How do I use different types of medicine?

Following the instructions on the medicine will help you get the most from your medicine. This may include instructions about when or how to take your medicine.

Tablets and capsules

• With or after food - this means you take the medicine in the middle or at the end of a meal. Some medicines irritate your stomach causing pain, nausea or vomiting. Taking it with food will reduce this unwanted effect.
• Before food or on an empty stomach - this means taking the medicine one or two hours before food. The acid that your stomach releases when you eat destroys some medicines. Taking the medicine before food allows the medicine to work properly.
• With a glass of water - most tablets and capsules are best taken with water to help them go down. Some medicines can cause irritation of your esophagus and it is important to swallow it with plenty of water to make sure it reaches your stomach and doesn't get caught in your esophagus.
• Dissolve under your tongue (sublingual tablets). This allows the medicine to be absorbed very quickly and the effect to start almost immediately.
• Swallow whole - this is important for capsules and for some tablets because chewing them or breaking them would make them less effective. Some capsules and tablets are specially prepared to release the medicine over a number of hours, sometimes using special coating on tiny pellets in the capsule or tablet.
• Dissolve in water - some tablets are designed to dissolve in water, so you can take them as a liquid. This enables the medicine to act quickly and also makes very large tablets easier to swallow.

Suppositories

Suppositories are for insertion into the rectum. They dissolve slowly at body temperature and release the active medicine.

There are a number of reasons for using a suppository including:

• Not being able to swallow medicines.
• Severe nausea or vomiting.
• The medicine might be destroyed by stomach acid.
• An effect on the rectum is required, for example, for hemorrhoids or ulcerative colitis.

Pessaries

Pessaries are for insertion into the vagina. They dissolve at body temperature and release the active medicine

Creams, ointments and lotions

Medicines that are required for the skin are often put in a cream, ointment or lotion.

• Creams are not greasy and can be rubbed in so they are not visible.
• Ointments are greasy and are often used when the skin is particularly dry. They cannot be rubbed in and will remain visible and greasy on the skin.
• Lotions are lighter, and are particularly useful for hairy areas where a cream or ointment might be uncomfortable.

Creams and ointments should be applied sparingly (thinly).

Inhalers

Medicines used to treat or prevent asthma, bronchitis, emphysema or hay fever are often put into an inhaler. The medicines in an inhaler are delivered directly to the lung and will mainly act on the lung tissue. This means smaller doses of the medicine can be used than when given in tablet form and there is less likelihood of side effects.

Liquids

Some medicines are provided in a liquid for people, such as children, who have trouble swallowing tablets.

There are different types of liquid medicines including:

• Suspensions where the medicine in mixed with water but not dissolved. It is important to shake these liquids well before taking a dose.
• Solutions where the medicine is dissolved in the liquid.
• Elixir where the medicine is dissolved in a mixture of alcohol and water.
• Syrup where the medicine is dissolved in a mixture of sugar and water.

It is important to shake the bottle well before measuring a dose. Use an oral syringe for measuring doses less than 5ml, to make sure you get the right dose (available at your pharmacy). Make sure you store these medicines correctly and do not use them after their expiry date.

Slow release preparations

These are used when it is helpful for the medicine to be released slowly. This produces a more constant level of the medicine in your blood.

This can include patches that release the medicine slowly, capsules, tablets, and implants.