take aspirin in the evening, since it is at night that blood clots in the vessels are most likely to occur.

Medicines for arthritis and arthrosis are taken during the day, as usual pain syndrome intensifies in the evening.

• Take the pills with grapefruit juice, it causes an overdose of drugs
• Take medications with hot drinks
• Alcohol and medications are not compatible, especially paracetamol and cardiac glycosides
• Tea inhibits iron absorption. It has an effect on papaverine, aminophylline, caffeine, and cardiac drugs.
• Coffee and acid-reducing drugs and some antibiotics can cause seizures
• Not only should tetracycline antibiotics not be taken with milk, but it is even better to exclude it from the diet during treatment
• You can’t take vitamins and enzymes at the same time
• Herbal remedies are medicines. They either enhance or reduce the effect of the tablets. You need to consult a doctor.
• If the tablet does not have a separating strip, then reducing its dose by breaking it is incorrect. Some tablets have a coating that affects the properties of the medicine, protects the stomach, esophagus, tooth enamel from the active substance or, conversely, the active substance from gastric juice. And it is simply impossible to accurately maintain a lower dosage. Capsules show that the active substance must enter the intestines without affecting other internal organs.
• If you miss taking the drug as scheduled, you should not take a double dose.

Rules for taking medications

1. If you do not know about the interactions of medications prescribed to you, then it is better to take them separately, at least with an interval of 20–30 minutes.
2. Antimicrobial, antibacterial, hormonal and cardiac medications are taken strictly at regular intervals.
3. If it is prescribed once a day, then it means 24 hours. That is, the medicine must be taken every 24 hours. If 2 times a day, then every 12 hours. If 3 times a day, then every 8.
4. To be sure whether you took the pill or not, it is convenient to use:
   • Organizer boxes or pill boxes;
   • set an alarm clock (reminder) on your phone;
   • create a calendar with a checklist, similar to that what nurses in hospitals do, and check the box next to the name of the pill you took

“On an empty stomach, before, during, after eating” - what does this mean?

The terms “on an empty stomach” and “before meals” most often mean that in this moment there should be no food in the stomach, while the acidity of the gastric juice is low and the gastric juice does not interfere with the action of the medicine. This applies not only to a full breakfast or lunch, but also neither an apple, nor candy, nor juice should be eaten. Typically, cardiac antiarrhythmic drugs, antiulcer drugs, antacids and others are taken at this time.

If the medicine must be taken “with meals,” it means that you have an organized diet. And it is better if you ask your doctor when it is best to take this medicine: during breakfast, lunch or dinner. And specify what foods should not be in the diet while taking the pill. Usually enzymes, laxatives, and some diuretics are taken with meals.

“After meals”, tablets are prescribed that irritate the gastric mucosa. These are diuretics, anti-inflammatory drugs, cardiac glycosides, sulfonamides, and bile-containing drugs.

1. It is better to take the medicine an hour before or after meals
2. drink only clean, non-carbonated water at room temperature, while standing, sitting or half-sitting
3. For one tablet you need at least half a glass of water
4. they drink the jelly beans and don’t bite them
5. Chewable tablets must be chewed without drinking
6. sucking tablets do not need to be swallowed, they therapeutic effect associated with tablet resorption
7. soluble tablets - dissolve in water
8. facilities emergency assistance taken without following the schedule
9. Homeopathic medicines are taken separately from other medicines. When taking them, marinades, alcohol, tea and coffee should be excluded from the diet.
10. It is better to take erythromycin, aspirin with alkaline mineral water
11. indomethacin, diclofenac, nurofen washed down with milk

We must not forget that experienced doctors have proven treatment regimens and apply them exclusively to each patient, taking into account his individual characteristics. That's why the best option, when the doctor explains the specifics of prescribing and taking certain medications, but the patient can also clarify the correctness of the doctor’s prescription. Don't be shy, write down your doctor's recommendations. Read the leaflets for medications. If it is unclear, please clarify. Your health depends on it.

On the pages of the MEDIMARI website you will find a lot of interesting and useful things. I suggest you look at the page: “Site Map”

4 comments

When you have to see a doctor due to ailments, this is already a fact of non-compliance with the requirements healthy image life. Unfortunately, the number of patients in queues to see doctors is not decreasing and the advice from the proposed article on how to take pills is exactly what this category of citizens needs. Very much needed information. Thank you.

Thank you very much for such important details. But sometimes, in a hurry, you wash it down with whatever you want.

So many useful tips and observations! The idea “for one tablet you need at least half a glass of water” is especially correct - but most people don’t adhere to it, they are so unaccustomed to drinking plain water that they wash down a handful of tablets with one or two sips of water, just to slip into the stomach, but this is wrong!

