Reader’s Digest International — August 2017

20 | August• 2017

HEALTH

ILLUSTRATIONS: iSTOCK

WHAT’S MY PILL SCHEDULE?

If the instructions say “take every

eight hours,” pay attention, says

pharmacist Barbara Young. “That’s

not the same as taking three doses

at any time of day,” she warns.

Antibiotics work best when taken

with an equal amount of time

between doses, which keeps the

right amount of the medication in

your bloodstream at any one time.

Instead of taking a pill

meal, for instance, you

your GP might find tha

taking one as soon as y

wake up, another with

a midday snack, and

one right before bed

is better.

WHAT IF I MISS

A DOSE?

You’ll be glad you

asked – some

antibiotics will work

best if you take the

medicine as soon as

you remember, while

with others you should wait until

the time you’d take your next dose.

“It’s important to know ahead of

time what to do so you’re not

scrambling for information when

you’ve missed a dose and it’s late at

night,” says Young.

WHEN SHOULD I FEEL BETTER?

Soon. If you’ve been on antibiotics a

few days and haven’t had some relief

feeling worse, go and

your doctor, says

armacist Vincent

rtzell. “It’s either not the

est choice of drug or

something else is going

on,” he says. But do

continue to take your

prescription as

directed until your

doctor says otherwise.

Don’t ever stop taking

antibiotics without

finishing the full course

just because you feel

better: that can lead to

antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotics: What to Ask

Before You Start a Course

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