A Doctor has given BBC Morning Live viewers key questions they should ask their GP whenever they’re given a prescription. Appearing on the show today Dr Punam Krishan told hosts Greg Rutherford and Louise Minchin that people should make sure to quiz them about any new medication they’re given.

And she explained this meant that if people throw away the leaflet explaining side effects and otehr useful information they’ll know what to do Dr Krishan said: “I think it’s really important to ask the questions. A lot of my patients worry, “Am I going to take up your time?”, but if we are prescribingsomething, just take those extra minutes and ask a few questions. And I’ve got a list here because sometimes you just worry that you don’t know what to say.”

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• What is it for?


• How does it work?


• How long does it take?


• How can I tell it works?

Application

• How often should I take?


• When should I take?


• Food/water?


• What if I miss a dose?

Side effects:

• Does it have any?


• What do I do if I get any?


• Should I stop taking it?

On the issue of leaflets she said there was also help online: “We misplace them, we lose them, and if you do, you do not need to worry because the NHS website does have a dedicated medicines A to Z page where you can look up any medication, and it’s also got information about side effects.

“Of course, remember your pharmacist, your GP, we are the prescribers, we know about these medications, we are there to use. So, if you have any queries or concerns about it, then ask a pharmacist or your GP about it. And if you are visually impaired, there is a regulation, the MHRA has a regulation stating that this patient information about medications should be accessible. So, on request, it is available in Braille, large print, you can get audio versions of it, you know, there’s a lot of information.

She added: “So ask about the medicine, you know, what is it for? How does it work? How long is it going to take to actually start working, and how will I know if it isn’t working? I think that’s really important. Ask about how you take it, you know, how often should you be taking it? Do you take it with food? Do you take it with water? What do you do if you miss a dose?

“And lastly, ask about side effects. You don’t need—we’re not going to go through the whole list of them—but you know, does the medication have any common side effects? What to expect in those first few days? What to do if you experience any side effects, and you know, when to seek medical urgent help.”

She explained there is one thing people should never do - stop their medication if they get side effects: “The first thing to say is: ask your GP or your pharmacist. Your pharmacist is very accessible. So if you start to find “Oh, I’m feeling a bit sicky,” or whatever the side effects may be, you’ve got that information.

“If you’re on any long-term meds, I think that a lot of people can sometimes just go, ‘Well, I don’t know if it’s working for me, so I’ll just stop it.’ Never do that. Always make sure that you speak to your doctor about it because some medications can cause withdrawal effects as well. So, you know, we like to taper those down.

“If it’s mild symptoms, I always say track them, you know, make a little note. Is it happening just shortly after you’ve taken the medication? Of course, if it’s a more urgent or severe reaction—severe vomiting, a rash, anaphylaxis—that needs emergency help.”

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