The main thing is to follow the rules prescribed by your doctor. Drink more water and fruit drinks. Be healthy!

How to take the pills correctly so that they work?

Often in the annotation to the medicine you can read “take after meals” or “half an hour before meals,” or there are no recommendations at all in the instructions. In addition, the doctor gives advice when prescribing the drug - drink it twice or thrice a day, or once at night, etc. Why are these instructions, what do they change in the action of the tablets, do they need to be strictly followed or is it not important ? Do food, time of day, and sleep affect how medications work? Let's figure it out.

Taking the pills correctly

The basic rule for taking any pills is the frequency of their use. When a doctor prescribes taking medications several times a day, most specialists mean the entire day as a whole, and not the waking time, which is about an hour (minus the time the patient spends sleeping from the day).

This is due to the fact that, despite the patient’s sleep, his body continues to work - the heart contracts, the liver actively processes drugs, and the kidneys excrete their remains in the urine. Accordingly, microbes or viruses also attack the body around the clock, and diseases do not go to sleep with their owner. Therefore, it is important to distribute tablets evenly over equal time intervals (if possible), especially if it is antiviral drugs, antibiotics or some other drugs.

Accordingly, if tablets need to be taken twice a day, the interval between their use should be approximately 12 hours. That is, they can be taken, for example, at 8.00 and 20.00. If this is a three-time dose, the interval is reduced to 8 hours, you can make a schedule like this - 6.00, 14.00 and 20.00.

Fluctuations in the interval of taking the drug of 1-2 hours are acceptable, and in order to take the pill it is not necessary to jump up on the alarm clock an hour earlier than expected; you can adjust the schedule to suit yourself. However, taking it three times a day does not mean chaotic use - without observing time intervals, as is convenient for the patient if he forgot to take the drug on time. That is, you cannot take the drug in the morning, then in the evening and two pills at once, after waiting 2-3 hours, because there was no time at work during the day. To avoid confusion, many experts indicate the approximate time of taking the medicine when prescribing it.

Full compliance with the duration of medication intake

Short courses of medication are often easier to follow. Usually the first few days the patient is more pedantic about his treatment, especially if he is feeling unwell. But, as it becomes easier, or if the course is long, the pills are taken less and less responsibly - and this is very bad! Often, the reason for skipping medications or stopping taking them is haste, stress, or forgetfulness. This leads to the fact that the treatment does not give the expected effect due to its incomplete course. There is another option: people take pills while half asleep or forget that they have already taken them, and then repeat the dose, which is already too much. If the medicine has strong effects, this can end sadly.

To combat this problem, it is proposed various options: placing pills in a visible place, a chart on the wall with ticks when taking pills, reminders on the phone or alarm clocks. Yes, for oral contraceptives Manufacturers have long begun to mark the days of the week or the dates of the month on the blister itself so that women do not forget to take the pill. There are also mobile applications to help you adhere to your treatment schedule. And recently hybrids have appeared - an alarm clock-first aid kit, programmable and dispensing a portion of the drug when the bell rings.

Connection with nutrition: before meals or after?

Human nutrition can significantly influence the activity of drugs and the rate of their absorption from the intestine into the blood. If we divide all the drugs in relation to their relationship with nutrition, there are several groups:

• Remedies that do not depend on meals
• Medicines that must be taken strictly before meals
• Medicines taken after meals
• Drugs that are taken with food.

In addition, according to the patient’s assumption, nutrition refers to regular meals in the form of breakfast, which is then followed by a full lunch and the same dinner. However, doctors say that frequent and incomplete snacks are also a meal, even eating a banana, tea with cookies or yogurt is nutrition. But, according to the patient, they are not considered normal meals. This means that taking medications without taking into account these snacks, but only main meals, will be incorrect from the point of view of complete absorption of the drugs.

Specificity of drugs in connection with nutrition

Drugs that require taking “before meals” assume that when taking the pill you are hungry, have not eaten anything at all, and will not eat anything for the period specified in the instructions (usually 30 minutes). Thus, the drug enters an empty stomach, in which it will not be disturbed by food components mixed with gastric juice. This is due to the fact that the activity of the drugs, if the patient allows himself just one piece of candy or a glass of juice, can be disrupted almost to zero, absorption in the intestines will suffer or the drug will simply be destroyed.

There are exceptions to the rule, especially with regard to the treatment of digestive disorders or endocrine pathologies. Therefore, you should always check with your doctor how to take the medicine correctly - strictly on an empty stomach or after waiting a couple of hours after you have eaten.

With drugs from the “during meals” group it is most clear, although it is worth checking with your doctor how large the meal should be and what components the meal should consist of, especially if your meal is extremely irregular.

