- Talk to your pharmacist. When you are given a new prescription medication it usually comes with an information sheet which lists, among other things, drug interactions to be aware of. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about any other medications or supplements you might be taking and ASK them if it is safe to take your new prescription with them.
- Know WHY and HOW to take our medications. Should they be taken on an empty stomach? Do they need to be taken at a certain time of day, or spaced a certain number of hours before or after taking a supplement?
- Fill your prescription with the same pharmacy or same Canadian pharmacy service to ensure that there is a single, complete record of all of your prescriptions. This will help make sure any potential interactions and conflicts are flagged.
- Avoid self-medicating with supplements to avoid experiencing negative interactions.
- Beware of certain foods and beverages, like grapefruit juice or alcohol, which may interact with some of your medications. Again, speak to your pharmacist about what to avoid.