Taking prescription medicine is all but a given these days when you’re over the age of 40 and sometimes even younger, depending on your genetics and lifestyle. Prescription medication is a contentious issue because the very pills that are meant to save your life can also end it. That isn’t to say that you shouldn’t take your blood pressure pills tonight, you should continue to follow your doctor’s orders, just be mindful of these 5 points before you start taking new prescription medication.

1. How Common It Is

Chances are if your new online prescription medication is to treat a common disease or illness then there will be loads of information on it on the internet. Google your medicine before taking it but only visit reputable sites, this will prevent you from reading things that aren’t fact-based. Don’t be fooled by commonly prescribed medicines though, they can come with some of the strictest instructions on how they should be used.

2. Possible Drug Interactions

What most people don’t consider when starting a new medicine or even taking over-the-counter medicine for colds and touches of flu, is the potential that medication for interacting badly with one of your current medications. Sometimes these adverse drug interactions can be severe and possibly fatal, so it is important to let your doctor know everything you are currently taking – even if it doesn’t seem important. If you suspect that your medication is defective, ask someone in the know to help you because the defective medication will never be good for you or your condition.

3. When Should You Take It

Certain medications are prescribed with a strict set of instructions for how and when you should be taking them, including if they should be taken before, with, or after food. There are good reasons for these instructions and they are not made up on a whim, you need to follow those instructions exactly as you’ve been told. If you accidentally skip a dose, consult your doctor before just doubling up because some medicine dosages should never be doubled.

4. The Signs of An Overdose

Before you take your new medicine, Google probable signs of an overdose or ask someone to do it for you. Most medicines have side effects and you must be aware of the difference between a side-effect and a symptom of an overdose. Overdose symptoms aren’t always as serious as they are in movies, they can be as simple as having chronic diarrhea, but that too can have devastating consequences to your health when it’s prolonged.

5. Storage Instructions

Certain prescription medications can have highly specific storage requirements to keep them effective, most of the time these storage instructions are printed somewhere on the box or bottle. Make sure you check to see how your new medicine needs to be kept and follow those instructions carefully. If your medicine isn’t stored properly that can influence its efficacy and possibly even stop it from working at all.