mg's, ml's, tsp, Tbls, compound pharmacy versus normal pharmacy, drug interactions, drug absorption differences, flavoring, cleaning medicine syringes, refrigerated or not, with food or empty stomach, side effects...ect.
This list can be about three times in length of the lessons I have learned in regards to medicine and prescriptions. However the most IMPORTANT lesson I can tell you is to ALWAYS triple check with not only your doctor but also with the pharmacist that you are actually getting the correct dosage and instructions on your medications.
We had to learn the hard way. When Noah was first put on the steroid for his Infantile Spasms neurologist called in an order for him to get a liquid compound made of 6mg per dose medicine and to give him 15 mg a day. When we picked it up the 15 mg turned into 15ml and the 6mg dosage turned into 12mg. This mistake happened with THREE different orders and it was not the pharmacy's fault because we had tried two different pharmacy's. It was a communication problem between me, the neurologist, and the pharmacy's.
The whole mess got cleaned up but I learned that when doctors put in prescriptions to normal pharmacy's (grocery stores, ect) they usually cannot turn pills into liquid for babies. You have to go to a compounding pharmacy to get this done (usually family owned pharmacies). Then the pill gets turned into liquid sometimes some pharmacy staff create the wrong dose or tell you to give the wrong amount per dose.
Your originally doctor will tell you from the start what you or your child should be taking so write it down and compare all the details with the pharmacist when you pick it up. Not the person at the cash register who wants to pretend they are a pharmacist and will say yes to pretty much anything.
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