What a Pharmacist Can Do for You

Get to know that friendly person in the white coat

Tips from the pharmacist

Paul Mattern of Health Spectrum Pharmacy explains a prescription to Benjamin Santiago of Allentown.

• What does this medication do? A pharmacist can give you the details on how a particular drug works, the best way to take it and the potential side effects.
• Do I really need all these medications? If you take several drugs prescribed by different specialists, you may be overmedicated—a condition called “polypharmacy.” “I’ve seen many customers on more than one drug to treat the same symptoms, or to treat side effects of other medications,” says Paul Mattern, registered pharmacist at Health Spectrum Pharmacy, Lehigh Valley Hospital—17th and Chew. Your pharmacist can review your medications, see if some interact with others, and if necessary, call your doctors about reducing your drug load.
• Am I getting the best price? If your insurance doesn’t cover the brand your doctor prescribed, your pharmacist can recommend alternatives to your physician that are covered. Or, you may be able to take a less costly generic version.
• Can you make this easier to take? If your pharmacist is a compounding pharmacist, he or she can create liquid forms of various types of pills and capsules. Compounding pharmacists also can mix different drugs into one con-venient product—for example, a canker sore treatment known as “magic mouthwash,” which contains Benadryl, lidocaine and Maalox.
• Is this over-the-counter drug safe for me? Use your pharmacist as a resource for over-the-counter as well as prescription medications. He or she can tell you about safe doses and special precautions for young children, pregnant women, people with chronic conditions and others.

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