Taking medications “after meals” is uncommon. Usually these are means for normalizing digestive functions, stimulating the secretion of gastric juice or some others. It is also important to clarify with your doctor what is meant by nutrition in this case - any snacks or a large, hearty meal.

The situation is simplest with drugs that do not depend on food intake in any way; for them only the time interval for taking them is set.

At the same time, very often the reception is carried out without observing important rules, and therefore medications turn out to be useless, and even harmful. Talks about important admission rules pharmacist with 50 years of experience in pharmacy Irina Dubonosova:

— My colleagues talked about a buyer who used rectal suppositories Orally, in other words, I washed them down with water. And he came to the pharmacy with a complaint: it didn’t help, they say. And another tried to insert a potency pill into an organ that needed help. An erection never happened, but I almost had to see a surgeon. Perhaps both cases are nothing more than an anecdote, but when purchasing medications, you must always read the instructions before use and follow them strictly.

Chew or suck?

Be sure to follow the prescribed method of use, otherwise there is a high risk that the active substance simply will not reach its destination. If the instructions for the drug say: “chewable tablet” - chew, “sucking” - suck, it says “put under the tongue” - put it. If it is not written: “cut through”, “chew”, then in mandatory Swallow whole with water. As a last resort, crush before swallowing, but only if the tablet is not coated. Otherwise, grinding will lead to poor absorption of the medication.

If there is no dividing line on the tablet, there is no need to break it - this means that a half dose is not intended for use. Do not pour out or pour out the contents of the tablet from the capsule - the medicine is specially placed in this form and not in any other form. This way it will be absorbed better and safer.

Shouldn't you take more than two?

It is better not to take several different medications at the same time. Especially if they are prescribed by different specialists. Of course, it is better to consult a doctor when prescribing a new medication, telling him which medications are already prescribed to you.

If, nevertheless, taking different tablets turns out to be necessary, take them not one after another, but with a break of 30-60 minutes. For example: antibiotics should not be taken with antipyretics, sleeping pills, or antihistamines. Iron supplements cannot be combined with antacids (Almagel, Maalox, Rennie, etc.). Oral contraceptives (Marvelon, non-ovlon, Janine, Tri-mercy, etc.) are incompatible with analgin, antibiotics and sulfonamides (streptocide, biseptol). Do not take papaverine and aspirin, vitamin C and penicillin, dibazole and tetracycline at the same time.

When treating with enterosorbents (activated carbon, polysorb, smecta), the break between them and other medications (any!) should be at least 2 hours.

If you are in doubt about how to take your medications correctly, try to get information from different sources.

What to drink with it?

Under no circumstances should you drink: tea, coffee, sweet juices, soda and, of course, alcoholic drinks.

You can almost always use plain water.

If the annotation does not say when to drink and what you can take the tablets with, it means that you can take them at any time, but it is better to do it 30-40 minutes before meals (or at least 15-20) and wash it down with cool water.

Drink or wait?

Consider your health status, age, occupation, and even gender when taking certain medications. Children, pregnant women, elderly people and drivers need to be especially careful when taking medications. Medicines such as erythromycin, verapamil, diazepam act less effectively on women than on men, but anaprilin and tazepam do the opposite.

Remember that there are many drugs that have the same principle of action, but have different names. This is due to the presence of numerous generics for most drugs. For example, paracetamol is sold as Panadol, Tylenol, Efferalgan, Aldolor, Milistane. Diclofenac - like dicloran, bioran, voltaren, etc. Tavegil - like clemastine, clonidine - like hemitone and catapresan. These are all analogue drugs.

It is important to know

Tablets in gelatin capsules must be taken standing or sitting and washed down with at least 100 ml of water, otherwise the gelatin capsule may stick to the wall of the esophagus.

It is better to take medications to lower blood pressure while lying down.

It is better to first drip the heart drops onto a piece of sugar.

Cough tablets like mucaltin work more effectively if they are dissolved in a small amount of slightly sweet water and drunk an hour before meals.

Caffeine, theobromine and theophylline can be washed down with sour juices.

Oral tetracycline preparations should be taken while standing and washed down with a glass of water.

Most multivitamins are absorbed regardless of meal time, but it is best not to take them with meals.

When taking antipyretic medications, try not to eat a lot of dairy and plant foods, but temporarily switch to meat products.

Bad habits

Alcohol enhances the effect of drugs containing paracetamol and antihypertensive drugs - if you take phenobarbital and drink it with alcohol, there is a risk of dying from respiratory arrest.

Alcoholic drinks combined with aspirin can cause stomach ulcers and stomach bleeding.

A cocktail of alcohol with antidepressants, sleeping pills or antiallergic drugs enhances the calming effect of these drugs, and a person who takes this mixture greatly risks not only his health, but also the lives of others - for example, if he gets behind the wheel in this state.

