Most of us have at one time or another been faced with having to use a product, or take a medication that we don’t understand. The pharmacy is one of the unique places where you can feel safe and secure in asking question regarding anything you are purchasing there.
Whether you want to know what types of cold medicine is recommended for the specific symptoms you suffer from, or whether you are unsure how to apply a knee wrap properly so you don’t cut off circulation to your foot. You can ask for a demonstration or for instructions on most health care items.
You might be putting together a first aid kit and need to know what cream is best for burns and whether there is spray that can be used to disinfect a cut, both of these are legitimate concerns that can be addressed without difficulty.
One of the most important questions asked at the pharmacy is whether particular herbal supplements, diet aids or medications are safe to use together. Certain chemicals are contraindicative to each other; other combinations reduce or increase the effects of a substance. Any of these actions are undesirable so the more you ask the safer you will be.
When purchasing a prescription drug, the pharmacist will likely offer to explain the possible side effects, when to take your medicine, and what to do or not to do while taking it. Some medications should be taken with food, others on an empty stomach. Some affect your ability to drive or to operate heavy machinery, which might be important information if you are going to be working while medicated. Some medications can’t be taken with normal everyday foods, which you would never know without the professionals sharing their knowledge.
Be sure to ask anything that might be important when picking up a new medication, especially if you plan on taking it with vitamins, herbal supplements or anything else you think might be problematic. Often times the pharmacist can provide suggestions for alternative products if the one you are taking or want to take won’t work while your taking your prescription.
There is no such thing as a stupid question, except the one you thought of and didn’t ask. It is not uncommon for the pharmacist to have pamphlets on how to do simple things like first aid, or how to use tampons or pregnancy tests. There is no reason to be embarrassed about asking personal questions as the professionals working there are much like doctors, they have heard it all before and are not sensitive about discussing personal information.
The bottom line is that anytime you are unsure of how to use a product, get a new prescription drug, begin a new diet plan or start taking a new type of vitamins or supplements and don’t know if something is safe, or simply don’t know what product meets your needs the best is the right time to ask questions at the pharmacy.