As outlined in a post on Dr. Ali Ghahary's Instagram page at http://instagram.com/alighahary, it is important to know which medications you’ve been prescribed and are to take – either on a regular, long-term basis or short-term basis. In order to keep track, Dr. Ali Ghahary other general practitioners recommend making a list. You can sort a list by names of medications, colour, directions and dosage. It is important to take your medications exactly as they are prescribed, and you should try to get all of your medications from the same physician as well as fill them at the same pharmacy. If you are ever confused about which medication you’re to take and how often or how much, Dr. Ghahary strongly advises patients to speak with him or a pharmacist to develop a better understanding. Never under any circumstance should you change your medication dose on your own without first speaking to a physician. You also should not share medication with other individuals, use them past their expiration date, nor should you crush or break medication without first being instructed to do so. Also, unless specified, medications should always be kept at room temperature and away from areas that are too humid, hot or cold to keep them from spoiling.
In some cases, especially with use of antibiotics, you may have medications leftover. As such, you should always make sure you are disposing of any leftover or old medications properly and not throwing them directly in the trash. This will protect you and those around you from consuming a medication that has become toxic or ineffective. Not only does proper disposal of leftover or expired medications help to protect the environment, but it also keeps from children, pets, or other individuals from finding medication in the trash and consuming what could possibly be a fatal dose. Most pharmacies in Vancouver, Burnaby and other areas of the Province of British Columbia will take back any leftover or expired medications you have and dispose of it properly for you if you are unable to do so yourself. It is recommended that you bring any leftover medications you have to a pharmacy in a plastic bag, and also make sure you remove any identifying information on your medication labels.