Alcohol mixed with nitroglycerin leads to sharp decline pressure, which can lead to fainting.

Insulin and other antidiabetic drugs in combination with alcoholic beverages severely lower blood sugar, which can also cause fainting.

Violation heart rate There is a risk of drinking alcohol simultaneously with diuretics and digoxin, as it provokes a change in potassium balance.

Nicotine makes it less effective treatment psychotropic, cardiovascular drugs, pulmonary inhalers and even reduces the effect of birth control pills.

Remember

Despite the advice stated above, always carefully read the instructions for medications, consult with your doctor and listen to the sensations of your own body. When self-medicating, you are fully responsible for possible Negative consequences for your health.

Pills Doctors usually prescribe them for use several times a day. At the same time, the days are different for us, for doctors and for organs of the body. For doctors and organs, a day is 24 hours, that is, a day, since organs cannot stop while we sleep. But for us it’s a day, it’s 15-16 hours, and the rest is sleep, it doesn’t count as a day. And doctors, in general, prescribe to organs, we are simply representatives of these organs, because of these organs, only one language can speak. Naturally, the doctor prescribes pills in the hope that we will distribute them evenly throughout the day. We distribute them approximately evenly, it’s just that our day is not 24 hours, but 15.

The error is clear. That is, if we were prescribed three tablets a day, we should take them at intervals of eight hours (for example, at 8:00, 16:00 and 24:00), and if taken twice, at 8:00 and 20:00.

How to take pills and timing

With short (half a week to a week) courses of taking pills, we somehow, straining ourselves, cope and do not forget about the deadlines. With long courses, interest in treatment not only disappears, it’s just that life constantly throws in its surprises and distracts you from the main thing, from how take pills correctly. It also happens differently: I took it automatically and forgot whether I drank it or not. You drink again, but what if it’s something strong? Here you can’t do without “serifs”, without a calendar with crossing out, without an alarm clock, a mobile phone, or whatever else exists for memorization and reminders. What is best for you is probably up to you to choose.

How to take the tablets: before and after meals

While writing out a prescription in illegible handwriting, the doctors mutter all sorts of incantations, something like “before meals, after meals”...

In relation to food, tablets are divided into “anyway”, “before”, “after” and “during meals”, maybe there are also “instead of meals”. At the same time, the doctor apparently believes that food is brought to us strictly according to schedule, especially on business trips, business trips or travel. Even at home take pills during not always feasible, especially what to do with snacks, tea and coffee, unscheduled fruit, etc.?

Taking pills before meals

“Before meals”, this, firstly in medicine, means that you did not eat anything at all before taking the pill, and secondly, that you will not eat anything for at least the period specified by the doctor.

When this requirement is fulfilled, it enters the empty stomach, where it is not counteracted by gastric juice, food components and other substances that are not involved in your healing process. Eg, active substances drugs from the macrolide group disintegrate under the influence of an acidic environment, and any candy or glass of juice taken two hours before taking the medicine or an hour after can go down the drain or, at least, change the entire course of treatment in an unnecessary direction. This applies to many drugs, especially when you trace its long path from the stomach to the intestines and beyond, absorption disorders, and the peculiarities of the chemical reaction of the drug with food.

Taking pills with meals

“While eating”: everything seems to be clear here. The same one known on TV, Mezim, is involved in digestion, together with the pancreas during meals.

Significantly fewer drug names appear on the “after meals” list. Typically, these are drugs that irritate the gastric mucosa or help normalize digestion. In this case, sometimes just a limited amount of food is enough.

Should I take different pills at the same time?

Not all tablets can be mixed.

This generally applies to most tablets; they should always be taken separately, unless the “wholesale batch” is specified separately by the doctor. It's not very convenient, but it's doable. By default, between receptions different drugs there should be a timeout of half an hour. In addition, be sure to read the instructions for the tablets; it almost always states what other drugs this drug cannot be used together with.

If you are prescribed treatment by several different doctors various diseases, it would be good if they knew about each other's existence and about the assignments that each of them gives.

What is the correct form to take the pills in?

Not all tablets can be broken. If there is no separation mark on the tablet, it may not be possible to separate it (according to various reasons). Moreover, the accuracy of the dosage when dividing the tablet into several parts leaves much to be desired.

There are medications that special purpose the doctor is washed down with sour drinks, milk, alkaline mineral water, etc., but this rarely happens. Take medications with water only! The only thing you need to do is read the instructions, or check with your doctor or pharmacist - some medications are taken with a drink big amount of water.

Chewable tablets are chewed, tablets are not bitten, and tablets are sucked on. Otherwise everything is pointless.