You and your medication

Your healthcare team are there to support you whatever the situation. Having open and honest conversations with them about how you are feeling, your treatment, your expectations and your concerns is very important to get the support you need to get well and stay well. Working with your healthcare team you should try to identify what is the best treatment choice for you and your life. If you are experiencing difficulties with your current treatment, discuss this with your healthcare team to see if there are other options which might be suitable for you.

You can actively contribute to the success of this cooperation by preparing for these meetings: you could try making a list of questions, concerns or thoughts. This can help you remember what it is you want to talk about and get the most out of your time together.

Sometimes it’s hard to decide how you are feeling about your medication and why. The below list of questions can be helpful to ask yourself and may be discussed on your next visit to your healthcare team - it should help you to have a conversation that really helps you:

1. Do you take your medication as prescribed?
2. Do you ever discontinue medication or miss your appointments?
3. Do you ever stop taking your medication when you feel ill?
4. Do you ever say you have taken your medication when you haven't?
5. Do you ever stop taking medication or miss your appointments when you feel better?
6. How important do you think your medication is for your health?
7. Do you think your medication is making you better or worse?
8. What do you like about your medication?
9. What do you dislike about your medication?
10. Do you think it doesn't matter if you miss taking your medication every now and then?
11. Do you feel more positive when you take your medication?
12. Do you rely on other people, like your family and friends, to remind you to take your medication?
13. Do you think your medication prevents you from getting sick?
14. How do you feel about the way your medication is administered?
15. Do you think you are well informed about the side effects of your medication?
16. Do you think you are well informed about the types of medication that are available to you?
17. What do you think about your treatment plan and what would you change?