Handling your medicines

Understanding your medicines will help you get the most out of your treatment. Knowing how they work and how best to take them will help you to avoid unwanted side effects.

When your doctor gives you a prescription, he or she should tell you:

• The dose of the medicine and how often to take it
• When and how you will know it is working
• Any common or serious side effects to watch for
• If you need to avoid certain foods, alcohol or activities
• Your medicine needs to be stored properly, so that it stays effective. That's usually in a cool, dry place out of reach of children

Remembering to take medicines for Parkinson's disease correctly is important, as they work best when taken on a precise schedule. Even people who have taken medicines for a long time can forget to take them or take them twice, by mistake.

• Dividing each day's medication into pill boxes labelled with the time they should be taken may be helpful
• When you are out, carrying a small emergency supply of medicine with you is useful in case you are delayed or your plans change
• Drinking plenty of fluid with pills reduces swallowing problems and helps you to absorb your medicines